It’s been 10 years since former Wardrobe Stylist and Fashion Editor Chriselle Lim uploaded her first style tutorial to YouTube (which blew up, BTW). Not long after, she launched her wildly successful fashion and beauty blog, The Chriselle Factor, and became a household name, racking up more than a million followers! The married mom-of-two adorable daughters now has two NEW business ventures under her belt — more on that below. We caught up with the Insta Icon to chat parenting in a pandemic, the art of the pivot, and what she misses most about Fashion Month. Plus, messy houses and COVID chaos. Read on for our unfiltered interview.
Q: 2020 has been the year of the pivot! How have you had to shift, both personally and professionally, to thrive in this new virtual environment?
A: Personally, I’ve had to become much more flexible and adaptable with my schedule. I’ve always been one to separate work life from my home life, but 2020 has challenged all of us to merge our worlds together. It has been beautiful and messy, all at the same time. I’ve learned to be much more agile and forgiving with myself and to give myself grace, even on those days when I feel overwhelmed and anxious. Professionally, we’ve made some BIG pivots with our company Bümo. We basically started from scratch and had to create an entirely different business due to the pandemic, but it was probably one of the biggest blessings in disguise! BümoBrain was born out of necessity during the pandemic and is now serving thousands of families around the globe, giving them access to high quality early childhood education virtually through our program.
Q: You just launched your new podcast, Being Bümo, where you discuss all things parenting in a very real and raw way. What inspired you to take on this new venture? Any upcoming guests you’re super excited to have on?
A: I’ve always wanted to launch a podcast but was never able to commit to it until quarantine! During these troubling times parents need more support than ever, and that’s why I decided to launch Being Bümo in the midst of COVID-19. My hope is that these raw and vulnerable conversations will make parents feel less alone and supported during these times. We have an incredible lineup of guests, from Tia Mowry to Lisa Ling, Genevieve Padalecki, Kelly Leveque + more incredible experts in the field.
Q: Most epic #momfail moment?
A: When I realized that my kids have no clothes that fit them because they grow too fast. At one point my oldest was wearing pants that were going up to her knees, and my youngest daughter was only wearing oversized hand-me-downs from her older sister! Thank God for Dopple!
Q: Let’s talk Fashion Month! This is the first year in years you won’t be attending (because, 2020). What will you miss the most about it?
A: I’ll miss traveling to my favorite cities like Paris and Milan! I’ll also miss getting dressed up and seeing all of my fashion friends from around the globe!
Q: Best Fashion Month party you’ve ever been to? Favorite look you’ve ever worn?
A: Probably the Harper’s BAZAAR ICONS party in New York. I was wearing a black Oscar De La Renta dress!
Q: If someone only knew you from social media, how would they describe your life/experience as an entrepreneur? If they could see the reality behind the scenes, what would they see instead?
A: If they only knew me on social media they would think I have it all together and that my life is perfectly polished and put together. The real deal is that it’s SUPER chaotic on most days.. I’m usually running on little to no sleep and lucky if I’m able to change into a decent outfit and put makeup on for a Zoom Call. The act of having to juggle so many things at once now, between virtual learning and building a start up, all while trying to create content for my followers is a lot on any given day, but I absolutely love it!
Q: How has Covid changed you?
A: If the house is a mess, it’s ok — let it be. I have bigger things to worry about.
