Don't we all wish that we had more time in the mornings? I for one hate that feeling of standing in front of my wardrobe and thinking that I don't have anything to wear.
Enter The Reign Effect. It's a new concept in dressing, where a team of stylists create carefully curated style sets each month and select 7 key pieces for you to interchange throughout the month with other clothing options. Utilizing a variety of online stores, The Reign Effect find items that create a polished outfit.
The brand provides 20 outfits/month for Monday-Friday wear, taking the guesswork out of getting dressed in the morning.
I spoke to the company's founders, Cynthia and Natara to find out more. Read my interview with them below and don't forget to enter our giveaway where you can win a season of style sets!
Tell us about the Reign Effect and the concept behind the business.
The Reign Effect is a time saving service for working professionals that is a hybrid of a styling and personal shopping experience. We provide style sets for Monday through Friday work attire by selecting 7 key pieces to interchange throughout the month with other clothing options. The 7 key pieces and all suggested items can be purchased with the click of a button that links clients directly to the retailer’s website, which allows for an efficient and curated online shopping experience. The Reign Effect also offers a customized style set option to a select few each month. The customized option takes our clients’ look a step further and we create a more personalized look for these clients that incorporates their taste, style, body type and preferences.
How has your previous employment experience aided your tenure at the Reign Effect?
We are actually still both working in corporate America! Along the way in our corporate journeys we have seen how personal branding through work attire has become even more important over the years for both employers and employees. The ambiguous world of “business casual” can also make it difficult to strike the balance between being professional and expressing your individuality through style.
From a work experience perspective, our backgrounds in accounting and law have definitely helped us with running a company and pursuing our entrepreneurial goals.
What have the highlights and challenges been during your tenure at the Reign Effect?
Our concept is one-of-a-kind and there are no other styling and personal shopping services that target corporate America the way we do and provide this type of service. So it is great being the first to create such a revolutionary service that is much needed by professionals.
We are self-funded and have not received any outside capital so our limited budget can be a challenge. However, we are proponents of funding your own dreams if at all possible. It allows for more control and forces us to be more creative.
What advice can you offer to women who want to start their own business?
You can’t foresee the details of how things are going to work out or anticipate every potential challenge so just go for it! After spending time doing the necessary research and planning, overcome doubt and fear and make your dreams a reality.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your careers to date?
The quicker you can evolve when you need to, the longer you will survive and the more likely it is that you will succeed. If something isn’t going the way you want it to go, adapt and find a different way. Also, we’ve learned that not everything is within our control and sometimes you have to live and let go. Tackle each challenge one at a time so as not to get overwhelmed and have faith that everything will work out for the best.
How do you maintain a work/life balance?
Although our personal time is limited we always make time for our friends and family and try to ensure that it is quality time by being in the moment. When we work we give it 100% and when we are not working we devote 100% of focus and attention to those who matter most.
What do you think is the biggest issue for women in the workplace?
There are many issues that face women in the work place but one issue that we think is not talked about as often is the lack of value that is attributed to traits that are more typical of women or the fact that while women may have a different negotiating style or way of approaching certain situations doesn’t mean she is any less effective and/or can’t achieve successful results. Also, sometimes the things that women may find interesting are deemed trivial. A woman can be assertive, a great leader, and run a business all while loving fashion and a good manicure; they’re not mutually exclusive.
How has mentorship made a difference in your professional and personal lives?
We have both had great mentors along the way that have helped instill and foster confidence in our abilities to succeed in the corporate environment along with our entrepreneurial ventures. Our mentors have shown us that it’s ok to make mistakes as long as you learn from them and continue to try and give your best effort.
Which other female leaders do you admire and why?
The First Lady Michelle Obama is such an inspiration. She is intelligent, eloquent and elegant; she’s the quintessential woman and all-around amazing human being. We also admire Hillary Clinton who is another very intelligent woman but also a testament to the value of perseverance. It’s been amazing to watch her evolve from being a former First Lady who had more of a secondary role to being in the forefront and becoming Secretary of State to potentially running for President.
Another pair of women we admire is Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson who are the founders of Gilt Groupe. Their book “By Invitation Only” is a must-read and it’s very inspiring to see two other women pursue and attain their entrepreneurial goals.
What do you want the Reign Effect to accomplish in the next year?
We want everyone who would appreciate our type of service to know about The Reign Effect. We look forward to companies recommending The Reign Effect to their employees as we become known for being the first and best service that can save professionals time and help ensure they wear stylish and work-appropriate attire as they advance in their careers.
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