AICI GL BAL
A L O O K AT T H E B U I L D I N G B L O C K S O F T H E P R O F E S S I O N
THE ABCD’S OF IMAGE FEATURE
WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL PRESENCE? CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS IN IMAGE
IMAGE ACROSS THE GLOBE BOOK REVIEW
TOP RESOURCES IN THE PROFESSION MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
NAOTO SAKASAI
JULY 2018
THE
BUSINESS
OF
STYLE
APRIL 4-7, 2019
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EDITOR’S NOTE 2018
AICI BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Riet de Vlieger, AICI CIP President-Elect Ferial Youakim, AICI CIP Secretary Gail Morgan, AICI CIP Treasurer Chris Fulkerson, AICI CIP, FFS VP Certification Ana Cheong, AICI CIP VP Education Shanna Wu Pecoraro, AICI CIP VP Business Development Maria Pia Estebecorena, AICI CIC VP Marketing & Communication Bernice Maldonado, AICI CIC VP Conference Valeria Doustaly, AICI CIP VP Human Resources Lilian Bustamante, AICI CIP Executive Director Gigi Jaber AICI HEADQUARTERS 1000 Westgate Drive, Ste. 252 St. Paul, MN 55114-1067 Phone: 651-290-7468 Fax: 651-290-2266 www.AICI.org
Comments about the magazine? editor@aici.org
IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT IS A THEORETICAL CONCEPT, first developed by sociologist Erving Goffman in 1959 in his book, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. In many ways I believe this was a precursor to the field of image consulting and image management. Impression management is defined as “a conscious or subconscious process in which people attempt to influence the perceptions of other people about a person, object or event.” Utilizing his framework, I’ve crafted a new definition for image consultants. Image consultants are practitioners working to enhance a person’s conscious and subconscious perception around their appearance, behavior, and communication in an attempt to influence and persuade others through either physical contact or in the digital space. Over the years, the scope and practice of image consulting has expanded, particularly in the last decade. While appearance continues to play a significant role in a person’s overall image, the profession itself has matured to cover a breadth and depth of experiences. In many ways we’ve evolved into applied sociologists utilizing the theory of impression management as our methodology of choice. Technological advancements have necessitated an upgrade in the services we offer. Over the last decade we’ve had to add a “D” to the ABC’s of image consulting. Social media has shifted and enlarged our ideas of authenticity and realism, requiring us to be even more vigilant about our spheres of influence. In addition, it’s not just a matter of how you look anymore. It’s about how we help our clients develop and successfully utilize their professional presence and how we help those in leadership positions communicate in such a way as to advance their organizational agenda. We must also consider how all of this is translated across generations and around the world. I invite you consider the present and future face of image consulting in the pages ahead. I hope this issue both intrigues and challenges your current thoughts on who we are as a profession. Let’s continue to expand upon Goffman’s theory and embrace the personal and societal significance and impact of our work.
DR. CAROL PARKER WALSH, JD, PHD, AICI CIC Editor-in-Chief
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PUBLICATION CREDITS
Issue 21 EDITOR IN CHIEF Carol Parker Walsh, JD, PhD, AICI CIC, FFSM
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Sonia Dubey Dewan, CIC
FASHION EDITOR Jainee Gandhi, AICI CIP
BUSINESS EDITOR Kylie Stedman-Gomes
COPY EDITORS Bernie Burson, AICI CIC Julie Kaufman AICI CIP
FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS Sarah Brummit, AICI CIP Sarah Hathorn, AICI CIM Hildeberto Martinez, AICI CIC Carolina D. Tan, AICI CIC
LAYOUT Limb Design AICI GLOBAL is produced quarterly by Association of Image Consultants International, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the level of professionalism and enhancing the recognition of image consultants. AICI GLOBAL promotes AICI’s ideas, activities, interests and goals to its members. Responsibility is not assumed for the opinions of writers or other articles. AICI GLOBAL does not endorse or guarantee the products and services it advertises. 2018© Association of Image Consultants International. All rights reserved. No part of this online publication may be duplicated or reproduced without permission from the publisher. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of information included in the magazine at the time of publication, the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising from errors or omissions.
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FEATURE ARTICLE What is Professional Presence?......................... 7
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Inside This Issue
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT............... 6
ABCD’S OF IMAGE Gear Up Your Image for Gen Z..................................... 11 Brilliant Communication Skills to Dominate Our Industry................................................. 13 Managing the “D” in Image Consulting.........................26 Staging Your Comeback: An Image Makeover for Presence & Power...................................28
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CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS IN IMAGE Image Consulting in Latin America............................... 18 Image Consulting in India............................................. 21 Image Consulting in Asia..............................................23
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EDITOR’S CORNER Top 10 Books for Image Consultants............................. 16
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BETWEEN US Member Spotlight: Naoto Sakasai, AICI CIP.................. 31 Election Update: Meet the New AICI Board Members....34 Magazine Upgrade: Meet Our New Editors...................36 Upcoming Events.......................................................... 39
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ABCD OF IMAGE:
HUNGRY FOR INFORMATION
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f I tell people I am an image consultant, hardly anyone knows what that means. If I am lucky, people ask some questions. But most of the time saying I am an image consultant means the end of a conversation. The word “image” in my country is not seen as something positive. Image is seen as something created on purpose, which is considered to be inauthentic, not real. In a culture like mine, that does not sound very good. Behaving like “normal” is the trend. It’s even worse that our profession is not perceived as a possible solution for the problems professionals are dealing with in the workplace. Do you recognize that in your country? Words to describe what we do I must say that I stopped using words such as image and image consulting. It does not resonate with others. I rather speak about increasing visibility, empowering women, non-verbal communication, and leadership development. With these words I get exciting conversations and I trigger curiosity, which is a good start towards doing business. How about you? What words do you use? And how do people respond to them? Did you find a way to really be attractive for people? The topic of this magazine can be considered from a global perspective. I see what you as members in other parts of the world are communicating about your clients and your business. Some of you really focus on a specific area, while others are more
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generic. The market in all those areas seem so different from mine. Cross borders by sharing stories Let’s share our stories... What did you do to overcome the difference in culture between you and your clients? How did you manage to have people start seeing you as a solution for their issues? For me, breakthroughs to expanding my business time after time appear after attending conference or participating in a course. Networking and education are pathways to enrich our comfort zones, to look beyond what we already know, to be inspired. To get excited about new options and action steps and show up in a completely new way for the people around you. New information is the pathway to success. That is why I invite you all to be hungry for new information. Our association is a rich resource for that. So read the articles in this magazine, and join us in Chicago in April 2019. Registration is open. We offer you a wonderful and generous learning opportunity. With “The Business of Style” we are committed to inspire you for the future development of your choice.
SINCERELY, RIET DE VLIEGER, AICI CIP AICI International President
FEATURE ARTICLE
WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL PRESENCE? BY SARAH J. BRUMMIT, AICI CIP
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WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL PRESENCE?
need us—and an array of our services.
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I promised some definitions, so let’s get to them. Professional presence is the ability to inspire that “I’ll follow you anywhere” aura in others—whether For businesses around the world it’s never been it’s the security guard or the CEO. It encompasses more difficult—or more necessary—to have so many capabilities, including being able to “radiate professional presence. We’ll come to definitions in a confidence; project poise, credibility, authority, moment, but let’s just consider the challenge facing humility; show high levels of self-awareness; be our corporate clients today. Organizations are flatter authentic; build on strengths; work on flaws; convey than ever, competing in a global market, operating at exquisite influence.” It’s the ability to reach people. warp speed, working to maximize multiple demands By this I mean the ability to on their resources, trying be relevant, be inspiring, be to survive and thrive amidst memorable, be an asset, and be the reality that is “digital a force for change. WITHIN THESE disruption,” trading in a continual state of change For the first part of our careers, ORGANIZATIONS, WE and all the while attempting we—like our clients—need FIND PROFESSIONAL to engage their ever more to build technical skills. We demanding customers. MEN AND WOMEN develop competence on our et’s start with why it’s needed.
And that’s just the corporate structures.
WHO ARE TRYING TO DELIVER RESULTS... ALL THE WHILE, TRYING TO BE HEARD, UNDERSTOOD AND INFLUENTIAL.
Within these organizations we find professional men and women who are trying to deliver results, lead teams, engage global stakeholders, work at a distance, compete for resources, drive their own agenda, attract, develop and retain the best talent, manage their own career, do more with less, all the while trying to be heard, understood and influential.
On its own this would be hard enough, but added to the mix is the reality that we all live in an “attention deficit” economy where most of us aren’t listening most of the time. We’re swamped with digital data— emails, spreadsheets, presentations, pitches, reports, texts, blogs, posts, tweets, messages, swipe left/swipe right, etc. and we live “on screen” with typically two or three devices in action simultaneously, with us conducting asynchronous and synchronous debate with communication with multiple individuals. Well, I did say it’s never been more difficult. But the good news is that’s why both men and women
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chosen path irrespective of whether it’s as a lawyer, an accountant, a sales professional, a marketer, a supply chain specialist, a finance person or anything else at all. However there comes a point when they—like us—need to pivot because our technical competence is assumed. It’s not about our technical skills (because they are a given), it’s about developing the ability to be outstandingly influential, persuasive, engaging, impactful, influential. This means having professional presence. It means developing the skills of successful relationships. And that’s the business that all of our clients are really in—the business of relationships. How can we help our clients develop professional presence? In oh so many ways is the short answer. I conducted some research several years ago that explored what corporations wanted from individuals who had professional presence, and I extrapolated the data to create a framework that I call the LEADER model. By that I mean:
L E A D E R
LOOK
How you appear; your visual signature; dressing to your essence; putting consistent intention and alignment into your look.
ENGAGE
How you connect with emotion; winning hearts and minds; how you attract, inspire, challenge, support, motivate, develop and influence others.
ACT
How you behave; your non-verbal communication; how you strategize with your physical presence; using your body to support, not subtract from, your verbal message.
DELIBERATE EVOLVE RESONATE
How you think; your preferences for processing information; how you make decisions, solve problems, manage complexity, prioritize, strategize and rationalize business issues. How you maximize your potential; how you manage your career, your locus of control, finding and pursuing your passion, succeeding at your life’s purpose. How you sound; how you maximize the qualities of your voice to suit the occasion and audience; how you convey clarity, relevance, precision and brilliance through your verbal messages.
In the last 18 months what has become very apparent to me is the need to add to this the ability to be impactful and have professional presence remotely. This is the topic for my next book. Organizations today are driving more agility, lowering cost and increasing pace by asking teams and leaders to communicate at a distance—again, this represents a whole additional set of skills for which they need our help. As image professionals we constantly strive to remain current. Where this starts is by being clear on why
professional men and women need our help when it comes to professional presence, and the answer is not because they need to look good in a suit. If we understand the reasons behind why businesses would be insane not to do this, it makes the case for selling our services so much more straightforward. It also allows us to identify what new content, tools, and strategies we can create and coach our clients around to build long term, high value, high impact relationships that sustain and grow our business. Go spread the word!
SARAH BRUMMITT, AICI CIP, is a pioneer in the field of Executive Presence. As a seasoned learning and development professional, qualified Executive Coach, published author and award winning Personal Branding expert, Sarah runs a leadership development business with clients that take her and her team all over the world. Sarah holds a Masters in Image Consulting in the UK, is a Certified Image Professional in the USA and she is also a Fellow of The Federation of Image Professionals International. As such, she is one of only two professionals in the world to achieve this level of qualification and accreditation within the global image industry. She also has a Diploma in Performance Coaching and became a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming.
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IMAGE ABCD'S
GEAR UP YOUR IMAGE FOR GEN Z MANAGE YOUR ABCD OF IMAGE TO CATER BETTER TO GEN Z CLIENTS BY SONIA DUBEY DEWAN, AICI CIC
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n the last eight years of my practice as an image consultant specializing in individual consulting, I first struggled and then learned a great deal from one specific set of clients, those in Gen Z. Gen Z’s are more racially diverse, highly tolerant, and very tech savvy yet risk averse. As a millennial, it was difficult for me to understand the characteristics of this generation. Gen Z has now started entering the workforce sooner than any generation ever could have; hence, they need us more than any other generation. But the question is, are we ready to cater to Gen Z? Don’t rush to say yes, because here is a quick fact: the total attention span of an average Gen Z is eight seconds... eight seconds! Didn’t we all learn that it takes seven seconds to create a first impression? Guess how many seconds you get with Gen Z? Let’s first understand who is Gen Z. Those born after 1995-96, also known as the postmillennial or iGeneration (I Gen). Born or growing up during two great recessions and major terror attacks,
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they saw their parents and relatives struggle with career, money, and stability. However, the boom of technology also provided a formative experience. Gen Z’s are: • Digital natives – Being born in the digital era, they are the first true natives to technology, unlike those of us who are adaptors to tech. Having answers available to all their questions at their fingertips gives them the feeling that anything is possible. • Multi-taskers – What they lack in attention span they make up in multi-tasking. This generation needs continuous updates and stimulation. They prefer to work on multiple tasks at a time and on average, Gen Z’s can work on five screens at a time. The attention span is less, but once you have it they will give you their undivided concentration. • Entrepreneurs – They desire an independent work environment and look for jobs that fulfill this. If they do not get a viable option in employment, they don’t shy away from entrepreneurship. • Highly educated – They don’t believe in traditional education and are more likely to not go ahead with a college education but to pick a completely new skill, educate themselves online, and pursue it as a career. • Diverse and liberated – They are highly social and, with access to the Internet, their circle of friends includes people around the world who they would have never met otherwise. This makes them more open to different cultures and races and to truly care for them. • Philanthropic – They have an innate desire to change the world. Don’t be surprised that they will fight for a group of people you have never met in your life or even heard of. • Cautious/anxious – Growing up during the great recession, they are more likely to be cautious in their habits or lifestyle. They are highly anxious, and one in 11 suffers from ADHD. So with all this information, how do we work with them? To make it easier, let’s break it down by ABCD.
APPEARANCE: Gen Z doesn’t want anything not real. They just don't want to be marketed to, they want to know the people on camera and behind the camera and everything the brand stands for. This resulted in a key trend in clothing, Normcore—a combination of normal and hardcore. Gen Z understands the need to be presentable as being on screen is second nature to them; however, they want to keep it as real as possible without compromising comfort. As a result, we are seeing more athleisure clothing in our wardrobes despite speculation that it is just a trend. As image consultants, we need to be open to our clients asking for normcore, keep it real, fashionable and more comfortable. They also see shopping as a social experience and rely heavily on influencer marketing. Keep yourself abreast of new brands online, what major influencers are wearing, and what their social circle is wearing. Gen Z does not have brand loyalty; they will switch to another for convenience. Fast shipping, I-kiosk or virtual try on will win them anytime over Zara or H&M. As a personal stylist, knowing this and beyond should be in our repertoire. BEHAVIOR: Technology exposure has shaped the behavior of Gen Z, unlike other generations. They are very diverse and liberated in their thinking and thus understand the importance of people skills. More than 48 percent said that they would like to improve their social and interpersonal skills. By 2025, a sharp increase in the number of the independent and entrepreneurial workforce means they require people like us to help them prepare for future. How to coach: Using the tool of a social experiment, convert modules of etiquette, body language, interpersonal skills, etc. into a small social experiment which they can perform in their group and record their own experiences. They believe in facts rather than statements, hence social experiments provide the evidence in a fun way. Avoid any kind of stereotyping and do not give examples of fictional characters. Chances are they might tune you out and go back to their screens. COMMUNICATION: As we already know we are dealing with a generation that loses focus easily, the
answer to it is gamification. We need to make all our content short, crisp and virtual. Gen Z will not listen to everything we say for hours; however, a short video or gamification of your concept would do the job. Hence, focus more on digital content for all your consultations, use videos, infographics, apps, and games. DIGITAL PRESENCE: Nobody understands the meaning of individuality and showcasing it on digital platforms better than Gen Z. Although they can teach us how to use digital platforms better, our input on how to communicate their individual image on the screen is something they highly appreciate. If the client wants to look strong, confident and independent, we need to know: • How to showcase this strong, confident and independent person on Instagram, on Snapchat, on LinkedIn, on Facebook as well as on Twitter • Which platforms he/she should be on to communicate • What medium he/she should be using. Videos, blogs, vlogs, virtual reality, etc. CONCLUSION: There are a lot of other beautiful qualities of this generation and in times to come we will have more data and information to help us know them better. As Gen Z enters the workforce and their purchasing power increases, we can’t afford to act within conventional frameworks. We need to work on a deeper understanding of Gen Z clients—one which is more on the job and two-way for this ever-evolving generation. Remember, someone invested in us, now it’s our time to invest in Gen Z. SONIA DUBEY DEWAN, AICI CIC, is an Image Consultant, Entrepreneur, and Keynote Speaker. One of the only two CIC in India, she is Founder & Executive Director of Indian School of Image Management (www.indianschoolofimage.com), providing education and training solutions to aspiring Image Consultants. Associate Editor of AICI Global Magazine, Sonia is passionate about sharing her views on Image Management, Personal Branding, Positive Body Image, Women Empowerment, Style, and Fashion.
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IT'S TIME TO GET
AICI CERTIFIED
"Getting a certification from AICI is not about the promise of potential earnings. It is about the professionalism we uphold. Embrace certification for yourself and your profession and more importantly, for the clients we serve. "~Ana Cheong Cheok Yin, AICI CIP, VP Certification, AICI Global International Board
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IMAGE ABCD'S
BRILLIANT COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO DOMINATE OUR INDUSTRY BY SARAH HATHORN, AICI CIM
I
n our new fast-paced world, we are communicating over 80 percent of the workday—whether it’s through live conversations, emails, text messages, social media, presentations, etc. So it’s no surprise that the second most requested coaching service companies are looking for is communications coaching. Are you tapping into this market? As a professional image consultant, helping your clients polish their communication skills is a great multifaceted service to add to your portfolio. How are your own communication skills? Are they brilliant? If you want to help your clients in this area, your skills need to be brilliant since clients want to learn from someone with true communication
mastery. If you haven’t given it much thought recently, it’s time to refresh your skills. You’re on top of your visual image, but communication skills are evolving, and if you don’t keep up, it’s all too easy to sound tired and outdated. The point of brilliant communication is influence— you want to inspire, engage, align, gain buy-in, and showcase the value you bring to the table. This helps you dominate our image consulting industry in two key ways. First, it helps you influence potential ideal clients or elite corporate companies to want to work with you. Second, you can teach your clients these skills, which increases their ability to get whatever it is that they want. For your clients to influence
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stakeholders, vendors, customers, employees, boards of directors, investors, etc., powerfully framed language is literally the key to the kingdom. Think how grateful they’ll be when you hand them that key! Are you communicating to influence your prospects and clients to buy from you? Could you help your clients become better influencers? Take a look at five communication skills you need in your toolkit to dominate our industry:
1. VERBAL COMMUNICATION In these days of email and texting, verbal communication still deserves to be number one. It’s by using your voice that you resonate with your clients with a moving story or have a candid conversation with an employee to improve their performance. When it really counts, it’s the best way to eliminate misunderstandings, respond to objections, and build trusting relationships. Remember, with verbal communication, it’s not just what you say but how you say it that influences others to buy in, trust you and move forward into achieving the desired end results.
• Are you succinct and on point, or do you tend to ramble? • Do your conversations have a natural flow or do they feel stilted and disjointed?
2. PRESENTATION SKILLS Today’s brilliant communicators are moving away from using stale PowerPoint-style presentations. In order to influence your audience, you want to be an active facilitator who moves people to take action. To engage your audience, think of it as a conversation rather than a presentation. Work to inspire them and get them to think differently. As an image consultant, when you give a presentation, wouldn’t you love to walk out of the room with clients lined up to work with you? Or think how you can help your clients by combining their professional new image with powerful presentation skills. Here are some questions to ask either yourself or your clients regarding your presentation skills: • Do you use powerful stories to illustrate your point? • Are you prepared ahead of time with key points that naturally flow together?
IN THESE DAYS OF EMAIL AND TEXTING, VERBAL COMMUNICATION STILL DESERVES TO BE NUMBER ONE. Here are some questions to ask either yourself or your clients regarding your verbal communication skills: • Do you know how to frame and adapt your message with a specific audience in mind? • Do you have an engaging style so you capture attention?
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• Does your body language complement your message? • Does the audience perceive you as authentic and natural, or do you sound nervous and overrehearsed? • Do you know how to add resonance to your voice so your presentation is memorable?
3. LISTENING SKILLS Listening is more than half the conversational dialogue and yet it’s a forgotten skill. Most of us aren’t great listeners. If you’re a brilliant communicator, you listen as a way to gain influence. You’re able to adapt and reshape your message because you carefully listened to the insights of others, to legitimate objections, and for what’s not being said. As I tell my clients, you can’t have executive presence if you’re not present in the moment during every conversation.
Here are some questions to ask either yourself or your clients regarding your listening skills: • Are you really 100 percent present when you are working with a client, or are you thinking of your to-do list? • When someone asks you a question in a presentation, do you already have your answer lined up when they’re mid-sentence or do you wait for them to finish? • Do you pay attention to what’s not being said?
4. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION Email communication is off the charts today, so this form of communication can play a key role in how you’re perceived. In addition, writing is needed for a corporate proposal, a resume, a workbook, etc. One challenge I see many of my clients struggle with is being overly verbose in their written communication. They drown you with all the details and the point is lost completely. Whether you’re emailing a client a quick note or submitting an important corporate proposal, consider the language and tone of your writing and work towards greater clarity. Here are some questions to ask either yourself or your clients regarding your written communication skills: • Do people respond to your email communications? • Are you winning corporate proposals? • Does your resume reflect your high level of professionalism?
5. DIGITAL PRESENCE Today, first impressions usually happen online, and that goes for your clients, too. When someone is considering hiring you, the first thing they do is “Google” you. Your digital online presence either says you're an amateur or you're a true professional. Whether it’s your LinkedIn profile, YouTube videos, website, Facebook page, or virtual meetings, how you show up will determine your success. Are you bringing your A-game? Also, as an image consultant, is there room to help your clients enhance their brand with a professional digital presence? Here are some questions to ask either yourself or your clients regarding your digital presence: • Review your messages on social media—are they positive or negative? • Is your LinkedIn profile current, showcasing what you bring to the table? • Google yourself—what impression will someone get from what shows up online? We all need to become more aware of our communication skills to become better influencers. I know this to be true from my experience coaching entrepreneurs and senior executives in Fortune 100 firms. Powerful communication is the fastest way to build trusting relationships, and it’s our positive relationships with others that lead us, and our clients, to achieve higher levels of success. If you consider expanding your services to include communication skills, you’ll have the added benefit of expanding your bank account since you’ll be able to charge higher value-based fees.
SARAH HATHORN, AICI CIM, is one of only 18 people in the world who have earned the Certified Image Master designation. As the Founding CEO of Hathorn Consulting Group and the Illustra Business School, she has coached and developed hundreds of image consultants in more than 35 different countries. She also served as a Master Trainer with the London Image Institute and ImageAsia and is in high demand as an internationally-distinguished executive coach, corporate consultant, and keynote speaker with Fortune 500 companies.
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EDITOR'S CORNER
TOP 10 BOOKS
FOR IMAGE CONSULTANTS BY KYLIE STEDMAN-GOMES
O
ur business section is devoted to discussion of business-related issues within the context of the magazine’s overall theme. Articles might focus on your perspective as an image consultant, on your business clients’ concerns, or on our industry as a whole. Topics will be broad-ranging and everchanging, like the nature of business itself. No doubt we’ll end up discussing issues around starting up and developing your business, managing finances, navigating legal and ethical questions, networking and partnering with other consultants and businesses, helping your clients with their careers and personal branding, and self-care and personal development for your clients and yourself.
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In this July 2018 issue of AICI Global, we’re focusing on the basics, the ABCDs of image consulting. Consultants of all stripes rely on a solid foundation of knowledge. Articles might focus on your perspective as an image consultant, on your business clients’ concerns, or on our industry as a whole. Topics will be broad-ranging and ever-changing, like the nature of business itself. The following list of top ten books for image consultants has been compiled based on recommendations from experienced image consultants and business people. I’ve also read more than half of these books myself and have added the others to my personal reading list. Enjoy! The Brand Called You: Create a Personal Brand That Wins Attention and Grows Your Business by Peter Montoya and Tim Vandehey | McGraw-Hill, 2008 Montoya and Vandaehey present core principles of personal branding to help you and your clients build and maintain a personal brand and attract a consistent flow of business. Key skills include crafting an emotionally resonant branding message and creating high quality branding tools. Color with Style by Donna Fujii | Graphic-Sha Publishing, 1991 Color with Style outlines a color system which extends beyond the popular four seasons color analysis to include classifications and useful advice for all races. The book contains example colors, makeup tips and styles for each classification. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael Gerber | HarperCollins, 2009 Based on years of experience, small business consultant and author Michael E. Gerber points out how common assumptions, expectations, and even technical expertise (including image consulting!) can get in the way of running a successful business. He walks you through the steps in the life cycle of a business and helps you distinguish between working on your business and working in it.
Fashion Feng Shui: The Power of Dressing with Intention by Evana Maggiore | CreateSpace, 2014 Evana Maggiore’s Fashion Feng Shui presents a transformational holistic personal design system that applies Feng Shui principles to personal appearance. It teaches you how to make empowering and authentic clothing choices that nurture your spirit, flatter your coloring and shape, and help you meet your goals. 5 Steps to Professional Presence: How to Project Confidence, Competence and Credibility at Work by Susan Bixler and Lisa Scherrer Dugan | Avon, MA: Adams Media Corporation, 2001 Professional presence can help you build business relationships quickly and stand out from the crowd, whether in person or in cyberspace. This book covers business etiquette and social skills across a variety of settings, including business meetings, social occasions, and email. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck | Ballantine Books, 2007 Carol Dweck explains why it's not just our abilities and talent that bring us success— but whether we approach challenges and opportunities with a fixed or growth mindset. This relatively simple idea about how our capabilities work can have a profound impact on how we learn and which paths we take in life. The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister, Charles H. Green and Robert M. Galford | Simon & Schuster, 2001 As consultants, technical mastery of our discipline is not enough. The key to professional success as a consultant, advisor or other service professional is our ability to earn the trust and confidence of clients. The Trusted Advisor explains and demonstrates how the “trust equation” works. Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy | Orion, 2005 Amy Cuddy shows us how to tweak our body
language, behavior and mindset to access our personal power and achieve “presence”—the state where we can stop worrying about the impression we’re making on others, and instead free ourselves to perform at our best. And if you haven’t watched her 2012 TED talk on body language and power poses yet, set aside 20 minutes and do so. It’s great. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek | Penguin, 2011 Simon Sinek explains the framework needed for businesses to move past knowing what they do to how they do it, and then to ask the more important question—WHY? Knowing why you do what you do engages emotions and inspires action, for you, and for your clients. Even reading about it is inspiring. Survival of the Prettiest by Nancy Etcoff | Anchor, 2011 In this thought-provoking and thoroughly researched inquiry into what we find beautiful and why, Nancy Etcoff argues that beauty is not a learned behavior but an essential part of our biological nature. Beauty has been revered and ferociously pursued in nearly every civilization— and for good reason. This isn’t a comforting book, but it is entertaining and very informative.
KYLIE STEDMAN GOMES holds a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in psychology and has so far clocked up 23 years of experience working in Australia across private, government and not-for-profit sectors in a variety of roles including business transformation, analysis, information technology and project management. Kylie started working as an image consultant under the business name “Presence of Mine” (www.presenceofmine.com.au) in Brisbane in 2016, and is currently working full-time on designing and building a values-driven online marketplace (indiqi) to launch later this year.
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CULTURE
IMAGE CONSULTING IN LATIN AMERICA BY HILDEBERTO MARTÍNEZ, AICI CIC
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ver the past decade, our profession has been experiencing a boom in the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking regions of the American continent, bringing with it a series of challenges and opportunities. In an increasingly connected world, our attention is drawn to the best practices from other parts of the globe. This allows us to grow as professionals and gives us the opportunity to take our services beyond our borders. But what makes the profession special in Latin America? What can we expect? The first thing we have to understand is that although we mostly speak the same Spanish language, besides Portuguese in Brazil, the profession has been developed at varying rates in different countries. This coincides with the creation of the first AICI chapters in the region over a decade ago: AICI Mexico, AICI Argentina, and AICI Brazil. The profession of image consulting is still being developed today. There is a strong interest in the profession and the tools it can offer.
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TRAINING IN LATIN AMERICA Interest in the profession has given rise to countless training academies in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, providing opportunities for those aspiring to become image consultants. The problem lies in that some of these schools and their founders were originally fashion schools that have incorporated empirical image consulting programs since it is a new subject. These programs are primarily geared toward fashion styling and lack a foundation in the profession’s essential skills. However, they fulfill their purpose in introducing the profession to those aspiring to join it, hence the importance of AICI’s approach to criteria that define image consulting and its related practices. Perhaps Mexico has been the exception to the rule since it has a dozen universities that offer image consulting programs leading to a professional degree.
PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THE PROFESSION One of the main challenges faced by the profession is the public’s lack of awareness of the practice. Martha Risco, president of AICI Peru, tells us,
BESIDES THE CHALLENGE OF BREAKING THE STEREOTYPE THAT IMAGE CONSULTING IS BASED SOLELY ON PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, THERE ARE OTHER CHALLENGES, SUCH AS THE PERCEPTION THAT IMAGE CONSULTING IS A LUXURY SERVICE.
“There are still people who think image consultants focus solely on appearance and not on the creation and implementation of strategies. We must emphasize the importance of comprehensive interaction not only through our clothing but also through our verbal and nonverbal communication. “I think there are numerous people and companies starting to value our profession, but I am aware that our services are perhaps not for everybody,” says Viviana Aguayo, consultant and leader of the Guayaquil City Circle in Ecuador. Besides the challenge of breaking the stereotype that image consulting is based solely on physical appearance, there are other challenges, such as the perception that image consulting is a luxury service. On the other hand, while it is true that the region’s political candidates have started to implement image strategies in their campaigns, many of those strategies are unfortunately still implemented by communication scientists, marketers, or publicists, resulting in inconsistencies or errors in visual communication.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROFESSION Interest in looking good and projecting a proper image has increased in Latin America. Countries like Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico have been models of global fashion for years. Blends of global elements with local flavors and ethnic inspiration have caused the world to focus on the region. The Latin American Pantone, rich in textures and colors, has a strong influence on local fashion. The big global brands are aware of this large market and have a presence in the region. The presence of “fast fashion” has not been the exception. Latin American women, proud of their roots, are becoming the ideal candidates for our services. This cultural mosaic, added to rising global trends, relaxed dress codes in certain professional circles, and the integration of millennials into the labor market, provides us with the ideal setting in which to offer our services.
LATIN AMERICA TODAY Image consultants in Latin America today are already connected to the world. Some already travel between countries to get certified
and offer their services. Members of AICI chapters in the region have warm relationships with each other and participate in events such as the next Latin American conference, which will be held at the end of September 2018 in São Paulo, Brazil. Now, we must direct our gaze beyond our borders. Technology has been one of our greatest allies in this regard. The challenge isn’t distance or the language barrier. The challenge is perhaps that our profession must continue to evolve on par with the times. Learning from practices in emerging regions such as Asia and Latin America will be a great source of inspiration for our profession in the coming years.
HILDEBERTO MARTÍNEZ, AICI CIC, is an image consultant located in Mexico. He was the president of the AICI Mexico City Chapter during the 2012–2014 term. He regularly offers image consulting services and training in several countries in Latin America.
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CULTURE
IMAGE CONSULTING IN INDIA BY JAINEE GANDHI, AICI CIP
When I started my image consulting business in 2007 in Mumbai, India, I shut it down after six months.
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o one knew what image consulting was; for many it was like a salon service or makeup training or even fashion design. I took a break and after few years did my formal education in image consulting and restarted my company. Globally, AICI is celebrating 25 years as an association, and we know so many colleagues who have been practicing as image consultants for over 35 years.
However, in India the industry is at its nascent stage, and to be precise, just nine years old. India is a big country, the second most populous country in the world. According to Wikipedia, India has more than 50 percent of its population below the age of 25 and more than 65 percent below the age of 35. It is expected that in 2020, the average age of an Indian will be 29 years, compared to 37 for China and
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48 for Japan; and, by 2030, India's dependency ratio should be just over 0.4. With such a young population ready to take over the world, the demand for image consultants is increasing day by day. My business in India is just eight years old and with the first mover's advantage, I have seen the exponential growth that this country has to offer. However, image consulting in India is practiced differently than in the developed nations of the world. 1. INDIA IS HUGE IN COLORS, fabrics, and textiles. We have a wide range of fabrics, and made to order is not as expensive. Indian image consultants are constantly experimenting with colors and a range of fabrics that will suit their client's lifestyle and personality. 2. OUR CLOTHES ARE NOT RESTRICTED to just trousers, skirts, and dresses. Indian women wear Indian outfits like salwar, kurta, and saree and they are the most formal attire for work and business events. Indian image consultants have to understand the styles and keep themselves updated on both Indian formal/ethnic wear and the most globally acceptable trousers, skirts and dresses. 3. KEEPING POINT 2 IN MIND, the whole Indian fusion scene is adapting the sensibilities of the new generation. Indians are opting for more local home-grown labels, for fabrics that are sourced from local places and designed into an outfit. Consultants in India work closely with their clients in adapting these sensibilities. 4. INDIA HAS ALWAYS BEEN TECHNICAL; our emphasis in the last few decades has been on education. The importance of image and soft skills was ignored. Hence, the consultants here have a big role to play. Now when the world is global, the millennials and the mid-generation are opening up to the idea of grooming themselves for the next level at work. 5. THE PRACTICE OF IMAGE CONSULTING in India is fairly new and thus not a structured industry. Consultants need a lot of groundwork before they can start charging a decent amount of consultation fees.
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6. THE SHEER VOLUME OF THE POPULATION in India makes this an industry with fantastic growth potential. Consultants are not restricted to just the city/state they live in. Most consultants work across various cities and, since the network is expanding, a few of them have started exploring nearby countries as well. 7. ETIQUETTE TRAINING is another ball game in India. It needs to start from scratch with most of the tier-two companies. Training in something as simple as an introduction to different cutlery and glasses would be a good starting point. 8. INDIA IS CULTURALLY SENSITIVE, hence various trainings on appearance and etiquette have to be “Indianised.” For example, hosiery with skirts in India is not very well appreciated in various industries. 9. ON THE LEARNING CURVE SIDE, there is a gap between outlook and experience of Indian consultants versus how global consultants are operating. There are a huge number of image consultants in India, but their learning and experience are limited to a strictly defined technical set of skills compared to how many global image consultants operate. There is a scope and need for image consulting best practices from a global perspective to be imbibed and absorbed in the growing image consulting fraternity in India. As a Senior Image Consultant in the Indian market and the only AICI CIP in India also practicing in Singapore, my take is that global image consultants looking to explore the Indian market need to adapt to India sensibilities. At the same time, Indian consultants have a lot to learn from our colleagues around the globe.
JAINEE GANDHI, AICI CIP is an accomplished image consultant and one of the only CIP’s in India. She works with individuals and corporates on creating an authentic image for themselves. Her motto is “refuse to be unseen.” Jainee is the founder of ImagEdge Academy and the Presidentelect for AICI Singapore chapter.
CULTURE
CAREER CHECK & CHALLENGES
NUANCES I OF IMAGE CONSULTING IN ASIA
t’s simply a hobby, a practical part-time job, a favorable fulltime job. These are some career descriptions image consultants all over the world face. What does it take to do and succeed in the business? Is there any assurance of consistent clients all the time? How do we overcome challenges and get a substantial share of the market?
Everyone starts somewhere. Back in 1995, right after my university graduation, I had my first job at an advertising agency. However, I resigned after being informed BY CAROLINA D. TAN, AICI CIP of regular employee status. Being a freelance instructor for a personality development school proved to be my solid training ground for 16 years. In 2011, this gave me the platform to be brave and rise above the mentality of staying in my comfort zone. From this, Enhance Your Image training consultancy was established. That first summer proved more work than ever—from coordinating and booking our village clubhouse for two weeks, disseminating informative ads at the main subdivision’s bulletin board, including neighboring villages in my ads, being at the Sunday weekend bazaar to man the booth and answer client inquiries—but that was one very memorable experience. My “Kids Summer Workshop” with 15 energetic and happy boys and girls was the ultimate culminating activity.
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A WORD OF CAUTION THOUGH: ONE CAN ONLY ACCEPT AND TAKE ON SO MUCH. HAVING TOO MUCH TO HANDLE WILL DILUTE THE QUALITY OF WORK WE END UP DOING WHICH BECOMES NEGATIVE TO OUR IMAGE.
Going the route of solo entrepreneur, I realized that I cannot do all things that a typical image school can do. Hence, having a niche market and knowing whom to target matters significantly. Doing group training and targeting specific industries turned out to be doable as participants share a common workforce or interest at the very least. I could choose to have a single session or decide that spacing out sessions for several weeks was a better use of time. Then came my opportunity to do corporate image. I would define this as the most crucial and challenging of them all. Why? Because one is not the only service provider out there. Clients have options ranging from choice of location, trainer credentials, availability, fee schedule and actual match for addressing needs. So what are some of the nuances? FUNDING ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE WELL-DISPERSED. Meticulous human resources departments and decision makers will have their training agenda lined up for the entire year, while there are those who do last-minute bookings in the hope that their training budget
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will be used up in time for yearend, as funds cannot be carried over to their next fiscal year. This can result in the inability to accept certain clients, especially if one is already previously booked beforehand. FAVORING AN OVERSEASBASED TRAINER INSTEAD OF HOMEGROWN. There is also a mentality that those who are not from our home country will give a better training due to diversity of experience. With the emergence of more certified image consultants, this is now a competitive advantage for those who work with specific industries in their own cities. Now the playing field is leveled and there are distinct advantages of homegrown talents as the training given is one that matches, relates to and addresses the pain points of the clients in a particular region. FUTURE THAT MAY BE UNCERTAIN AS DEMANDS FOR SERVICES ARE VARIABLE. Are we flexible enough to modify and make adjustments when necessary? As image consultants, we all look forward to an entire quarter to a year of booked projects as this is already money in the bank. There are times when we are not as busy
as we want to be, hence the second profession or job that comes in handy. This is the bridging part where another income covers for the first. So how do we rise to the challenge? My top three tips are: OFFER NEW PROGRAMS AT REGULAR INTERVALS. This will spice up your list of services. Remove the ones that don’t sell and improve on the ones that do. Image consultants don’t have to do everything under the ABCD’s of image. At times, selecting which ones to focus on makes us even better. CONSIDER BEING AN IMAGE CONSULTANT ON A RETAINER BASIS FOR A SPECIFIC COMPANY. This assures us of continued guaranteed income on a monthly basis. A word of caution though: one can only accept and take on so much. Having too much to handle will dilute the quality of work we end up doing which becomes negative to our image. TAP ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL MAKE SOFT SKILLS A MANDATORY PART OF THEIR CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM. Think of the possibility
of having regulated professions in your country add our image consulting services to their list of continuing professional development. It can be a very huge market covering A to Z. And this will mean we as image consultants will now be considered true professionals, similar to doctors, lawyers, and the like.
CAROLINA D. TAN, AICI CIP, is President of Enhance Your Image training consultancy from the AICI Philippine Chapter, doing one-on-one coaching, group training and corporate image. A licensed real estate broker connected with Megaworld Corporation, she’s also an IITTI Associate (International Soft Skills Standards & Testing) from 2015 to the present, advocating standardized soft skills training with a global certification.
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IMAGE ABCD'S
MANAGING THE "D" OF IMAGE CONSULTING BY DR. CAROL PARKER WALSH, AICI CIC
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e often espouse the ABC’s of image consulting, which are the cornerstone of our training and for many, our work. However, with the growth of social media and technology, the savvy image consultant understands that Digital Presence, the “D” of image consulting, is critically important to building a powerful image and brand. What is Digital Presence? Fundamentally, it’s about the virtual representation of the ABC’s of a person’s image. In today’s digital landscape, the lines between personal and professional life have become blurred. Customers, clients, colleagues and others are watching, and in their minds how you do anything is how you do everything. According to Statistica, 70 percent of the population uses at least one social media channel. In addition, Link Humans has found that of the 7.2 billion people
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on earth, 3 billion have internet use, 2.1 billion are active on social media, and 1.7 billion use social networks on their mobile devices. Finally, Ad Age has found that consumer purchasing decisions are in large part based on what and who they see on social media, particularly 84 percent of CEOs and VPs (Lenati). Translation? In other words, you’re being watched.
BE CONSISTENT
As image consultants, our appearance and behavior online matter, and by extension it’s paramount we teach our clients how to navigate their own digital terrain. It takes three seconds to make an impression in the digital space so you’ll want to manage those critical moments to the best of your abilities.
Be sure your brand is easily identifiable and visually impactful.
There are four key questions you can ask yourself right now to determine if you need to do some work in this area. How am I showing up online? How do I want to show up online? How are others perceiving me online? How are the first three points aligned to what’s unique about me, what’s true about who I am, what’s exciting in my business, and the overall image I want to project? Take some time to ask and answer these questions and, if you really want to get some good data in response to these questions, select five individuals whose opinions you trust and ask them to answer these questions for you. Compare your responses to theirs in order to gain a clear perspective of how you are showing up digitally. This is a great exercise you can do for yourself or give to your clients to ensure there’s alignment in their overall branded image. Ultimately there are four key rules of thumb that we should all hold when it comes to our digital presence: Be authentic: I know they say the sincerest form of flattery is imitation, but I personally think it’s an accurate indicator of laziness, lack of integrity and disingenuous character. Find YOUR voice and point of view and communicate that with passion to your potential clients and customers.
Use the current and popular scheduling systems available to share your posts so you can manage your time wisely and post frequently. But only you can decide what frequently means. BE SEEN
BE PROFESSIONAL There’s a fine balance between promoting your business and sharing your personal life and personal opinions. Overly promoting your business can turn potential clients off just as much as overcommunicating about your personal life. The key is to find your tribe. Once you do that, you’ll learn how to manage the balance between professional and personal posting. While you don’t need to be on every social media platform, it’s important to choose the platform that best serves your business and your potential client base. When you fellow these four key rules of thumb on your chose social media platforms you’ll represent yourself in the best possible light.
DR. CAROL PARKER WALSH, JD, PHD, FFSM, AICI CIC, is an award winning bestselling author, columnist, career strategist, executive coach, international speaker, and television personality. She’s the founder of Carol Parker Walsh Consulting, LLC, a personal and professional development company that coaches & educates entrepreneurs and successful professionals on discovering their life's work and building the career or business of their dreams. She serves as editor in chief for AICI Global Magazine and the President of the AICI San Francisco Chapter.
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IMAGE ABCD'S
STAGING YOUR COMEBACK:
AN IMAGE MAKEOVER FOR PRESENCE & POWER BY CAROLINA D. TAN, AICI CIP
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n my many years of doing one-on-one coaching, I found something common among my clients, especially those from the professional working world. Many times, I would ask my clients about their needs in our initial face-toface interview so I could assess and see if we are a match. Their reply would often be, “I feel stuck in my situation!” or “I don’t know where to go from here” while the more critical ones would say, “My spouse, family and friends don’t find me attractive anymore.” One may simply think that it’s a matter of the mind and negative self-talk won’t help. Perhaps these people’s inner voice screams for attention saying, “Here I am, see me!” So how should we then proceed? I say to those who have not been working for a long time: whether you are stay-at-home moms, entrepreneur dads who are too comfortable in your work zones, or single individuals who are so career driven that you have neglected yourselves in pursuit of your passion and purpose, you can make your comeback happen today!
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YOU CAN MAKE YOUR COMEBACK HAPPEN TODAY! Consider the following top four ways to improve: 1. APPAREL ADVANTAGE When was the last time you shopped for a new outfit? If your present clothes don’t fit, toss or donate them. Doing this will free your closet for new finds. This is not a matter of how many items you have but rather, how many quality pieces you own. These may include basic and accent items to make one look updated and modern. 2. FIGURE CONTROL How much do you love your body? Admit it or not, our weight ten years, five years or even just a year ago may now register differently on the scale. Are you horrified with the number? Don’t be. You have to start at where you already are. Figure control happens when you consciously work out and make physical fitness an enjoyable part of your lifestyle. It is also a realization that following a healthy diet and deliberately making healthy food choices for your body type matters big time. Increase your protein intake. Lessen the consumption of empty carbohydrates. Load up on fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables. Finally, nothing beats hydration with pure water. 3. BODY LANGUAGE What is your assessment of your posture and presence? When you enter a room, do people see you or do you seem to go incognito? It’s about time you level up and make your presence felt. Walking tall is
not an issue of actual height. There are people who are shorter than the average height whose presence can be felt and seen from a distance, and taller ones who do not make enough visual impact. Wherein lies the difference? Body language can be taught and learned. To get the most benefit from it, practice being relaxed and confident to make others feel at ease until it becomes second nature. Movement with a purpose is always one beautiful sight to see. 4. GROOMING How long have you been wearing your hairstyle? Do you prefer makeup or none? Hair is the “mane” thing. As we go through different life stages, our individual coloring from skin, hair, and eyes change. What your optimal look was before may not suit you well today. How can we adjust this to make our transition easier? I suggest to simply go with the flow. Color your hair and be sure to maintain it every few weeks or so. Vary the length and style. As for makeup, the look you’re going for can be “less is more.” Efficient application, especially if you are from the hot and humid tropics, is not how much makeup is applied but how seamlessly it blends on your natural skin. Highlight your best facial features. Also, remember to be best friends with sunscreen to protect your skin and use accessories to help frame your face. Above all, let us be reminded that when we honor and value ourselves, we are honoring God because we are his workmanship, a beautiful reflection of him. “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)
CAROLINA D. TAN, AICI CIP, is President of Enhance Your Image training consultancy from the AICI Philippine Chapter, doing one-on-one coaching, group training and corporate image. A licensed real estate broker connected with Megaworld Corporation, she’s also an IITTI Associate (International Soft Skills Standards & Testing) from 2015 to the present, advocating standardized soft skills training with a global certification.
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:
NAOTO SAKASAI BY SONIA DUBEY DEWAN, AICI CIC
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ast year at the AICI Global Conference, I had the honor of meeting our Member Spotlight guest, Naoto Sakasai. He has been an active member of AICI Tokyo Chapter for over a decade and helped in shaping the course of the image industry in Japan. Read on to learn more about Naoto and how, with his background in advertising and his CIP certification, he became an expert in the field of Business Image Branding.
go through. My CIP demonstrates my competence and the achievements in my career and is a strong incentive for my clients to seek my services. I am the only male CIP consultant in Tokyo, which helps me position myself uniquely.
Q. Are you planning to go after your CIM? Why? A. Yes. In the image industry,
Q. What do you do in your business? A. My business provides comprehensive image branding solutions to companies. I offer branding strategies, promotion, event planning and image designing services to these companies, for their products as well as for the people who are the essential part of the brand.
Q. What did you do prior to becoming an image consultant? A. I have a very diverse work experience, starting out as a sales and marketing executive for a dressmaker company. In my thirties, I consulted with companies in setting up the business and supported them in marketing activities. I also worked in advertising space and as a seminar instructor before entering the industry of image consulting.
Q. What’s the focus of your image practice? (Individual, corporate, etiquette, all?) A. The main focus of my practice is in image branding for companies and their products and services.
Q. Why did you seek your CIP certification? How has your business benefited from this level of certification? A. My ultimate goal is to achieve CIM. In the journey towards this goal, CIP is an essential stage one must
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CIM is the ultimate level. Hence, someone in this industry can benefit largely from obtaining this title. It enhances one’s skills as well the range of services he/ she can offer to others.
Q. AICI July edition speaks about ABCD of Image. What do you think/feel about ABCD of Image? A. I believe ABC of Image points out the essence of image very precisely. From a corporate image branding point of view, “A” helps to achieve uniformity in the corporate image, such as website or brochure design and other tools, as well as employees’ clothing. It is also essential to see if the corporate identity is appropriately represented, which of course is crucial in producing personal image. Similarly for “B” – Behavior. A company’s role is not only to offer products but also to represent themselves in the best light. What a company stands for and how it contributes to society is often under scrutiny. An image consultants helps in this representation while managing all aspects of behavior. “Communication” refers to the way we build effective association with clients and prospective customers through a variety of means, including websites and social networking services. What I do is to instruct my clients how to extend information out through text and video images. “D” or Digital Presence can also be regarded as ABC online. You implement ABC in digital space, on
printed materials and in real-life environments. Digital Presence for companies is one of my specialized areas of service.
Q. What made you get involved in AICI leadership? What’s your current role? A. I was in charge of the Chapter's official web page and SNS account. It was an honor for me to join AICI leadership in 2011 where I played an essential role in opening new horizons to the then “female only” Tokyo Chapter leadership. I was the president of the Tokyo Chapter from July 2016 through June 2018. As of July 2018, I am the Immediate Past President.
Q. What do you like to do for fun? A. More than anything else, I enjoy thinking about clothes. I could spend hours thinking about coordinating outfits. Other than that, I like to work out, ride or maintain cars and motorbikes.
Q. What's your favorite tip for someone new in the industry? A. The most important thing in the business is to
IT IS ALSO ESSENTIAL TO SEE IF THE CORPORATE IDENTITY IS APPROPRIATELY REPRESENTED, WHICH OF COURSE IS CRUCIAL IN PRODUCING PERSONAL IMAGE.
comply with one’s social duties with others. This will help you gain trust or confidence in yourself. Lastly, to continue learning and gaining more expertise along the way.
SONIA DUBEY DEWAN, AICI CIC, is an Image Consultant, Entrepreneur, and Keynote Speaker. One of the only two CIC in India, she is Founder & Executive Director of Indian School of Image Management (www.indianschoolofimage.com), providing education and training solutions to aspiring Image Consultants. Associate Editor of AICI Global Magazine, Sonia is passionate about sharing her views on Image Management, Personal Branding, Positive Body Image, Women Empowerment, Style, and Fashion.
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BETWEEN US
MEET THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS BY DR. CAROL PARKER WALSH, AICI CIC
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s we prepare for a new fiscal year in AICI we do so with a few new faces on the International Board. Please join me in welcoming your President-Elect Ferial Youakim, VP Marketing & Communication Bernice Maldonado, and VP Business Development Maria Pia Estebecorena. It's the members of the Board that tirelessly work to ensure the membership are receiving exciting educational programming, being exposed to phenomenal speakers, and maintaining the highest standards of ethics in our profession. We thank those who volunteer to join the Board at the international level AND the local levels throughout the world and are appreciative of their commitment and dedication to the advancement of AICI.
PRESIDENT-ELECT, FERIAL YOUAKIM, AICI CIP Ferial’s career spans 30 years and she has no intention of stopping. She is founder and director of ByFERIAL Image Consulting Firm and the creator of the renowned 4X4 color system, also known as the 16 seasons®. With an award-winning charity and an international business, her mission is to inspire and empower image consultants to grow their business, stay connected and appreciate the value of belonging. Ferial Youakim’s passion is not just evident in her writing, but also in her work. With a belief that no person should feel less than what they deserve, she wants every single person to understand their own positive self value. Ferial hosts image seminars in the hope that the people can discover their true beauty, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. These seminars create scenarios reflective of social and business settings with the use of personal consultations. Ferial has served on the international board as Vice President of membership development, past President of AICI Sydney Chapter, past President of AICI Florida Chapter, the Middle East Ambassador and the Arabic community Liaison. Over the years, she has consulted to numerous retailers, industries and organizations. Her work was published in the Daily Mail, Florida Book News, Healthier Today magazine, The Hills newspapers, the Middle East Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Future, New Idea magazine, Celebra magazine and appearances on the Today Show. She was Nominated ‘Australian of the Year’ for her charity efforts and for touching so many lives with her work and recently won the Citizen of the Year award in the Australia Day 2016 awards.
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VP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MARIA PIA ESTEBECORENA, AICI CIC
VP MARKETING & COMMUNICATION, BERNICE MALDONADO, AICI CIC
Maria has been an active member of AICI serving as a committee member on the International Board, current Vice President of the AICI Argentina Chapter, as well as Past President and founding member of the chapter.
Bernice Maldonado’s mission is to drive organizations to think differently about how they cultivate diverse talent.
Maria also holds a MBA in political science and was trained in France as an image consulting. She's done post graduate studies in strategy and geopolitics as well as retail marketing and loyalty. Maria holds a PhD in positive psychology and presented her dissertation on Resiliency and Image in Adults at Philadelphia University and has an established career in academia as a professor at the University of Palermo. She also is fluent in English, French and Portuguese. Maria has worked in the retail industry as a Product Manager and then a Director for over 16 years to Falabella Department Store, Walmart in Argentina, Tiendas Paris as Global Business Manager for the chains in Chile and Peru, Le Shop Argentina, and Salinas Group of Mexico, a start up company of the Elektra chain in Argentina. She specializes in professional image management and is an international public speaker. Maria has held personal image workshops around the world and provides coaching courses for business executives in image and business coaching for image consultants.
She is a strategy specialist who works with forwardthinking companies to learn how to unlock the talent potential of people of color, women, and those who are the first in their family to begin a professional career. As a member of those three groups herself, she attributes her passion and expertise for working with diverse talent to her own life experiences overcoming barriers and successfully stepping into high-visibility leadership roles in multiple corporations. Bernice founded Growing Forward, a professional development company that partners with organizations to improve the ROI of their diverse workforce— individual, innovation, inclusion, and inspiration. She draws on her experience working with diverse professionals, her deep cultural intelligence, and over 20 years of expertise gained by providing successful diversity and inclusion strategies, workplace effectiveness and operational efficiency efforts. Bernice holds a MBA and has a unique, high-impact approach that is focused on delivering long-term, sustainable results.
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BETWEEN US
MEET THE NEW EDITORS BY DR. CAROL PARKER WALSH, AICI CIC
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t’s been a little over a year since I’ve taken over as editor of the AICI Global Magazine and boy has it been a fulfilling and incredible ride. Since I was selected to step into the role our readership, views, and overall response to the magazine has increased dramatically. The topics have received positive reviews and it’s my intention to continue to bring you interesting and relevant areas of discussion that will help educate the public on the overarching utility and role of image consulting and to educate your membership on how to improve their scope of practice. In line with the goals for the magazine, I’m happy to introduce you to three new editors who will be joining me, along with our current Copy Editors, Bernie Burson and Julie Kaufman. To create greater structure for the magazine I’ve brought on an Associate Editor, Business Editor and Fashion Editor. Learn more about who they are and what they’ll be doing to continue the forward growth of the AICI Global Magazine.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR SONIA DUBEY DEWAN, AICI CIC Sonia is Founder of Indian School of Image Management & BPOSH Image Consultants. Sonia is one of the only 2 CIC—Certified Image Consultant in India and the Vice President Membership and Marketing of AICI—India Chapter 2017–18. With the 10+ years’ experience after working in the field of market research, finance, business consulting and her training in image consulting, her approach towards image is more holistic. Sonia has designed and developed solutions which are suitable for the lifestyle and needs of the Indian environment yet global in final delivery. As the Associate Editor, Sonia will work closely with the Editor on each edition overseeing the curation of articles and the editing of the magazine.
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BUSINESS EDITOR KYLIE STEDMAN-GOMES Kylie is known for her endless curiosity, her passionate interest in people and ideas, and her habit of reading anything that stays still for longer than 5 seconds. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in psychology, a few random certifications (e.g. Prince2 project management and Spiral Dynamics Integral) and has so far clocked up 23 years of experience working in Australia across private, government and not-forprofit sectors in a variety of roles including business transformation, analysis, information technology and project management. While building her business in Brisbane Kylie will take on the role as Business Editor. The section will be devoted to business-related issues including ethics, networking, finances, branding, and professional development.
FASHION EDITOR JAINEE GANDHI Jainee loves all things stylish. She discovered this at a young age when she refused to have lunch until her dad bought her the silk skirt she wanted. When her own daughter did the same thing she knew in an instant how her father must have felt. As Fashion Editor, Jainee will write about fashion from a fun point of view often marrying the east and west. Her personal style is elegant with bit of drama, so look for an eclectic array of articles designed to expand your fashion knowledge and palette. Jainee is an Indian Image consultant living in Singapore and is currently the President-elect for AICI Singapore Chapter. Jainee is the founder of ImagEdge Academy at www.ImagedgeAcademy.com
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APRIL 4-7, 2019 LOEWS O'HARE CHICAGO | UNITED STATES
35 SPEAKERS. 4 DAYS. 4 LANGUAGES.
KEYNOTE/PANELIST LYN SLATER Accidental Icon/Professor
THE BUSINESS OF STYLE
38 | July 2018 magazine
PANELIST BRIDGET HALANSKI Factor Model Management
KEYNOTE/PANELIST NENA IVON Blogger/Fashion Director
Global Conference
BETWEEN US
UPCOMING EVENTS TUESDAY, JULY 17–24, 2018
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2019
AICI WEBINAR: PSYCHOLOGY OF STYLE IN BUSINESS (PART 1 AND PART 2)
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Time: 7:30 pm–9:00 pm EST (GMT-5)
Location: Rosemont, Illinois
THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018
THURSDAY, APRIL 4–7, 2019
AICI TELECLASS: 5 EASY WAYS TO AVOID FAST FASHION
2019 AICI GLOBAL CONFERENCE ATTENDEE REGISTRATION
Time: 1:00 pm–2:00 pm EST (GMT-5)
Location: Rosemont, Illinois
The Association of Image Consultants International | 39
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T H E
B O DY
I M A G E
I S S U E
RECLAIMING OUR BODIES
ETHICS & STANDARD OF PRACTICE
BEAUTY SICK
THE BUSINESS OF IMAGE FIVE SIMPLE STEPS
TO UPGRADE YOUR MONEY MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND BECOME THE CFO YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS
THE GIRL WITH THE PAINTED BODY
IS WHAT’S RIGHT ETHICALLY WRONG?
E D I T I O N
MASTER’S SERIES
BOOK REVIEW
ETHICS
F I N A N C I A L
MEET ASH SOTO SILENT SUFFERERS
LAW
THE NEW CLASS OF CERTIFIED MEMBERS
MALE BODY IMAGE
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS IN FASHION & IMAGE CONSULTING
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
INTERNATIONAL BOARD ON THE MOVE
APLAILUCK TAN
VIEWPOINT
ETHICS & THE IN-STORE STYLIST MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
ZAYNA ROSE
IRENE JORDAN
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