Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Azoulay
Hi Stephanie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I came to Florida for personal reasons around two years ago from the Middle East. With time passing by I decided to give it a try. It wasn’t easy because I came across challenges, mentally, emotionally and financially to overcome them.At that time under the circumstances I was in , I was a part time “Nani” / babysitter just to have money to pay off my bills and food to eat I didn’t have a steady home for about the first 9 months it was one of my most challenging time in my life!!!
how do you say ?
“Fake it till you make it”. But it had a heavy pain to it and nobody knew really what I was going through.
After a while I moved into my cute little apartment and started to breathe again. With time I got a job and started to build my business slowly on my free time. I decided I wanted to bring something different something I believe in but was also on a budget. So I started to import and design swimsuits then the clothing came into the picture and gained clientele from time to time.
My business is in my own apartment which I designed it with passion and creativity. It is a privilege for me to be part of people life’s and bring my touch to there wardrobe. Today the business is growing and the clientele as well. Still hustling step by step even when I had people shaming out of jealousy. But whatever I’ve been through who ever I came across by was a blessing even if it wasn’t pleasant.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No it wasnt. I had to overcome my fears of being alone, being “weak”. Stop doubting myself. I didn’t have much friends at that time and family and within the time I was strong enough to erase certain people of my life because I realize that they were just toxic and with that energy I couldn’t get anywhere forward in my life I was being judged and was told I had no goals.
It is enough for just one person to bring out the blossom in you and support you through out the time not necessarily financially but emotionally and mentally surprisingly you will see things about yourself you never thought you had. And I’m blessed for that because he is my biggest cheerleader until today
And I will respect his privacy but not mentioning names.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
So I own a business that gives you the service of one on one all my collection gets posted on Instagram through stories , feeds and if you missed out everything is saved under my highlights by category. I have a swimsuit line and a clothing line.
My clients either book an appointment to shop the collection or book an appointment for a private in house service which I drive to the client with my merch and dress her accordingly to her needs.
I specialize in personal styling personal shopping been in the fashion business for more than 15 years. My specialty is I have the eye and the patience to get to know the client needs and to show the client how to still feel confident, comfortable and fashionable beyond to what they believe or learned with the wrong tips they get from others. I I recognize sizes, styles from just seeing the person in matter of minutes or just from a picture. Very rare I get it wrong .
Even when I ship to a client I never met before, I make sure to go over the details , and show my personal opinion what would be the best option for my client. Successfully the results of the client is super satisfied and I made someone happy. Once you build a trust with the client you gain the client for the long run. I think I’m most proud of that. I am different and I never gave up on my creativity. I have confidence when I sell my merch or any other stuff that I used to work with to clients because I am very transparent I don’t fake smiles and sales I genuinely want the best because by the end of the day they present me outside and I wanna present them at the best I can that is right for there body shape, age, style, and also to make them feel comfortable with themselves. I had a lot of people that doubted me and always didn’t see what I saw in my own eyes always used to see the fashion forward so sometimes I will predict certain styles or certain creativity and it’s funny. I would manage to either find them or create them and then two years after you see them selling in stores, when at that time when I had that vision people will adore it or be like , what the f*ck is that? So I’ll take that as a compliment. I think what sets me apart from others is I’m all about energy. I can read the person. I can feel the energy of the person. I’m very intelligent and open to learn. I add things very fast 1+1 is two is not four so you can’t be with an ego. when You are in the retail or in the fashion business for so many years you really go on a deep level of understanding a lot of things that a lot of people don’t know and it’s all starts from service and patience and a touch of creativity, learning from mistakes being open beyond the box being supportive of others, trying to be a better person trying not to fall but if do to have the strength to get back up. the point of everything is a blessing and a learning, and it’s very important to stay very humble within the time of your success So I think that is something that a lot of people like in me, especially my clients because I always try to find a way to make them happy even if I am beyond their budget, but I do manage somehow to make the sale and make them happy and they return for more.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
So at that time, I never knew how to find it cause I was too busy just trying to survive It just came on the way and when it did come, I’ve realized a lot of things that could’ve helped me if I did have the right Mentor Or the right guidance. but I will say that trust in God, it’s a beautiful world and whatever plan you have and if it doesn’t go exactly the way how you wanted to there was a very big blessing in it that it didn’t happen. And that’s what happened to me when I came to Florida I wasn’t planning in moving to Florida. I wasn’t planning to create a business. I wasn’t planning to meet certain people on the way, but everything just happened and everything that happened happened for a very good reason. so part of my networking was Instagram, social media wearing my collection and just trying to be socialized with the outside world. if I will see a potential client or I will see someone that I have a feeling that will love my sense of style I will introduce myself and the rest is history.
Some will approach me and ask where did I get my dress or outfit so that was another way of introducing them to my collection, exchange Instagram and the next day there purchasing .
It’s all about consistency, never stop ,follow ups with clients sometimes they just need the push and not to wait for them to call.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanie.azoulay?igsh=cjR6c2h0c2JpMHZx&utm_source=qr; @stephanie.azoulay
- Email: style1989a@gmail.com
Image Credits
All the photos have been taken by me!
