Female Founder Feature: Mishelle Yam

Female Founder Name: Mishelle Yam

Business Name: Intimo - Styled By Mishelle

Website: https://www.instagram.com/styledby_mishelle_/

Tell us about your business. What products or services do you offer?: I’m a passionate believer that when women feel good, they can achieve anything.

Through expert bra fitting and personal styling, I help my clients find lingerie and clothing solutions that make getting dressed easy. My services range from professional bra fittings to complete lingerie and clothing capsule overhauls.

In a nutshell, Intimo is a product and a service - through Intimo lingerie and capsule clothing collection, I provide bra fitting, personal styling services.

What inspired you to start your business?: I was 4 months postpartum, returning to work from maternity leave and had nothing to wear as I had gained 20kgs of baby weight. Nothing fit me and all I had were maternity bras and active wear. I had weaned baby off breast feeding at that point and my best friend brough me along to an Intimo fitting as a plus one.

I was very impressed by service and the quality of the garments but equally disappointed when I found out that there was no such service or product available near me. So i decided to do start up an Intimo in Balmain to share this discovery with more women.

I also sit on the organising committee for ACED Women in Property Group where our mission is to connect and empower women in the property and contruction industry, so equally, inspired by my passion for empowering women, Intimo’s mission to provide stylish, comfortable lingerie and clothing for all women resonated deeply with me. I wanted to create a space where women could feel seen, supported, and celebrated.

How long have you been running your business?: Intimo Balmain - Styled By Mishelle has been running since 19 October 2024 so we are faily new.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a woman in business, and how did you overcome it?: Balancing the demands of running a business, working in construction, and being a mother has been my biggest challenge. It is still early days and I am sure there are a lot more challenges to come. I am still finding my way through it all and I have since learnt to embrace the chaos, say yes, make mistakes, fail and fail fast, be present and back yourself!

What has been your proudest moment as a business owner?: I've had a lot of proud moments - when a client leaves the studio radiating because they have reach an aha moment in their session and walks out a completely transformed person.

But the proudest is when they also shout you from the rooftops and shares the experience that they have had because that is a testament to what you have been able to do to support and inspire them to feel confident about themselves through the service that you provide.

What strategies have helped you grow your business?: On a 1:1 level, building genuine relationships with clients and tailoring each experience to their needs has been key. Social media and word-of-mouth referrals have also been powerful tools in growing my brand.

On a B2B level, reaching out to similar clientele businesses and doing collaborations have helped to create more brand awareness, thus growing the number of appointments and people knowing about Intimo.

Being educational and showcasing your expertise is also one of the strategies, so running workshops and events on dressing for your bodyshape is an example.

What tools or resources have been game-changers for your business?: Using automated booking and scheduling tool, Intimo HQ's support for admin, marketing, research has been a great help. Canva and Chat GPT has also been a gamechanger.

Can you share one key lesson you’ve learned about managing finances as a business owner?: One key lesson is to keep your personal and business finances from the get go. It's very easy for small businesses, especially if you're a consultant, to find the easy way out by lumping everything together. It becomes murky and hard to separate later on with low clarity on where and how you're tracking.
The other one is keep track of your spending and keep initial startup costs low.

How do you balance the demands of your business with your personal life?: Being intentional helps me stay present in all areas of my life. There is no balance at the moment, so you treasure those special moments when you're in them and I make sure I draw firm boundaries between work and family.

What leadership qualities do you believe are essential for running a successful business?: Empathy - as a leader, one of the most important skill to have is to listen. Not listen to respond but listen to understand. And when you understand and you are in others shoes, you take on a much wider perspective of things.

Adaptability - Things change so fast now and you need to always be up to date, nimble and agile. As a business owner, if you do not keep up and be flexible with demands of customers, you will be left behind.

Resilience - Always be prepared for what may come and be prepared to make lemon juice out of lemons. Being able to touch it out and get through humps and challenges are important because Roma was not built in one day.

How do you motivate and manage your team?: While I am a solo venture at the moment, I do connect with Intimo's larger network through celebrating wins together and sharing ideas with the team.

What role does mentorship or networking play in your business journey?: Mentorship and networking have been instrumental. Learning from seasoned professionals and connecting with other women in business has provided guidance and inspiration.

What trends do you think will shape your industry in the coming years?: Inclusivity, sustainability, and the integration of technology (AI) in retail are shaping the lingerie and fashion industries. Clients these days value personalised, eco-conscious, and innovative shopping experiences.

How do you stay ahead of the competition in your industry?: Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer I say.. Just kidding! But honestly, staying abreast of what your competitors are doing and also your peers motivates me to do better. I don't really focus on staying ahead, but more on how and what value can I add to my clients, and the rest will fall in place. Because if you are customer centric then it reflects on your service which translates across in your dealings and then the customers will reciprocate.
Take Amazon for example, customer centric to the point of obsession.
I also like to share because I also believe in - if you want to go far, go together.

Who or what inspires you in your business journey?: My 13month old son inspires me - he is persistent, courageous and curious. He reminds be every day that it is lucky to be alive and to make the most of every day. And in business, those are some of the qualities that you need too. Persistent (keep at it), courageous (make bold moves) and curious (ask questions and listen to your clients, be curious about their wants and needs) in all that you do.

I’m also inspired by entrepreneurial women who balance ambition and authenticity. Melissa Leong is one of them.

What books, podcasts, or resources have had the biggest impact on your professional growth?: Books: Lean In and Option B by Sheryl Sandberg, Becoming by Michelle Obama, Leaders Eat Last and Start With Why by Simon Sinek

Podcasts: Mamamia, Nothing to Wear, BNI Edge, Worklife with Adam Grant

Networking groups: BNI Edge, ACED Women in Property, Intimo Legends

*don't really have time to read/podcast anymore but i do hope to get back into it when bub is older.

What’s a fun fact about you that most people wouldn’t know?: I was a semi professional latin dancer for a year, teaching and performing - in my twenties. I still love dancing and hope to get back to salsa dancing when bub gets older.

What’s one thing you wish more people knew about your business?: Intimo Styled By Mishelle is not only about lingerie, its also about empowerment and I'm here to help women feel confident and celebrated at every stage of their life.

Reflecting on your time in business, what is one piece of advice you would give to another woman to help her on her business journey?: Find your tribe! Find like minded people to connect with and surround yourself with people you admire / inspire you.

How can people connect with you or learn more about your business? (e.g., website, social media, etc.): You can visit me at my boutique studio in Balmain or connect with me through Instagram or Facebook. I also have a listing on Google maps and Balmain Rozelle Chamber of Commerce.

DM me on my socials if you have any further quetsions, or I'm happy to do Facetime / phone call / zoom / teams.

Anything you want to add that we might have missed?: Being part of the Balmain community is a joy, and I strive to give back by hosting events, collaborating with local businesses, and creating a welcoming space where women can connect, support, and empower each other.

Client feedback is invaluable. I welcome it with an open mind and see it as an opportunity to refine my services. It’s all about creating a better experience for the women I serve.

I aim to continue building a trusted brand that not only celebrates women but also becomes a go-to destination for confidence, self-expression, and empowerment. Expanding my reach with online consultations and more local collaborations is also part of the plan.