On this episode of Brilliance Beyond Borders, I speak with fashion icon, beauty entrepreneur, and lifestyle influencer, CeCe Olisa. Named one of the “Top 10 New York Fashion Bloggers” by WhoWhatWear and a “person who proves you can be fit at any size” by MTV, CeCe Olisa is the Founder and CEO of CoCoa by CeCe, the beauty and wellness company behind Doll Butter, and co-Founder of theCURVYcon. She currently lives in New York City. Her TEDx Talk "How to Build Self Confidence" has exceeded 1 Million views and can be viewed at ceceolisa.com/tedx.
1. When purpose calls, answer!
While CeCe was pursuing fashion blogging as a side hustle, she conceived her vision to create a convention for curvy women, later known as theCURVYCon. I was fascinated to learn that plus-size women form the majority of the female market in the fashion industry – 67% of American women wear plus sizes! As CeCe pursued both a full-time job and her business, she soon realized she was navigating far too many responsibilities. Purpose knocked even more loudly when one day, as she was rushing between appointments, she tripped and fell on an NYC street and sprained her ankle. This led to a decision to fully commit to her business. Today, theCurvyCon is the biggest plus-size event at New York Fashion Week. While it may be easy to say we will wait for the right circumstances to live our lives, quite often, all we’re doing is cheating ourselves out of the life we truly want to live.
2. Understand your weaknesses.
As a founder/CEO you have to be realistic about your strengths and weaknesses. Cece shared how she learned to delegate aspects of her business that aren’t part of her core competencies or strengths. The process of admitting your weaknesses and asking for help creates a stronger team.
3. Invest in your morning routine.
CeCe admits it took her a long time to find a morning routine that works for her. She read Robin Sharma’s, The 5 AM Club, and realized that no one ever asks for her time early in the morning. By waking up before the work comes in and before social life begins, she is able to set the tone for the day. Her morning routine includes journaling, as recommended by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way.
4. Practice confidence.
Confidence is a practice. It is a combination of the thoughts we think and the actions we take. While our thoughts are an important part of confidence, we also can take everyday steps to build our confidence. Practices such as journaling, taking time for skincare, and following your passion all contribute to building confidence.
Get ALL the gems on confidence, self-care, and why CeCe is currently passionate about sustainable fashion by listening to the full Brilliance Beyond Borders Podcast episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or my website!
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