How Emma carr went from PA to founder of Crave Personal Styling
One of the things I love about working with so many female business owners on their marketing strategy is getting to see their passions turn into a career for them. This next guest on Moments to Motivate is an amazing example of this!
I first met Emma at a Femfluence event at Mint Velvet last November - a great networking group for female business owners in Manchester and definitely the most stylish. Instantly, I was struck by her unique style, I loved it and the way she told her business story. What’s really amazing about Emma though is how personable she is, and how this transpires when she’s working on her mission to transform women’s lives through the power of clothes.
She’s even helped me! Yes I have literally never had as many compliments recently about my outfits ( the silver shoes and a pop of red got the most) and Emma has been my secret weapon. I decided I needed to up level and also I wanted to still have style but be more comfortable. I have more speaking gigs and events coming up post summer and I want to feel my best when step up on stage as it is still very much out of my comfort zone! I talked about it in last weeks blog in fact.
I am soo excited to introduce you to Emma. As I feel soo many women would benefit from her help, I have a new level of confidence after working on my personal branding with her and have seen first hand the power of that. So confidence boosting can come in many different forms and this is a fun one but a very powerful one.
Read on to find out more about Emma Carr and how she went from PA to personal stylist with the launch of her business, Crave Personal Styling.
Emma Founder of Crave Personal Styling, Manchester
Meet Emma Carr
In my community there are people who are just at the idea stage, perhaps just launched or have an established business. Tell us a little about your journey, including some of the highs and lows, how long ago you started, and what prompted you to take the plunge to start your business.
I was an Executive PA for 20 years, starting in the finance sector when I was just 16, then moving into media and fashion when I moved to London at 21. I've always loved fashion and style, and working with the fashion designer Maria Grachovgel ignited that flame. It would take another 15 years for me to pursue it as a career, and in the interim, I came to Manchester and worked in TV. Becoming a mum and turning 40 was the game-changer, and I knew it was now or never if I wanted to follow my passion. This decision led me to study at the London College of Fashion and I found Crave Personal Styling in 2015.
Wow, that is such a refreshing reminder that it’s never too late if you’re willing to take action! I too was in my 40s when I started Your AJency. We talk about how important in marketing it is to share your why. Tell us your why - what is your goal with your brand?
My journey in personal styling has always been about more than just clothes. I've experienced firsthand the transformative power of what we wear and how it helps us show up in the world. It's not just about the external appearance but the internal confidence and empowerment it brings. I want to share this power with other women.
What you wear can transform your life on every level, from changing your career trajectory to how you view yourself and how the world views you. My mission is to help women find their true selves, to be bold, playful, exuberant, and free. Not just in what they wear but how they feel inside.
Manchester Personal Branding stylist - photo by Victoria Haydn
We couldn’t agree more. Helping women put themselves first to reach their goals is such a big part of what we do, raising visibility for female business owners! It's hard to launch and run a business on your own, impossible in my opinion. Who and where have you sought the necessary support? What has been most useful?
Since embarking on my entrepreneurial journey, I've received incredible support and guidance from other female founders who are experts in their fields. Working with a business coach and mentor, Jo Grobbelaar (@joanne_grobbelaar) has been invaluable. More recently, I've had the pleasure of collaborating with Anna Duffy (@doorway.studio), Victoria Hayden (@victoriahaydenportraits), and Sarah Cheesman, who helped me bring my vision for my recent brand refresh and new website to life.
And, of course, yourself! Investing in yourself and your business is crucial, especially when running a business independently. No one has the skillset or capacity to do it alone. I'm surrounded by other inspiring women in business whom I've connected with via social media and networking events. Having people with whom to share the highs and the lows is priceless, and these women are often my fuel to keep going!
We have seen a huge difference since we intentionally started networking as well! There are some amazing networking groups for female business owners in and around Manchester for sure! I mean I wouldn’t have met you.
Where did you start to find your audience, and potential clients?
Instagram has been crucial in helping me build my business, both in terms of brand awareness and in generating new clients who either come to me directly because they follow me or via connections I've made on the platform.
Recommendations and referrals are always important when you're a service-based business like mine, especially when it's a service that people often view as a 'want', not a 'need'. My clients are indirectly walking adverts for me, too. When they get complimented on their clothes and style, it generally leads to them sharing their experience of working with me, which inspires people to get in touch.
Yes! Referrals and positive reviews are the best advert for any business and that is a big part of my growth! Have you found that your background has also helped you in your business?
My background as an Executive PA helped me enormously. I've worked on everything from London Fashion Week to big TV Productions, so I know how to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, which solo business owners must do daily. As the central point of contact for many SME business owners and Senior Executives, I dealt with a wide range of people and personalities. Connecting with people quickly and easily is an invaluable skill set every business owner needs.
You’re so right that as small business owners we have to manage multiple tasks daily! How do you strike the balance and set boundaries between work and life?
When I first started my business, I didn't have any boundaries. You say yes to everything, but I don't think you can afford not to in the early days. I over-serviced and did so many things that didn't bring me any return on investment, but you only find out what works from doing the things that don't. That has gradually changed over the years and more so recently since becoming a solo parent. I can't do everything I need (and would like to do) to grow my business, so I've had to get laser-focused on where to put my energy. I've become far more disciplined and won't reply to a client's WhatsApp after 7 pm or commit to a deadline, which means I'm working on a Sunday. I'm much more firm in managing people's expectations, following my intuition, and saying no to anything that doesn't align with me and the vision for my business.
That is so important. Getting a laser-focus on what needs to be done to grow, and what are nice to-haves is such an essential learning curve for any small business owner!
Do you have any big highlights that stand out for you since launching Crave in 2015?
My personal highlight has been working with The band Crazy P. Seeing their frontwoman, Danielle Moore, performing on stage in outfits we created and envisioned together is a dream come true as I have admired her as a woman and artist for the last 20 years. The most significant success, though, has been having the courage to take that leap of faith in myself when I turned 40. To pursue my passion and change so many women's lives through the power of style in the process.
It’s truly inspiring seeing all you’ve achieved after coming from a different career! I love these stories and know I have people in my community who have done that or want to, so I know your story will be soo useful for them. It’s a good lesson to anyone at the start of their business journey! What is the best advice anyone has given you in terms of being an entrepreneur/ business owner?
Done is better than perfect. Hold your nerve!
Yes! Sometimes just getting is done has to be the priority, rather than perfection! Is there anything you might have done differently?
There is never one single thing, but when I commit to consistently showing up, it results in growth - not only for my business but also for my personal growth journey.
I would have invested in the help of a business coach and PR/media strategist from day one. I had no idea what I was doing, and it would have saved me a lot of time, money, and wrong turns in the process.
I think investing in ourselves as female founders at the beginning is soo hard. People want the income before they spend and I totally get that but I don’t think people should ever underestimate the power of a mentor. I know, as this is my second business (first one was a hobby basically) that I wouldn’t be where I am today without a mentor
It’s always interesting to see that people who are further in their journey always say that as soon as you are able to, invest in yourself and you’ll start to see a real difference! Having someone to keep you accountable like a business coach or a mentor can be so beneficial!
If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere with anything on it—metaphorically speaking, getting a message out to millions or billions—what would it say and why
There's a quote by St. Catherine of Sienna: "Be who you were created to be, and you will set the world on fire." It always serves as a reminder when I'm struggling with self-doubt and reminds me to keep following my purpose, which I know is the work I do through my business.
What a great quote! We love working and supporting ambitious female founders, the ambitions and ideas of others is really motivational. Saying something out loud can really help make things happen so what’s next for you and Crave?
My long-term vision for Crave is to build a team of stylists so I can grow my brand and help more people look and feel their best. I want to continue bringing out the magic in as many women as possible.
A huge thank you to Emma for inspiring us all and reminding us that it’s never too late if you are willing to take action and invest in the career you’ve been dreaming of! Also a clear reminder that sometimes you just need to put the time in, learn from mistakes and grow from there!
Emma Carr is a Personal Stylist and Image Consultant whose personal mission is to give women the freedom and empowerment to be the best version of themselves, one game-changing outfit at a time.
Since founding Crave in 2015, Emma has transformed the lives of 100's of women, guiding them to unveil their authentic selves through the power of style.
Emma has also collaborated with several high-profile brands, hosting style talks, guesting on podcasts and providing fashion insights for various well-known publications.