We had settled in France, after 18 years in Singapore and the boys were getting bigger. I decided to restart my image business after taking several years off while the kids were small. I loved everything colour and style and my work would allow me the flexibility to still be there when the kids got home from school.
While it sounded good in my head, it became clear fairly quickly that getting clients in a non-English speaking country was going to be a major challenge.
Additionally I had no way of helping all the clients I had built up in Singapore over the years. All my hard work was lost and I had to start from scratch.
I was completely lost and really down on myself. It felt like I was getting no where.
My confidence was at an all time low and I couldn’t see how I was going to make a go of my business. I was at the point of giving up and finding an office job.
Fast forward to the event that changed everything...
I am sitting here 30 minutes after my colour presentation was supposed to start, feeling nauseous, disappointed, and fed up. Not one person has turned up despite several confirmations. One by one they had all cancelled over the last 24 hours. I am left with two people who were definitely going to make it.
No show. Not one single participant!
I feel fed up, sick, angry and want to cry but I have to put on a bright face as the event host is looking on anxiously.
She is coming over now, reassuring me that everything will be okay and I smile and nod and agree, its not the end of the world. It feels a bit like it though! How excruciatingly embarrassing?
So how did this happen? I was not a rookie. I had been in the image business almost 10 years before I took a break and restarted in France.
After this final frustrating and self-esteem killing event, I decided I had to go back to the drawing board and really think about what would work in this new country.
I knew 100% that I wanted to work in colour analysis so that was at least clear.
I also realised that I had been teaching in one way or another almost my whole career and I loved that too.
The big epiphany came when I realised that I had all the skills I needed right there in front of me (Don’t we always!) – Online Colour Analysis was the new opportunity for me. It made so much sense. It was the ‘a-ha’ moment Oprah talks about🤗
After lots of research and establishing an online process to conduct online colour analysis, I set about putting a plan together to get my first clients. I quickly realised that I needed a tool to analyze my clients colours based on the pictures they were sending me. I scoured the internet for anything that would help but apart from really unhelpful online colour analysis apps and programs, I couldn't find anything.
It became obvious to me that online colour analysis was not practiced by many consultants and there was no training out there. I could see the opportunity though, so I persisted.
I decided to create my own set of digital drapes that I could use to colour code online. It took me weeks to create each set with just the right colours for each season and tonal designation.
I started using the digital drapes for each consult and I was able to show the client the huge difference the colours made, just like I used to do during my in house consults.
I loved it and more importantly the client loved it.
The testimonials started to roll in and I knew I was on to an absolute winner.
It felt so good to finally be doing what I loved every day and also to finally have a steady flow of clients!
All of a sudden my client base became the world, rather than the English speaking community in a small village in the South of France. I could also get back in touch with all my Singapore connections and let them know that I was available for business.
I was so excited and my adrenaline was through the roof. I could ‘do colours’ every day to my hearts content from anywhere in the world with all the flexibility I wanted.
The bigger joy I get everyday now, is showing other consultants how they can have the same success I had, by providing the tools they need so they can start doing online colour analysis today.