At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Sima Jaisinghani Babani for an exclusive interview with us. She is an Entrepreneur, Image Consultant, Coach, Leader, Advisor, Model, Change Enabler and Founder of Sima Image Management. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, background and advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Sima:
We are aware of your contribution to the ecosystem, talk us through your background and your journey as a women entrepreneur, please;
At 51, I have seen and dealt with a lot of things and come a long way with loads of experience of real facts of life and have dealt with a teenage daughter and a teenage son (now an adult).
I rejoice and resonate with “I AM MY CELEBRATION”, so the connection with the clients and making them comfortable, is not a task, instead a cakewalk. In fact, today, able to hit the bulls’ eye. Being in this profession, I say am blessed.
My housewife clients (from one-to-one consultation) when transferred to an entrepreneur successfully with their hidden talent, is something not to be missed.
The underprivileged teens, (from a workshop for an NGO) when bangs the job with their interview skills. And, wedded bride, (from one-to-one consultation) when sails smoothly in her new home, with new family members, with her etiquette, grooming, appearance.
My teenage client knows the right technique of makeup and shops wisely. All this makes me happy & proud.
Here is my Background and learnings:
> Graduation from Bangalore University,
> Certified NIIT, Bangalore
> Certified Fashion designer in 1990
> An artist till date,
> Vice President at Sunraj.co.in (USA) – 20 Years
> Co-founder at Ashana Reality Corp (USA) – 15 Years
> Certified from Gemological Institute of America.
> Certified in Graphic Art, Mumbai
> Certified Micro-soft office
> Certified in Film Editing, Mumba
> Business Head – Sima Image Management Association – SIMA. Mumbai.
> Renowned member of BNI – Business Network International, Mumbai
> Renowned member of IMPA – Image Management Professionals Association. INDIA.
> AICP – Association of Image Consultants International USA
> British School of Etiquette – UK.
> Certified Sabina Merchant Master Class, Mumbai
> Certified Bobby Brown Master Stroke Class. Mumbai
*Aspiring Astro Vaastu with medical Astro and Numerologist. Mumbai *COLOUR ANALYSTS -, personality & Therapy, Switzerland, (Basel) *Certified Luxury brand Management from London School of Trends *Aspiring certified wine educator -Sonal Holland Wine Academy, (WSET) Latest ——- *Beauty Pageant -2 – 15.06-2022- winner of Miss and Mrs India international- Dubai 2022, with 4 titles & 2 crowns, 1 trophy 🏆.
Finalist Milestone Miss & Mrs India International – Dubai 202 -Mrs India International Plus Size – Sima Babani -Mrs India International Beauty with the brain – Mrs India International Timeless Beauty – 29-sept-2022, Winner of Miss and Mrs Global international.
Beauty pageant – Turkey 2 titles, 2 crowns and 🏆1 trophy. -Finalist Milestone Miss & Mrs Global International -Istanbul 2022 -Mrs Global International Intellectual – Sima Babani Next —— * On board as Jury in the coming pageant in Jan 2023 – Dubai.
Where did the idea to start SIMA Image Management come from? What was the inspiration?
I have been a fashion designer since 1990, and a painter from the age of 7. I wanted to do something in a similar field, something out of the box.
What is better than an IMAGE COACH? Where technically I am working on the image with the colour palette of an individual as a project.
Here, I say, fashion is sold, style is created, so, an image consultant innovates the style, as every image has one, which further becomes a signature style or creates the brand.
This is something I love to do and I would say Sima Image Management is for the needy, who have suddenly been introduced to a vacuum in their life and are not able to elevate in life as they have been outdated from society, therefore, being de-motivated and low in confidence.
It is also to those who have struggled to come to a point and have realized that a bit of polishing and poise with etiquette is required to further move on in their professional life.
In a fast-moving business world, why is Image Appearance so important?
It takes only 3 secs to create the first impression. Whenever we step out of the house, & into society, we get judged. Our appearance strongly influences other people’s perception of our:
Personality /Values /Financial Success /Authority/Trustworthiness /Intelligence /Suitability for hire or promotion.
Hence it is very important that u make your image & not let it break. It has become quite mandatory to refashion your looks, transform your personality and revolutionize your confidence.
Fortunately, “IMAGE IS AN ILLUSION “, Can Style it by dressing up as per the culture, society & occasion, elevating your impression to commute to the world confidently, as clothes also do speak, and create a positively powerful impact.
So, if you want to be judged as; Capable/professional/successful/wealthy/intelligent, You need to manage your image right.
Despite challenges and hurdles, you keep moving forward; what keeps you going?
Without huddles there is no life, the essence of life is in dealing with these hurdles in a skill full manner with the help of soft skills.
Just like, for fire, we have water, for darkness, there is light for hurdlers in life we have soft skills.
If you believe that the difficulties you face in life, do not come to destroy you, instead they come to show you exactly what you are made of and just how strong you really are, your life gets smooth.
You have learned so much in life and played various roles in different capacities, what’s your secret mantra or advice that you pass on to your clients/students?
Well, don’t know about that, but yes, as a soft skill trainer, I say, whatever we face in life, we got to face it smartly and wisely! Of course, everyone has their own strengths, ability, intellect etc. to deal with it.
With the help of soft skills, one can brilliantly come out courageously & confidently, whether he chooses to face or has been chosen to.
For me, personally, at 50 now, played multiple roles in my life span, where lots of hurdles I dealt with & today I proudly stand by this statement “I AM MY CELEBRATION”
You transform your clients from women to ladies and how do you help transform their lives?
Well, there is a famous quote from Marilyn Monroe – “Your clothes should be tight enough to show you are a Woman and loose enough to show you are a Lady.”
I just love this, because it goes very well. I see this as, when you say “a Woman”, she’s God-made, but “a Lady“, an image consultant made, because being a lady is a matter of choice.
A Lady is well groomed, perfectly dressed, with perfect poise & the message passed is dignified, graceful, trustworthy etc. Her skills are sharpened & therefore setting an example.
What is the key differentiator between you and your competitors? Why should people choose your services?
At my age I have passed through different stages in life, making it easy to connect with my clients.
The real-life experience also helps me to understand the clients’ life stages & provide them with more practical solutions. Thus advising & make them implement the solution to the positive change, a part of their life.
Personal presentation (communication skills and appearance) influences people’s behaviour toward you, including:
> Trusting you with information.
> Hiring you or purchasing your product.
> Complying with your request.
> Giving you access to decision-makers.
> Paying you a certain salary or fee for contracted business.
These perceptions and behaviour leave a persistent, long-term impression among observers. Your image can have a significant impact on your happiness by affecting the development of personal relationships.
It is therefore essential to create a positive first impression, both on personal and professional fronts, by managing your image.
How important is first impression? How do you manage both individual and corporate clients?
As we know, the first impression forms in three sec and has a significant and measurable effect on the observer. Our appearance strongly influences other people’s perception of our Personality, Values, Financial Success, Authority, Trustworthiness, Intelligence, and Suitability.
Also, our personal presentation (communication skills and appearance) influences people’s behaviour towards us. These perceptions and behaviour leave a persistent, long-term impression among observers, and it is essential to create a positive first impression, both on personal and professional fronts, by managing our image.
For corporations and other organizations, the image can affect the financial bottom line. Fortune Magazine’s annual ranking of the most admired companies has found a correlation between a company’s image and its profits.
Companies can have huge success benefits by creating a positive image. To sail in all these, smoothly, and effortlessly with the client, Sima works on their, Lifestyle evaluation, personal style evaluation, body fit and fashion, colour analysis, cluster planning, and wardrobe evaluation.
SimaBabani is the Business Head of SIMA Image Management and has 25 years of experience as Vice President in a company based in the USA.
Great expertise, vibrancy, and enthusiasm in all creative process of image enhancement, keeps her way ahead of the curve. Kindly peruse the following snippet of Sima speaking about her consulting services and achievements with Women Entrepreneur India.
How are your services acting as an enabler of a perfect image to your clients?
With my image consulting and colour analysis services client,
– Discovers the clothing shapes that FLATTER the body type, affordable styles that capture the personality, and how to make them work for their lifestyle.
– Discover your WOW style, getting an image, fashion, and wardrobe clarity.
– Learns’ the art of MIX &MATCH and smartly buy a new outfit that fits and flatters your style.
– Discovers the WOW colour that goes well with your skin tone and hairstyle and body type.
– Know the TRICKS of clustering and accessories
– Building a FUNCTIONALABLE wardrobe that fits the personality, lifestyle, and body type. When learned what works for you and what does not, saves u MONEY and TIME.
– Learn the hidden SECRETS of budget shopping/ plan, and shop wisely for every outfit.
To get perfection, I use the strategy of ABC of the science of the first impression, as in, A stands for Appearance, B stands for Behaviour/Grooming/Etiquette, C stands for communication skills (visual, vocal, verbal).
How did Covid’19 impact your business and what are the changes you implemented?
Taking this pandemic as a blessing, I have indulged in one of the topics from my package, have done a workshop and one-to-one consultation, as the topic is CURATING FUNCTIONABLE WARDROBE (decluttering the wardrobe).
Benefiting in mix and matching, where u save money and time when u shop and u curate a capsule wardrobe too. The trick is that, from your existing wardrobe u can re-use, re-shop and re-style!
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
Startup entrepreneurs have to work a bit harder, need to work on their self-image, self-confidence, capability, and credibility, as they have to get their idea across to someone else to influence opinion or action for their success of their respected domains.
Intelligence, knowledge, ability, initiative, and effort are vital to the success of any kind and ongoing Image management can give the personal or professional presence that one needs, as Image management is not universal, each individual has their own authentic style, & the image they carry need to match their profession & life stage.
My message to young women entrepreneurs:
“Go after your dreams and make it big, no one is worth to get it suppressed for”
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
