what legally blonde taught me about selling yourself

elle woods walked into harvard law in head-to-toe pink and everyone decided they knew exactly who she was. she didn’t change to fit in. she did the work, and she won the case because of who she was, not in spite of it.

i think about that film a lot. when i started big wild thought at 21, plenty of people assumed a young woman selling pretty things wasn’t running a “real” business. it turned over £1m in 18 months.

1. your “too much” is your brand

the bits of you that feel a bit much are usually the bits people remember. elle’s pink scented cv was ridiculous, and it got her in the room. don’t sand down your personality to sound like everyone else.

“what, like it’s hard?” is the energy. it is hard. do it anyway.

2. know your stuff, then say it out loud

elle won with a fact about perms. the lesson isn’t “be lucky”, it’s “know your customer better than anyone else”. when you know exactly who you’re selling to, selling stops feeling awkward.

3. don’t wait to be taken seriously

people will judge the way you look, the way you talk, or the fact you’re doing it with a baby on your hip. you don’t need their permission. you need a plan, and the confidence to keep showing up.

1. post the thing you’re scared to post
2. tell people what you sell, every week
3. ask for the sale, without apologising

and if you need someone in your corner while you do it? you know who to call.