Tell us what you did before image consultancy?
I have university degree from 2 different fields. French language and Arts. Thanks to the fact that I speak French, I got a job offer in a big IT company with interesting carrier path. I am very thankful for it. I spent last 10 years there, I learned many new things and by the way, I met my gorgeous husband there as well. But I was always feeling, that I should do something else, something related to art and to the talent I got from nature or from the Got (what you prefer). I was always saying to myself that at the end anyone can learn to work in IT administrative, but I should do something more specific, something related to my art degree and passion.
What made you choose to become an image consultant? What drew you to it?
The decision was really unexpected and so sudden. 5 years ago, I went to colour test and right after I closed the door after the session, I look at my husband who was waiting for me and I told him that I want to do this work. That this is my future job. I felt this is something I could be very good on. That this is my future job. I felt this is something I could be very good on. So, I contacted you Imogen and I was ready to start with the training. But while we were talking, I got pregnant for second time and I did not want to start the business with new-born baby. I was pretty sure I have to be available for my kids, when they needed it the most. So, I postponed my plans. But I did not give up on them. I was self-studying all available materials and last year, I finally completed the training with the colour tests.
What made you decide that it was time to do your training and take up this new career?
The fact that my children grew up a little bit. I was waiting for that moment during last 4 years and I told to myself: “Ok, they are bigger now, so Jana this is the time to do something with your life. And the time is now. Once you will go back to the previous job, it will be very difficult for you to leave it again. “
What are you passionate about?
Fashion, style, colours, nice clothes, art, knitting, history, reading the books/poetry from classic authors as Mika Waltari, Bulgakov, Shakespeare etc. And during last few years, we (my husband and me) were really excited by Game of Thrones story.
Who do you most enjoy working with? How do you love to help them?
Usually, most of my clients are women. I like to work with those of them, who are open, honest and asking the questions, when something is not clear. If you don’t like your colours, just say that. ACS is so flexible that we can always find a solution. It would by pity to let this opportunity go.
I noticed that many of my clients are very surprised when they see what a proper colour can do with their face. They are very happy when they see how pretty, healthy and young they can actually look. This is the part of the consultation which I really like. The transformation. And I like when the clients share with me their progress after the consultation. Of course, the most visible and immediate progress is successful hair colour change. Bad hair colour can really have a huge impact on entire image. If you have a bad hair colour, then it really does not matter how stylish you are. Proper hair colour is the base for a perfect look.
How does having a good image help people in their lives?
Actually, it helps them a lot. If men would know how much a self-confident wife/mother could positively influence the atmosphere in whole family life, I am sure they would all pay for colour/style consultation for the next birthday. Of course, I am a little bit joking, but really, it matters. And there is nothing wrong to admit. Everyone wants (deep in his/her heart) to be accepted and loved by others and to simply look “their best”. If you know that you look well, you are self-confident. If you are self-confident, you act really differently in positive way. And of course, other people can feel it from you as well.
How can you help people create a more impactful and relevant image for themselves?
In this moment, I am offering colour consultations and I am planning to extend the scope in near future by body shape and style consultations, because none of them can by really helpful without other 2. Sometimes I am joking and saying that for an image consultant this is a Holly Trinity.
I’ve noticed during the colour consultation, that one of the most powerful moments is the part where I am showing to the client how to mix their colours and how to work with their colour swatch. You know, when I started with colour consultations, I offered it for free to all my friends and actually a lot of them have some kind of art education and they can naturally work with colours. I was telling myself: “Jana, this girl knows everything already for sure, you have nothing to teach her”. But I was very surprise it was not the case. I believe it is very difficult to evaluate objectively yourself. It seems like, it is generally much easier to find a good colour combination for your living room then for your outfit.
Anything else you’d like to tell us?
I really love the idea of the respect to the client personality. This is something which has been missing in whole colour theory for really long time. It was probably a source of prejudice that colour consultation is very limiting and that someone will dictate you what to wear and what not. In fact, I see the reality it is opposite. Usually the people who does not work with their colouring are wearing only very limited quantity of colours and very often only neutrals colours, because they actually don’t not know what suits them. And it is a pity. I think it is much more valuable to know 52 colours which suit me, then to wear only 3-4 colours over and over, because I choose them. I already had a few very interesting colour consultations where the personality of the client was not matching with her palette. And my experience is that it was really enough to explain them how to work with the palette in order to get (typically) more active and dramatic combination (when the palette was slightly muted) and those women were really successful in finding the new and very interesting combination by themselves. They just needed to know that it is allow.
