A Flair, A Style, A Boa, A Company

I had the golden opportunity last week to speak with the dynamically successful Laurel Touby, the founder of mediabistro.com, a company that has literally "redefined" community for those in the media. More than 750,000 media professionals have registered for various mediabistro services around the world!

Laurel recently was interviewed by Spirited Woman founder Nancy Mills, as a guest in the popular Spirited Woman Conversation Series. During the tele-chat interview, Laurel not only revealed insights on what it takes to make it to the top, what inspired her to keep going and more, but also how a style secret helped her overcome 'the fear of rejection,' So of course, I had to speak to her too!

OK, so what does Laurel's phenomenal success have to do with style?  Well, she has actually become quite famous for her feather boas, in fact she has been nicknamed "the boa queen" in a publication or two. Laurel has adopted the boa as her own signature item and when she doesn't wear one to a party or an event she is almost inevitably stopped by those around her wanting to know why she didn't bring her favorite accessory along. 

Laurel quickly realized the power of a conversation item, when she began hosting mediabistro parties. She found that a unique item not only drew people to her and made her stand out a bit from the crowd but it also made her feel more comfortable. She claims that her famous boas are so appealing, that people want to get near her just to touch them. Laurel laughingly added that an unexpected, added bonus in her single days was that men seemed to be especially drawn to her when she wore her feathery accent.

Though it is her signature piece, Laurel refuses to wear a boa to someone else's party. She feels that it draws too much attention and actually is a bit too showy when she herself is not the host. Instead, Laurel always looks for something unique and remarkable to wear.  She has found that by wearing a one-of-a- kind accessory piece, conversations tend to start and flow more easily.

In addition to these style tips, Laurel adds, always try to look your best. Give yourself a polished look because whether you like it or not appearances usually do matter.  Just take a few minutes to brush that unruly hair, to find those perfect shoes or to add a unique accent piece. Your image remains even after you are gone so make it a good one. Listen to a one-minute audio clip from my interview with Laurel.

And for those of you who missed the fantastic Spirited Woman Circle interview with Laurel, you can still purchase it and over 20 more interviews with famous authors and media personalities at www.thespiritedwoman.com/spirited_woman_circle.

To your Spirited Style,

- Dawn Z Bournand  www.fabulouslysuccessful.com
Click here to read more of Dawn's posts.