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Beyond the Boutique: The Business of Fashion

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Are you curious about how to rise through the ranks in the fashion industry? In today’s episode, I’m thrilled to have a conversation with Kelly Helfman, MAGIC. Kelly’s journey from customer service to overseeing one of the largest fashion trade shows in the world is nothing short of inspirational.

Beyond the Boutique: The Business of Fashion

Starting from the Ground Up: A Journey of Patience and Persistence

Kelly shared her incredible journey, which began 18 years ago in customer service before she eventually became a key player in the fashion and corporate markets. Starting in 2006, she worked her way up from collecting payments for exhibitors at events like MAGIC, learning the ropes of sales, and eventually managing teams.

Her story is a reminder that success doesn’t happen overnight—it’s built on years of hard work, dedication, and persistence. She highlighted the importance of asking for feedback, even when it’s tough to hear, as a critical step in personal and professional growth. “I always asked for feedback,” she said. “It was hard to hear, but I knew in order to grow, I needed to know where I wasn’t thriving.”

Leadership: Balancing Authenticity and Empathy

Leadership isn’t just about managing a team—it’s about knowing yourself and continuously working on your weaknesses. Kelly emphasized the value of being honest about her gaps in knowledge and skills, and how she learned to fill those gaps by hiring people who complemented her strengths. She also touched on the importance of empathy in leadership. Watching other leaders who managed to strike the balance between being firm and being compassionate helped her shape her own leadership style.

“I operate a business, and my team will tell you I am not perfect,” she said. “But it’s important to balance leadership with being able to operate a successful business. And I think that’s what has made me a leader today.”

Creativity and Analytics: Strengthening Both Sides of the Brain

In the world of fashion and retail, it’s crucial to have both creative and analytical skills. Kelly spoke about how she honed her creative side while also developing her analytical abilities, particularly when it came to managing a P&L (profit and loss statement). She stressed the importance of being aware of where you excel and where you need to grow, and putting in the time to strengthen those areas.

“Everyone isn’t going to be great at everything,” she explained. “I was great at sales but had to develop my fashion sense and my strategic mindset over time. It’s about knowing your weaknesses and working to improve them, or hiring people who fill those gaps.”

Work-Life Balance: Setting Boundaries and Giving Yourself Grace

For anyone who’s juggling a career and family life, our conversation also touched on how to manage both without burning out. One of the most important lessons was about setting boundaries and learning to say no. Kelly talked about communicating expectations with her team and her family, making sure everyone knows when she’s unavailable for work or family time.

“I’ve learned that sometimes you’re going to be killing it in your career, and sometimes you’re going to be a better mom,” she said. “It’s all about giving yourself grace and understanding that you can’t do everything perfectly all the time.”

She emphasized the importance of time management and prioritizing self-care. Whether it’s watching her favorite TV show or indulging in frozen yogurt, she makes time for herself to recharge, knowing that she can’t show up for others if she doesn’t first take care of herself.

Taking Care of Yourself: It’s Okay to Say No

The conversation wrapped up with some powerful advice on taking care of your mental and emotional health. Burnout is real, and setting boundaries is essential to prevent it. Sometimes you have to disappoint people, whether it’s your kids, your spouse, or your coworkers, in order to take care of yourself.

“Boundaries are hard, but they are necessary,” she said. “If you don’t take the time to take care of yourself, you won’t be able to show up for anyone else.”

Keeping Up With MAGIC Fashion Events

MAGIC has a lot in store for future markets. Follow MAGIC on Instagram for the latest announcements and updates!

In This Episode

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