It’s fair to say that Kelly Lundberg likes to keep busy. As an award-winning stylist, entrepreneur, multi-business owner, author and TEDx speaker, we wonder how she finds the time to also run S.Academey and keep up her vibrant social media presence.
Originally from Scotland, Lundberg swapped her airline career for a buzzing lifestyle in Dubai and launched StyleMeDivine, the number one personal styling business in the Middle East. She has since sold the business and is now focusing on many of her other creative outlets.
Her styling career has seen her work with leading luxury brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton and The Marriott Group, while S.Academey has become a leading mentoring platform for those wanting to build, launch and grow their own business and brand.
Always full of energy and ideas, Lundberg shares with us her personal career highlight and dishes out some advice to those who also have that bold entrepreneurial spirit.
Business & Management studies. It was the only course that I actually left high school with a grade A in. Part of this qualification required me to present a case study; I chose to deliver a viability report for a stylish clothing range for 12 to 16 year olds. Even at this stage I had a strong interest in the field of fashion.
At the age of 14 I got a ‘Saturday Girl’ job in an Edinburgh hair salon that paid me just Dhs50 for the day. Now I really am showing my age. As soon as I reached 16 I applied for retail work and I started working in one of the UK’s biggest retail giants. It proved to be the foundation for my love of fashion, helping others and advising clients who had styling dilemmas at the fitting room.
I think that I have always taken calculated risks, constantly questioning how things can be done better and optimistic about all possibilities. I had just turned 18 when I left home to live overseas. Perhaps my mantra of “anything is possible” which was fuelled by Dubai’s “can do” attitude has contributed to my confidence and my success as an entrepreneur.
I launched StyleMeDivine in 2005 and back then, the concept of styling and personal shopping didn’t exist in the Middle East. I grossly underestimated how much education the market needed about the positive benefits of hiring a stylist and what it could bring to individuals.
In the early days, there wasn’t a like-minded community of men and women who I could network with and I found that quite a challenge as I am always inspired when around others. The UAE now has a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit and I love how this has evolved and how I have been empowered by this growth.
You can always find me with my nose in a new business book that has true meaning and constructive things to say. I am inspired by other entrepreneurial success stories and initially set out to share their stories with others.
Whilst passionate about business, after my book launch for Success in City, I realised that there aren’t necessarily big bucks in publishing books. It is however a great platform for establishing wider credibility and visibility as an author with a niche to share thoughts as an industry leader.
Writing helps me to experience my life more fully. We get the opportunity to offer our readers a glimpse into their own lives and help them to live better stories.
Don’t procrastinate! There is no perfect moment to start. If you want something you have to go out and get it.
Zara is by far my go-to. It’s ability to keep up with the rapidly changing fashion trends and how it showcases its collections that are both high quality and affordable is a constant draw for me. When you see something that you like in Zara you have to buy it. The brand’s turnover is vast and part of its appeal is that you don’t always see the same thing in store twice.
My day-to-day wardrobe is a mix of high street, high end and one off boutique pieces. My investment pieces tend to be footwear and bags. A pair of super comfy golden goose sneakers and a stylish pair of Malone Souliers are amongst my favourite pieces to style up or style down. Pride of place in my wardrobe is my cute Stella McCartney cross over bag and my statement Staud bag.
Better to try and fail than not try at all.
I got told by a teacher to not sit my A-Level English exam because they thought I wouldn’t pass.
Luckily, I didn’t listen to that advice as if you tell me not to do something then I absolutely will do it. That same year I did sit my A-Level English exam and passed. Then 10 years later after writing my book, I delivered a copy of ‘Success in the City’ to that same high school English teacher.
There are so many highlights that it’s hard to single out just one. The top has to be being supported by my clients, business mentors, friends and family, all of whom have had an enormous impact on my journey so far.
Another has to be winning the Lloyds TSB Creative promotion award when I was just starting out with my business at 24 years old. This award win led me to gain sponsorship to write my first book, “Success in the City”.
Also getting to work with incredible luxury brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, The Marriott Group and styling Middle Eastern Royalty.
Delivering my first TEDx talk ‘The Currency of Time’ which was inspired by one of my best friends, my granny.
I’d also have to say creating S.Academy, my latest business venture where I mentor, inspire and support the next global generation of lifestyle business owners. It’s the culmination of everything I have learnt in the last 15 years in business.
