Natalie Jobity, President of Élan Image Management, is an acclaimed image consultant for professionals, business owners, and those in the public eye who are ready to own their spotlight, elevate their image, and become a magnet for their clients or customers. As a well-credentialed marketer for 15 years, Natalie harnesses her past corporate experience to groom women needing to create effective, authentic, and memorable personal brands to leverage their platform. She is passionate about being the facilitator of transformation that is the hallmark of polishing and refining one’s image and ‘presence’.
Natalie is the author of the Amazon bestseller: “Frumpy to Fabulous: Flaunting It. Your Ultimate Guide to Effortless Style”. Regarding her reason for writing a book Natalie shares, “This book is as much about fashion and style as it is about motivating women to dare to give themselves permission to Flaunt It, by getting out of their own way and embracing what makes them uniquely fabulous. When you look great, you feel great and that momentum keeps building on itself. My wish is that as women we continue to elevate, uplift and inspire each other.”
Natalie works individually with women and groups as an image consultant, fashion consultant, personal shopper, branding/style coach and more. She is a dynamic speaker, conducting “Presence with a Purpose” and “Dress for Success” seminars & workshops for a variety of organizations, companies, women’s groups, teens, and college students. She is also a sought after wardrobe expert and style columnist and has been interviewed on TBD’s News Channel 8 and ION Media Network TV, been showcased on News Channel 9 and has been a featured in a variety of print and online publications.
Natalie’s business tagline, ‘Presence with a Purpose’ expresses her belief that our visual presentation should be a reflection of our values, tastes, preferences, and our true essence so that our image helps us move forward to achieve our life’s goals. With this foundation, image becomes a facilitator for inward change and growth and vice versa. She incorporates all these components in her work with women so the end result is a unique visual presentation that is effective, authentic, sustainable and original. She is so passionate about this platform that she founded ‘Mission 1 Million Makeovers’ an initiative she hopes will empower and motivate women to elevate their image and each other in all areas of their life. Natalie hails from Trinidad & Tobago, lived for a year in England and called New York her home for 9 years. She now resides in the DC metro area. Natalie has been a fashionista ever since she was old enough to read her Mother’s Glamor magazines. As a 6 foot tall woman, Natalie understands first-hand the power of presence and how to work with a challenging size and still create a stunning impression.
Natalie is certified by the prestigious Association of Image Consultants International (AICI). She has also received styling and image training from the Image Resource Center of NY, an internationally recognizable training group in the image consulting field. Natalie’s formal education includes a B.S. (magna cum laude) in Accounting and Economics from Rutgers University, a Masters in Finance from Cambridge University and an MBA in Marketing from Baruch College, CUNY.
Natalie took the time to answer a few questions for Chic Galleria:
Tell us how and when your business came about?
I knew I needed to be in a career that allowed me more of a creative outlet. I was an excellent market researcher but I was never really passionate about my work. I kept rising higher in my position and feeling more unfulfilled. I needed a career that made me feel excited and alive and that was going to allow me to make a tangible difference. I kept researching different fields and nothing really clicked until I stumbled on image consulting. It was the perfect blend of skills, interests, strengths and experience. I did not understand in the beginning how much so! So much of my own personal life journey prepared me for this career. I was the proverbial ugly duckling who turned into a swan. I learned the hard way how to dress to flatter my 6 foot linear frame. I knew how to be a champion for others because it is the thing that made me feel most useful—that feeling that I made a difference. I’ve loved fashion and clothes since my teenage years. And I ALWAYS knew I wanted to be my own boss. Once I knew this was a career option for me, getting started was really a no brainer.
Whom or What inspires your brand?
The women I work with. My mission is to inspire and empower women to express the highest vision of themselves via their image. My personal mission is to reach as many women globally as I can with my message of elevation and education. My brand identity is a marriage of my own persona and the outcomes I want for my clientele. I walk my talk—I am very much my brand. The word élan, which is French for flair, style, pizzazz, resonates with me on a personal level and a business one as well. I want women to embrace their inner élan. The name of my company, Elan Image Management and my tagline, “Presence with a Purpose” all speak to my business’s values and by extension my brand.
What makes your business different from similar ones?
I have a unique gift of insight and perception that allows me to go beyond the surface to get at the heart of why a woman may have barriers to presenting her best front to others. Often when I’m working with a client there is a mental aspect to our work together that has to be addressed. One’s perceived self-image can be the foundation for so many self-esteem issues. I believe this makes my work with women more holistic and certainly more life-changing. I also take an inclusive approach to my business. I don’t just serve affluent clients, but try to find a way to serve women from all walks of life. I offer different services in different formats to accomplish this. My book, Frumpy to Fabulous: Flaunting It, is an inexpensive product that has my heart and expertise all within its pages that women worldwide can benefit from. I am so proud of that.
What’s the best business advice you can offer?
Do what you are passionate about. Find ways to make a difference, to leave your indelible stamp on the earth. If we all lived and thrived from our passions it would be a wonderful thing. I think it is also important to be authentic…to know what you stand for and why. One also has to be willing to challenge oneself and to be hungry to learn more to improve upon their successes.
Family, Friends, Business, how do you balance it all?
It is a constant balancing act, I’m afraid. I don’t have it figured out but I sure work hard at trying to do my best in all areas of my life.
What do you want our readers to remember most about you and your business?
I hope I can be a role model to other woman wanting to pursue their passions. It is hard work but if you believe in your expertise, your gift, you can make it happen! I cannot imagine doing anything else in my life. I had the corporate career and I it served its purpose in my education on being a savvier business owner. My work as an image consultant is rewarding and fulfilling and has forced me to conquer some of my own fears. I have reached higher in terms of my vision for myself, because of my business. I am humbled that I get to serve in this way and I am honored to be such a conduit.
You can visit Natalie on Facebook or on her website at www.elanimagemanagement.com. Her book “Frumpy to Fabulous: Flaunting It. Your Ultimate Guide to Effortless Style” is available on www.Amazon.com!
