Today we’d like to introduce you to Madeline Mihaly.
Hi Madeline, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been an entrepreneur at heart as long as I can remember – I started babysitting at 11 and around the same time my best friend and I started making beaded jewelry to sell at local craft fairs. We then worked out a deal with a local boutique to split the profits with us, 60/40. This was the start for me.
My professional journey and career path thus far have been anything but linear. I’ve worked in multiple disciplines of sales & marketing, with companies of all sizes, as well as tried my hand at accounting, fitness coaching, personal training, and retail management. Additionally, I’ve done more random side jobs than I can count.
I started a fashion blog right around my 21st birthday, in July 2013. I need a creative outlet as I was finishing up my Bachelor’s degree. I do still have that blog today, and while there have been periods of frequent + infrequent blogging, as well as a site transfer and rebrand, I’m proud that it still exists (and I’m posting much more frequently these days). In 2017 I started taking personal styling clients on the side of my full-time jobs, and have done so since then, with a recent influx of virtual clients as we all navigated a global pandemic.
I was able to reconnect with myself, and my dream in early 2020 when I was forced to slow down amid Covid-19. With this stillness, and through conversations with friends and mentors, I was reminded of the career idea I’d had in 2016…to become a life coach. So, I began to research, to learn, to plan, and to work with a coach of my own to begin to make this happen (on the side of my full-time job), and it wasn’t until September 2021 that I took my first trial clients. In October 2021 I shared my new venture with the world and by November 2021 I had signed my first paying client.
I’m still in the infancy stage of my business but am thrilled to be able to help clients in multiple capacities – both personal styling and life/success coaching, which overlap more than you would think. It’s an honor that clients trust me, and being able to help them achieve and work toward their goals is utterly fulfilling for me. I’m excited to continue to grow my business!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I audibly laughed at this question. It hasn’t. And I don’t mean that it’s been bad, because I’m a firm believer in the journey, the struggles, the wins, and learning along the way. But it’s been YEARS of trying things, getting clearer on what I don’t want, what I value, and plenty of personal and professional growth, (Therapy has been amazing – if possible, I recommend EVERYONE go)
One of my biggest struggles has been embracing and understanding that my path is going to be uniquely mine. There’s this societal pressure (or there was) to go to school, get a degree, get a good job and move up the ladder. That’s not for me, and I struggled in my full-time roles for YEARS – feeling trapped, like a caged bird, and knowing that I could NOT do this for another 40+ years. I also felt insecure that my path was all over the place – and I wasn’t settled into my career as I neared 30. It’s now April 2022, and I am about to start my 7th full time role since 2014. While I am excited about this role, this team and the potential impact I can make, I also am planning on this being my last full-time role, and growing my business slowly on the side until it’s time to take the big leap.
I think this is also a big struggle with entrepreneurship. Many of us have to support ourselves while also growing a business – which can require working a TON and trying our best to figure out how to manage it all while still taking care of ourselves and our relationships.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Madeline Mihaly Coaching + Styling?
My business has two specific offerings – life + success coaching AND personal styling.
On the coaching side – I work with motivated humans to get unstuck in their career, successfully navigate transitions and build a fulfilling life.
On the styling side – I teach clients how to find their style, create a closet they love + radiate confidence when they get dressed.
I think what sets me apart from others is my experience and my perspective for both businesses. For coaching, I have successfully navigated repeated transitions in my own career and have gained an abundance of knowledge and experience with all the movement I’ve had professionally. I also have a great understanding of the whole picture and thrive in design and strategy so I can help clients take a step back, weigh all the options (some they have never thought of), and create a plan of action. Styling-wise, I have worked multiple retail jobs, have been an avid consumer of fashion and fashion knowledge, and grew up with a grandma and mom who sewed. So, I have a great understanding of fabrics, of cuts, of how pieces will lay. Understanding the pairings and proportions of an outfit. The ability to see the outfit in my head.
Above all this, I have a high EQ and am able to empathize and understand from the client’s perspective, which helps us connect in a different capacity.
I am proud of what I can offer to my clients, I am proud of how I work with them, and I am proud of the progress all of my past and current clients have made. I’m also very proud that clients trust me and let me in.
What I want readers to take away from my brand:
You are worthy and deserving of creating a life you love, of going after your dreams, and of feeling amazing in your clothing.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Keep going. It may take years for you to have a clear idea of what you want and that is OKAY. It’s actually more than okay. Your path is yours. Also, knowing what you don’t want is just as important as knowing what you do. Don’t be afraid – try new things and focus on what you can learn from them. Trust that it will work out. Know that absolutely nothing in life is permanent. And believe in yourself. Speak kindly to yourself. Your thoughts are insanely important because our feelings are based off our thoughts – and we take action based off our feelings. Find your support system, speak to yourself kindly, and keep going (and growing!)
Lastly, make decisions for you.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://madelinemihaly.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madelinemihaly/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadelineMihalyStylist
Image Credits
Colette Wright
