Brought to you by Swarovski.
We could all do with a little feel-good advice, right?
Well, Holly Carpenter, the former Miss Ireland and current business owner herself gave us just that.
As part of our teaming-up with Swarovski, we’re looking to find some sparkling joy and advice from others, so the successful business woman, we think, can do just that.
She admits;
“Everything that has happened me along the way has been so unexpected.”
But in truth, it sounds as though she always had the necessary drive and ambition. Something many of us will want to take inspiration from.
From the days of creating outfits for her and her dog, putting on a show in front of the neighbours and dreaming of being a pop star, it was really her getting into NCAD in 2010 that she’s most grateful for and proud of.
It would teach her so many things about different fabrics and creations AND it would be the place where she found a friend that encouraged her to enter the Miss University, eventually leading her to win Miss Ireland. All she had wanted was the prize of a very nice pair of jeans but instead… it turned into a full-blown modelling career!
It even led to Britain’s Next Top Model in 2013 which she admits was tough.
Eventually though, she grew tired of the modelling scene and telling people on holidays that she was in fact a physiotherapist (most people’s perception of a model was not all that great).
“It was tough because you can kind of get put in a box when people think you’re a model and you don’t have anything else on the cards.
“I’ve learned to never put anyone else in a box, it doesn’t really matter what your career is — nobody should be limited to one thing.”
At 25, she wanted to focus on her business and her brand. In terms of work and career advice, Holly says;
“You have to be easy to work with. It’s really important.”
And even if you’re not confident, just pretend to be.
“I’ve never been afraid of hard work. I was always willing to go the extra mile. I knew that while I was modelling, I was slowly but surely making connections, so I’ve always been quite good at networking. A lot of the people I’ve helped out along the way have been here to help me out this time.”
She credits bloggers and many more for posting about her brand too, a firm favourite. But being successful means taking care of yourself ‘first and foremost.’
“Whatever it might be if you’re not feeling the best, you won’t be the best that you can be.”
For Holly, feeling her best is about being open to learning, having little facials, drinking plenty of water — it’s the little things are what makes life better. And for anyone wanting to break into the entertainment industry, she says;
“Write a long list of your goals and where you think you’re going to go and what it is you see yourself as in terms of a brand, whether you’re into fitness, makeup, anything like that, because you really need to have a true sense of who you are.
“I think in today’s industry there are a lot of people who think that to do well, you have to copy other bloggers and just give the same content, but authenticity goes a long way.
She’s very aware that success in today’s celebrity culture can portray having lots of money and maintaining a lavish lifestyle is the epitome of success. But for Holly, she says she just wants to wake up excited about the day ahead.
“Life’s too short to stay in a job you’re not growing in and you’re not happy in. If you’re happy and healthy, and you’re working towards a goal, then that’s success and you’re in a small group.
“It’s a shame that not a lot of people get to do what it is that they love. It can be scary to take the leap but I think success for me is waking up and doing what I love.”
For 2019, she’s as goal driven as ever. She aims to get her brand in more places and in department stores, while maybe even trying out acting and of course — the challenge of Dancing With the Stars!
“It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, there are definitely days where I don’t know what I’m doing.”
But at least she knows, ‘…everything works out in the end.’
Brought to you by Swarovski. #FollowYourDesires
