Meet Cierra Swingle | Fashion Stylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cierra Swingle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cierra, what role has risk played in your life or career?
To many, the thought of taking risks may feel scary and intimidating. The unknown, the what if’s, and the different variables that need to happen in order to ensure it’s been calculated and managed well.

Life is all about perspective. I view risks as an opportunity to advance and to see God move in a supernatural way.

As a believer in Christ, risk or what we call “taking steps of faith” is a part of exercising the foundation of our belief. Faith, in biblical definition, “Is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1.

Before taking a risk, I walk through certain steps to ensure I’m making the best decision. First, seeking God for his approval through prayer. In combination with prayer, I use discernment and wisdom to measure the weight of the risk. Lastly, I seek trusted advice from wise counsel.These steps then help me determine if I am going to move forward.

However I haven’t always been this confident. Like with anything, experience helps build that muscle. Learning how to take risk with jobs, relationships and opportunities helped build my trust in God and define it. Witnessing the fruit of those decisions whether it’s a win or a loss, has lead me to a more confident version of myself.

It is these defining moments that led me to start my own personal styling business called, Cece Styles.

Starting any business you’re up against many obstacles. The risk of failure being the biggest; which in many cases, causes people to not even start. I’ve had my share of fear, but I’ve quickly found that facing fear is a part of taking risk. However on the other side of fear, it’s never as bad as it seems, often times it’s always better.

That perspective alone has allowed me to take chances in my life and business and invade new territories knowing that the worst that can happen, is I learn a lesson and grow from it. Taking risk thus far has opened many opportunities for me, allowing me to expand my network and reach.

So why not take the risk, with the possibility of gaining something greater!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Being an entrepreneur isn’t an easy road. It comes with many bumps, detours and even road blocks. What sets me apart is my perspective! I look at life as a classroom, every lesson helps us become the best version of ourselves. Every win and failure serves multiple purposes to help grow, define, refine, and develop your character. I approach every job with this mindset, understanding no matter what the outcome, I’m growing in knowledge and experience.

I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve been able to maintain this perspective. My perseverance has allowed me to be able to witness the impact my gifts and talents have on my clients. The transformative power that proper styling can have on a person’s confidence and self esteem is powerful. Knowing I’ve positively impacted someone’s perception of self, is my why.

Starting my business was truly a step of faith; and the root of that faith, was the level of trust I’ve built with God. Peace comes by knowing that where God leads, He provides. What’s helped get me this far is my unwavering faith and the confidence I’ve gained with each successful job. This confidence gives me the boost I need to trust my instincts and successfully execute the next job.

The biggest challenge I face is my time management. I always meet every deadline, however, learning how to budget time for ordering, fittings, returns and making sure there is a backup option, in the event certain items don’t work out can be difficult to balance. After every client I assess my strength and weaknesses and create tangible goals I can improve upon next time. The solution is to create realistic expectations and time frames.

The biggest lessons I’ve learned along the way is to give myself more grace and trust my intuition . Extending myself grace has allowed me to give space for error. I’ve learned, when things appear to not be working out, they have often lead to a better outcome because it wasn’t forced.

Cece Styles is more than a personal styling company, we are passionate about transforming a person inside and out, leaving them not only looking good, but feeling their best. Building a strong professional brand and or image one look at a time.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I always say “Don’t sleep on Columbus”!We are a little big city with so many hidden gems. We are known to be the test market for new restaurants because studies show our demographics closely mirror the rest of the U.S. so food is our thing!

I’m all about vibes and experiencing life changing food. So the perfect weekend itinerary would be waking up at the luxurious hotel Le Méridien Columbus, The Joseph downtown. Head to the Scioto Mile, for a refreshing morning walk full of views and people watching. Afterwards, grab breakfast at Jack and Benny’s.

Head back to enjoy a spa day at the hotel . Then step out to do some day drinking and shopping down at the Short North area, where you will find a variety of bars, restaurants, galleries and shops. Hit up El Segundo for their life changing margaritas and food and Mandrake Rooftop bar for views and booze.

Later visit Lincoln Social, and or kick back at Bodega for some dancing. End with a night cap at Arch City.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to shoutout God first and foremost! Without him blessing me with this gift and developing, equipping, leading, trusting and surrounding me with the right people to help propel this vision I wouldn’t have the confidence to carry this dream.

Secondly my amazing family and friends! Without their constant support, encouragement, belief, and backing I wouldn’t be here today!

My assistant Jilliana Howse, she’s real deal! She’s extremely versatile in all her abilities which perfectly compliment my skill sets, we are the perfect marriage!

Website: www.cecestylesofficial.com

Instagram: Cecestylesofficial

Facebook: Cecestylesofficial

Image Credits
Matelli Graves Ken Harris Stephanie Matthews