Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Botero.
Hi Vanessa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m Colombian. I worked in my country as a journalist and social communicator for more than ten years in communications in the public and private sectors. However, I have always been connected with fashion and image. I remember that in the office, my colleagues would ask me for advice to improve their looks or choose dresses for essential parties and celebrations.
He has always felt a great connection with the image of people. I love to look around and mentally imagine how that person could improve their image and style if I knew that cool colors would look good on them or that straight, flowy pants would make a big difference in their personal presentation. In this way, I decided to get certified in Colombia as an image consultant at LaSalle College. This experience brought me even closer to my goal of one day working independently.
When I arrived in Houston in 2019, I reinvented myself; I decided to continue studying Image Consulting. During the pandemic, I completed another certification as an Image Consultant and Personal Shopper with ELLE Education. It will be in 2021 that I will begin this entrepreneurial path. It has been a wonderful experience, with many learning, rewarding, and challenging moments. Still, in the end, they have been part of an incredible journey through my passion: image, communication, and personal brand.
I advise virtual and in-person women worldwide who seek to rediscover their image and style. It has been satisfying to be part of the transformation processes visually and internally; I think that is the most outstanding achievement, being part of internal healing processes.
Instagram has been a great tool for making myself known in Houston and worldwide. We invite you to connect through this network, which is a great door to help others and support our goals. @vanebotero_estilo
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?
Being an entrepreneur is a long, bumpy road with many falls. However, you fall in love with the process because something inside you insists on continuing, believing in your talents, and fighting even if external conditions or things tell you otherwise.
I believe that perseverance, discipline, and a positive attitude are decisive. And precisely, there have been three things that I did not have within me, but little by little, I have been getting to know them and making them part of my personality and path as a woman and entrepreneur.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My primary mission is to transform, improve, and enhance the personal image of women who, due to their occupations as mothers, workers, wives, entrepreneurs, or whatever their status, have blurred and disconnected their way of dressing from their essence.
My focal point is to provide image consulting where the comfort and functionality of the garments are paramount. Then, I work on awakening that creative part of women to make the dressing experience easier for them. I want to connect with their closet, seeing it as an ally, not their enemy.
I like trends but believe they are not a predominant resource when making a makeover. I like to work with women’s reality to make their lives more accessible, to make them feel attractive, contemporary, fresh, and empowered, and for that style to last.
When I do makeover processes, I like to first understand the women’s lifestyle, the situation, or the context they are going through. I have had clients who have sought to be reborn in their image after a divorce, after losing a job, after becoming mothers, after suffering seasons of anxiety or depression… I connect with that situation; I put myself in their shoes and interpret that. in style capsules that help them shine again.
My image consultancies are actual processes; they are not guides to clothes in fashion or trends that solve an insecurity. They are processes of creation, reconnection, discovery, and enjoyment, which ultimately results in a woman with a new version, star colors that illuminate her, cuts that boost her nonverbal communication, and a style that fills her with security. Confidence and strength!!
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The greatest lesson I have had on this entrepreneurial journey has been to believe in myself. Imposter syndrome is the main enemy of talent. Doubts, insecurity, and comparisons are limiting. During my process I have been observing them, but I am no longer afraid of them, I like to identify when I feel that lack of confidence in myself, because it is a sign to move forward despite external things telling you otherwise. Don’t stop trusting yourself!
Pricing:
- Image Consulting process (virtual) (4 sessions) $250
- Style Capsule (virtual) (2 sessions) $150
- Closet Detox (virtual, 2 sessions) $150
- Shopping list (virtual, 2 sessions) $150
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @vanebotero_style
