In episode five of the latest series of our Sisterhood Works podcast, we spoke with Interior Designer extraordinaire, Kelly Hoppen CBE, on finding balance, leaning on her sisterhood and the journey behind building her multi-million-pound empire.

Interior Designer and one of the UK’s most recognisable businesswomen, Kelly Hoppen CBE, joined us to share her thoughts on how post-pandemic life may shape the world of work, and how we can use our learnings to instill a brighter, more balanced future. We had the privilege of delving beneath this formidable female leader’s exterior, to uncover how her business-mind is built on a glass-half-full mentality and a passion for life, not to mention a penchant for a few cocktails with her sisterhood! Here’s just some of what we learned from our wonderful conversation.

Listen to the podcast episode here.

1. Build A Routine, Change Your Mindset

Over the past 12 months, life for everyone has taken a dramatic shift. Working from our kitchen tables, home-schooling and a complete overhaul of our day-to-day reality has played havoc with the one thing that keeps the majority of us on track: a solid, fail-safe routine.

Kelly shared that she is “somebody that loves to look outside of the box, then look back in”, and that her reflective nature was down to meditation, and importantly during the pandemic, not turning straight to negative news stories come the morning. “I think of every day as a clean slate, and more than ever, it’s time to get yourself into a routine,” she told AllBright co-founder, Debbie Wosskow OBE. “You need to have a structure, even if you’re out of work. It’s the time now to look at what you want to be, and what you could be.” 

2. Approach Change With A Positive Outlook

Change can be scary, especially the kind that feels as though it’s completely out of our control. But if there’s one thing we learnt about Kelly from our podcast episode, it's that she has the aptitude to apply a positive spin to many of life's more challenging moments. “We are never going to be the ‘normal’ we were before. We’ve got to prepare ourselves for a different world and make it a better world,” she shared. “Embrace this change rather than being fearful, and try and channel this positivity to create something."

3. Make The 'New Normal' Work For You

Encouraging us all to “look at what was normal before” and assess what we liked – and what we loathed – about pre-pandemic life, Kelly advised us to think about what we really want, write it down, and make it happen. “I’m 60 and I’ve been saying for the last five years that I would like to do a three-day week in the studio, and I’ve learnt that I could do that – and that I deserve that!” she added.

Thinking about how we have all – with a focus on working parents – had to pivot and juggle to navigate the many bumps in the road that the last year has thrown our way, Kelly added that, “maybe there’s now a way that we can find a balance that works, because we’ve had to do it”.

4. “Small Steps, Everyday”

With so much time for self-reflection, it’s no surprise that many of us feel as though we’re missing the mark, or trailing behind where we’d like to be. But again, Kelly proved to us that there is power in highlighting the positives, picking yourself up and allowing yourself time.

“In every situation you’re in, you can decide if you take a positive view, or a negative. It’s what I try to instill in people every day, to remember that there’s always a way to get through,” she told us. As for the future of female entrepreneurship, Kelly shared that now, we're going to have to really focus on time. “Find the balance. You can still get the work done, but you have to have your ‘me-time',” she reflected. “I still work as hard as I have ever worked! I think that time management is really important, and the lockdown has taught me a lot about that. One of the things that I’ve loved about lockdown is not rushing.”

5. Your Vulnerability Is Your Superpower

We all know Kelly as a powerhouse female entrepreneur, but notably, she hasn’t always been the boldest woman in business. “I think people think I’m this real social butterfly, but actually, I spent many years very shy and on my own. I felt very much that I didn’t fit into many social scenes. We often look at others and think – ‘oh, she has the perfect life!’ – believe me, it hasn’t always been that way.”

But it’s Kelly’s vulnerability – and the journey that she has been on - that has made her the inspiring woman she is today. “As a woman in business, you’re seen in a certain light, but you’re just as vulnerable and fragile as everyone else; you have to put on a show at times,” Kelly told us. In our minds, having the power to be vulnerable as a leader makes you an unstoppable force.

6. Reflect On How Far You’ve Come

It’s easy to obsess about the areas in which you’re yet to succeed, so much so, that we often forget to celebrate how far we’ve come. “What I love about my age now is the wisdom that I have. I wish I had that when I was younger,” Kelly shared.

“I am a typical Leo. I just like doing things in the spur of the moment,” she added. “I fell in love too quickly, I have such a visual mind that I was able to visualise situations that didn’t even exist. But I probably wouldn’t change much. The tapestry of my life is what’s made me who I am today.”

7. Sisterhood Matters, Now More Than Ever

Kelly revealed to us that she has a long-term love for a certain show that champions all things sisterhood - Sex And The City. But sitcoms aside, we’re in total agreement that a coffee (or glass of wine) and catch up with your closest female friends can sometimes be the tonic you need to step forward as your most productive, happiest and best-supported self.

“You know how great you feel when you come back from a cocktail with a few girlfriends? You realise some of the feelings you’re having, they’re having – and the whole world is having – and you’re not alone,” Kelly shared. “Women are so good at banter, and supporting each other, and I’ve actually made stronger friendships through this, with women I’ve known for a long time, and some that I haven’t. I think a lot of positivity can come out of leaning on each other."

8. Embrace New Opportunities, But Have A Strategy

A year of change has left many of us seeking a fresh start. With the current shift in our way of working opening up new potential career paths, Kelly agrees that there’s no better time than now to start making steps towards your goals, if you remain strategic about what they are.

“If people can be open to networking, you’ve currently got the biggest audience of your life - so use it. I’ve never known a time when you can put something out on Instagram and get such a response! There’s a possibility here of people carving a way for themselves which could be better for them,” she told us. On the world of business itself, Kelly shared; “I think there will be different opportunities, and different ways of doing business, where people will be more authentic. I hope that’s the case, and we don’t fall back into old ways.” But ultimately, there is power in thinking past pandemic life, and having caution in your approach to ensure that your current bright idea has the longevity to survive. “Think very carefully about what you want to do right now, don’t shoot from the hip because we’re in this time,” she said. “Strategise and plan exit and entry very carefully, don’t go and do something wild after a night of tequila and throw your job in right now! Be sensible.”

9. Make Your Home Your Sanctuary

For the most part, many of us have spent much of the last year looking at the same four walls, and with remote working looking to become a regular fixture for some, how can we make a house, a home?

“Your home should be the place that you feel the best,” Kelly told us. “It’s where you sit, where you think and download, where you love, and capture all of those moments, so it has got to feel right for you. Sometimes we rush, and don’t give enough thought to our homes. So I’m hoping that now, everyone’s looking at their homes and thinking – you know what, I’m going to make this better!” she added.