Personal styling is one of those services people often dismiss as a luxury, or assume you cannot build a legitimate business around. Kelly Hillegass has spent the last 16 years proving otherwise. Kelly is a personal and commercial stylist based in Wilmington. Her career has taken her from fashion PR in New York to merchandising, e-commerce shoots, product development, commercial styling, closet edits, personal shopping, and everything in between. In this episode, we talk about how she turned something she has always naturally loved into a multi-service business that genuinely helps people. Kelly shares how Instagram helped open up the world of fashion for her, what she learned working behind the scenes for a large women’s wholesaler, and how she eventually found her way into full-time personal styling. We also get into what working with a personal stylist actually looks like. It is not about throwing away your entire closet, following every trend, or buying a completely new wardrobe. Kelly’s goal is to help her clients understand what they already own, identify what is missing, and learn how to shop with more purpose. And honestly, I needed this conversation. I am the person panic-buying an outfit the day before an event, ordering things from my couch that I do not really love, and changing four times before leaving the house with clothes all over the floor. Kelly explains why personal style is a muscle, how having a few reliable outfit formulas can remove stress from your day, and why the number on the tag matters far less than how something actually fits and feels on your body. We also talk about the business behind the styling. Kelly shares what she has learned about packaging and pricing a service that many people do not fully understand, building through word-of-mouth referrals, choosing the right clients, and balancing her ambitions for the business with being present while her children are young. This episode is about clothing, but it is also about confidence, self-care, intentional spending, and recognizing the value of the skills that come naturally to you. Because the thing you think is “just something you are good at” might be the exact thing someone else needs your help with. Business From Scratch with Abbye McGee is for people who are building a business while rebuilding their life. Abbye, a single mom and three-time founder, shares clear and honest talk about the real work behind mindset, money, identity, and daily life when you start from zero. The show gives you steady guidance, simple steps you can use right away, and real conversations with founders, creatives, and friends who built their own way. Each week helps you focus, test ideas, and keep moving even when the process feels messy.
