Episode 209: The Founder’s Gap Nobody Talks About

You can have the revenue goals, the strategy, and the client results and still feel a quiet disconnect when you get dressed. That disconnect is the Founder’s Gap: the space between the version of you you can see so clearly in your mind and the message your wardrobe sends the moment you walk into a room, show up online, or sit across from a potential client. 

Your style is not separate from your business. Your clothing is part of your personal brand and shapes first impressions long before someone checks your website, reads testimonials, or sees your work. 

I walk you through three “wardrobe stories” that can keep you stuck. Then we get practical with a systematic approach to closing the gap.

SCHEDULE YOUR CALL TODAY

THE FOUNDATION EDIT: http://www.theeverydayicon.co/the-foundation-edit

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

THE SIGNATURE EDIT NEWSLETTER http://the-executive-edge.kit.com/560a58e519

WEBSITE:www.theeverydayicon.co

YOUTUBE https://www.youtube.com/@tiffanyodean

INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/styledbytiffanyo/

Transcript

Welcome And Who This Is For

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is the Everyday Icon Style Podcast, the space for style-conscious, career-driven women who are ready to look like the next level version of themselves. Each episode helps you build a wardrobe that reflects not only your executive presence, but your real life. With a little bit of guidance, intentional edits, and no full-blown transformation required. Let's elevate your style and your authenticity one outfit at a time. I'm Tiffany, your style coach. Let's get started. So today's episode is for my business owners, my founders, my CEOs, principals, etc. But I do want to put a caveat in here. This information that I'm going to talk about today is for anyone and everyone that is having an issue with their wardrobe, period. So I just want to make note of that before I dive right into today's episode. So for today, there is a version of you that already exists in your mind. And you can see this person very clear. But you don't see that when you look at yourself in the mirror. And that is what I call the gap. And we've been talking about gaps over the past few episodes. And many of you are so focused on closing the gaps in your revenue, your systems, your team. But there's one particular gap that is either an afterthought or it's a gap that you don't even think about or consider at all. And that is until today, because I'm here to help. So welcome back. And in this episode, I want to have a conversation with you about who are you doing, who are in doing, I'm tongue-tied already, who you're doing the incredible work for, but are you showing up in a way that doesn't quite match that yet? Now let's talk about why you started the business. Now, when you started your business, you had a clear vision of what you were going to build, who you were building it for, and what it would mean when you got there. This is the vision that keeps you going through the highs, the lows, when you want to give up and quit every other day and everything else in between. But somewhere along the way of you building this thing, how you look and your wardrobe is literally thrown off the table. You don't even consider it anymore. And this is, and the reason why is because you are so focused on building the business and growing it that you've never stopped to notice that you haven't grown into the external vision or version of yourself. And I want you to always keep in mind all of us have this version of how we should look in our head, but we are either too afraid to deal with it, it's an afterthought, or you're too scared to deal with it because of what others will think. So I want you to kind of shift your mindset and get into a I don't care type of mindset, especially as business owners, because now you have the flexibility and the freedom to dress more in tune with who you are and also being able to experiment along the way. So when you're walking into a networking event and you're feeling slightly out of place, because all of us have been there, it has nothing to do with you don't belong there. So I want you to take that off the table of, oh, I don't belong here, or oh, these people are not the I'm not ready for these individuals yet to be in this room yet, because you are. It has nothing to do with that. It's more so because your wardrobe is telling a story that's behind where you actually are. And this is what I call the founder's gap. And it is definitely common and it is absolutely fixable. So let's first talk about why business owners specifically struggle with this. And you probably already know, but let's get into it. So in corporate, especially as leaders, we often have external cues that push us to stay current with our image. We have the culture of the organization, the visibility of our role, and a feedback loop that continuously, through peers and leadership, that'll give us a gauge of whether what we're wearing is a hit or a miss. But as a business owner, it doesn't always have that. It doesn't. As business owner, you don't have that. Literally, you don't have that all because you are literally building the culture, the visibility of the role, and the feedback loop all on yourself. But the feedback loop can also come from, let me backtrack. The feed lap feedback loop can also come from potential clients as they're seeing you as you show up every day. And this is also because you don't have it because you're building in isolation. Because remember, you are setting your own standards. And when you're also the one managing revenue, operations, the systems, the clients, the strategy, and everything else in between, your wardrobe is the one thing that keeps getting deprioritized because it feels like it can wait or it can wait. And by the time you realize it, if you realize it at all, that's when you'll begin to fill the gap, but you're not quite sure what it is. You're thinking because you're not ready, you're thinking because your sister your business doesn't have X amount of revenue or X amount of profit. But I'm here to tell you it has absolutely nothing to do with that at all. So the way you dress as a business owner is part of your brand. Let me repeat that one more time. The way you dress as a business owner is part of your brand. It is not a separate thing. They're one in the same. It's not a personal thing that stays separate from your business. It is part of how people experience your brand before they even look at your website or read a testimonial or see your work. No like and trust factor. That's the easiest way I can also put it in very simplified terms. Because guess what? You are the face of what you've built. And the face needs to match the business. And you can see this when you're looking at other faces of other brands. They literally mirror the brand that they own and that they're building. It looks different for every type of brand that they're building, every type of business that people have. So someone that is, say, a chef has a restaurant, is going to look very different than somebody that has a financial business, whether they're they own their own what does I say? Now I'm tongue-tiny, can't remember anything. Um, if they have their own firm to where they are helping people with building their stock portfolios different than what, say, a real estate agent would look like, what a business coach would look like, and everything in between. You're all going to look different. And we're going to get into that a little bit later on. But you want to keep that in mind that building the brand and your wardrobe are one and the same. You have to do it at the same time, not at the same speed, but you definitely have to do it at the same time. So here are three ways that I want you to look at your wardrobe story because you do have a wardrobe story. So the first is the wardrobe of where you were. Now, this is the version most people are stuck in, especially if you came from corporate. The clothes from your last job, the style from a season of your life that's already passed, and these pieces made sense at one time. They don't serve you anymore and now. And this is also with these three versions. These are also the versions that are in your closet that make your closet unsupportable to you, to where you are now. Now, the second is the wardrobe of where you think you should be. This is where all of us get stuck. And this is the trap of trying to dress for some imagined future that may or may not even happen, or how others think you should look. Because they people are always telling us, oh, have this vision for our life, have this vision for this, oh, I'm gonna dress this type of way, or I'm gonna go on this vacation, or I'm gonna live in this house. They're good in theory, but what happens if that's not the vision that actually unfolds? So when it comes to your wardrobe, allow it to unfold, but also attach it to your personal brand as well. Because if you don't, you're going to feel like you're playing cosplay. And it's like you're playing a role instead of owning the one that you have, and the one that you actually have in your head, which you keep pushing to the back because of the where you think or how you think you should dress, it keeps getting pushed further and further back. So I always want you to keep the vision that you have in the back of your head in mind that will eventually come into play. I promise. And the last one is the wardrobe of who you are today. I want you to remember one thing when you're doing this. Your wardrobe is always going to evolve because you are always evolving. Most importantly, this is a marathon, not a sprint. So this is also going to be trial and error, freedom of playing around and experimenting. Have fun with it. It is always going to evolve, and at one point, at some point, it will fit and it will click. So don't think I want you to remember what I said about the second one, the trap of dressing for someone, some imagined future. You're always going to be evolving at the pace that you're going through today. So what you're going to wear today as a business owner, it might look different three to four years from now. Because it's going to be a combination of your life, the vision you have for your what you have in the back of your mind of how you want to dress for yourself, and of course, your business. So all of that is going to come to play at some point. So we're mad. So remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint, and you're always going to evolve. And this wardrobe here, when we get to this third piece, it's going to be built off of self-awareness. One of knowing your brand, your audience, your environment, on choosing pieces that feel like you. This is where your wardrobe essentials will actually come into play. And I've talked about that in your in earlier episodes. So you'll want to go back and check those out, or I'll put them in the description of this video of this episode today below. And when you're dressed from that place, something will shift and you will feel it. You might not know what it is, but you will definitely feel a change and shift. So now you're probably wondering, well, Tiffany, where do I start? I gotcha. So the first thing I want you to do is stop trying to fix it piece by piece, or buying and filling gaps based on sections of your wardrobe. So, oh, I'm going to fix my business wear. No, we don't want to do that because now you're bringing in things that are really going to make your closet extremely disjointed. You'll really have clothes in there that you don't like, you won't wear, but you feel that's what you should do because that's what we've been taught to do. I want you to throw everything that we've learned or been talked about. We're going to throw all that out the window and we're going to try to do this a little bit different. We're going to do it our way. As a business owner, remember, you have the freedom to literally dress how you want to dress. So I definitely always want you to keep that in mind. Because how you're piecemealing it together, it's never going to fix the gap. It's actually going to take it, make it wider. It's never going to bring it closer together. And the gap is systematic and it requires a systematic solution. So here's what you need to do. You need to get clear on your brand before you touch your wardrobe. You need to get clear on your brand before you touch your wardrobe. You're building something that is going to be cohesive. You are your brand, the brand is you. So you have to figure out what that is. What is your business communicating? What do your best clients feel when they work with you? What is the experience of your brand? Your wardrobe needs to be an extension of that, not a contradiction of it. So a lot of business coaches will say the same thing. What is your brand? Are you, and I love how they utilize stores or cars. Are you the Walmart of your brand? Are you the Sephora of your brand? Are you the Nordstrom Neiman Sachs of your brand? Are you the see who else? I'm trying to think of who else. But you're you're going to get you get the idea of that. Or even like, are you the Bergdorfs of your brand? Are you brands have you have to figure that out first? And that's the most important thing. Because that's where you will start to build your style and your wardrobe. And the easiest way to do that when you're building this, once you know what your brand is, is two things. One, your personal essentials that are personal to you, not some generic essentials checklist. 10 to 12 pieces that are personal to you, your must-haves that you actually need. Second would be a capsule wardrobe that is kind of essential to you, your version of a capsule wardrobe, but still a very traditional capsule wardrobe, because that piece is going to connect your essentials and your actual style when you begin to incorporate that into it. But the level setting point that I want you to start at is finding out what essential is essential to you. So that could be jeans, that could be dress slacks, that could be heels, that could be tennis shoes, that could be graphic tees, that could be could be blouses, it could be sweatshirts, whatever you feel is essential to you, start there, start with like 10, no more than 12 pieces, and then your traditional capsule wardrobe, which is going to be about 15%, 10 to 15% of your actual wardrobe. So that is a great place to start with that. And lastly, the thing is to get honest about fit, quality, and intention. These are the three levers that will always matter the most. Fit is always going to be a non-negotiable. Do your clothes fit because that's also going to send a signal, but it's also intentional at the same time. Quality signal standards and intention, the sense that you made a choice rather than just grabbing something is what creates the feeling of authority. Always remember too, you're no, like, and trust. Now, are there going to be days where you get up and grab whatever and throw something on and show up? Yes. But here's what we're building towards. We are building towards that we are building a wardrobe and a closet that supports you enough in that that no matter what you grab, if you roll out of bed, and no matter what you grab, it is still intentional. It'll still show you up as the authority that you are, it'll still provide you with the no-like and trust, showing up intentional and everything in between. That is what happens when you build a wardrobe that supports you. Because guess what? Your wardrobe is your secret weapon. Your wardrobe is a secret weapon that all of you that are probably listening underutilize it so much that this is the one piece that you're actually missing. It's not anything else. It's fixing your closet and building it out so that it supports you. Not the physical closet space. Please let me get clear on that. But the clothes that you put in there. That's the game changer. So even if I roll out of bed, throw something on, it's a wardrobe that I can always do that with and never have to worry about it. And I'm going to get in later on episodes, I'm going to even talk about how it avoids decision fatigue, choices, and everything in between, because all of this is included of is inclusive of this, but we have to get through the foundations of it first. So always just remember that. And if you are sitting here and you're probably thinking, you know what, I never thought about it that way before. This is a totally different way of thinking when it comes to my wardrobe. Well, you're absolutely correct. Because I've been thinking about it over the years. And recently for me, I'm like, if I needed something right now, what would I want? I don't want anything that's out there because it's all the same generic stuff to me. So that is why I have created the foundation edit. And I want to invite you to book a call with me so we can discuss further and how I can serve you with help creating this new first the foundation, because nobody talks about building the foundation so that you can build upon and beginning to build your brand. Everybody, I don't care if you're an executive, I don't care if you're an executive assistant, I don't care if you're a business owner. We all have personal brands. And the one thing we always miss is our wardrobe. And in the foundational edit, what I do is we're going to take a real strategic look at who you are, what you're building, and how to create a wardrobe that functions as a genuine asset to your leadership and your brand. Your closet is an asset. It's probably the biggest, most underutilized, non-recognizable asset that you have. It doesn't matter what service you have, how good you are, that's what's missing. And we always think it's something else. It's not. That's already on lock. This is what's missing. And this will conclude, include, not conclude, include a wardrobe edit, of course, building your individual wardrobe essentials checklist, and incorporating systems that you use every day. Can we talk about calendar management? Always remember, too, you're dealing with an executive assistant. So calendar management is key because that will even help you with how you're going to dress for the week or how you're going to dress for the day and everything in between. Oh, and I'll even help you just a little bit with structuring your planner, your planner, whether you use a planner, whether you use Outlook, Google, whatever, on how you can kind of even structure it to help with your day. Because that is also a foundation that you need as well. And how you structure your day, structure your week. So it sets the tone for the week, the day, the mood, everything. And it all will tie back to how you dress. So if you want to have a conversation with me, I invite you to click the link and schedule your call today in the description box of this video, of this episode. I'm thinking I'm filming a YouTube video and I'm not. That's next week. So if you have any questions, please Please feel free to reach out to me via DM on Instagram. That information will be down in the description box as well. So that we can begin to see our closets and our wardrobe as assets and not just storage spaces or not just something you throw on and something that you're piecing together piece by piece. We are in 2026 and things are shifting so fast that you are literally going to miss shifting your wardrobe, which could be a deciding factor in a lot of things. So let's be partners and let's do it together. So, with all that being said, I hope you have an amazing rest of your day. Stay healthy, stay safe, and I will see you guys next week in the next week's episode.