Today we’d like to introduce you to Asbasia Mikhail.
Hi Asbasia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
As a style-minded individual, I’ve always wanted to look my best, but it was never easy for me.
Being raised in a home that focused on education and spirituality, I felt that my personal style was not a priority. In fact, I spent the first 18 years of my life in private schools and, subsequently, in a uniform. Then, as a doctor, I spent all day in my scrubs. So, when it was time for me to get dressed in real clothes, I was challenged with figuring out what to wear, how to create outfits that fit my shape and size, and how to style the beautiful clothes I’d invested in. This struggle just worsened after I got married and had kids.
I was fulfilled with life as a successful doctor and having a happy & healthy family, but as a busy mom and doctor, I was challenged with time and a post-baby-figure, which only made things more challenging for me. I was frustrated by the fact that I was not displaying the best version of myself, and I was certain that I was not the only one facing this issue, a realization that compelled me to create The Stīl Trust.
The Stīl (pronounced style) Trust is an online personalized styling platform that connects busy style-minded individuals to expert stylists who will curate outfits for them based on their taste preferences, body shape, and budget. Our goal is to get our clients looking and feeling their best while taking the struggle out of figuring out ‘what to wear’ and providing confidence in every outfit.
I truly believe that when people are looking and feeling their best, they display a confidence that is difficult to quantify or even describe. My role as an emergency physician is to heal people physically, but through this platform, I can take this healing a step further and allow people to feel well on the outside as well. While it gives me great satisfaction to heal people physically, it gives me even a greater satisfaction to see them happy and confident about the way they look on the outside as well.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My journey as an entrepreneur has had its own challenges as well. I had to build a business, while being a full-time mom, a full-time ER doctor, and a medical director for two urgent cares. Time has been a huge challenge.
However, the biggest challenge was my lack of experience as a businessperson. I naively thought that because I was a physician, had 26 years of education under my belt, and I was a medical director, that I had sufficient knowledge and experience, but that could not be far from the truth.
Fortunately, with the love and support of my family, appropriate organization of my time, a trustworthy team, and a trustworthy team, I was able to bring The Stīl Trust to fruition.
Things were off to a decent start until the Covid Pandemic hit. This was probably the next biggest challenge, but it did bring many issues to light. While people were not utilizing styling services during the pandemic, it gave us a chance to reevaluate our position in the market and fine-tune how we were reaching out to our target audience. Of course, we didn’t realize how long the pandemic would take and the toll it would take on my business. It made me take a good hard look at my business.
Although we had great traffic to our website, we weren’t getting the conversions we were hoping for. After multiple months of seeing the same data, I couldn’t blame the pandemic anymore. I had to reevaluate and ask for help. That’s when I decided to hire a business coach.
With substantial constructive feedback from my business coach, I managed to enhance my website, I prioritize customer acquisition, and fostered a closer connection to our audiences.
It’s very important to reevaluate business strategies, especially when things are not working the way you expect. It’s also necessary to seek advice from mentors and take constructive feedback, even if it hurts or sounds costly
As you know, we’re big fans of The Stīl Trust. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
I am the Founder and CEO of The Stīl Trust, which (as mentioned previously) is an online personalized styling platform.
What’s exciting about our service and what sets it apart from other styling services is that our stylists will use items you already own to customize your looks for you. So, you decide whether you want all new items or you wish to use items you already own. There is no obligation to buy anything. We even offer the world’s first patented STYLEMATCH service in which our stylists will customize looks for that item in your closet that fits you perfectly, and you have wanted to wear, but you just don’t know how to style/match.
We even have special perks when you sign up as a member. The best perk is that you’ll get your own virtual closet in which you’ll be able to upload pictures of items you already own (something else that sets us apart from other styling services). Your stylist will be able to refer to your virtual closet anytime they are styling you, and you will be able to access your virtual closet anytime you’re wondering what you should wear for the day.
The service is so easy to use; it’s like having a personal stylist at your fingertips. You make real connections with real-life personal stylists.
Here’s a quick ‘How it Works’:
1. Take a style quiz and get matched with your stylist
2. Book a consult and start uploading pics into your virtual closet
3. Meet by video with your stylist, who will get to know you further, and then wait for your outfit recommendations (24-48 hrs.).
You will get three curated looks that will include new items (or items from your closet) that you can shop directly from the site, no obligation to buy.
This is not a box service.
*If, for any reason, you did not like the first set of recommendations, you can ask your stylist to switch out the items you were not happy with, and you will get a second set of recommendations.
Once you get your second set of recommendations, that concludes one full styling session.
An unbelievable value all done from the comfort of your home.
Finally, we will be launching our newest service called the ‘Closet Detox’:
Imagine a rejuvenated space with meticulously organized shelves, neatly hung garments arranged by color or season.
Our closet detox will allow you to declutter your closet space, optimize your closet layout, and infuse a sense of style into your storage haven.
Experience a tailored transformation when your closet goes from wardrobe chaos to curated organization.
Here’s How Our Closet Detox works:
Your stylist will review your items by category (tops, pants, etc.) and recommend to you which items to keep and which to discard.
1. Meet with your stylist virtually (2-3 hrs.)
2. Take photos & save discarded Items
Take photos as you go along of the items you wish to keep and place items you wish to discard into a donation bag that will later be donated to a woman’s shelter of your choice.*
(*Women at these shelters will then be able to schedule a session with our stylists for free and get curated looks with the items you donated.)
3. Get 3 Outfit recommendations, Advice on Essential Staple Recommendations, and get your virtual closet set up.
Once your session has ended, you will then send your photos to the stylist who will upload them into your own virtual closet.
Stylist will then curate 3 outfits for you (based on your style needs) using your own wardrobe items.
Your Stylist will also send you a list of recommended staples that will enhance your already amazing wardrobe.
How do you define success?
To me, success is defined by being happy and well. To me, happiness and wellness are defined as the ability to live a true balance between work, love, play, and spirituality. Success is also being comfortable with who you are and not having to conform to anyone’s view or perception of who you should be.
Pricing:
- $50/month for classic membership, 1 styling session/month for 1 year
- $100/month for Luxe membership, and 2 stylings sessions/month for an entire year
- $260, one-time fee, for four styling sessions anytime throughout the year
- $75 for a-la-carte styling sessions
- $350 for a Closet Detox
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thestiltrust.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestiltrust/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thestiltrust
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/67997677/admin/feed/posts/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/StilTrust
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnGqUIVCsoCjKIHjgBGfJrg
Image Credits
Modern Day Wife Lookbook
