We were lucky to catch up with Lydia Matthews recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lydia, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Ever since I was in middle school I have been designing outfits and styles in my head. It is possible I came out the womb with designs already brewing in my mind. I also am an artist, but my style and paintings are all a form of art to me.

A few years ago I was praying in my car and God spoke to my heart and called me “his Esther.” There was so much personal meaning behind these words, but at the time I did not know they would become the name of my business a year later. I did know that like Esther I was called to be bold and unapologetic in sharing my faith.

Fast forward a year and I was thinking how I wish there was a site that made it easy for women to create outfits. I was thinking an online feature that could maybe generate a look using pieces from the website. How could I help make it easy for women to create outfits?

I remembered the words God whispered to my heart and thought the name Esther could have double meaning. It could stand for a woman unashamed of her faith in the Bible, but also for “Established by Her.” I want every woman to feel like they are a part of establishing this brand. So, I created a logo. It looked so good that I could not turn back and had to create a business.

I offer personal styling sessions and each new season I launch a curated wardrobe to help build a foundation for every woman’s wardrobe. My ultimate goal is to make it easy for women to build outfits and dress their body with confidence.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a personal stylist and my desire is to create a safe space for women to share their insecurities. I want to help women to appreciate their bodies no matter where they are in their health journey. Every woman should feel confident in their clothes regardless of whether they have reached their fitness goal.

Every season I launch a hand selected, curated wardrobe. This supports my mission to help women build a wardrobe they love and feel confident in. This “wardrobe” includes accessories to elevate the look, as well as clothing. My site even lays out the process of building an outfit in four simple steps.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

There are a few things I implement to foster brand loyalty. Any potential client can apply to be an “ambassador” for Esther. They receive a personal discount as well as a discount for their followers.

One aspect unique to my business is creating a community of women. I want to create a culture of women that love, support and cheer each other on. When I launch a new line of clothes, I do a photo shoot. I offer every model a generous discount and we always have a fun experience. For example, for our next shoot we are celebrating one of the models birthdays. The shoot will be centered around celebrating her with cake, confetti and neutral birthday hats.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I have had a lot of ups and a lot of downs since I started this business two years ago. There have been months were juggling family, my full time job, and this business has been overwhelming. There has also been months where I have had to pull from my personal savings to pay off bills.

It has not been easy, but I am thankful to friends who have encouraged me to keep going. I also have had to look at challenges as an opportunity to find a solution. As a business owner, I have learned to give myself grace and surrender my efforts to God.

Investing in a business coach was one of the best decisions I have made. Leslie Presnel has helped to provide me with specific feedback and strategies to scale my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://esther-clothing.com/
• Instagram: Instagram.com/esther_clothingbrand
• Facebook: Esther Clothing Brand – the name of the page

Image Credits
Natalie Miller