When most of us think about style, we picture clothes, shopping, or maybe runway trends. But in my recent Business Origin Stories conversation with Ellie Steinbrink, a stylist who left behind a twenty-year marketing career, I was reminded that true style is about something much deeper: empowerment, authenticity, and learning to trust yourself.
Her journey from corporate burnout to building a business rooted in personal expression holds lessons for all of us who want to show up more fully in our lives. What she teaches goes far beyond picking outfits and into choosing confidence and standing out as your truest self.
From Marketing to Meaning
Ellie spent two decades building brands for other people. She climbed the ladder, earned the promotions, and reached the title she thought she wanted—Director of Client Service at an ad agency. But once she arrived, she realized the role didn’t bring her joy. Burnout set in, and even with a supportive company and access to coaching, she struggled to articulate what she truly wanted. All she knew was this: she wanted more balance, more presence for her children, and a sense of alignment that was missing.
The turning point came through a mix of meditation, reflection, and eventually a pandemic layoff that forced her hand. Instead of retreating back into safety, Ellie leaned into the vision that had been whispering to her since childhood: a career in styling. What began with posting her daily outfits on Instagram grew into a thriving business helping women discover not just what to wear, but who they are when they step into their clothes with confidence.
Style as an Inside-Out Process
When Ellie works with clients, she doesn’t start with a shopping trip. She begins with visioning exercises, color discovery, and body shape awareness. These are the guardrails that help women align their style with their energy, not just their appearance. By focusing on how clothing makes them feel: energized, powerful, and authentic, Ellie helps her clients choose outfits that reflect their truest selves.
This process often involves:
- Style Visioning: Imagining what you’d love to wear in real-life situations, free from “shoulds.”
- Color Energy: Identifying power colors that shift your confidence and presence.
- Body Alignment: Learning silhouettes that complement your natural shape so clothes work with you, not against you.
By the time clients step into a store or open a shopping cart, they’ve already done the deeper work. The clothes simply become an extension of their self-trust.
The Ripple Effect of Authentic Style
Ellie insists that style is never just about clothes. When a woman gives herself permission to stand out instead of blend in, everything changes. She shows up differently in her business. She pitches bigger ideas. She sets healthier boundaries. She leads with more presence. Style becomes a training ground for self-trust that extends far beyond the closet.
She tells clients often: “Standing out is the goal. Fitting in is not.” That mindset shift takes bravery, but the payoff is magnetic. Just like a brand differentiates itself to attract the right customers, your style differentiates you to the world, signaling confidence and clarity.
If you’re ready to rewrite your own rules, Ellie offers a free Style Mindset Reset guide, available here.
🎧 You can listen to the full episode here on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
