Interview with inspirational founder of HER magazine Nineveh Madsen

I have been fortunate enough to meet many inspiring women on my own personal journey whilst evolving and growing my own business. This month’s #inspirationalwoman AND #empoweredwoman kudos goes to Nineveh Madsen the founder of HER magazine. She is gorgeous, talented, has passion and plenty of sass  - and she is unapologetic about being a strong woman with ideas. She exudes a sense of purpose and confidence which is infectious.  Just to warn you - she is smashing it right now - be prepared for a bucket load of awesomeness, insane amounts of classiness and an abundance of beautifulness. Nineveh has arrived with HER magazine and HER crew of amazing women mean business.

You can find out a little bit more about HER magazine and Nineveh by watching this trailer.

The interview 

Me: Thanks for agreeing to be one of my inspirational women interviewed in my new series - so let's kick things off - tell me (and my readers) a little bit more about yourself and your business?

N: I moved around a lot growing up, so I never really had the chance to create close friendships. I had a tough time bouncing around from school to school, and wasn’t exactly the most popular girl. I was the awkward chick, who was teased for being different.

Me: I find that difficult to imagine you exude such confidence now - but behind every successful woman there is always an inspiring story - that I do know. Thank you for letting me interview you. So, tell me more about your journey.

N: I spent a decade working as a journalist for local television stations in Arizona (KYMA, NBC) and Utah (KSTU, FOX). There was a period during my career when I experienced immense anxiety. I felt the pressure of having to perform on a daily basis, and the overbearing feeling of having to emanate perfection. I know it sounds silly to some, but there were so many times I felt incredibly disempowered as a woman in media. I decided in almost an instant that I had to create the change I desired to see in media, instead of wondering why it was the way it was. 

Me: That’s interesting as I imagine a lot of us don’t realise how suffocating working in the media really is.

N: So in 2015 I fired my bosses and set out to launch HER - a digital publication.

Me: Amazing stuff - so when was the official launch? 

N: The official live launch of our website www.hermag.co was August 9th and our monthly digital magazine will debut in the APP store this Fall! I am so excited to finally make this available for women in iTunes and GooglePlay. 

Me: This is so exciting tell me more about what HER magazine is about.

N: Our mission is to UNMAKE TRADITION. I will leave that up for our readers to interpret, but the magazine is about providing a platform for women in business. I don't think we have enough media platforms dedicated to women.

Me: This sounds great - I will be reading the magazine for sure. You seem very ambitious how do you do stay in control, life must get hectic?

N: I need to be better at this. I think we tell ourselves - especially as entrepreneurs that we will find the time to get balanced. My quiet time is during workouts every morning. Lifting weights helps me recharge my batteries. Squeezing in monthly or bi-monthly massages keeps me sane. So does meditation! 

When I get overwhelmed which I think is common these days, I take a step back and take inventory of my blessings and make sure to practice gratitude.

Me: That’s so true - what are your go to activities that make you look good, feel good and feel like you can live a great life? 

N: Lifting weights. I love to push my body. The heavier I can go is a testament to my mental strength and when you're an entrepreneur, you need a lot of inner grit to be able to push through the challenges you face as you build your business. 

I love SPA DAYS ...really if I could, I'd get them once a month. I also absolutely love hiking. There's something calming about nature. I believe success begins with how you take care of yourself. A lot of people have that reversed. They forget to take care of their body and mind first.

Me: And finally what are your top 3 tips for women struggling to do it all, or who are facing issues with their confidence, or even looking to take their confidence to the next level? 

N: I think there's a big difference between doing it all and having it all. Do you really want to DO IT ALL? I don't. You shouldn't either. As women, I think we pressure ourselves to do it all. 

I know that many women also struggle with confidence. One of my mentors told me something that really stuck with me. She said, "confidence comes from competence." Just know that confidence will come with time. 

I know that many women also have self-esteem issues (I've been there) ...this comes down to one thing. LOVING YOURSELF. 

Also, I'd tell them to surround themselves with people who LOVE THEMSELVES. It has a way of rubbing off. And always remember that your thoughts are powerful. Your thoughts become things and those things shape your life. 

Me: That's a great message and one that I like to emphasise to the women I work with. Success starts with taking care of yourself and believing in your own thoughts and actions. I've made an awful lot of mistakes on my journey but it's also given me more confidence because I have 'lived through it'. Indeed having women like you in my circle helps me stay motivated and keep pushing forward. Thank you so much for your time - I know you are busy with HER mag and million other things, so I really appreciate you taking time our to be part of the #inspirationalwomen series.

And that concludes the awesome interview with the insanely motivated and effortlessly confident Nineveh. Now you’ve learnt more about her, head on over to the www.hermag.co and check it out. 

DON'T MISS OUT ON FUTURE INTERVIEWS - SIGN UP TO MY NEWSLETTER HERE: 

http://www.robertastylelee.co.uk/#!subscribe-to-the-newsletter/umwhr

You can find out more about confidence coaching and personal styling over on the website at www.robertastylelee.co.uk. I also review products and services that aim to help women look good, feel good, or live great - you can see these reviews on the blog. 

GET REVIEWED | COLLABORATIONS | PARTNERSHIPS | SIGN UP TO THE NEWSLETTER

Creating your capsule collection

Welcome to the busy working city girl capsule collection, all handpicked by moi. I hope you like it!

When creating a new wardrobe you need to be realistic with what you need V. what you want. A capsule collection contains items that won't go out of fashion and can be restyled with many pieces. Shoes and bags will make or break, or renew an old outfit - so think about key pieces that can be matched to at least 4-5 outfits.  

I have really enjoyed pulling this collection together. Inspired by 'Parisian Chic' and corporate life in London - I looked for items that would really work around a busy woman's lifestyle. 

Items shown above left to right: Alexander Wang Prisma skeletal suede and leather shoulder bag now £387, Chloe Drew, leather and suede shoulder bag £880 (out of stock), Saint Laurent classic small monogram suede shoulder bag £880, Gianvito Rossi green velvet pumps £313, Gianvito Rossi brown suede pumps £313, Gucci patent leather pumps £331 (out of stock) H&M black denim boiler suit £35 (out of stock) Balmain double breasted velvet dress now £1,184, Balmain crystal-embellished velvet mini-dress now £1,782. 

The capsule collection 

Items shown above left to right: Mui Mui striped wool sweater £557, Valentino cropped cotton shirt now £263, Zara high waist trouser £14, Balenciaga wool wrap skirt £483, Victoria Beckham red teddy wool-blend miniskirt £166, True Religion Halle skinny jeans £218, ASOS mismatch flat back swing earrings - red £6 (out of stock) H&M long earrings £5 (out of stock) Chuck Taylor All Star low leather sneakers £78

All seeming a bit too expensive? 

Gulp - I  agree. You'd need a fair bit of free cash to buy every item I have pulled together. You don't need to buy designer items though, but you should invest in good quality pieces and if you do buy things that don't fit - visit a tailor to get the perfect fit.

It just so happens a lot of the items I selected came with a designer price tag. Finding alternative items without the hefty price tag is easy. Just decide on what you need and then search your favourite high street shops. Places like Zara and & Other Stories do their own versions of some of the key looks and trends each season. 

If you regularly attend work events where you need to be well dressed, or go out socially to places that warrants a smart dress code - try and combine your wardrobe. Depending on your job, and the industry you work in you may not really need a 'work look' and a 'out of work' look - you'll just need a 'you' look.

If you like the items featured in this blog, visit the Villiod app and you can find my boards, tap and purchase any items shown (if they are still in stock).  

That one outfit that makes you feel fierce

Items shown above top right: ASOS Fuller bust african print scrappy contrast bra (from £20) and underwear(£PNK)

Textures can be a great way to add importance and glamour to an outfit. A well structured dress that compliments your figure is worth a million pounds.  Steer clear of cheap fabrics though as it can really spoil an outfit. For additional power dressing put on some fantastic and fierce underwear. Sit there looking all polished, nobody but you needs to know you have crazy, sexy, gorgeous underwear on  - I'm telling you, it can really boost your confidence - try it!


Important meeting at work? 

No problem. Every gal needs a crisp white shirt, and colour-cordinated accessories make for a smart and practical city girl look. Clutch bag for the evenings too.

You can keep reinventing this look by switching up your shoes and bags. And let's not forget a ponytail, braid or blow dry and different make-up can transform this simple look all over again.

Friday night on the town? 

Sorted. Try this relaxed, stylish off-duty look. Keep things elegant and on point with heels and a structured bag. Check shoulder bags to see if the straps are removable - these can then double up as a clutch bag too. 

Casual off duty look

Easy. This is where a nice clean, well looked after, pair of white simple sneakers can make your outfit look pulled together. Avoid wearing your 'gym' trainers from A to B and have a pair of 'walking trainers' that compliment your style - you can be practical and stylish. 

Date night?

We all need a dress that makes us feel great, no matter what we look like or how we feel - we slip on 'that' dress and it hides the lumps and the bumps and flaunts our best features. You could even match with the black patent shoes and multi coloured Chloe bag. I would avoid wearing velvet shoes and a velvet dress though as this would be a bit too matchy. 

Weekend brunch 

One of my favourite patterns is stripes. It goes with everything and can be dressed up and dressed down. It's very french chic and I do tend to be inspired by the Parisian's elegant and coordinated style for the city gal wardrobe. I've put the velvet heels in this picture but you could swap for the trainers. 

If you'd like some help pulling together your own capsule collection that compliments your lifestyle and body get in touch at: www.robertastylelee.co.uk 

Look good, feel good. 

Stay fab!

Roberta x 

Note: This is a sample of a capsule collection - not all items and outfits ensembles have been shared.

You can see more over on the website at www.robertastylelee.co.uk 

GET REVIEWED | COLLABORATIONS | PARTNERSHIPS | SIGN UP TO THE NEWSLETTER