EP20 NICOLE BADOTTI : Luxury Fashion Stylist A Fusion of Fashion and Multiculturalism

Episode 20 ;What if you could travel the world, immerse yourself in various cultures, and turn your experiences into a successful career? Our stylish guest, Nicole Badotti, did just that. From Australia to Seoul, her travels shaped her perspective on life and fashion. With an unyielding passion for people, languages, and cultures, Nicole's globetrotting journey led her to her current job as a client advisor and stylist at luxury retailer Matchesfashion

Nicole's role in the fashion industry is about more than aesthetics. She believes in cultivating strong relationships with clients and creating a private, safe space for them. As she navigates the two billion-dollar luxury fashion stylist industry, she infuses her work with the hospitality and creativity she's gleaned from her multicultural experiences. Beyond her professional life, Nicole is a fitness enthusiast who finds motivation and focus in boxing. She's also a strong advocate for maintaining connections with her diverse network of friends through technology and social media.

This conversation with Nicole is a testament to the power of multicultural immersion. It emphasizes the importance of respecting different cultures, valuing relationships, and exploring the world with an open mind. Nicole's path is an inspiration for anyone seeking to combine their passions in unconventional ways. She debunks career myths and emphasizes the importance of personal fulfillment, all while encouraging women to live their lives to the fullest. Get ready for an insightful exchange with a true global citizen navigating the world of fashion.

0:00     Introduction

0:13     Nicole's Multicultural Journey and Fashion Career

8:04     Journey Into Styling and Cultural Immersion

23:54  Exploring Career Paths and Valuing Relationships

32:58   Exploring Multiculturalism and Fitness Motivation

43:51    Soft Skills of a Fashion Stylist

45:16    Trailblazer takeaways

49:24     Debunking Career Myths and Inspiring Others

Watch Youtube Video here  https://youtu.be/pMBnNEBY_LE
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https://uk.linkedin.com/in/nicolebadotti
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@nicole.worldwide,
@nb.traveller

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Transcript

The trailblazers experience : 0:13

So welcome to another episode of the Trailblazers Experience podcast, and I'm really, really, really, really excited to have my guest today, nicole Badotti. Have I pronounced that correctly, badotti? Yes, one of the reasons why I started the Trailblazers Experience podcast is to showcase amazing women in different careers, from creatives to content creators to business, etc. And also talk about careers that one doesn't actually talk about. So I'm going to actually introduce you, nicole. Nicole describes herself as a global citizen, passionate about people, languages and cultures. She has traveled to many countries, speaks over five languages and is currently a client advisor stylist at a luxury retailer called Matches. And for those of you who don't know what a stylist is, it is someone who provides a client from ideation to presentation of looks, product selection consultation to give them the look that they require from a fashion perspective. So welcome Nicole.

Nicole Badotti: 1:29

Thank you so much, and it's always like really a pleasure to be here yeah. To have Natu as well.

The trailblazers experience : 1:35

Of course, of course. And Nicole, just talk to me about your background, about where you're from. I mean, the fact that you speak five languages is amazing. You know there are people who study linguistics, but it comes natural to you. Talk to me a bit about your background, where you're from and, yeah, to date.

Nicole Badotti: 1:53

So basically, I come from Brazil originally. I have Italian passport through heritage, but for me, I guess, since I was young, my parents always loved traveling and they would never leave me behind. They would always take them with me. So since I was like what? Three years old, I was exposed to different countries, different people, different cultures, and that just made me really excited and really interested. I mean, as a young kid, I would go and see all this different world out there, and then I would just always grew up one night, to the point when I told my mom when I was six years old, mom, I'm not going to live in Criigiba. And my mom was like wait a minute, like you're six years old, you're not even like a person yet. What you're talking about like why do you even know that you can live abroad or anything? And then I was just like Criigiba is too small. And we were talking about like a almost three million people city, beautiful city in Criigiba, like in Brazil, but it was just not international, multicultural, as I always dreamed to be like in an environment.

Nicole Badotti: 3:05

So when I was 18, I decided that it was time for me to start adventuring myself. So off I went to Australia. I lived there for a few months, got the English test because I wanted to come to London, because I've been here during university and I fell in love with so many like other opportunities you have in the city. You, where else in the world can you find all the nationalities and cultures, religion in such a relatively small area? So I came here for a weekend and I told myself I'm going to live in the city, I'm going to live in this country. So I've done everything I could, went to Australia, I studied and came to do my fashion business degree in London and yeah, during that time it has been quite of a journey because when I was in Australia I always felt this proximity to Asian cultures and I started learning a little bit of Japanese, a little bit of India, a little bit of, like whoever was my friends in the school, I was trying to pick up on different words from them, like different phrases, and I got quite close to Korean culture. So to the point I actually started learning Korean.

Nicole Badotti: 4:28

And he spent some months in Korea and yeah, I was just like trying to explore because at the time it was quite and it was quite an exotic place. It was before Gangnam Style, before the K-pop and before being all over the place. So it was interesting to go there as well. At the time I was very blonde and the only one kind of foreigner in the country like in Seoul as well so they would come to me and they would come talk to me. And when I would talk to them in Korea, they would be so surprised.

Nicole Badotti: 5:04

And the reason why I kept on learning different languages is because I've been always very interested about human behavior and communication and what is the best way of actually communicating to people then? In their own language? Their own language kind of shapes their mindset, their behavior, how they like, they think. So for you to be able to at least like, even if you don't speak fluently, if you don't, if you're don't cannot carry like a conversation, full conversation, but just for you to introduce yourself in their own language and show that you had the interest and the effort to try, people change completely. The way they approach you is completely changed. So for me it's just something really passionate about.

The trailblazers experience : 5:51

It's so interesting that you've touched on that, nicole how really a decision that you made in your teenage years has shaped sort of the trajectory that you've gone on and you have a strong affinity again, not just for cultures but for languages but for people. And in order to travel, you have to not be an introvert, you sort of have to be extroverted and have a real interest in understanding, learning people, their behaviors. Like you said, you're sort of like a, in a way, a behavioral analyst, but in a people perspective, without data. Really, really interesting. And how long were you in Korea? For what? What was sort of the highlights of being in Australia and Korea, apart from the cultural perspective, and how has that shaped your direction from a fashion perspective?

Nicole Badotti: 6:41

too. So that was just the beginning. I've moved like to many different countries, but that was kind of like Australia was the first step and I'm like, okay, so this is real. I've left home, 18, I'm an adult. Now I'm gone Out in the world, like of course, I always had home and always would come back. But it was it. It was like my first step towards my independence and towards my goal of actually getting to know as much as I could learn and like meet the most people I could meet like different, you know different experiences. So that shaped in the way that opened my mindset and kind of prepare me what is to live alone and also what it is like to relate to other people that are completely different from you and leaving with them and having to adapt. It is quite of a big shift because from my only child living at home, suddenly having to share a room somewhere with someone from at the time was sharing with someone like a Swiss girl that had completely different background, completely different ideas and values, and you have to make it work. And so that's a lot about like how to how to relate with people like in a very intimate levels and strangers. In the end of day, like at least in the beginning. So that was the first thing.

Nicole Badotti: 8:04

Then Korea was I went there for a month, like three different instances. So one of my ex-partners, he, was actually Korean and we met because of my passion for languages. So I was like asking people to teach me a little bit of this, a little bit of that. And then I asked him as well, and then he came with a whole book Okay, you asked me to teach you, so let's do it so that actually he was my first teacher. And then, of course, with the time and with the spending, like hours together and we ended up getting together and then I explore Korea with him and then after I went by myself as well to Korea and it was a different reality. You can, you can, but I was also trying to be as close to the native population as possible. So I would hang out with the expat community.

Nicole Badotti: 8:58

But every place I've always been, I have kind of it's not a rule, but kind of a rule I try to immerse with the locals because I feel like I'm going to their territory, their country why not? To try to talk to them and try to see how do they experience their day to day, how is actually a life in their shoes, and so for me, I always try to get out like, to get along with people that live in the city. They're like are from that and, yeah, it was very interesting. It's very different how I loved it as a tourist. I don't know how would it be in the long term for living there and working, but for studying, for traveling. It is a very rich culture and people are very kind and very you're very curious. They were very, very curious about a foreigner there Talking to language like why, how? So it was. I loved it.

The trailblazers experience : 10:04

I mean in, I mean that in itself. That was an education, a lived experience of culture, languages. You know being in the Far East, so fast forward to you know being now in London. Talk to me about your journey into becoming a stylist, because you know it is a, it is a field. You know. Some statistics say now that they has been a demand an increase of stylists from six percent to ten percent. It's a two billion dollar industry Because it's a way of getting to a customer and getting them to buy. It involves not just fashion but psychology in a way. Talk to me about your journey of getting into it and why that interests you.

Nicole Badotti: 10:48

Yes. So when I did fashion business I was always interested in the side that, both of the creative, but also the financial and more tangible, let's say part of fashion. And Basically my father he's a businessman, he made himself up companies. My mom is the artist. They're like painting, that is like philosophy, so this would be kind of decision between like them both. So I kind of picked a bit of each one's brains, which was quite interesting, and it took me quite a while to figure out I didn't know what exactly what I wanted.

Nicole Badotti: 11:29

I've also studied hospitality, so very, always in people oriented, always Very focused on customers. I always loved being face-to-face with people and having this interaction. I never Re-enjoyed being behind a desk, behind in a closed office. So I always looked for opportunities where I could communicate. So it happened that pandemic hit. I Was after hospitality degree. What would I do in hospitality if there's no traveling, no hotels? I mean there was not much I could do.

Nicole Badotti: 12:08

So I decided to come to London before present with my 10 of passport so I could settle here. That was my dream. And so I start searching for jobs and they came across the opportunity to join matches in the customer service. I was like, okay, this doesn't seem ideal, but why not? Is a good company? Is fashion, is my background, is interesting, is home, so why not? And In the customer service I really felt this, even though it was not fashion directly, because of course we're selling clothes, but we were talking to customers. It was to felt very this kind of psychological side and if, even though it was far away from customers, I could feel that I was relating to them, even it was through a screen. And After things reopened, I had the opportunity to join the, the store, I applied for a promotion and and basically they call me the next day like okay we like to offer the position like, oh okay, amazing.

Nicole Badotti: 13:19

So I was very happy about that and since then my journey In within matches as a stylist it's very much brings all this hospitality and fashion background I've brought along the years, because not only you bring the creativity and and bringing the pieces, trying to create looks, but also is about like Self-image, about confidence. It's really Especially the way we do it. A match is it's within a very safe, private environment that feels like you're in a home and so when you enter that, when you're there with the client, you, just you. It's just like a barrier that is removed and you really feel like in this safe space.

Nicole Badotti: 14:09

So it's a completely different Experience from just buying. You don't have the pressure just to sell. So it's really about building connections, building relationships. So it's up to your clients on a daily basis. Sometimes they send you pictures of the wedding, the invite you to things or you know. So just they kind of share the bits of their life and how we you Influence that, how you Make part of it, and that's what motivates me and actually excites me every day and every client Is this interaction in the end of day.

The trailblazers experience : 14:45

It's very intimate, isn't it? I mean, you know, shopping is very personal, very intimate, and I've always thought, especially as a woman, you're going through so many things. You know body image, how you feel about colors, about shape, if your body has changed, evolved, so there's a lot going on, not just you know pulling pieces together, but making sure that that Client comes away feeling confident, but also wearing clothes that they feel comfortable and beautiful in as well.

Nicole Badotti: 15:18

Yeah, no, definitely. So, for example, it's all about the way from from receiving them and To preparing the pieces. Because that's what we do we do add it so like, for example, they can choose a few, a few pieces. They would love to try it. But then you think, okay, maybe they bring this pieces, but we try to make it in a way as well, we add on items that gonna make them feel like it's gonna Add on to the, to the outfit, so it's gonna make them more feeling, more elevated, more confident, because sometimes they don't really know what to choose, so they choose, you bring that in so they can actually feel as well, like sometimes in control, because it is their Choice to be there. So sometimes they're interested and sometimes pieces that you think or maybe might not work for this client, you get surprised that it does so.

Nicole Badotti: 16:11

It's also like a discovery moment, because you get to the point. You talk to the clients let's do an experiment. So why don't you try this and that? Okay, this doesn't work, fine.

Nicole Badotti: 16:21

But you have to always be very careful because different people have different ways of behaving. So sometimes if you put something like a clothing that is not really flattering and the person is in a very Fragile, let's say, moment. He can just ruin their day. So you have to be very careful with every person and you learn, like little by little you learn more about your clients. So I really like having these conversations with them because you ask them questions, you, you talk to them, we talk to them about their holidays, or it's not only about the product.

Nicole Badotti: 17:02

The product is just, let's say it's just, and the sales is just like an outcome of all this interaction. And you bring the products and sell them because you understood what kind of person this, this client wants to be or wants to portray or you know. So that's kind of the idea. You bring things in and you sell them, not because you're just trying a hard sale, but it's because you understand you actually acting on their, on their benefit. You really want to make them feel great and feel happy and come back. So that's the main goal for my job you know it's not like.

The trailblazers experience : 17:42

It's like a therapy session as well, isn't it? Lots of active listening, I know, understanding what the moment means to them and just immersing yourself in the client's vision and perspective. So they go talk to me about some challenges you may you may have had, and you know every career has some challenges. What do you think has been the biggest challenge in your current role?

Nicole Badotti: 18:11

The biggest challenge I feel. Sometimes I feel like didn't even not even dealing with the people, but the preparation, because when we do big appointments we do over 100 pieces like different rooms. So sometimes time can be very tight and we are very busy or we are tired so the inspiration doesn't come, I don't know. So sometimes having everything ready for the client on time could be a challenge. But I feel more like when you're having not such a good day, just to kind of like shake that off because it has nothing to do with your problems. I mean we, everybody has like the bad day. So just to shake it off and just be, you know, be there for the client and just kind of forget myself and be with the person and just make sure that he, like he or she, is the highlight.

Nicole Badotti: 19:12

Sometimes this can be a challenge, but I mean you have to think of your mood is infectious. So if you put as my after, you gonna feel better as well. Sometimes you feel like oh my god, I'm so tired, I want to do this, why I'm here, oh my god. And then you mean like and if you, much better because you just put on this energy and it's kind of your mind Thanks and believes on what you think. So if you start smiling and you start being on everything and then you like this was lovely, you know it's your mood as well. So I was trying to think Like the challenges just feels better after if you're on the yeah, on like a more challenging day, let's say yeah, I mean, I've sort of witnessed you in action.

The trailblazers experience : 19:58

So you know, from the attention to the mail, hoping that you got what the client has wanted and is the sizing Right? Are they going to love the colors? Did you interpret their vision the right way? So there is so much that goes on and I think that's that's why it's good to talk about A stylist is a career, so that anyone who's out there thinking, okay, you may have an interest in fashion, but there are the soft skills that are important. So you know active listening, communication, understanding the brief of what the client wants, what it's for. There's a lot of research that going. You have to also be you know, a breast of trends as well, because they might come in with a look that you've not seen before, but you have to interpret it in some way. There's a lot going on, nicole. I mean it's it's. It's something that needs a lot of planning and thought, because every client is different to Definitely so.

Nicole Badotti: 20:59

People don't know. If sometimes we talk with it, like with my colleagues people don't understand the work behind it. So it's really nice when you have the clients and they look at the room like wow, then you see the actually realize how much effort is done, like how much care and love is put to prepare that, that it clothes. They don't Just come up like that. There's all this thought behind it to make it really personalized and really to wild them. So it's very refreshing when the client comes and does that. You know, like that, yeah, that kind of amazed expression. So that's kind of a lot.

Nicole Badotti: 21:43

What goes on as well try to read the expression is not only voice or the way, whatever the client is saying, but observing my decline is wearing what the client. Maybe sometimes they don't say anything, but maybe they are picking all the people looking at something or they just keep Pulling, you know, like a, like a sleeve or so kind of understand and learn. Sometimes that's part of some security. Is this so kind of Observing and listening you able to to work on around the around each session, because Clients as well as not everybody the same the same day.

The trailblazers experience : 22:25

So yeah, body confidence is a very big thing, like you said. You know one what you might find beautiful on on a client. They might say what I have an issue with the sleeve or the or the length, but it's little things. What do you find you know in your industry most fulfilling and where do you see yourself going? Obviously talked about fashion businesses. You've got that creative and the business side that you're passionate about. What do you find most fulfilling in your job now and where do you see yourself going then?

Nicole Badotti: 23:01

So for me now I really like the idea that I can help people to feel better and in the process, I learned a lot as well from the clients, because we have so many clients are so stylish like wow, did you do this? How, like, how did you come up, you know, with this idea? So the second exchange some clients are just like completely stylish and they're super cool and you, they give you so many tips. So it's for me, it's for feeling this kind of interaction. Even if it's not your client is on the like on the floor, you talk to people, someone else client, but it's not in the sense I'm gonna sell to them, but just have this interaction is exchange and Having this human connection, which is very interesting. But going forward, that's a good question. I definitely want to keep in the fashion industry and having this connection with clients.

Nicole Badotti: 23:54

But even today, funny enough, I was talking one of the clients about jewelry.

Nicole Badotti: 24:00

I've done my bachelor's, I've done the business plan for jewelry company and I was wearing one of my rings that I've manufactured, that my parents gave it to me as a gift for my graduation, and she was telling me that she was doing as well jewelry.

Nicole Badotti: 24:20

So she was working only four out of like five days because she was trying to get this other business running. And then when I was like, wow, maybe this is a sign, because then she was giving me tips for different schools or different courses where I could like source material if I need people to actually do the pieces for me, you know. So I think this is the most fulfilling, because maybe you're not sure now what, where you want to go, what you want to do, but talking to people, learning about their experience, seeing what they are doing, I don't know, it might try and maybe I might come back to my jewelry kind of idea from many years ago, who knows? So, you know, I'm just going to try to explore this kind of sense, but because every it's just a learning and if you don't try it's like a side business. You never know what's going to happen, but at least you try. So, yeah, definitely that's the most fulfilling part of my job.

The trailblazers experience : 25:23

Yeah, but no, I mean, from what I'm hearing, nicole, you're in that discovery, exploratory phase. You're enjoying the career that you have now, engaging with clients, customers, different cultures, and you know, in a way you are it's a form of therapy. I keep saying, you know, shopping is not just the art of just buying the clothing, but the art of embracing your body, the occasion, what it's for. So I feel like there's a lot in there of which direction you could go.

Nicole Badotti: 25:56

Yeah, especially now in considering how the situation is. You can see a shift in the buying patterns from clients. Last year when I joined the store it was lots of impulsive buying, buying bulk almost, but now you can see that people are really thinking through. So people really want to feel good, they really want to make sure that the clothes they buy. There's much more alterations because people buy very classic pieces like this minimalist, this quite luxury that they kind of coating so in business or fashion and they just been like kind of going around. But it's really because people are more investing, more in the quality. So of course, trends and is very let's say, how can I say these are outstanding pieces and jewelry and this and that? But people are really investing in the good classics because they're just spending quite a lot of money but they're just being more careful and they are being more conscious of others and also for the long term, because it comes as well to the sense of the environment and people do care now more about it.

Nicole Badotti: 27:16

They do look at the labels what kind of fabrics they are, where is the product being manufactured or is it actually going to last? It's going to go along with my other wardrobe. It is going to fit with my other clothes. It's going to make outfits. So people are really being careful about that and they want to feel good in their clothes and they want to make sure that their purchases are worth the money. They still buy quite expensive items, but it's really you can see the re-cathed for what they're buying. It's very specific now. It's very much more thought through. Definitely, definitely.

The trailblazers experience : 28:04

Yeah, so what you're saying is, even from a high end perspective it's considered more curated. They're thinking about how can I stretch this garment? That's very interesting Lots of vintage as well. Talk to me about I know, I know, yeah, talk to me about your work ethic and what that's important to you, the values, maybe, that your parents have instilled in you that are helping you in your current career.

Nicole Badotti: 28:34

So I feel like, first of all, try not to judge. It seems quite obvious like not to judge a book by its cover this cliche but in the end of day it is very you don't know who you're talking to. You don't know who the person that just came out the door and don't know what they have to offer. For me, every person has a story. Every person is an expert in something. So if you already have someone coming at you and you're already having all those judgments, you're not learning, you're just being judgmental. You're not taking anything out of it. So if you try to listen to the person and actually have a talk, you're going to see how people are so incredible and I think that's what I learned from my parents. They were.

Nicole Badotti: 29:31

They always told me Nicole always observe two things how people drive and how people treat others. They are, let's say, in a lower position than them. You're going to see everything is like the lower power. You're going to see who they actually are, because that shows a lot if they feel like they're entitled to better treatment or they feel they are better than other people, or in the car, where they feel like in a safe space that they just can scream and shout and say horrible things and nobody going to even like no. So pay attention to that.

Nicole Badotti: 30:06

And for me these are two big things. So I feel like you have to be very tolerant and you have to make sure that you respect other people and you don't try to impose yourself on them or let them impose themselves on you. And yeah, I think like tolerance is the biggest one, because if you're able to understand, or try at least to understand others is halfway, because then you kind of see the point of view you try to. Of course, you're never going to be able to fully understand because you don't have the same background and understanding. So it says a lot of conflict and a lot of tolerance.

The trailblazers experience : 30:55

Yeah, it allows you to. It's a good foundation, isn't it, to be able to empathize with other people and be open to other people's experience. You said it right Everyone is an expert at something and it's. What can you learn from that experience? Nicole, you've traveled the globe, so relationships how important are relationships to you and how have you cultivated that wherever you've been, and what are sort of the key circles that you have now in London where you live, that keep you grounded?

Nicole Badotti: 31:30

Well, relationships, and considering that I've moved out, it is something quite challenging to keep in touch and to keep the relationships alive, but at the same time is like anything in life you need to put in the effort and you need to work on it and you need to really want to make things work to be able to make them work. So my best friends, they are literally all over the world. I have friends in France, but they're not French, they are from Morocco. Or other ones were friends about their French. They're living in London. Or there is another one that is from Hong Kong, but she lived in Macau and then she's here in London, she travels there. You know, for me my friends is very international, extremely international. I know global village you have. So, yes, so I prize myself for that because in a way, it's quite difficult to make them all together, not only because of the distance because my best friends they are literally scattered all over the world and even in London they're like all over the place but also because they are so varied, they're so different, they come from so different realities, backgrounds, industry, age, so I kind of put them together for me.

Nicole Badotti: 32:58

I go out a lot with friends, like you know one to one, two friends here and there, or my friends and their friends that become my friends, because I'm quite open and I'm very for me. I want to learn. I want to learn, I want to listen, I want to see what you have to say. What kind of things do you bring like from your background? So I want to, I literally I want to learn everything, I want to understand and talk to them and I'm curious. So, but some people they really feel they want to be more familiar and get together with people they are more similar. So my case is completely opposite. I did more differently. What I want to know, what makes it so different to me or what is your story behind? So my friends are from all over the place, which helps me as well, because I have friends for all kinds of situations and any place I want to go, I can stay somewhere else over.

The trailblazers experience : 33:59

So I know I mean we need to move away from the cliche that you know it's okay not to have lived in one town and known the same people, and I think the fact that social media and technology allows you to be connected, to be to people in different countries even though you're not with them, you're still connected in some way is is brilliant. And to your point about you're always learning, you're always evolving as a person, we need a more connected global community and embracing that I think it's it's it's brilliant to have that.

Nicole Badotti: 34:35

Yeah, no, for me, this multicultural aspect has been always what guided me through life, because why do we have to do just one thing like forever? Why are we bound to be in just one place, living one reality? Of course, for some people it's fine and I admire that, but I just feel like there is so much in this world that I haven't seen, I haven't heard, I haven't touched, I haven't experienced, and I really want to do it all. Of course I won't be able to do it all, but I try. As long as I'm alive, I try. And that's what makes me very excited and that's what makes me alive, this kind of global aspect of me. Just, even in London, I just go. Sometimes, I try, even if I don't travel abroad, I try to go a weekend, a weekend away. I go to a different city or a different neighborhood and I just try to explore the area. So I think, just like this novelty, this kind of yeah, just the kind of exploring the unknown, that's what triggers me?

The trailblazers experience : 35:54

I'm curious, yeah, yeah, tell me about your. You know you've talked about exploring, talked about traveling and what. What do you do outside of work? I know if you're going to talk about your boxing, which I was like shocked when you told me about it, I know. Tell me about why that's important to you, because I'm all about fitness, but let's hear it from you and why.

Nicole Badotti: 36:25

Oh, for me, I have so much energy, I need to use it somewhere. So and I'm a morning person, so for me, 5, 6 am, I'm all bad. I was like, okay, so what? Now I've started running as well. So I wanted to do like 8 kilometers run to the day. So I was like, okay, I need to do this, I want to do it, I don't know, I'm just doing it. So I started training to the point I actually enjoy running now. So I did one more thing that I appreciate doing in the morning. So 6 am I like doing my run. Choose this as day for boxing. So I feel like outside work.

Nicole Badotti: 37:04

I really like this health and fitness lifestyle. I feel that this just makes me all centered and focused, and also in the sense of challenges, it's not only that you're just going past, because it's your mind that you have to kind of overcome, it's not the body. So many times you might run, oh my God, I'm so boring, I'm tired. And then I for some reason, different song pops up and as I'm singing I ran another 20 minutes like minutes, and I was like, why am I tired? So it's just more like that kind of sense that fitness not only makes you feel better but also shows you how strong you are, and not only body wise but fit, like mentally. So kind of push the boundaries for both gives you focus and also in the end of day you see the results.

Nicole Badotti: 38:03

So I ran, for example, the other day. I I bet a bit my personal best is, of course, if you just tell that I ran a 5.5 pace, people are gonna be like this is not even that fast. But for me was, you know, for me was like wow, I did it for like what, 30, 40 minutes Like, and you know it's just more in that sense, just trying to become yourself a bit better and like, through fitness I think it's very kind of easy to see the progress. So it helps because during life, you don't know, sometimes one day is good, one day is bad, especially in retail, especially in sales. Sometimes I have clients, sometimes we don't, sometimes you have, you know, sometimes people return things that they bought. So to kind of like, have that motivation and say, no, I'm still going forward, I'm still progressing. I think fitness is a really great way of keeping this extra motivation.

The trailblazers experience : 39:06

I think it's good that you've mentioned that you know that work life balance of having something that's just for you, because you know everyone thinks, oh, you're a stylist, it's very glamorous, but to your point you can have a whole session and then the client's not satisfied at the end. Or they buy everything and they bring everything back, or they don't show up or they never come back.

Nicole Badotti: 39:25

Oh yeah, they don't show up and you're just like, why can't you just send a message? I'm sorry I cannot make it, even if it's like last minute. But just reply, you know, because it is someone's time. I think it's someone's time in the distribution center that is preparing the order to like the pieces to bring. It is for me to like to undo the rubbish. It's for the cleaning lady to have to throw up the rubbish is for the environment that I have to use the energy to steam the pieces to be not I mean, it's not only you not going because it's raining and your tie or whatever, but you know, just be more respectful about like people's time because you wouldn't want to be in the same situation. You know it's. I think it's just like being respectful. Yeah, it's important.

The trailblazers experience : 40:14

But don't take it personal, I think that's it. No, that's another thing.

Nicole Badotti: 40:18

Don't take it personal Because, honestly, when you learn people like you are normally the least of their problems. They're listening, they're like thinking off.

The trailblazers experience : 40:29

Yeah, that's because you never know what people are going through as well. I think you know people assume, because they are high net worth individuals or they have money, that they don't have problems, but they're human beings just like you and I, and that's worthy of acknowledging and understanding. Nicole, for some young girl out there who's saying you know what I think being a fashion stylist is is important for me. A client, you know, client telling, what advice would you give to them? So obvious things for them to note if that's what they want to get into.

Nicole Badotti: 41:04

I feel like, first of all, be honest. Don't try to push things into people, because people appreciate honesty and they're not going to connect with you if you're just pretending to be someone else or pretending to you know, trying to push on them things that don't work. Also, listen to them, ask questions, try to see behind the mask, because sometimes people they just try to keep it to themselves, as also try to go beyond. Ask things, not only like talk about them, like themselves, because people love talking about themselves. So ask them questions, let them like open up, let them just say whatever, like try to discover the person, because then you're going to feel better, like as an interrogation, but just making them feel comfortable. Also, try to get information from different sources Go to concerts, go to museums, watch like fashion shows, learn about history, talk to people from other industries you never know where the inspiration comes from and for you to be able to explore different areas, you're going to be able to talk to people.

Nicole Badotti: 42:23

For example, we work with high net worth individuals, so they are aware of normally aware of art, aware of, like, different restaurants, different hotels, different holiday destinations. So if you know about these things, you're able to hold a conversation with them, because if you don't have any extra knowledge, how are you going to even be able to talk to them like to, you know, to get to know them better, if you cannot yeah, if you cannot talk to the language? So it's not only about the language, like English, english, but also the language of the cultural side, because you have to be interesting. It's you have to entertain, to be a host. So you have to be interesting and you have to be like, you have to be interested in them, and that helps a lot for them to be interested in you as well. So I would say that knowledge and honesty thing that goes a long way.

The trailblazers experience : 43:18

They say knowledge is power. So you know, whatever career you're in, you don't you sort of have to have some understanding of what's going on, because how you're going to interact with them if they're talking about a contemporary art gallery that they're going to? How are you going to be able to dress them if you have no idea about the crowd that is there as well?

Nicole Badotti: 43:38

Exactly, and that's something they cannot really take from you. The knowledge that's what it's going to differentiate you from everyone else and is your personality, is your ability to connect with them that is going to make them stay and going to make them know I want this person because they feel they are hard, they feel this empathy. Whenever they come to the store, they ever they come for an appointment, they actually feel great. Because that's the whole point you want to feel great. You want to feel only look great, but you want to feel great. And it's like they say people remember what, how they made you feel, so that's what keep them coming. They want to have that feeling. So yeah.

The trailblazers experience : 44:24

So my girls, my girls out there, it's really excellent communication skills, empathy, emotional intelligence, you know active listening culture, you know attention to detail. You got to invest in all those skill sets. It's not just about oh, here's a dress, put it on Literally.

Nicole Badotti: 44:46

Yeah, that's the last part, pretty much most of the cases.

The trailblazers experience : 44:52

That's the last part, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, nicole, talk to me about you know, if you were to give a three trailblazer takeaways or advice for anyone watching at that, I mean, you've touched on a few important things, but if you were to summarize advice that you would give your younger self or someone out there, what would it be?

Nicole Badotti: 45:14

Three pieces of advice, I feel like. First of all, try not to be so judgment on yourself, because when I was 20, I was oh my God, I was like very harsh on myself. So it doesn't bring you far. You just don't connect to people as much because you're just so focused on yourself. So, first of all, don't try to judge yourself so much. Just try to allow people to be themselves and for you to be themselves with people. First of all, just having this, try to set yourself free from, like, your barriers and standards. Second of all, I feel like, just like education, just educate yourself, try to find hobbies, try to try different things. Don't be afraid of novelty, just try. If it doesn't work, I mean, don't do it again. But if you just try, you might like it. How are you going to know if you'd like or not something if you're never even ventured? So that opened my second advice.

Nicole Badotti: 46:26

And the third advice is, I guess, never assume you know everything. So never get to the point where you think I know what's best, I don't need your opinion, or be humble. Be humble and you know, nobody knows nothing. So just assume that. Well, I know it's not, I know nothing. Yeah, I think it was like plateaued aside or anyways, but I think it's just having this humility to admit that you might have errors on that. You literally won't be able to be an expert in everything, even in your field, for many years. Maybe someone new might just come in and teach you things with the technology, especially, that you never thought were possible. So yeah, that would also be my three advices to everyone.

The trailblazers experience : 47:24

I mean I may call you a. You're a wise, wise woman. A wise woman, I tried to say so many things. I remember plateau saying courage is knowing what, not to fear, for example. You know, and sometimes you just have to go for things in life. Just have to go for it, because what's the first second that can happen?

Nicole Badotti: 47:48

This conversation is just like to try for a time, and then you did. Was I afraid of that?

The trailblazers experience : 47:55

Exactly. If you don't try, you'll never know. If you don't ask, you don't get. There is there is no progress in complacency, I think you know, and manifestation is one of the things a lot of people talk about. But without action, without you trying, there will be no results at the end.

Nicole Badotti: 48:17

I'm listening to this manifest book so that's why it came out the idea of doing the mood board, because in her first chapter is all about you manifesting your ideas, what you actually want to bring. It's not that in the sense that is magical or whatever, but if you have that in mind, you get to know yourself. It's more like a self knowledge kind of a journey, because if you know yourself you're able to portray that's all this, feel more confident and that confidence, pass it on to other people and people. They want that confidence because so many people are so insecure about themselves so they see you confident. They want a part of that. So I think this manifestation thing is just I'm 100% on board with it because I think it's all about bringing in the right ideas, the right thoughts and that changes everything. You are what you think, so you become what you think, so you definitely have to kind of change, shake it up, your mindset 100%.

The trailblazers experience : 49:22

Definitely, nicole. This conversation has been so important because I wanted to debunk the myth of what a career should be, and a stylist is a valid career. But also it does not just involve being creative, you have to be intelligent, you have to have some sort of business mindset, and it's something that you can earn money from but also gain fulfillment from. So thank you so much for talking about it in such honesty, showing how such a wise old soul you are, but young at heart and lots of life and energy.

Nicole Badotti: 50:03

Yes, I have friends like from 20 years old to like 50s. And Nicole, how did you do it? I was like I'm young at heart but old soul I don't know.

The trailblazers experience : 50:13

I have my earphones there somewhere. Definitely.

The trailblazers experience : 50:21

But it's important, yeah, and you're very humble but also cultured. You know you appreciate and respect people from different nationalities, which is important in your role. So it's good to showcase what good looks like in terms of a stylist, and you work for matches, which is a you know, a luxury retailer. So this didn't just happen overnight. You're doing a good job. So thank you so much for being a part of the podcast and inspiring some young lady out there, or older lady or whatever age you know. As a woman, we need to be inspired by different generations, different careers, so that we can live our life to the fullest.

Nicole Badotti: 51:03

Well, thank you so much. It was really a pleasure. It is really a different experience and I mean we're all here for that now, for trying to inspire people, the clients, other aspiring stylists, I don't know professionals, other women. So yeah, I'm really happy to be part of it, Thank you.

The trailblazers experience : 51:27

Brilliant, amazing. So thank you everyone. This has been the Trailblazers Experience podcast and we are all streaming platforms and threads, you know, trying to get in there as well. So we look forward to hearing your comments, your thoughts.