The importance of having a stylist on your side
AI-Generated Transcript below. There may be errors.
Claire Davis 0:12
One Hey everybody, and welcome back to another episode of today's medical sales Insider. And today I have one of my favorite stylists with me. She took me from bland and ordinary in just a couple of videos to a really confident and professional style in my working life. So I am so excited to be here with her today. I know a lot of times when I'm speaking with medical sales representatives about how they could show up better on video and serve their clients in this new hybrid world we're all living in the next question is, okay, what do I wear? What do I wear between going on a zoom call with my physicians and then meeting somebody in a conference room? So today, I'm so excited to be here with Basia, if you wouldn't mind, please introduce yourself and tell us about who you are and what you do for people.
Basia Richard 1:09
Of course, well, thank you for having me. As you mentioned, my name is Basia Richard style has been doing this for a really, really long time started as a celebrity stylist. So I've done a lot of different celebrity styled them for different projects, everything from red carpets, to editorials to advertising, music, videos, you name it, I've done it. And then I sort of a that was in my, I would say mid to mid 20s to early 30s, I got really tired of serving a lot of busy, busy celebrities, and I kind of want it to, you know, work for my own and work on my own schedule. And what I have found is that a lot of women who are intrapreneurs, like I was as a stylist, obviously, I had my own business, I was running my own service, business, and then based business, they needed help as well, in order to look professional in order to look presentable look put together and trustworthy. So those type of elements were looking for in the start of, you know, since I doing it for myself, and I've done so many things. In a past, this is sort of the path that I took. And also, you know, that also kind of took me on a different journey of seeing the real transformations of real women who actually need that it's just not another dress on another event. Just to take a father, you know, so this is definitely much more CarNet Happy journey, that I can just call it that way.
Claire Davis 3:01
That's great. And you know, what I love about you is that you share your from your own experience. I mean, you've been in the back room when you're trying to sell someone together before an event, right? And get that on that outfit just right for the red carpet. But now, I mean, you do so much more than that, even for people like me just solopreneurs right. I mean, for one thing, I remember the very first video I ever watched, I think it was over on YouTube. So if you guys aren't following Glasha on YouTube right now, definitely make it the next thing you do after this podcast. But I remember thinking, this woman is gonna save me money. Because then when I go to buy something and add to my wardrobe, I'm not shooting in the dark anymore. And now I can make sure I get select pieces that really speak to what I'm doing in business who I am as a person, and I'm not having to refill an entire closet because now I look at my closet in an entirely new way. So when you're working with your clients, did they are they feeling the same things? Are they saying gosh Basha like, now I'm looking into my closet with fresh eyes. Is that something you see?
Basia Richard 4:08
Absolutely. Yeah, that's the one thing what exactly what you mentioned, a lot of times, you know, that's one of these objective objectives. I hear working with stylists cost a lot of money. But in the end game, what happens is that you really have somebody on your side who tells you what to buy, what not to buy, where to invest, where to save in order to actually have the wardrobe that you're going to wear because most of the time my clients have all this wardrobe behave all those clothes, but then they you know, they feel self conscious. Does it look good on me? I don't know. Do I look presentable they question themselves, you know, they were have a feel like we were amazing up by the end of the day. It's like I'm paying this looks good. So you know that extra pair of eyes. It's helping them like you mentioned to save money because then you're not buying just a random piece of that just, you know, throw it in your closet and hoping you're gonna wear it one day, or you're not really questioning, you're looking kind of worrying about it. Just put an outfit if you're not sure, I always say send it in a Facebook group, we have a Facebook group for my clients, and I always reply, so. It's definitely it's definitely saving a lot of money. And, most importantly, making you feel like, you have a wardrobe that actually knows me making you look presentable making you look trustworthy and feel actually good in what you're wearing. Right? Because you're not feeling good. It's just gonna be kind of, you know, sitting in front of that camera and zooming like, an unknown do I? is the how's this color looks like on I don't know, maybe the necklace to break like you just kind of question yourself, right?
Claire Davis 6:03
Yes. Yes, exactly. Well, and you know, for everyone who's listening to this podcast, the majority of men and women here are in medical sales. So when you're in front of that physician, whether you're in the or, or you're on a camera, you know, speaking to them over zoom, or Microsoft Teams, or whatever it is, you can't afford to be worrying about your outfit, that already has to be done way on the front end. So that when you are in that moment, you can focus on the clinical aspects of what you're selling, connecting with that physician and impacting the patient's life that's on the other end of that discussion. So I really love how you take this mystery off the table for us, because I know, I can't be the only one here who has sat in her closet and stared for 30 minutes, and then ended up walking out with my hands up in the air. Like I don't know, when I'm going to where I'm more confused than when I went in. So can you kind of break it down for us because I remember seeing something you posted a year ago. And it was about the staples that you that everybody needs in their closet. So can you talk a little bit about a couple of staple pieces that will help a professional woman or man but you know, right now, I guess we're probably talking mostly about women, since that is your target. But can you talk a little bit about what every woman needs to have in her closet, which so she can be ready and confident and come across with, you know, authority at work? What do they need? What do we need?
Basia Richard 7:35
Well, so we have to go back to really looking at Classic because no matter where we are in life that not only really applies to style, but the classic silhouettes, classic loops will never gonna be out of style. So this is sort of like knowing that even looking at what's your personal style, what sort of, you know, type of silhouettes you're drawn to, we're looking at some staples, like you said, that's going to look good on pretty much anyone so anything that something I'm wearing today, it's just a simple white button down mine shirt is I just don't like anything that's touching my body. So I love oversized shirt, oh, obviously, you can wear something a little bit faded. Now we can look also, if the white button down can be a little bit too. So maybe to polish the little bit to almost like, you know, I'm going to some kind of, I don't know conference room like um, I don't want to wear a white and specifically like cotton, maybe like a silk something that's a little bit more breezy, that fabric is gonna be a little bit more rich, but in the same time it's not so like kind of stiff, right? The white button down looks like that. So in also adding a little bit of print is always a good idea. So if you were like a silk simple, but now maybe a delicate print something really settle something Something maybe like I would say can be floral, so little little floor. Nothing too big. Obviously another step with a blazer. But here's a here's a kicker. So blazer, especially on video can look extremely stiff.
Claire Davis 9:33
So let's talk about that.
Basia Richard 9:35
So what you have done is that the color that's what makes the difference because the black color black is gonna be so much more serious, right? The black blazer if you put something darker underneath, it's gonna give that so much more I would say in an evening sort of sort of look like especially during the day like 12pm you are meeting somebody wearing black blazer it's like air No, no. But a lighter color will always make it a little bit more casual. But you're still wearing a silhouette that gives a lot of authority because blazer will give a little more like a professional look right? The color will make it a difference. So for you, this is great. So blazer makes you look professional, but the color is lighter. That's what makes it a little bit more casual. And anything else like crewneck are always really good. Something simple because chronics are great that we can lay or some kind of jewelry, put a little bit of necklace, some kind of dainty pieces, nothing too big I don't just big oversized sort of type of jewelry is very dated. So I would stay away from that. And I absolutely love what you have done actually with your style how you took your sort of like a simple of the next level and I always comment about your earrings
Claire Davis 11:02
oh wait are also.
Basia Richard 11:06
Because if you just put something like start with something like simple, maybe hooks Tao would be a little bit more professional and a little bit more put together. But a little cactus thing makes it more fun, approachable. I absolutely love that. So small little details go a long way.
Claire Davis 11:27
I'm so glad to hear you. Yeah. And you know what, for everybody listening if you can't see us right now I'm wearing some gold and silver swirl cactus earrings. My girlfriend got me a couple years ago, and I don't know every time I wear them, I think of our time shopping in Auburn Oltean Auburn California. So I love earrings for me when we all had to default to wearing masks for so long. I felt like I needed a little fun. And for me, that's how I that's how I brought that across. Now I will admit when I was in the field, though, in medical sales, I was terrified to wear fun jewelry, because at the time, you know, I was in my 20s I was working in front of oncologists and medical medical oncologists and surgeons and I wanted them to focus more even on what I was saying then on my jewelry at all. Now there were some physicians, specifically other women physicians who we really bonded over stuff like jewelry and workout routines and just just things you talk about with your girlfriends, but especially when I was in front of male oncologists who are lightyears ahead of me in their education and in their professional careers. I really buttoned up so I remember many, many times it would be quite stoic jewelry, if any at all. But now I love adding a little bit of fun. So do you feel like every everyone should focus on their version of character within their style? Or do you think they should focus more on what is more common in their industry?
Basia Richard 13:05
I think both okay, because on one on one hand, you want to stay true to yourself. So forcing yourself into something just because I'm going to look more professional, it's just not going to come really credible because it just imagine yourself throwing yourself something that you just don't feel comfortable. But you feel like you have to wear it because that is a professional look. On another hand. You do have to think about your clients and who you're meeting. When are you meeting and the environment obviously and who you working for who is your ideal client, whoever we are meaning industry everything else. Because again in in sales, I cannot imagine you would go in some kind of you know Hooli or something like that because that's just not a professional look. But if you add a little bit of earrings to your because that's what makes you this is who you are. I love it. It reminds me of my trip or this is sort of like the small little elements that can I can express myself through you know, your little jewelry little I don't know floral printed blouse because I love romantic sort of kind of accents then absolutely. This is this is how you want to do it. Obviously you don't want to go in on one ad like I said and completely go into our let me put the hoodie why not? But on another side. On the other hand, you know you don't want to also throw yourself into something that's not really an outfit that you feel comfortable in. And you like me said that moment ago you're going to be questioning yourself right so am I like to stiffen it to my to Not looking kind of professional credible. I'm just overthinking What am I wearing? So I think we just stain between, right?
Claire Davis 15:08
Yeah. Well, you know, it's so interesting how now more than ever, personal brands have become centerstage when it comes to sales, whether whether you're embracing them or not, I highly encourage everyone in medical sales to really consider what their presence is, especially on LinkedIn, and what kind of personal brand they already bring across. Because the reality is whether you're in sales are or not. People are ready. No, you are no, no, you for something. So like, for example, Asha, whenever I see you on LinkedIn, you are always buttoned up. And in fact, I recognize the shirt you're wearing right now, because you wear it frequently. And I know that you wear this button up frequently with intention. It's because you know, great style, and you're teaching us something. So I almost associate like white, crisp white button that's with this casual style with you, because it's part of your brand. So do you think there is an element of repetition in our style that we should embrace so that when people see us, they for me, for example, I wear fun earrings for you, you often wear these really beautiful starched, but, but casual button nuts? Do you think that there's could be an element of repetition when we're representing ourselves with what we wear?
Basia Richard 16:31
Um, yes. So like you mentioned, buttoned up is my staple, I cannot wear anything else. It's just who I am. This is me the five different colors, different patterns. And I have jumpsuits with button up buttons and, you know, shirts and things like that. For you, like you mentioned are the earrings I always see you I'm like, I first thing I'm thinking what are the earrings today, I literally look for them. I don't know if it's because I'm a stylist, I'm gonna obsess with that. But I think it's just finding not making always necessary a silhouette or not necessarily be an E can be a style also. So if you are in love with some sort of patterns with some sort of color that you look really good in on, you feel really good. And so this is sort of that you can, you can stick to obviously wearing the same thing over and over. I would not wear the white but now shirt constantly but I wear a shirt because that's how I feel a you know, this is just me, this is who I am. So finding that one thing that kind of represents me as a person that baggy silhouette and might be a color and might be a pattern and maybe a style is what will people will kind of, you know, remember, remember you so but one thing I want to know this, in many mentioned, wearing your branding colors constantly is absolutely a big no, no. So when I see constantly the same person, I have one I'm not gonna mention who but wearing the same color all the time on every video is the branding color. I'm like, Okay, that's enough of this. I can do it.
Claire Davis 18:21
And yeah, I you know, I remember making that mistake when I first started my business and just started with branding. And at the time, my colors were kind of like a pink and something else. And it ended up not really resonating with my my audience, after all, but I really thought that I needed to buy every sweater out there in this pink color. I think it was green. And that mean if you look back at probably things I did on on LinkedIn, like three years ago, you'll see you'll be like, oh, yeah, there's Claire and that things. Come on girl, like shake it up a little. But you know, we feel like you know, we've got to embody the brand. And sometimes we get stuck and things like that. So speaking of that as kind of a faux pas, so if anybody has been plan on wearing the same sweater for the rest of the year, Bosch is telling you you don't have to do this. But what are some other things that you see commonly other pitfalls and fashion that you can help us avoid? What are some other things that we should not do?
Basia Richard 19:24
Well, definitely dressing in some kind of I'm calling it data looks so going into data. So like I mentioned big chunky jewelry, something that it's plasticky, you see those type of jewelry flags 1015 years ago and I see a lot of women just wearing some kind of nice shirt and this big, chunky, I can totally tell it's plastic some kind of well, it's just dated. It's not good. Another thing big pattern so big prints, so big prints usually gonna make us look big on camera and we are extremely distracting. So any type of big prints are a big no, no. Small prints are great. So, usually, I mean, I would say usually prints are great, just small delicate, something that it's not over powering, especially if you meeting that regardless, you meeting on camera and you're meeting in person big prints or it's just, it's just not really good. And then obviously dressing for your body, it's it does make a difference, especially if let's say you have a really bloke broad shoulders, even though we cannot see your bottom because you need to make proportions right. If you wear some kind of puffy sleeves. It's gonna look like you can a football player right? That big, sort of. So that's another one. I like always opening my neckline like how you are right now. I have that's why I like the shorts because I can close it if I want I can ultimately buy one something jewelry, but that always always gonna open up us on camera, you're gonna look taller, you look gonna kind of more approachable. Again, you can wear clothes though if you want that's totally fine as well. It's you know, switching a little bit back and forth is always always a good idea. On camera and other things stripes. This is something that I would definitely not do or any type of texture like repeated texture. If you can see. It's very tiny little stripes. V going to make this sort of like a war effect. It's like an effect you can see on TV very often. Oh, it's sort of like those those prints kind of blends in the blend together. And they create some kind of like a like a weird effect like a strobing almost effect. So that's just not really good. Stripes are fine. If we are thick. I love stripes, stripes, but I always specfic thicker stripes and also any type of patterns on on so called a texture that's gonna have that type of repeated a connect a texture, right? So and then shirts, anything like that with. Again, that's going to give that that abstract strobing effect. So that's for the camera, not not the best and not the best thing. Other than that, I always say what wear whatever makes you feel comfortable when it makes you feel good. And make you feel confident, I guess.
Claire Davis 22:35
yeah. Because when we're comfortable in what we're wearing, and we don't have to think about it right, then we can be confident in other areas. We've all had that shirt, or those pair of pants we wore, and suddenly they don't fit quite right or they're too tight or just don't we're just not sure. And so we're pulling and picking out and and trying to focus on things, but we can't because we're worried about our outfit. So I'm glad that you said that I can see where being more confident in what you're wearing can also breed confidence in what you're doing. So I like that you shared the difference between in person and and video. Okay, so do you think that most styles carry between both other than the small patterns that can kind of have that strange strobing effect? Do you think otherwise? Is there? Is there a way to gauge what's going to carry you from your Zoom meeting and straight into the operating room?
Basia Richard 23:32
Yes. So you know, when I show up, or I can think about a look, or if I want to add something to my, to my sort of my wardrobe. I really think about how am I going to wear it in where I'm going to wear it how is that going to fit my lifestyle because essentially, if we don't wear something in our closets, because most of the time it does not fit into our lifestyle doesn't fit into activities that we are doing. So if you have a bunch of you know, dresses, you were before pandemic, we obviously been sitting in your closet for a really long time. And you were most of the time for the past two years, some kind of you know, sweat pants, and you were like that kind of nice shirt and it call it a day. But today we're doing so much more. And so the way I look at it is I'm thinking about that specific outfit. How is that gonna fit into my lifestyle? So I think about meeting on Zoom, can I wear it on camera on for my new YouTube video? Can I work to dinner? Can I work to let's say dropping off my daughter to school and then meeting somebody after? So I'm thinking about all those kind of activities I'm doing. I'm looking at all my lifestyle. And I'm thinking how am I going to have this piece of wardrobe fit into as many pieces as many activities that I'm doing today. Big We talked about my white button down shirt. I had actually open house at my daughter's school this morning. So I wore this shirt with high waisted jeans and just simple sandals, I came home it right away first thing I took of my jeans off and I put just a comfortable, comfortable sweatpants. Now I would wear the same sweat pants to drop off her to school if I don't have to meet anybody and then maybe do like a grocery shopping on the way home. So again, this all gonna fit into different lifestyles, right? Yeah, my one most favorite kind of piece of clothing I wear a lot when I don't have to change is a jumpsuit. Because I just put it on collar today. It's only a question of different shoes. If I you know, if I have to do some like gold for dinner or something like that they were a little bit of sandals small heel. If I have to go and run some errands, go to a shopping mall or meeting clients, whatever I can wear maybe more comfortable shoes, but that's gonna, you know that type of outfit is gonna carry me throughout the day. Yes, it's just the it's just the one onesie, right? Yeah.
Claire Davis 26:22
Yeah. Comfortable, functional, adorable. Yeah, yes, I'm all about the jumpsuit. So speaking of specific situations, because one reason I love following you and your content, and you guys seriously, if you're not yet following Bosch on LinkedIn, or her YouTube channel, do yourself a favor and do so right now. But one thing I love is that you can apply these principles specifically to different situations. Now, one that I hear about commonly is I'll have professional women who have done well in their medical sales career and moved up to either a director position, or maybe they're just an outstanding representative or even VP level. And so of course, as it does, once or twice a year, there's a national sales meeting. And this is a situation where everybody from the entire organization, who's in the sales department in some way all gathers at some hotel in Dallas, and they rent out the ballroom, and they have a multiple day conference, right? And if you do well on a team, or if you're the VP of sales, you inevitably have to get up and give a speech. So if you were speaking to somebody who was about to go up there and give a speech and either talk about their sales strategy that's working for them to share that with the team or they're just trying to inspire the sales force, but they want to come across she wants to come across professional, she wants to feel comfortable. But she's got to really play up the style of it because she's running the show. What would you what kind of advice would you give to her when she's packing for that event?
Basia Richard 28:04
Well, I always start with time of the events because we cannot talk about an outfit unless we know if it's going to happen at lunchtime or it's an dinner. What is the dress code because again, I cannot give you an advice until I know what is a dress code if it's in Dallas, might be in an evening seven o'clock with dinner. I'm already thinking there's going to be probably four seasons somewhere and for float for Texas somewhere outside maybe Dallas or somewhere like that. I'm already kind of visually visually seeing all those women. I think the easiest and the best outfit for this is to really keep it clean and classic because that will never do is going to be sharp is going to be professional is going to be presentable but it's going to be so powerful because there's nothing more powerful than like a very well structured, classic look so I'm thinking it can be a pantsuit doesn't need to be black, it can be Navy, it can be any other other color, whatever the color person likes to wear, but a structure on something that it's so smart that the blazer fits like a glove, the pants are just perfect, high heels and this is the most powerful kind of sort of outfit that a woman can really you know, come out on stage and and just give the speech or on her of her life or you know this is a really an another nother silhouette will be achieved dress dress so it's sort of like a dress that belongs in like a court courtroom. It's like a courtroom attire sort of. So really well structure again, everything comes down to Smart structure and really well fitted silhouette, that's more important than actually a style. Because there's nothing more distracting or more like off. Sort of like confusing if somebody's wearing something that it's just does not fit well. So I would say a really good pantsuit in one color with something simple underneath a simple necklace from canadense. The necklace can be earrings, high heels, doesn't need to be super high, but close toe, heel something classic and clean. Or like one of those very smart well fitted like Victoria Beckham dresses, one of those dresses that just follows nicely your curves. But it gives that kind of powerful and smart, sort of like presence. And I think this type of environment that we're talking obviously at 1pm, there'll be a little bit different.
Claire Davis 31:00
Sure. Oh, thank you so much. I mean, it really does help to, to sort of play out these and visualize the situation in your mind, just like you were doing because our clothes and what we wear is another tool to support what we're doing. Right. It's another tool to really support that presence that you mentioned that authority and credibility that you mentioned. And also we want to come across trustworthy, right? I mean, if we're leading a sales organization, we want the people who were in that room to say, she's here to teach me something great. I trust her. And I believe in what she's doing. I'm going to give her my attention. So thank you so much for playing through that scenario with us. So for anyone who is listening right now, or watching this live, Bhatia, can you tell us where people can find you and connect with you and learn more about how they can get great style tips that really build that credibility in that professional brand?
Basia Richard 32:00
Sure. So we can connect on LinkedIn, I'm on YouTube as well at Basia Richard simply just put my name in YouTube I'm gonna come up you're gonna see some old videos for the geared towards stylists in completely ignore it. Look at the newest stuff and I'm also on Instagram @Basia.stylist That's my Instagram. And that's where you can basically find me or anything else.
Claire Davis 32:28
Thank you so much. That's great. And you know what yours. I mean, I, you've done so much for me. In the short time we've known each other I think we bumped into each other on LinkedIn last year. And since then, I've learned so much from you, and you're so generous with your style tips. And so I really appreciate what you're doing. I love how you're empowering women to really embrace their style and to know how to master it and the same time. So thank you so much for being here with us today. Brush. I really appreciate you what you're doing. Of course.
Basia Richard 32:57
Thank you for having me.
Claire Davis 32:58
All right. Well Until next time, guys, go follow Basia and make sure you check in with her on all those places she mentioned. And thank you so much for joining us today. See you later.
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