Hampstead Hive Member Spotlight - Shabrina Kara

Tell us about your business, what services do you offer?

I help busy mums rediscover their style & regain their confidence after having kids. As women, we tirelessly nurture and support everyone around us. It's easy to let our own wellbeing fall down our long list of priorities. This is where I come in. I am passionate about helping women boost their self-confidence and body image through wearing clothes that make them LOOK and FEEL amazing.

Style with Kara was born after my journey. Before having Kids I worked as a Consultant, travelling Monday to Thursday every week. When I was six months pregnant I left my job to become a full-time mum. However, the first year was not easy. My life and body changed so much. I was not ready for this change. I found myself struggling to get ready to leave the house for anything. Getting ready left me feeling frustrated, annoyed and uncomfortable. My wardrobe no longer fit my life-style or my body. This impacted my confidence in big way. After going through my own transformation, I saw how simple steps could change the way I felt about myself and my attitude to life and this is why I created Style with Kara. My mission is to empower women to look and feel great every day.

What is your greatest business achievement so far?

Helping countless busy mums get their style groove back and thus increasing their confidence. My Clients will often send me pictures of their outfits and compliments they have received or news that they received a promotion at work. Hearing this makes me feel I have achieved success for them. Feeling good about yourself creates a ripple effect in your life. Second to that working as a Style Coach for Delta Airlines in New York, JFK airport and trying on their airline uniform. This fulfilled my childhood dream of being an Air Hostess.

What do you want to achieve next?

I believe that women need more support in the work place after having kids. Self-Image is so strongly related to confidence. I have worked with countless women who all struggle with this when they become mums. I believe this should be part of employees benefits. My goal is to make this happen. Right now I am in early stages of speaking with corporate employers. Watch this space.

What one piece of advice would you like to offer someone thinking of entering into your field?

I would say it’s not just about knowing about fashion or trends. You need to be able help women create a signature style that is authentic to them. To do this you need to be passionate about listening to people and have the ability to inspire confidence. I also took a certification in Image Consulting this has really helped me to understand personal colouring, body proportions and body shapes. This has given me the technical knowledge to position myself as an Style Coach rather than a Personal Stylist. Doing this will make what you do repeatable and a great investment for your client.

What is your favourite aspect about working in the local area?

I took a hiatus from London for 11 years. We started our family in New York and then moved to London in 2019. It was really strange being back as a mum and having to re-build our community and then Covid hit as soon as we were starting to settle in. Unfortunately, also during this time personal tragedy struck and we lost our mum to COVID. The community around us came together and supported my family and I through this difficult time. Over the last year I have got to know many more mums outside of the American School Community as Clients or though the Hive. It’s a great neighbourhood and I love how all the women support each other.What encouraged you to join Hampstead Hive and what has your experience been like so far within the Hive?

I loved the community feel that Hampstead Hive has. As a one-woman brand it’s been great to have somewhere I can share experiences and bounce ideas around with other small business owners from my area.

What encouraged you to join Hampstead Hive and what has your experience within the Hive been like so far? 

I joined the hive to be part of network for women in the neighbourhood. I believe when women come together we can achieve great things. This is my second year in the Hive and have loved getting to know all the women and their unique businesses.

Where can we go to find out more about your business/access your services?

You can find me on Instagram @stylewithkara where I will post tips and style tricks and my website where you can learn more about me and the services I offer. www.stylewithkara.com