
Why I Had to Make A Name Change
Now that we closing out the first quarter of 2018, I’m checking in to see how you’re doing with those new year resolutions. Are you still holding true to your plans of eating better, going to the gym? What about the deeper goals you had for yourself?
How are you doing at becoming not a new you, but the best you?
Here’s a confession: I too have been in the process of becoming my most authentic self.
And so much of that has been based on working with women like you. This past year, I’ve had so many opportunities to work one on one with women as well as speak on stages as big a TedX with one goal in mind: to help women get comfortable being visible. Help them see that making wardrobe choices that are true for their body, mind and spirit increases their confidence to take on whatever the deepest desires of their heart are: a new job, a new love life, or a new lifestyle all together.
Well here’s the thing: the teacher is always the student first. And while I had done my work on being visible with my wardrobe, I hadn’t done my work on being truly visible with my business. And to be my most authentic self, I know I had to make some changes.
And that started with changing my business name. When I first started Styled by Stats, I was very adamant that the name would not include my own. I wanted something that was separate from me. Something that could stand on it’s own, and that had a meaning outside of me. Something that broke down how I approached style and the methods that could be applied by anyone.
As much logical sense all of that made, as I grew deeper in my craft and in my spiritual journey, I started to see that deep down that logic was based on the fear of being seen. Fear that I wasn’t enough, that I needed the bells and whistles of a catchy (and maybe even a bit complicated) name.
It was time for a change. Time to practice what I preach, and reveal myself more in my work and in my business name.
So please allow me to introduce you to Wider Style. The vessel through which I’ll be sharing way more of myself, my thoughts on style, spirituality, and shopping.
Is Wider Style the sexiest name out there? Nope. I heard from a few people some harsh feedback:
- “People will think you only work with plus-sized women”—Nothing wrong with that. Style is for all shapes and sizes.
- “People will want to add an “L” or not understand that’s it your last name.” That’s OK, I’ve been correcting people all my life: “It’s Wider as in ‘longer, bigger and wider.’” (Thanks Dad).
But Wider is my last name, it’s part of who I am. And that’s all that matters. It may not be sexy, it could mean a whole lot of different things to a lot of different people, but it’s ME. And the only way for me to live my most authentic self was to lead with who I am, unapologetically.
And it’s the same confidence that I help my clients achieve through their wardrobe choices or when I’m on stage sharing my experiences with style.
Because the biggest, scariest but also most liberating truth I’ve learned over this past year of entrepreneurship is this: when it comes to this personal, intimate work of helping women truly see themselves, they are choosing whether or not they want to work with me.
Every opportunity I have received came when I was being my best, truest, most authentic self.
There are tons of wardrobe stylists in the world, many of which are right here in Atlanta. My clients choose to work with me because of who I am: how I choose to present myself, my values, what I share with them. And while who I am, what I’m about, how I approach personal style aint for everybody, it’s right for some. And that’s all that matters.
So if you know it’s your time to make the same journey with your wardrobe, contact me today to get started living your most authentic life.
Thank you all for being a part of my evolution and I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Yours in style, shopping and soul,