The Carmindy Beauty founder and star of TLC’s “What Not To Wear” shares how she stays organized, what inspires her and why setting her career ablaze was the best decision she made.
Millions of beauty fans were introduced to Carmindy Bowyer when she highlighted the unique beauty of various women as the makeup artist (and sometimes therapist) on the hit show What’s Not To Wear. Warm, empathic, and genuinely authentic, Carmindy is a force who has built an empire including books, television appearances, and her top-selling cosmetics line, Carmindy Beauty which is sold exclusively through QVC.
We have girl-crushed this incredible woman since being introduced to her through a friend years ago and feel truly excited she’s agreed to share some of her sage advice us here on the site. Read below to get seriously inspired.
The one thing I do to set myself up for success every morning is:
Take my time! There is nothing worse than waking up in a rushed frenzy that sets a negative tone for the day. I like to set my alarm early so I can leisurely have coffee in bed, read the trades and news online (I don’t have a TV), and then do a little creative visualization of how I want my day to go. It’s a more chill way to begin the day.
My go-to hack for staying organized throughout the day is:
That is not hard since I have a baby touch of OCD. I plan my whole day the night before so I can wake up with a clear mission.
The biggest career failure I have ever experienced was:
I started a makeup line in 2013 partnering with a group of very experienced older men that had been titans of the corporate beauty industry. I foolishly thought that these partners knew the beauty world better and would understand my vision and respect my years of expertise. I was wrong. They constantly disrespected me, overspent the capital, never paid me, and ran the business into the ground. It left me broke and defeated. I had a choice to either fight them in court or burn the house to the ground, take back my trademarks, and start over. I decided to set it ablaze. Like a Phoenix from the ashes, I began again with a fresh clean slate, newly acquired warrior strength, and soared higher than ever! It was the absolute best education and I gained priceless knowledge. I learned how to become fearless.
I overcame that failure by:
By always trusting my instincts and surrounding myself with people that shared the same vision, passion, and extreme ownership as I do. Collaboration with positive creatives in a safe place of experiment sharing ideas (good or not so good) leads to success.
The greatest lesson taught to me by rejection has been:
Rejection is just divine intervention. If you are patient and never give up your dream the right opportunities will always unfold.
The best career advice I ever received was this:
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. A successful career takes time and the journey no matter how long it takes should be celebrated.
The one thing I wish I knew when I was starting my own business was this:
Stress and anxiety only hinder not help. Treat it like a game of chess not like your life is only defined by what you do for a living.
The podcast I love to listen to is:
I don’t listen to any Podcasts at the moment can you suggest a good one? Honestly, I’m more of a reader.
I believe everyone needs to read this book:
I have too many to list. When I was a young teenager I read Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain. This taught me how to do mental mood boards. Then as a young adult, I read The 7 Spiritual Laws Of Success by Deepak Chopra that helped me laser focus on creating the success that was right for me. I also read all the books written about my predecessors like Mary Kay, Elizabeth Arden, Helena Rubenstein, etc. I wanted to understand how these women were able to dominate the beauty industry in a man’s world.
The one thing I would tell my younger self is:
Don’t play the compare and despair game. We are all unique in what and how we create. Nobody can do it like you as nobody is you. Be authentic in every aspect of your life without apology.
My secret-tip for leveling-up is:
Share your gold. The love, the advice, the help, the lessons, the compassion, the introductions, the cross-promotion, the time (when you can).
The one way we can all help build a better professional landscape is to:
Empower and help one another through banding together and also mentoring those who are coming up. Realize that it’s not just about money but how we can better our society and make a real difference in people’s lives.
The best thing I learned from the worst boss was:
It’s not personal. I always say it’s not your circus, not your monkeys. They are acting that way because of their fear, insecurities, or personality issues so don’t absorb any of it. Plan your escape, take whatever you learned, and move on.
The trait that I believe makes someone stand out as an all-star is:
Confidence without arrogance, a strong and dedicated work ethic, and compassion without enabling.
My professional motto is:
Create your destiny and do what you love deeply. It is the secret to happiness.
The advice I will leave you with is this:
I was 25 years old when I moved to New York City. It was 1996 and I wrote myself this note that still rings true today 24 years later.
Follow Carmindy:
Instagram: @carmindybeauty
Facebook Page: Carmindy
Twitter: @carmindybeauty
Website: http://www.carmindy.com
No Comments