Where are you based?

I am primarily based in NYC but work between NYC, London and Miami.

What inspired you to develop/start your own business?

After being part of the New York City office cubicle rat race for six months after graduation I could not cope anymore! I wanted creativity and to be moving at a pace that suited my personality. I met a life coach one evening after a late and stressful day at my office job and he gave me some incredibly inspiring advice. The next day I quit my job and headed back to London to spend some time thinking over the next steps. I had the idea of Nolcha.com in my mind for a while but now had the chance to make it a reality. So I spent a few weeks making plans, researching and headed back to NYC with an action plan. I then met my business partner, Arthur Mandel, at an event and we clicked business wise instantly. We have been full steam ahead ever since.

How did you initially become involved in the fashion industry?

My social scene was very much involved in the fashion industry as my friends are designers, stylists and models. As NYC is a whirlwind of top events, fabulous entertainment and fashion shows/networking events most nights I found that the fashion industry became my life style. I started to meet a lot of people in the fashion world and started to see where there was a niche for something like Nolcha.com – people need a resource within this industry to assist with international career opportunities whilst pushing self empowerment and recognition. This is a fierce industry and Nolcha supplies the tools to be a winner in this battle! 

How did you come up with your business name?

Arthur and I wanted something unique and yet not containing the word ‘Fashion’. We wanted a word that could stand alone, be recognized and become known. Arthur actually found the name on babynames.com…blush!! Laughing. There were several but ‘Nolcha’ really stood at to me. I was standing in Times Square when Arthur asked me if I liked it. I remember looking at the billboards and thinking ‘yes, I see it now. Nolcha on the billboards. That’s the one!’

How do you market your business?

Being an online recruitment source we are able to take advantage of the amazing influence and growth of the internet. Aside from internet marketing we are very strong believers in affiliations and close working relationships. We align ourselves with reputable and hard working companies that share an interest in our beliefs and goals; this way we are able to target more people and supply more opportunities to our members. We also get involved with many side projects and this helps with carrying our business name and branding strategies.

What are some of the challenges and rewards of having your own business?

It is challenging to keep up with the workload sometimes and yet you cannot complain as the workload is only increasing due to growth of the business and reputation. Financial balancing can be difficult especially for a start up company but this is something that you control over time. Keeping up the smiling face and moving at a fast pace also gets challenging. It is tiring to travel and get off the plane for interviews, events and more paperwork but it is so worth it. I would not swap any situation for what we have with Nolcha right now.

The biggest reward for me is the flexibility. I get to work in my pyjama’s with no makeup! Also I get to travel and see my family. There are many people in NYC who go months or years without seeing their family due to work. Being a small town girl myself family ties are important. What is the point of having work, money and establishment without sharing it with loved ones.

What were some of the biggest obstacles you had to overcome in starting your business?

It is tough knocking the doors down and showing that you have a good service to offer, especially when you are new to a city and only know a hand full of people. There is so much competition out there and everybody wants to own a business – yet only a few survive the top dogs and make it.

Personally my private life was the biggest obstacle as it is difficult to balance 18 hour days, international travel and somebody else in your life. I came to understand that you cannot ask somebody else to sit and wait for you. Once you understand the choices you make and the consequences that follow then you can lead a happier life.

What's the best part of having your own business?

Working for something you believe in, enjoy and have the influence to help others. For example Nolcha is very involved with charity work. We run Fashion Aid – a tv (online) show that focuses on all of the charity work we do. We are about to work with Make A Wish Foundation for children's fashion/modelling wishes plus do clothing drives for UNICEF. Also Nolcha Fashion Week is supporting Fuel for Truth. Before I was never able to commit so much time to helping others and this is something I love doing.

Tell me something you never knew before launching your business that you know now?

You can be anything you set your mind to. Just work hard, play fair and do not lose yourself and beliefs.

Also it is amazing how many hours you can work in one day when you are working for something you love!

What future plans/goals do you have for the business?

Arthur and I aim for Nolcha.com to become the fashion industry one stop quarter for international careers whilst also providing other resources to our exclusive members. We are also about to start filming Chat Lines. A show that will appear on Nolcha Fashion Network in association with Simply Me TV. This is a fashion industry focused talk show interviewing candidates from all over the globe as they share their experiences of the industry! Also Sept 2007 brings the launch of Nolcha Fashion Week: NYC. Nolcha Now is our online publication that focuses on beauty, trends and health. We are very busy with a variety of products but we are going from strength to strength. Watch out Europe is all I can say on that part as well…

Any thing else you would like to add?

Just a big thank you to Yolande and her beautiful team at La Geneve North for all their support and love during this special time for Nolcha.

What is Nolcha:

Nolcha is an elite online fashion society encouraging professionalism and dedication for designers, models, fashion photographers and stylists. Nolcha provides a continually expanding toolkit to assist individuals to make their mark in a fierce and competitive industry. Resources include a technology advanced portfolio with image gallery and video options, forum, mailing options, unlimited life and business coaching seminars (over 100 every three months), plus searchable international member database for networking and career opportunities. The company also has an online publication, Nolcha Now, featuring the latest trends, industry news and advice. Nolcha Fashion Network is a fashion forward and focused channel in association with Simply Me TV airing online, via mobile phones and through Echostar and Direct TV.

Employers include companies/persons in the fashion, media and entertainment industry that require assistance of our members. These consist of record labels, music producers, TV stations/producers, event coordinators, boutique owners, fashion buyers, model agents and more.