Kelly’s journey is a story of bold choices and relentless curiosity. From starting as cabin crew in Edinburgh to creating Dubai’s first personal brand agency, she has built a career that reflects courage, authenticity, and vision. In this Femest Magazine interview, Kelly shares her lessons, challenges, and why owning your story has been the key to her success.
Kelly, can you share a little about your journey and what led you to where you are today?
What started as a simple advert in a job centre over 23 years ago in Edinburgh offering a role as cabin crew with Emirates in Dubai, turned into a journey I could only have dreamed of. Landing in Dubai and spending those first few years travelling the world, experiencing new things, meeting incredible people, and being exposed to a city that was literally shaping the future… that undeniable energy of anything is possible became part of me.
I hung up my wings at 24 and launched my first business, the region’s first personal shopping and styling service. By 29, I had written a book on entrepreneurship and learned the ins and outs of growing a service-based business, working with luxury brands, celebrities, and even royalty.
Fifteen years later, after selling that business, I saw a new gap in the market. I realised that everything I’d built had come down to one thing, my personal brand. So I launched the first personal brand agency in the region… and it’s still the best thing I’ve ever done.
What experience first made you realize the power of personal branding?
For a long time, I’d had signs but couldn’t quote explain it. I had launched a book that had nothing to do with styling, I was doing speaking engagements that weren’t style related either, yet the opportunities were still coming to me. But the real aha moment happened when I was given the opportunity to work with Harvey Nichols.
Their PR and marketing team asked for collateral to promote me and the upcoming event. I sent everything over… and they came back saying it was all too “business” related. They didn’t want my company brand they wanted my brand. My own logo. My own identity.
That was the moment the penny dropped, you can have a business, but you are your own brand. And people choose to work with people.
You’ve built your career in Dubai. How has that city shaped the way you think and work?
Dubai has shaped everything about the way I think and work. It’s a city built on vision and you feel it the moment you arrive. That fast paced, future focused energy gets into your DNA, and suddenly you’re operating at a level you didn’t even know was possible.
What I love most is that everyone here wants to collaborate. There’s this collective belief that ideas can become reality quickly, and that creates an environment where you’re constantly inspired to push boundaries, think bigger, and move faster.Dubai my mindset and really made me believe that anything is possible with the right
people and the right energy around you.
In your view, what makes a personal brand feel real and memorable?
It’s a feeling. It’s how you make people feel, and that happens both online and offline. Your tone, your routine, your energy… It’s your invisible currency, and it has to match the personal brand you want to be known for.
Everyone already has a personal brand; the key is making sure it’s intentional. When your values, your message, and your presence align, that’s when your brand becomes real, memorable, and unmistakably you.
Many people find it hard to stay genuine online. How can they keep their voice honest and still grow?
The key is remembering that your personal brand isn’t about perfection, it’s about being real. People connect with honesty, energy, and consistency.
You don’t have to show every side of your life, but what you do share should reflect who you are, what you value, and how you want to be remembered. Know your audience, share content that matters, and don’t be afraid to show the person behind the brand. Your tone, your stories, your quirks, they’re what make you memorable.
I did a reel recently where I shared an AI prompt with things people often say about me like “you’re too much of a ___.” It turned each one into a superpower, and wow… what a game changer. Leaning into those qualities made me realise that’s exactly what makes me.
When you stay true to yourself, you attract the right people, opportunities follow naturally, and growth feels effortless because it’s aligned with you, not someone else’s idea of success.
With AI changing everything around us, how do you think it’s affecting how we tell our stories?
AI is changing a lot, but what it’s really doing is reminding us of the one thing it can’t replicate: our lived experiences. Our stories. Our voice. Our energy.
What AI does brilliantly is remove the barriers. It helps more people articulate their stories, express themselves with clarity, and build confidence in sharing their message.
But the magic, the emotion, the lessons, the perspective that always comes from you. It can help structure ideas, refine messages, and save time, and I love that. But the heart of storytelling hasn’t changed. If anything, it’s become even more important to show up as your real self. People are craving authenticity more than ever because so much content now feels the same. Your story becomes the differentiator. It’s the one thing no technology can ever copy.
What’s one mistake you often see people make when they try to stand out or be more visible?
The biggest mistake is trying to be someone else, copying what others do, chasing trends, or forcing a persona that isn’t them. Another huge one is not telling their story. People underestimate the power of sharing their experiences, lessons, and perspective.
Standing out isn’t about doing more or being louder; it’s about being authentic, leaning into your strengths, and showing the world your story in your way. When you embrace who you are quirks, experiences, energy, and all that’s what truly grabs attention and makes people remember you.
You started out as a stylist. What inspired you to move toward mentoring and building personal brands?
It was a really natural transition. After I sold my styling business, I was exploring what was next when one of my styling clients approached me for help with her TEDx talk not the clothes, but how she came across online and how to build her brand… what we now know as personal branding.
It suddenly clicked: everything she needed was exactly what I had done for myself. I had walked the path, built my own brand from scratch, and seen massive results. I knew I could help others do the same.
That was seven years ago, and back then, there was a lot of education involved because not everyone understood the importance of a personal brand. Now, everyone does and it’s been amazing to be part of that evolution.
Every journey has its challenges. What has been one of your biggest lessons so far?
There have been many, which is only natural in a 20-year business journey in a city that has literally been built around you. In the early days, systems and processes were tough. Banking felt prehistoric.
The overheads, the business fees, the admin things many small businesses elsewhere would never have to deal with were all part of the Dubai landscape. But in a strange way, it pushed you to do more and to level up quickly.
But the biggest lesson?
Don’t doubt yourself.
It’s something I still remind myself of today. Confidence isn’t a one-time achievement it’s a practice. And every time I’ve trusted my instincts, backed my ideas, and moved forward despite the uncertainty, it has always paid off.
What helps you stay creative and positive, even on tough days?
For me, creativity and positivity come from energy, the energy I create and the energy I surround myself with. A big part of that is routine. I’m at my best when I’m grounded: early nights, early mornings, moving my body, and making space to think. That rhythm keeps me centred, especially on the days that feel heavy.
I also get so much inspiration from the people I work with. When a client steps out of their comfort zone, hits a milestone, or sends a message sharing a win… that reminds me exactly why I do what I do. It lifts me instantly.
But most of all, I stay creative by staying curious, I love ot travel and paying attention to how people show up. That constant flow keeps me positive and keeps the ideas coming even when life feels full.
How do you define success for yourself now compared to when you first started?
I love this question because nobody has ever asked me this before.
In the early days, success was all about the financial goals, the invitations to the right parties, being seen in the places you thought you needed to be seen in, wearing the outfits you thought you needed to wear. It felt very external almost like ticking boxes.
But what I learned is that success isn’t a destination you arrive at and suddenly happiness is waiting there. It’s an inside job. It’s about loving the moments, finding a routine that supports you, and grounding yourself in what actually matters.
For me now, success looks very different.
It’s being in bed by 9 pm and at the gym by 5:30 am.
It’s standing on stages, inspiring others to take action.
It’s when a client messages me to say they stepped out of their comfort zone and achieved something they never thought possible.
I even keep what I call a “bank of happiness” screenshots of kind messages people have sent me. On the harder days, those reminders show me exactly why I do what I do.
What message would you like to share with women who want to show up boldly and own their stories?
There has never been and will never be anyone like you. Your experiences, your perspective, your story… they mean something. You always have something worthy to share, something that can inspire someone else, even if it feels ordinary to you.
I always say: ‘what is obvious to you is is amazing to others’.
You never know who is watching, who needs to hear your story, or who will take action because you showed up.
What stays with me the most is this: I never want to look back and feel I didn’t take enough action in my life. So show up, even when it feels scary. Share your story, even when it feels small. Boldness isn’t about being fearless, it’s about deciding that your voice matters. And it does.
