Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Emelo.
Hi Lisa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey to becoming a personal stylist was anything but conventional. Before founding Lisa Emelo Style, I spent the early part of my career as a litigation attorney. While I eventually stepped away from the legal profession, I never could have imagined that my path to a second career would begin with one of the most challenging experiences of my life.
At 39, I was diagnosed with tongue cancer. I had never smoked, so the diagnosis came as a complete shock. What followed was a difficult journey involving surgery, intensive radiation, and a recovery that affected nearly every aspect of my life. I experienced significant weight loss, changes to my appearance, and lasting challenges with my mouth and swallowing. It was a time when so much felt outside of my control, and I had to learn how to navigate a new version of myself.
That experience changed my perspective in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. I came to understand firsthand how deeply our appearance can be connected to our identity, confidence, and sense of self. When your body changes and your life takes an unexpected turn, it can be difficult to recognize yourself, both physically and emotionally. I also learned that feeling good about how you look isn’t superficial. Sometimes, it’s one small but meaningful way to begin feeling like yourself again.
Fashion had always been an interest of mine, but I began to see it through a different lens. Clothing wasn’t just about trends or putting together a great outfit. It was about helping women and men feel confident, comfortable, and authentically themselves, especially during times of change.
I decided to pursue that passion professionally and trained with Stacy London, the celebrity stylist from TLC’s What Not to Wear. I was handpicked by Stacy and had the opportunity to work with her company, “Style For Hire,” for several years. I learned how to help women and men understand their bodies, identify their personal style, and use clothing to feel empowered rather than restricted by fashion rules.
Fifteen years later, I am the founder of Lisa Emelo Style, where I work with women and men to create wardrobes that reflect who they are and how they want to show up in the world. Through personalized styling, closet edits, personal shopping, virtual styling, and corporate workshops, I help clients discover what works for them to build confidence in their own style. I’ve worked with women and men at many different stages of life, from navigating career changes to experiencing body changes and new beginnings.
My work has also expanded to include editorial features, photoshoots, fashion events, and partnerships with retailers and shopping destinations such as Simon Malls. I’ve been fortunate to have my styling expertise featured in publications including USA Today, TODAY.com, and PEOPLE.
Today, what I love most about my work is the personal connection. I enjoy getting to know each client, understanding their lifestyle and challenges, and helping them see themselves in a new light. Sometimes, it’s about finding the perfect outfit for an important event. Other times, it’s about opening a closet full of clothes and finally feeling that there is something to wear.
My cancer journey is not the only thing that defines me, but it is an important part of the story that brought me here. It taught me resilience, gave me a deeper appreciation for life’s unexpected turns, and helped me recognize how powerful it can be to feel comfortable in your own skin.
I never would have chosen that experience, but I can see how it shaped the work I do today. What began as a personal journey of rebuilding became a career centered on helping women and men feel good about themselves. And that is what continues to inspire me: the opportunity to help people recognize that they don’t have to become someone else to feel confident. They simply need to discover and embrace the person they already are.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road hasn’t always been smooth, both personally and professionally. Looking back, I realize that some of the most challenging experiences in my life have also shaped the person I am today and influenced the work I do.
One of the most difficult chapters was my cancer diagnosis at 39. I had never smoked, so being diagnosed with tongue cancer came as a complete shock. The surgeries, intensive radiation, and recovery changed my life in ways I could never have anticipated. I experienced significant weight loss and lasting physical challenges, and I had to adjust to a new normal while finding my way back to feeling like myself. It taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of giving yourself grace when life doesn’t go according to plan. It also gave me a deeper understanding of my faith, but also, it helped me realize how closely our appearance can be connected to our identity and confidence. That understanding is something I bring to my work with clients every day.
Professionally, making the transition from litigation attorney to personal stylist was another leap of faith. I was entering an entirely new industry, and I had to establish myself, build credibility, and learn how to turn a passion into a business. It meant stepping outside my comfort zone, taking risks, and being willing to start over in many ways. I had to trust that I could bring the skills I had developed in my previous career into a completely different setting.
Building a small business has its own challenges, too. You’re responsible for so many aspects of the business, from serving clients and developing relationships to marketing yourself and finding new opportunities. There are inevitable disappointments, unexpected turns, and times when you have to reassess your approach. You learn quickly that success rarely happens overnight, and you have to be willing to keep showing up, even when things don’t go exactly as planned.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that you don’t have to have everything figured out to move forward. Sometimes, you simply have to take the next step and trust yourself enough to see where it leads.
I think my personal and professional experiences have made me more empathetic and more comfortable with change. That’s especially meaningful in my work because many of my clients are navigating transitions of their own, whether they’re returning to the workforce, experiencing changes in their bodies, entering a new stage of life, or simply trying to rediscover their personal style. I understand that change can affect how you see yourself, and I love helping women and men find ways to feel confident and authentically themselves again.
The road hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve learned that challenges don’t have to define you or determine what comes next. Sometimes, they can help you discover strengths you didn’t know you had and lead you toward a path you never imagined for yourself. For me, that path led to building Lisa Emelo Style, and I’m grateful that I get to do work that is not only creative but also genuinely meaningful to the people I serve.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Lisa Emelo Style is a trusted personal styling service that helps women and men feel more confident through the styling process. What sets Lisa Emelo Style apart is that my approach goes far beyond clothing. Of course, I want my clients to look great, but what matters most to me is helping them feel confident, comfortable, and authentically themselves. I believe personal style should reflect who you are, support the life you’re living, and help you feel your best in the world.
My background and personal experiences have shaped the way I approach styling. Before becoming a stylist, I was a litigation attorney, and my own journey through cancer taught me just how deeply our relationship with our appearance can affect our confidence and sense of identity. Having experienced firsthand what it feels like when so much of your life is outside your control, I bring a deep sense of empathy to my work. I believe fashion can be a powerful way to reclaim a sense of control, express who you are, and feel more like yourself again. I understand that our lives, bodies, careers, and priorities change, and sometimes our wardrobes need to evolve with us. I want my clients to feel understood, never judged, and to know that style isn’t about fitting into someone else’s idea of how they should look. It’s about discovering what works for them and embracing what makes them unique.
I’m also proud of the training and experience I’ve built over the past 15 years. I was handpicked by Stacy London of TLC’s What Not to Wear and had the opportunity to work directly with her for several years. That experience helped shape my styling philosophy, particularly the importance of understanding a client’s body, lifestyle, and personality rather than simply following trends or imposing a particular look.
I’m known for making style approachable, personal, and practical while still keeping it exciting. I love helping a client see the potential in pieces he/she already owns, find the missing items that make his/her wardrobe work harder, or discover a look he/she might never have tried on their own. Whether we’re editing a closet, shopping together, planning outfits for a special occasion, or building a wardrobe for a new chapter in life, my goal is to make the process collaborative and empowering. I want clients to leave not only with clothes they love but also with a better understanding of their own style and the confidence to get dressed independently.
What makes me most proud of Lisa Emelo Style is the relationships I’ve built with my clients and the trust they place in me. It’s incredibly rewarding when a client tells me they finally feel good in their clothes, that they get dressed without frustration, or see themselves differently after working together. Those moments remind me that what I do is about much more than a closet. It’s about helping someone reconnect with themselves and feel confident in how they present themselves to the world.
I’ve also been fortunate to share my expertise through corporate workshops, fashion events, photoshoots, and editorial features in publications including USA Today, TODAY.com, and PEOPLE. I’m proud of those opportunities, but the most meaningful measure of success is still the difference I can make for an individual client.
Ultimately, I want readers to know that personal style isn’t about changing who you are. It’s about expressing who you are, with confidence. You don’t need a completely new wardrobe, a particular body type, or an unlimited budget to develop great style. You need to understand what works for you, what makes you feel good, and how to make your wardrobe reflect your life today.
That’s what I want Lisa Emelo Style to stand for: thoughtful, individualized styling grounded in empathy, helping people feel more confident and in control of how they show up in the world, without ever losing what makes them uniquely themselves.
How do you define success?
I define success in a way that goes beyond professional accomplishments or business growth. Of course, I’m proud of what I’ve built with Lisa Emelo Style over the past 15 years, the clients I’ve worked with and the opportunities I’ve had. But for me, the most meaningful measure of success is knowing that my work makes a difference in someone’s life.
When a client tells me he/she feels more confident, sees himself/herself differently, or finally has a wardrobe that makes getting dressed feel good instead of frustrating, that’s success to me. I love helping men and women recognize their own potential and feel comfortable showing up as themselves, whether they’re navigating a career change, a new stage of life, or simply ready for a fresh perspective on their personal style.
On a personal level, my cancer journey taught me not to take life for granted and to appreciate the ability to keep growing, changing, and pursuing things that bring meaning to my life. It also reminded me that success doesn’t always look the way we originally imagined it. Sometimes, it’s about finding the courage to start over or embracing an unexpected path.
As a business owner, success also means building something that reflects my values, continuing to learn, and creating genuine relationships with the people I work with. I want Lisa Emelo Style to be known not just for great styling, but for the empathy, thoughtfulness, and personal attention behind the experience.
Ultimately, I define success as making a meaningful impact while continuing to grow. If I can help someone feel more confident, reclaim a sense of control during a time of change, or see themselves in a more positive light, then I know I’m doing something worthwhile. And if I can continue doing work I love while making that kind of difference, I consider that a wonderful success.
Contact Info:
- Website: www,lisaemelostyle.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisaemelostyle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisaemelostyle/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-emelo-style
