Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Cartledge.
Hi Erika, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
For as long as I can remember, I have always had very strong opinions about my clothing, my style, and what I should wear. Even as a young child I would be adamant about picking just the right ensemble for picture day, Easter Sunday, or a friend’s birthday party. In high school, I further nurtured my love of fashion and style by taking a fashion design course. And, in college, my friends were always asking me to help style them and pick out things to wear.
In 2012 I took my love of fashion and style to the internet and started a blog, Your Chic is Showing. Around the same time I was approached by a friend who was a sports agent representing young NBA players. His clients needed help curating a wardrobe that met the NBA dress code and he asked me if I could assist them. From there, my personal styling business was born.
Although I originally started working with professional athletes and models, I quickly found that my passion was in helping entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, high-performing professionals, and all around #bossbabes cultivate their confidence and elevate their style. Over the next several years I took courses in color theory, body shape analysis, plus-size styling, and even earned a certificate in image consulting. All of this has brought me to where I am today – the go-to stylist who helps you get the junk out of your closet and your mind!!
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?
Have you ever seen the meme that says “what people think entrepreneurship is” with a line straight to the top versus “what entrepreneurship really is” with a zig zag line full of peaks and valleys? Well, that has definitely been my journey. I have had some incredible, incredible successes; but I’ve also had some massive disappointments along the way.
When I first started my business I not only offered personal styling services, but also event planning and production. After about three years I closed the event side of the business. In 2017, I launched a made-to-order clothing line and shuddered it the same year. Both of those events felt like huge, very public failures at the time.
I even thought about closing my business altogether at the end of 2019. I vividly remember telling my husband that 2020 was going to be “all gas and no breaks” and that if something didn’t hit for my business I was closing the doors. I had no idea, at the time that we were on the verge of a global pandemic. It would have been so easy to quit during the pandemic — like, who as hiring a personal stylist? However, I took the opportunity to meet people where they were (stuck at home) and revamped my entire Closet Detox process, wrote an eBook about detoxing and editing your wardrobe, and launched my small group programming. 2020 was one of my best years, beat only by this year, 2021.
Of course, hindsight is 20/20 and I realize that had I not weathered the storms early on in business I wouldn’t have been prepared to pivot and navigate 2020. I’m thankful for every win and every lesson.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Your Chic is Showing?
I started Your Chic is Showing (YCS) to help my clients elevate their personal style and build their confidence. YCS makes personal styling accessible to clients through a variety of services including personal styling, educational courses, eBooks, and an award-winning blog. Each day I strive to provide a unique, elegant and chic experience to each of my clients by delivering exceptional service.
At YCS, I believe that:
> Everybody and everybody is important, valuable, and has a place in the YCS community.
> Elevated style can be accessible to anyone, anywhere.
> Diversity is respected and celebrated in our community. All are welcome at YCS.
I have nearly a decade of experience, styling and educating hundreds of people through one-on-one services, as well as workshops, master classes, webinars, and publications. My styling expertise offers specializations in plus sized and full-figured styling, maternity styling, career styling, and special event – wedding, engagement, etc. – styling.
I’m not like other stylists and there are two main things that set me apart. First, I’m going to TEACH you, not just tell you. I don’t just pick an item for your wardrobe and tell you to buy. I’m going to take the time to explain how my recommendation meets your style goals, accentuates your body shape, and fits into your overall lifestyle. The clothing we add into your wardrobe is an investment into your future and the best possible version of yourself.
Second, I’m going to make you do some heart work. I tell all of my clients that 20% of our work together is the clothes and 80% of it is the heart. If you have a fabulous wardrobe but constantly speak negativity to yourself and your body, it doesn’t matter how amazing your wardrobe is. You’ll never believe you truly deserve it. So we take the time to not only elevate your style, but also your mindset.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
There are a number of ways that individuals, corporations, brands and retailers can work with me, including:
> one-on-one personal styling services
> small group styling experiences
> corporate workshops and presentations
> on-demand education
> Style Insider monthly membership program
> brand partnerships and collaborations
> private shopping, styling and educational events
> free blog, eBooks, and challenges
Contact Info:
- Email: info@yourchicisshowing.com
- Website: www.yourchicisshowing.com
- Instagram: @yourchicisshowing.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourChicIsShowing/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/urchicisshowing
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/ycstv
Image Credits:
Alicia Wiley Photography Terri Baskin Photography Bethany Kempfe Photography M Star Pix Bella Dawn Photography
