Full-blown geek is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when meeting Heidi Nazarudin, founder of the professional women’s style blog, The Successful Style, as well as President of Los Angeles-based blogger network The Blogger Babes. But don’t let the killer fashion sense fool you; you’re actually meeting a woman who graduated top of her class with a degree in Computer Science, an international globe-trotting investment banker, and a woman who was named CEO of a Tokyo-based Nasdaq technology company, all before she turned 28.
These days, Heidi’s quick ascent up the corporate ladder has led her to be an excellent Style Mentor and Executive Coach for women navigating sartorial and gender-specific workplace dilemmas.
Name: Heidi Nazarudin
Occupation: Professional Style and Career Blogger & Entrepreneur
Website: http://https://www.thesuccessfulstyle.com
Twitter Handle: @heidinazarudin
What are three words that best describe you?
Poised, polished and professional.
Tell us why you’re awesome in two sentences or less?
I became CEO of a listed company before age 30 but realized I wanted to do something entirely different so I quit (I mulled this over for 2 years before handing in my letter of resignation, though). My family and friends were convinced I was going to starve to death but now 5 years later, I’m a productive full-time writer and blogger living life on the beach in Santa Monica, CA .
What are your three biggest indulgences?
My biggest and most expensive indulgence is handbags. I collect beautiful pieces that I display on my “handbag tree”. I also love cats but I can’t have any because a family member is severely allergic so I watch a LOT of cat videos. I’m also a chocolate chip cookie addict.
What’s currently your favorite…
Restaurant: Nobu in Malibu – gorgeous views, food, décor, everything.
Shopping Destination: Hong Kong. The selection and choices are unbelievable.
Hangout: Café Bortega, 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica
City: Santa Monica and New York City
Food: In an ideal world, I would eat ice cream all day long. But since I need to fit into my clothes, I love Japanese food. Healthy and delicious.
Cocktail: A well-made caipirinha
Book/Author: David Sedaris’ works always make me laugh hysterically.
Song/Artist: Too many to choose from
Website: Currently loving penelopetrunk.com
Magazine: Entrepreneur and Vanity Fair
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Rude and inconsiderate people. Oh and internet trolls. I think it’s such a cowardly thing to post negative comments anonymously.
If you could have dinner with anyone (living or not) who would it be?
Audrey Hepburn. She was elegance personified.
What does it mean to you to have a strong, engaging brand and how has having one helped you?
A strong brand is a brand that fits your personality and values. Having a strong brand helps me focus my message towards readers that truly identify with me. A strong brand is also often polarizing. You will get a lot of fans, and a lot of people who don’t like you. And that’s okay.
What is your #1 tip for fellow women entrepreneurs?
Embrace mistakes/failures as learning opportunities. If you are making mistakes or if you failed, that means you are learning and improving.
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