Meet Richelle Henry

Today we’d like to introduce you to Richelle Henry.

Hi Richelle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My first memory in regards to starting this business barely had anything to do with clothes. Growing up, my parents said a couple of different things. My mom would say, “Start something for your community! Connect with your people here.” My dad was also very passionate when he talked about my sisters and I “being our own bosses.” I was blessed to be a product of two people who made lives from their passions – loving and inspiring people! I have that same drive, but I always knew my path would be different.

In 2013, I started a blog simply because it was every fashion girl’s first priority at the time. If you weren’t influencing you weren’t doing much. I quickly got bored and frustrated with it because I’ve never been good at just doing what everyone else did. All I wanted was to feel like I had started something that would fulfill me. I always say I’m a woman of faith (meaning I believe in God), so I turned to Him when I felt like I had lost my purpose. I remember sitting down post-grad, telling myself “just do it because you can’t fail at something you never even tried.” I stopped searching for a pop-culture centric brand and went with what I had been doing for years at that point- styling.

From the start, I never called myself a stylist because even in retail, I was doing so much more. I was giving hope to women who had lost their hair in their cancer battles. I prayed with some girls who suffered with anxiety like I did and had a hard time enjoying things like shopping. I built teams of women who would work together to make the top sales in my company based on inspiring businesswomen, mentoring young women on the nearby college campuses, congratulating brides-to-be. I was just having fun to be honest!

Last year someone asked me why I called myself an image consultant and the answer came to me so clearly. I said, “What I do barely has anything to do with clothes. I can’t match a style persona to someone who doesn’t know who they are, what purpose they serve in life. Everything about your image is a direct reflection of your true identity, and your confidence in that determines your impact.” My vision is to help as many women (and men) establish who they are, who they want to be, and build a life and wardrobe that speaks to that power of that knowledge. It’s more than just empowering, it’s transformative!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Is any road truly smooth? I’m going to have to say no, so my answer is this. I experienced weak spots in my confidence about my business and whether or not it was actually making a difference in my life, much less anyone else’s. I felt like there was little to no return on my emotional, physical, mental and financial investment. There were a lot of times I sat in my room at my mom’s house and thought, “God I want more.” Often times my version of growth was one person in the span of three months asking me if I could help them find a dress for their engagement shoot. People didn’t even know they were the answer to my prayer, asking God if I should quit. I’d say, “If this isn’t for me, don’t send anyone else my way”, and I kid you not, someone would message me on Instagram asking about my services. To be honest, this interview was another answered prayer. I have a healthier method of dealing with the struggle now. I acknowledge my emotion but never make the decision to leave my purpose. I ask God for a solution instead of a way out.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve taken advantage of every single opportunity post-grad. I’ve done retail management and tech for the last 6 years. It feels odd to say I’ve been out of school that long. I’ve learned so much from corporate america about the workflow of software development, production and sales. I’ve honestly paid my dues, and now I’m working on integrating those skills into how I run my business.

I mentioned earlier the purpose of my work, which is to help people establish their identity. That’s something they can choose to hold on to forever. My work looks like a lot of 1-on-1 time addressing emotions attached to clothing, shopping, being honest about how we feel about our bodies, and healing traumas that made us hate anything about ourselves. Contrary to some new clients’ belief, I don’t need their help dressing them – no shade! All of their work is internal, mental and emotional! What I physically put on their body is dependent on that. I want them to see themselves from the inside out, then we make the outside reflect all that shines within.

My services vary from wardrobe rediscovery, where I help clients make the most of what they already have, to the golden subscription, which is a 6-12 month long dedication to my client and their brand. It’s all fun! We plan shopping & styling sessions, photoshoots, content strategy sessions, merchandising plans, and events that just help me get to know them better. I’m able to tell them what their needs are based on what they want their outcome to be, which is usually elevation. That’s my specialty.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Connect with people who can do what you can’t (yet). You will either need them to be a part of your team or to teach you something you’ll need in the future. I wish someone told me that I didn’t have to have a mentor that was in my line of work. You need someone who speaks the same language as you. Be comfortable with sharing your strengths and weaknesses with them because they probably know how to help you turn those into an opportunity to evolve and grow up. If you don’t find someone who does that for you, I’m happy to tell you that you can do that for yourself. Talk to yourself because you’re one of the greatest people to talk to. A personal SWOT analysis will be your best friend and you should do one every single year to track your growth. Don’t be afraid to track your mistakes as well as your successes. You’ll need to remember them so you don’t repeat them. Lastly, don’t be too hard on yourself. You can’t rush greatness, just know it’s already in you.

Contact Info:

• Email: image@richellekconsulting.com
• Website: www.richellekconsulting.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/richellekathyrn
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/richellekathyrn
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/richellekathyrn