Meet Grace Thomas | Personal Wardrobe Stylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Grace Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Grace, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
After spending a large chunk of my career working in corporate, I came to the realization that the path I was on was no longer serving me. I wanted to own my future, use my time and energy to build something that had my name on it, and create a career that brought me joy. In my corporate journey, those were things I was regularly told I could not do and I didn’t want to feel like I was giving up who I was anymore.

Thinking through what my future would look like, I knew that I needed to make a change. I wanted to create a business that would be sustainable through all the next steps in my life and the only career that made sense was one that I was already doing for free for friends and family.

Driving in the car with my husband to a wedding weekend, I made the decision to start Builtgracefully. I knew that it would be something I would have to start slowly and quietly, to see if the business model made sense. As I built my business, I started to feel like I was becoming myself again. I was tapping into my creative side, making decisions that felt right for me, and challenging myself in new ways everyday. Looking back now, I think I was always meant to be here. I just needed to find the right timing to make the leap.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

As a virtual-led stylist, my business model is different from the traditional stylist. This allows me to work with clients all over the world. I meet with clients via Zoom and shop for them online, creating personalized lookbooks they can purchase from. This model also allows me to be more available to clients. Instead of requiring me to come to them to meet, they can have a stylist at their fingertips readily available for any style question or wardrobe malfunction.

I built my company to make a small difference in the lives of others. I love seeing the look on a client’s face when they realize how to dress for their body shape or put together an outfit on their own that I curated for them. At the end of the day an “I got so many compliments – I feel great” type of text, is really what I do this for. If my work makes a small impact on this world, then I know I am doing the right thing.

Officially launched in 2021, the past year and a half has been a year of immense growth, personally and professionally. I have said “yes” to any project that comes my way, learning what type of work I love and what I could do without. I’ve worked with clients all over the board, with different backgrounds, lifestyles and goals. This time has allowed me to build the foundation of what I see being a sustainable business for the long-term.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband has been my biggest advocate throughout this journey. As an entrepreneur himself, he was the one who really pushed me to take this leap. Inherently, I am not a risk taker, in fact I am pretty risk adverse. But, watching him step into his role as a business owner showed me what the other side could look like.

He’s listened to me for hours as I brainstormed new ideas, been patient as I found my footing, and has supported me to take the leap to focus on my business full-time. This journey hasn’t been easy, there’s been doubt, challenges and unknowns every week. Knowing that he has my back and wants to see me win, gives me the foundation I have needed to keep on going.

Website: www.builtgracefully.com

Instagram: @builtgracefully

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gracemckillion/