Female Founders_Soleil Magazine_Iss5

How did you end up in Los Angeles?
After I divorced at 23, I was looking for a new
opportunity in a new city. I was given a large
signing bonus to join a different financial firm, and
I took the position. LA was a stark new reality. I
moved to the entertainment mecca, Hollywood,
where everyone was an actor or part of the
industry, but I had no concept of that world. At
that point, I was having a really hard time
staying motivated in an industry I wasn’t
passionate about. I no longer had the drive to
work hard. After the market crashed in 2008, I
started thinking of new and different sales
opportunities that were more aligned with me.
A friend suggested I should become a celebrity
Personal Assistant. She pointed out that I already
established myself as a natural connector and
someone who organized everybody’s lives
anyway. That jump started a new career in
private service. From there I got a position with
a best-selling author and motivational speaker
through a top LA placement agency. It wasn’t a
great fit, but through that experience I learned a
lot about the world of placement agencies and
personal assisting. It’s incredibly demanding, and
sometimes demeaning.
Tell us how you started your first company and
what were some of the biggest challenges early
on?
About a year after being a PA, a friend of mine
who was a Nanny started venting to me about her
frustrations with how subpar placement agencies
are, and how poorly they treated candidates. She
wanted to start her own domestic staffing agency
but didn’t have the business know-how. That is
where I came in, and we joined forces to form the
Belle Maison Agency. I handled all business
development and operations, attracting about
90% of clients by word of mouth.
When did you start the sister company Riveter
Consulting Group?
In 2014, I was out at an event for professional athletes
with my best friends who worked in
hospitality, sports and entertainment. I was the
only entrepreneur in the group, and my friends
long term goals were to eventually work for themselves.
We came up with the idea of joining
forces to start Riveter Consulting Group.
Our initial business plan included events, travel
and lifestyle which quickly morphed into what I
focus on now which is estate management and
relocation for celebrity and high-net-worth
clients.
I won’t ask you to name drop but what can you
tell us about your celebrity clients?
What have you learned? That you can’t tell them
“No.” Celebrities are enabled by their agents,
assistants, business managers who execute their
requests, so they don’t limit themselves when
asking for everything and anything. They also
forget how to do things for themselves, like
cooking, paying bills and walking their dog.
Did you name Riveter after Rosie the Riveter (the
WWII ad campaign star and feminist icon)?
Yes, we did. Personally, I’m very comfortable
being around men and working with men, but now
I had the opportunity as a female entrepreneur to
create an impact for positive change. I started to
notice women in unfulfilling careers and I really
wanted to help realize that it’s possible to make a
shift. I’ve never felt limited because of my gender,
and I want to help women reach their full
potential.
Well, speaking of strength, clearly you have it
on the inside and outside. What are your fitness
habits?
We want all the details! I can’t imagine a better
way to quiet my mind than working out. I call it
“Church.” It’s my active meditation. I train like an
athlete, very hard core, anything less than that
doesn’t do it for me -- I do it all! I believe in
moving your body however it pleases you.
Sometimes it’s dance and other times it’s MMA
(mixed martial arts), or perhaps just lifting weights.
I get pleasure from it all.
Do you have any favorite trainers, classes or
gyms?
Of course, the NWMethod created by Nicole Winhoffer.
I always train with her when I’m in New
York. A typical week in LA for me includes
burlesque, yoga, strength training, MMA and hikes.
Any additional spiritual practices?
I believe in journaling. My Mom always taught me
to write three pages at a time, because by page
three you’re streaming from another source of
consciousness. I’m type A, go-go-go woman
living in LA, so pausing whether it’s to sit still, write
or breathe, helps me reflect and slow down. Trust
me, it is all still very much a work in progress!
I also do some crazy detoxes that are both
physical and spiritual in nature. One is called
Kambo which was utilized by indigenous tribes in
the Amazon. The venom has been found
throughout centuries to have a plethora of
healing powers from shifts in your energetic body,
to reversing damage from pharmaceuticals and
other toxins. I do the treatment about six times
per year.
So you do consider yourself spiritual?
I am spiritual, yes. I would not call myself religious
but do believe we are all connected in this
Universe. They say when you are vibrating at the
right frequency things fall into place. I find
evidence of that all around me.
What are some of your secrets for motivation
and staying inspired?
I’m so deep into learning how to grow as a human.
I’m becoming more thoughtful, kind and
generous about how my work can better serve
this world. Figuring out how this comes to life in
the world of ultra- high-net-worth, pro athletes,
etc., is a challenge, and a real lesson. Learning
how to say no to people and things regardless of
the monetary value, is work in progress for me.