- Geekmaster
- 2020-12-03 18:41:28
- 14 minute(s)
Rachel Zoe — Business Tips In The Spotlight
There are many business tips we can learn from the famous fashion icon Rachel Zoe. Rachel Zoe’s recipe for success is clean and simple, just the way we like it! Which business tips should we adopt to build our own empire and put it front in the spotlight?
Digitally-forward, the fashion empire of Rachel Zoe is decidedly a stylish one — but it’s also built on the know-how of the entrepreneur.
This is a factFashion entrepreneur Rachel Zoe might be a household name now, but there was once a time when she was just another young girl pounding the pavement in New York City with nothing but a dream, rock hard determination, and a killer sense of style.
One glance at the glamorous photos of Rachel Zoe posing in her Hollywood home next to racks of designer dresses and you are hooked.
Over the last two decades, Rachel Zoe’s star has risen as she turned red-carpet styling into big business. Now, the celebrity stylist, designer and editor is often regarded as Hollywood’s most powerful fashion player.
If you lack a strategy or have a bad strategy, you are going to fail. It’s as simple as that.
This is a factIf you want to be successful, one of the easiest ways to do it is to find someone (like Rachel Zoe) you admire and learn from their strategy and apply it to your own.
It is always refreshing to know that successful people have been through similar issues we have, and slowly working their way up to where they are today.
There is no secret that I do admire Rachel Zoe so much. She is incredibly stylish and successful and respected by her peers. She’s an excellent example that can guide you toward your own success.
Work hard, look sharp and love what you do!
We definitely love Rachel Zoe’s fierce passion, sharp eye and healthy dose of humility. Here are a few business tips Rachel has picked up along her perfectly-accessorized journey.
Put The Hours In
Hard work and success go hand in hand because nothing is offered on a silver platter; which means that people have to keep trying to succeed.
Rachel Zoe is an admitted workaholic. To build what she has, you have to be.
That being said, her dedication to her work has evolved over the years and now that she has two children she has a more balanced life and focuses on what really matters. Where she was once obsessing over having a lost a gown for one of her celebrity clients, she now concentrates on expanding her brand and ensuring the success of her various ventures.
She worked as a one woman show and around the clock at the beginning.
This is a factIt doesn’t matter how good your skills are, you need to show people you are willing to put the hard work in. The rewards will come later. There is no short cuts in the fashion industry (or any industry for that matter).
Do as much as you can, but do it well.
Rachel Zoe has a newsletter, a website, a large social presence, an Instagram, and a lot of cross promotional value. Connect with your audience where they hang out and you will see the results.
All people tend to underestimate work and overestimate talent. But work wins over talent.
This is a factMany talented people don’t achieve as much success as they could, unfortunately, because they sit back and on their talent and never learn to work hard.
📚 Additional reading
We love overnight success stories because we’re all inherently lazy – we all want to do the least amount of work possible, while earning as much money as possible. But unfortunately, this type of laziness can seriously derail your entrepreneurial dreams.
Never Act Entitled
Not everyone is a fan of Rachel Zoe. She talks in superlatives and says “Oh my God” and “literally” a lot which can be perceived as ditzy by some but that’s also why her fans love her so much.
She chooses not to focus on the haters and stays true to herself no matter how hard people might come down on her.
Being afraid of others opinion is human but don’t let it affect important life decisions or make you become someone you are not. There is something sexy and inspiring about being confident enough to be yourself and not let others dictate your behaviors and choices.
Her biggest piece of advice is to make sure to never act entitled. No matter what your situation is, you will work like you have only $5 in the bank.
This is a factIf you show up every day and give your job 110% at all times, eventually you will get noticed. It may not happen as quickly as you like, but at some point the stars will align and you will get your first big break.
🔈 Rachel Zoe has said
Entitlement is a common complaint these days from business leaders.
It’s defined as expecting certain benefits and treatment beyond what is reasonable; people believe they deserve certain perks in the workplace and are not accountable for negative behaviors.
There are a number of reasons that entitlement runs rampant at work. And many of them are permitted — or even endorsed —by leaders.
Taking steps to check entitlement at the door isn’t easy, but it’s necessary in order to have optimal organizations. Establish a zero tolerance policy and make sure that you eliminate any emerging entitlement before it takes root.
📚 Additional reading
Having honesty and integrity in the workplace is one of the most important qualities of great leadership in business.
Grow Thick Skin
Leaders need to toughen up. A thick skin, where hurts don’t penetrate, doesn’t come as naturally to leaders as it does to elephants. It takes practice, patience, and a few attitudinal shifts.
According to Rachel Zoe, you don’t have to be mean, but certainly be resistant to negativity around you. Do not let people tell you off and discourage you.
The fashion and entertainment industry can be extremely competitive. If you let every single comment get to you, you will have major psychological issues! So stay strong and be nice!
Everyone makes mistakes, but how you handle them can set you apart in the workplace.
This is a factWhen something goes wrong, find a solution (or more) before you present the mistake to your people. Then, use the misstep as a chance to come out on top. Rather than starting from scratch, work with your team to find a middle ground that will work for the customer while not compromising your vision.
Bold leadership is not attained merely by staunchly following the rules. Genuine, bold leaders are trailblazers who create a paradigm shift that improves the current situation.
Think of leaders like Melinda Gates who is making healthcare and birth control for women more accessible across the globe. Or, consider Airbnb CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky who has revolutionized the way people experience real estate.
Bold leaders are comfortable with thinking big, setting extremely high goals, or tackling a large project.
They are not afraid to pick a fight with a powerful competitor. Instead of avoiding feedback from others they seek it. They think in unconventional ways and are not afraid to invest in an unproven idea.
📚 Additional reading
Rise above criticism. Resist digging, to find out more, or testing the validity of criticism by venting to others in the workplace. Take the leadership high road.
Follow Your Passion
Rachel’s love of fashion was clear from a very young age and she chose to follow that passion and turn it not only into a thriving career but also into a hugely successful company.
Like many successful people, Rachel Zoe had a humble beginning. She worked as a restaurant hostess while studying in university.
With absolutely no idea what career path to follow, she turned to her grandfather for advice “Do whatever it is that you love and success will come”. This is when Rachel had her ah-ha moment.
Follow your gut. Don’t go by what looks good on paper. Something also has to feel right.
This is a factYour chances of being happy and successful increase tenfold when you do a job you love. Do what you love. It is the only thing that will keep you going through long days, stressful situations and a low bank account balance.
Rachel Zoe lives and breathes fashion, it comes out in everything she does.
When you are passionate about your product and your brand, your messaging will be strong. And most importantly, your message will be human. Being human is something we all can relate to.
Success is better defined as an achievement of a desired aim or purpose.
This is a factMore than money or fame, most people desire to align their own passions with their work, while making a sustainable income. Money brings diminishing returns the more you make, which makes it an elusive definition of success.
📚 Additional reading
Enjoying the work you do, in some ways, is more important than having a large bank account. If enthusiasm and passion are present, people tend to be more resilient when they encounter obstacles.
Be an Expert
In a corporate setting, experts often wind up in leadership roles because organizations — or they, themselves — deem that to be a logical next step in their career ladder.
Rachel Zoe is an expert fashionista. Like being passionate, being an expert is something that goes far in the social media world.
By doing so, you are building credibility and trust. There are many ways to go about branding yourself as an expert. You can do this on your blog, on your LinkedIn page, on your Facebook page, and on Instagram.
The easiest way to start branding yourself as an expert is to share your knowledge.
It’s likely that you are already very knowledgeable about your industry. Use this to your advantage. Open your mouth and speak the truth. People will start to follow.
🔈 Rachel Zoe has said
One of the most important leadership competencies is learning agility.
Simply put, this means the ability to learn fast and learn deep. You must take the time to read, go to conferences, meet people, debate issues, and continuously expand your knowledge about your industry and your company.
Having a hands-on approach enables leaders to best support the needs of their team as well as the needs of the company.
This is a factThe difference between a good leader and a great leader comes down to their ability to lead by example. Leaders shouldn’t find themselves behind a desk all day; they should be with their team, supporting them in their daily tasks. Leaders should not be above getting their hands dirty.
📚 Additional reading
Leadership itself requires its own levels of expertise. It takes many years to learn to lead, manage, coach, and develop people too.
Get To Know Who To Trust
Attention, reputation, and trust are the most critical elements required for your tremendous success and increase your business potential energy.
Surround yourself with the right people, assemble a great team for your business. Select the right people to help you succeed.
This is a factPersonality cannot be learnt, but everything else can! So choose people who has the right quality and make sure they stay (by treating them nicely).
Trust doesn’t mean that everyone in the office is best friends. It isn’t about being helpful when others need a hand.
Workplace trust means two things: First, that every team member is making their best effort to further the interests of the company; second, that everyone assumes that fact about everyone else on the team unless they see evidence to the contrary.
If anyone knows how to make up words and brand them, it’s Rachel Zoe. By doing this, she has a very distinct voice and she builds trust.
While these words may only relate to her audience, it doesn’t matter because the audience she is selling to is her own. Use words that work for you and use them often. By doing so they will become a part of your brand, your voice and will ultimately represent YOU.
Customers, coworkers and employees all want to believe that they are making the right decision to work with you. This takes a lot more than clichés and platitudes.
Customers should clearly understand the value of your products and services to them. Likewise, employees should feel good about taking ownership, which introduces an added measure of accountability and demonstrates the level of trust you have in them.
The best way to deliver trust is to surprise and delight clients and customers. Give them what they asked for, but on top of that, over-deliver.
This is a factDelivering more than they expect goes a long way and adds real value and trust. As a bonus, customers will tell others about how you delivered more. This should net you more business.
📚 Additional reading
Trust is like any other aspect of company culture: It’s important to hire for and even more important to reinforce throughout the relationship.
Keep Reinventing What You Do
Rachel doesn’t like having rigid career goals. Who would have thought from day one that she world turn into a stylist, author, TV show producer, fashion designer and owner of a digital media company?
Try several paths, try many paths until you find out what can be achieved. Taking risks can be dangerous but can also be very rewarding in many occasions.
She isn’t afraid sending actresses out in unexpected and unusual style choices. She believes in her talent and make sure others know take notice.
If you’re lucky and you’re honest with yourself, you might realize that you need to make a change. It’s never too late to start over.
This is a factWe hear stories all the time of people later in life going back to school for something completely new and different. Those stories are inspiring.
Sometimes the way we know we need a reinvention is because of regret, missed opportunities and risks we’ve never taken. But don’t fear change.
Consider opposition as fuel to igniting your ambition and drive. Oftentimes you need to be the one to recognize your vision — no one else. It’s important to channel your energy from within and push past resistance, and the status quo.
Ignore the voices of dissent again. Negative advice on an unknown is easy and safe to give, so every entrepreneur hears it over and over.
As an entrepreneur with some success, you have the confidence to prove them wrong once, so don’t lose your nerve and try to play it safe now. Proven problem solvers only get better with practice.
📚 Additional reading
Action can cure fear and doubt. We are granted the limited resource of energy and time in our existence, so keep your mind focused on the end goal: growth and progress.
Final Thoughts
It is refreshing to know that dreams can be obtainable, but not without price. One just needs a lot of determination and drive! Work hard, believe in yourself and take some chances!
Line your eyes with black Sharpie.
This is a factBusiness is not always stable, but you’ll learn how to get better with each passing month. You’ll work around the clock, and sometimes go without sleep.
Set yourself up for success. Never make unrealistic goals.
Success will not happen overnight. Running a business can be challenging, but it’s also one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have. With the right attitude, you are better prepared to start and grow your very own company.
Become an expert in your field, and market yourself as such.
Know what you’re best at and not best at and empower the people around you to fill those voids. Growth demands focusing on the things that contribute to growth, that means learning from mistakes.
Just like with fashion trends, if you hold onto something long enough it will likely come back in style somewhere down the road — but in a new iteration.
Are you truly inspired by this article? Does it reassure you to continue chasing your dreams? Do also share your thoughts and sources of inspiration in the comments section below!
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