Episode 15 - Creating Beautiful Content and Body Confidence with Mel Carrero
** Scroll down for FULL TRANSCRIPT **
If you’re one of the millions who’ve fallen in love with the dreamy aesthetic behind fashion label Spell and the Gypsy Collective, then you’ve admired the work of marketing and content genius Mel Carrero.
Mel says the secret to creating content that sells is to tell a compelling story, but it’s Mel’s own story of embracing body confidence that’s rapidly gaining her a loyal following and inspiring other women to feel better about the skin they’re in.
In this incredible chat you’ll learn how Mel created her dream job; what she’s learned about confidence from working with some of the world’s best known influencers; how to take advantage of the evolving opportunities for more diverse voices in the changing media landscape; and how Mel learned to own and celebrate who she is.
Let’s claim our confidence, with Mel Carrero
Links:
Follow Mel on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/melcarrero_/?hl=en
Spell Clothing
Books -
Daring and Disruptive by Lisa Messenger
https://shop.collectivehub.com/products/daring-disruptive
Girlboss by Sophie Amaruso
https://www.booktopia.com.au/-girlboss-sophia-amoruso/book/9780241217931.html
Katrina Blowers on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/katrinablowers/?hl=en
MORE:
For more confidence tips and behind-the-scenes: follow @claimingyourconfidence and @katrinablowers on Instagram
FULL TRANSCRIPT
CYC Ep15 - Mel Carrero
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
people, spell, confidence, friends, fashion, brand, Instagram, job, started, bit, guess, feel, influencer, models, called, terms, creative, pictures, beautiful, shooting, influencer, social media
SPEAKERS
Mel Carrero, Katrina Blowers
Katrina Blowers 00:29
If you're one of the millions who fallen in love with the dreamy aesthetic behind fashion label Spell then you've admired the work of marketing and content genius, Mel Carrero. Mel says the secret to creating content that sells is to tell a compelling story. But it's actually Mel's own story of embracing body confidence that's rapidly gaining her a loyal following and inspiring other women to feel better about the skin they're in. In this incredible chat, you'll learn how Mel created her dream job, what she's learned about confidence from working with some of the world's best-known influencers, how to take advantage of the evolving opportunities for more diverse voices in the changing media landscape. And how Mel learned to own and celebrate who she is. Let's claim our confidence with Mel Carrero.
Hi, Mel. I'm so excited to talk to you. Thank you so much for making time to talk to me.
Mel Carrero
Of course, my pleasure.
Katrina Blowers 02:22
Now, we always begin these podcast interviews… because I don't have video, it's just an audio thing, asking all of our guests what you're wearing right now and where you are so people can picture you in their minds.
Mel Carrero 02:37
Okay, it's not very glamorous, but I'm actually wearing nice Spell leopard print track pants and like very bougie, studded shoes, which was the nice part of the outfit. However, the top I was wearing today, just got baby milk spilled all over it because I went to visit my friend on the way home before doing this podcast. And for some reason the milk from the bottle like spilled all over my shirt. So now I'm wearing a sweatshirt that says Montauk that I bought in Montauk last year. And I am sitting in my rec room which is the only space in my house that is yet to be renovated. Me and my husband have been renovating a house for five years. And when I say ‘we’ I haven't been doing any of it. He's been doing all that. And I'm watching the sunset outside my window. So, it's kind of very messy in here but a beautiful view.
Katrina Blowers 03:28
Oh my gosh, that sounds so beautiful. And leopard print tracksuit pants and studded sneakers sounds pretty awesome to me. I gotta tell you.
Mel Carrero 03:36
Yeah, they're very comfortable and very cool.
Katrina Blowers 03:42
So, everyone would kind of know you where you're at right now, which looks like the big success story but there's always a path to get there. And I know from you that you like another guest of mine, Samantha Wills, you grew up in Port Macquarie, so amazing that a small town like Port Macquarie has produced all of these incredible creatives.
Mel Carrero 04:05
Yeah, um, I like to think that I'm in the same league but I'm totally not Samantha Wills, she's a friend of mine, but we didn't grow up together. I think she was a few years older than me in school so I think like maybe she would have been in year 11 and I would have been in year seven but she's definitely an idol of mine. Like I feel like a lot of my marketing inspiration came from her brand and I have been working with her like even before I worked at spell for many years as a fan of the brand and then shooting her content to like wearing it as well. So yeah, my journey with her in particular is amazing. And the girls who own Zulu and Zephyr, actually also from Port Macquarie in terms of the fashion space.
Katrina Blowers 04:54
It’s extraordinary, isn't it? I love that. Port Macquarie represent! So, what were you like when you were little? Because I know a lot of people have spoken about the job that you do now and how you've literally kind of invented it because this job that you do didn't exist when you were a little girl. So, were you creative? Right from when you were little?
Mel Carrero 05:17
Yes, I would say so. I mean, a lot of the pictures of me when I'm a small girl, I'm like, during a chalkboard or like crafts and things, I definitely wasn't like an outdoorsy kid as much as I was a creative kid. And whether that was like, you know, making a dance or performance or making something.
Katrina Blowers 05:35
Definitely. And I read that one of your jobs that you had when you're at school was working at sportsgirl. Is that right? at uni? Yes. uni. I worked at sports girl as well.
Mel Carrero 05:48
I feel like so many people I know. Like, yeah, in the industry sort of had a career in sportsgirl!
Katrina Blowers 05:54
I got so lucky. Because when all of my friends were working at McDonald's, I was 15 or 16. And so I was still at high school. And I somehow landed this job at sportsgirl. And they made me visual merchandiser. And it was just the most incredible job because I got to, you know, dress the mannequins and walk around saying, you know, I think that pile of T shirts would look better over here. My friends were so jealous.
Mel Carrero 06:21
When I was in high school, I was working in a fish and chip shop. I was definitely not in fashion retail. That was like the dream to like work in fashion. No way.
Katrina Blowers 06:43
Now Samantha Wills said that, you know, in order to be it, you have to see it. And I know growing up in Port, you obviously loved fashion. But where did you get kind of get the dream that would take you along your path? Where did you see that inspiration?
Mel Carrero 07:04
Here's the funny thing. I don't think that I even considered a career in fashion until after I left school. So, I didn't study like textiles or anything at school. It just wasn't something I thought about. What I wanted to do was become a video editor. Ah, so I like applied for my degree. And then I had moved to Sydney for my gap year and sort of started falling in love with fashion. And a friend of mine, he’s also from Port, was studying fashion design, and sort of inspired me because I really loved going op shopping. I'd love styling my friends, like all through high school, when I would go pick out their social outfits, or a good friend of mine used to do like modelling competitions. And I would like pick her outfits for her. So, I definitely was styling people all along. And like since I was a kid dressing up my Barbies, but I didn't think about that as a job until my friend was like you should do something in fashion. And I was like, oh, maybe I should but I'd already chosen my degree and gotten into my degree.
Katrina Blowers 08:01
So, what was that?
Mel Carrero 08:02
I did a Bachelor of media majoring in video production and minor in marketing. Oh, and journalism as well. Yeah, so nothing to do with fashion.
Katrina Blowers 08:13
You worked for a stint at the Northern Rivers Echo. Is that right?
Mel Carrero 08:17
Yeah.
Katrina Blowers 08:18
Yeah, that's so cool. And so, you were, you're obviously honing your photography skills. And I read that you were styling your friends and taking photos of that. And what you didn't realise then was that you were actually creating content. What we call content now.
Mel Carrero 08:36
Yes. Yeah, it wasn't cool content then. I don't know what it was, just photoshoots and just for fun, no reason. No money. Yeah.
Katrina Blowers 08:43
And so like those early days of, you know, just taking pictures of your friends at festivals and things like that, you know, going back to confidence, I guess that was a beautiful opportunity for you to start building that confidence in your creative vision and what sets you apart from other people quite early on. Just describe how you got that creative vision and created and developed that for yourself.
Mel Carrero 09:14
Honestly, I think because I was doing my degree here in Lismore at Southern Cross University, but I had this real passion for fashion and I just like wanted to work in fashion. So, I had like part time jobs in fashion. Like just fashion retail chains, I thought I wasn't going to be able to get the job that I wanted here. So, whilst I was here and not knowing like when I could move to Sydney, I got the Northern Rivers Echo job and started shooting that content. Then I worked for a boutique marketing firm. And then I was the marketing manager for the shopping centre here in Lismore square and during that time, I tried to make that role fashion orientated. But it wasn't really going to happen. Because the stores there weren't, you know, ‘fashion fashion’, there wasn't even sportsgirl going in that centre.
Katrina Blowers 10:10
It was like goodness, what kind of centre was this?!
Mel Carrero 10:14
It was like Noni B and you know, Suzanne Gray and the like. So, it was never going to be that job. So, I continued doing photoshoots with friends, or sometimes turning into paid work, like pretty much every single weekend while I worked there. I guess in the back of my mind, it was just like, I need to have something extra on top of what I'm doing in marketing, to show somebody in Sydney when I'm applying for a job that I can do this. So, it was kind of like me building a portfolio. I guess I wasn't thinking about it like, to build a following or anything like that. It was more like, oh, if I had this like work portfolio of extra stuff that I do, and connect to certain people, then it will help me. And obviously it did, but not in the way I thought it would.
Katrina Blowers 11:01
I know. And that's what I love about life. And looking back and joining all the dots is that you always tend to get there, you get to your goal, but never really in the way that you think you're going to, right?
Mel Carrero 11:13
Yeah, no way. Yeah.
Katrina Blowers 11:16
So, you did make it to Sydney for a little bit, didn't you?
Mel Carrero 11:19
Prior to this and then I never went back. I lived there for nine months between school and university. And all I wanted to do the whole time I was at uni was get back to Sydney because I really loved working there. And I thought this is the only place I'm going to be able to have that dream career in some sort of fashion like either magazine, ecommerce brand, whatever it was.
Katrina Blowers 11:41
And so, when you were doing all of these shoots with your friends on the weekends, and styling them and all the rest of it, were you trying to consciously create like your own aesthetic, or were you borrowing from other creative influencers? How did you come up with your own thing?
Mel Carrero 12:00
Oh, that's a tough one. Because the original reason I started taking the photos myself is just because I couldn't afford a photographer. So, I didn't really want to be a photographer. I wanted to be a stylist. So, it wasn't necessarily me creating a photography aesthetic. No. And I don't even know if I really have one, other than at festivals. Like, I don't think that I have a signature look to this day of how I shoot. Not my own content, that has me in it, obviously. But like when I shoot other people, I used to shoot other people. So, I would say I was probably trying to borrow from other people who were inspiring me because I don't think I really cared about being a good photographer. It was more like what was in it.
Katrina Blowers 12:38
So, I have read that when you replying for the job at Spell, which must have been a fledgling company, or was it already established?
Mel Carrero 12:54
It was about six years old at the time. And they were established in the sense that I was probably like, employee number 25 or something like that. I don't even know I should find that that number. Definitely not small. They had just had a growth spurt, essentially. But since that time, I think the company would have maybe tripled?
Katrina Blowers 13:19
Yeah, it's definitely exploded onto a lot of people's consciousness. Now, I read that when you were applying for the job, it was after you had read Lisa Messenger’s book: Daring and Disruptive. Did that light a bit of a fire in you?
Mel Carrero 13:36
I think lighting a fire is probably like too much. But what it did was it made me realise after I read it, that I don't want to be an entrepreneur. Nothing to do with like, I thought the book was super inspirational. But I was like, you know, I don't really care about having my own company. I just want to work for somebody and something that I really believe in. And I loved the job that I was in at the time. The company that owns was Lismore Square, it was like super awesome family run. It's definitely not like a big shopping centre. You know, horrible people. They're an amazing family run business, but it was never going to be what I wanted it to be in terms of like the full fashion focus. And I really loved spell, so I'd been doing work with them. And I was like, this is what I want to do. I want to work for somebody else. And so, the book taught me that I didn't want to be an entrepreneur. And I don't know why it gave me the confidence to text the owner of Spell and ask if they have any jobs.
Katrina Blowers 14:35
Well, I'm glad you did. And I'm sure they're glad you did. So, speaking of confidence to put yourself forward, I mean, the company was only six years old, but it was already a really successful brand. It was a step up for you at that point in your career. How did you sell that vision to them because while there was a job going it's not exactly the job that you do now.
Mel Carrero 14:59
The thing was, that there wasn't a job going. So, I had been doing festival photography work for about six months. So, I had done Splendor in the Grass. And the first one I worked with spell on, I shot a viral photo of a model called Annalise McLaughlin. And it went really well. And it was like, awesome for all of us, I guess, because they got super good engagement, the model like doubled her following overnight, like from 7000 to 15,000 followers in a night, I gained lots of followers from taking the picture too. So, we had this great working relationship. And I guess a rapport grew between me and Elizabeth, one of the owners of Spell, even though we hadn't met in person at this time. And I shot the full festival for them. And then it was during that Christmas break that I read, Daring and Disruptive and texted her. I just said to her, if there's ever any jobs going, like, I'd love to like think about joining the Spell team. But I didn't mean the job that they had, I was like, ‘I'll go pack orders in the warehouse and work my way up!’ I didn't really care what it was, I just was like, I need to do this because I was just over the other job. So, I was willing to take pay cuts, whatever it was. What happened was the day that I messaged her, my predecessor, who I'm good friends with now, Jamie Lee, who was at Spell from the very beginning, had resigned because she had gone through like probably a pretty hectic three years with Spell’s growth. And they were, they were basically at the time when I came on board, where they were staffing it, you know, they had the money to finally staff the company. But she had obviously like worked so so much and was ready to like have her next challenge. So the day that I messaged she resigned. So I was like, Whoa, this feels very Kismet. But they still went and advertised the role. And I applied as per normal. But yeah, I kind of had a foot in to say because they knew who I was and what I did. But they just thought I was a full-time photographer.
Katrina Blowers 16:50
Do you feel like in those early days, were you just kind of pinching yourself and almost like faking it to make it a little bit?
Mel Carrero 17:07
I think everybody was learning. And I probably was pretty confident because I was pretty good at my previous job. And like, I mean, the people who I worked for at the square were so supportive, and my previous boss to that, too had the boutique marketing firm was so supportive and like how good they thought I was like, a lot of my bosses, I've been so lucky in my time, like even my retail managers and everything, have been so supportive and believed in me so much. Because I guess when I work somewhere, I just like work there with like 150% passion, and like, go at it and work super hard and put in extra hours or whatever it needs to be.
So I was confident that like I have enough passion to do this. And I was confident in my connections. I had an interview right before Spell with another fashion brand who's based in Byron. And they ended up saying no to me, because they said that I didn't have a little black book of contacts for them. However, at that time, I was working at the Square, so I had no need for it. But I had been shooting like Jasmin Howell, who is the blogger Friend in Fashion, and I was making these connections anyway, like I shot rocky Barnes who was one of the big ones, she still is one of the biggest American influencer models.
So for no reason at all, I was making these connections. So I knew if I had a brand to work with that I would 100% be able to make those connections. But they kind of weren't willing to take a chance, which is fine. But I guess like during that time, I was like, Okay, I need to make these connections. So I tried to manage one of my friends who is an influencer to help during that time, and then got the job at Spell shortly after. So I think I was pretty confident.
And then the second thing too, was my manager actually came from Samantha Wills. So the good part was that when she was managing me, I knew everything she had just done in her previous job in terms of marketing, because I've been following the brands so closely, that like we were able to work on super cool ideas as well. So yeah, definitely like obviously, there's imposter syndrome moments, but I have a very close relationship to the owner, Elizabeth and we think the same, so it kind of just felt like it's okay. Like, yeah, like there might have been times that I stuffed up, but not really, we just kind of were all growing and learning as we went.
Katrina Blowers 19:22
And going back. How many years ago again is this when you joined Spell?
Mel Carrero 19:26
It was five years ago in April.
Katrina Blowers 19:30
Well, congratulations. Back then, like five years ago, I know it's not that long ago. But it is in other respects in that the way that marketing is done now is quite different I guess to a year ago, two years ago, let alone five years ago, and you were talking about influencers.
Getting your head around all of that and that evolving nature of the way that you can market a product now and on all the different platforms. Is that something that you've always been really excited to dive into? I know you had your blog, The Chubby Fashionista, which is such a cute name. You had that. And so, you've always been involved in digital media. Where did you get that passion from?
Mel Carrero 20:18
I started a blog during my digital media unit at university. And I was like, yeah, I'm gonna start doing blogs, but I was gonna write, I was all like, I'm gonna be a writer. That was like, my thing. I'm not even that great at writing. But that's what I was going to do. And then obviously, it turns more creative with the photography element. But I don't know if I was necessarily passionate about it, per se. But yeah, I definitely get excited about new platforms and like, how can we like manage this social media or like a new function? For sure,
Katrina Blowers 20:51
And the last five years, I'm sure you've seen like, you must have had to just evolve constantly with the way that you’re marketing products, you must have seen some real changes over that time.
Mel Carrero 21:05
I think there's just been more and more ways to present it in terms of obviously, different platforms, and then different features. So, when I started, Instagram was still Spell’s number one priority, and it's up there to this day, because they had like a pretty big following at the time. And it was before the algorithm had come in. So, everything was in a timeline. So, anybody who followed you saw everything, etc. And that was how they had built the brand, essentially. So, it was the priority. But yes, we didn't have Snapchat, we didn't have Instagram stories or any of that. So that's just been, like, evolving, when it comes to the type of content that we're creating. But I guess the basics of the business in terms of marketing or PR is the same, because it's all based on relationships.
Katrina Blowers 21:50
So, I know there's no like real typical day for you just in terms of us trying to organise this interview, like I'm here this day, and I'm doing this on another day. I was like, Wow, that's really cool. But if there was sort of a common denominator, like what are what are the kinds of things that you do in in a typical, quote, unquote, day?
Mel Carrero 22:11
It's definitely more typical, since COVID, has come through the world. Because obviously, I used to travel all the time as well. So there definitely wasn't a typical day. These days, it's quite different. Because you know, you can't gather you can't travel. So, it's a bit different. When it comes to like being in the office, or just giving an example for the office, it could be one of many things, but there might be like strategizing type of meetings, which that's something that's changed in my role over the five years that I've become more senior in the company, obviously, I'm working my way up. So, we might be like looking at overall strategy, or working through our marketing calendar and all of that. I could be helping copywriting I could be doing content; I could be posting to social media. And then like other times, it's like PR appointments. Byron is like crawling with celebrities at the moment. It really does change so much day to day. Lately, I've been in with the design team as well like reviewing collections with them. Yeah, it's just so varied all the time.
Katrina Blowers 23:33
Now, as this Spell juggernaut has, has grown, so too have the profiles of the creative team behind the scenes, including you, you've got a got a really sizable following on Instagram, your Instagram feed is really beautiful. Talk to me about when you started to step out and showcase yourself a bit more and what that was like.
Mel Carrero 23:59
Well, thank you first of all, Well, okay, so I had already been posting a lot to my Instagram prior to spell. I was like, not quite on 10,000 followers yet when I started working there. But I didn't step in front of the camera at that time. I think it took me a few years after Spell that I started being in front of the camera more because back in the day, I guess I grew my following by being a photographer, essentially. So, I was posting models all the time. And a lot of people are like messaging me like I don't get why your blog’s called the chubby fashionista. If you're shooting models all the time, like who are skinny. I would be like, I don't know it's kind of like a play on me - like I am the fashionista. But I also like never got to wear what I wanted to wear kind of thing. So, I'm like dressing these people up, like it didn't really make sense! Let's be honest. The chubby fashionista never really got in front of the camera that much. I don't know why I started to do it. I think and originally when I used to post myself, I would lose followers and get really bad engagement compared to the other stuff I did. And then it sort of started to switch. It could be like the fact that I became more of a personality at Spell that people are more interested in me and my life working there, as opposed to like, the content that I was shooting outside of that or inside of that. So, I guess it could have been that. And I guess, like, the more encouragement you get from people, the more you decided to do it. So, I don't even know like if there was like a moment where it began, and I like consciously decided to do it.
Katrina Blowers 25:34
Was that a little bit daunting at the beginning, when people started to know who you were, and we're sort of actively seeking you out, as opposed to knowing your work?
Mel Carrero 25:47
I don't think that it's really been a thing, I’m saying I don’t get recognized all the time! Yeah, like in terms of people like the Spell community requesting me to specifically try something on or like, people messaging me and saying, like, just random things that you wouldn't ask somebody you don't know kind of thing. But yeah, that feels like something that's quite recent, I guess. I haven’t had like a quick following boost or anything recently, it's definitely grown like very slowly over time. But I don't think that there really yet has been like a time that it felt like people were recognising me or anything like that.
Katrina Blowers 26:31
Yeah, I'd love to go back to something you said when you were talking about the chubby fashionista and why they weren't many photos of you on there, at least initially. And you were saying how, you know, a lot of the clothes that were on the models, they were skinny, so you weren't really wearing those clothes. You know, nowadays, people, as you mentioned, are specifically requesting they want to see you in the latest spell clothes, because they feel like you are more representative of who they are and what they look like, what a turnaround and how amazing, right?
Mel Carrero 27:05
It's pretty cool. I mean, even like the way the fashion industry is starting to extend size ranges and things like obviously, diversity. People say, ‘Oh, it's a trend’. But I mean, obviously, it's a trend to stay, because people want to see more representation. And we get that engagement. It is yeah, it is kind of a cool turnaround. And I think, you know, something you said is the industry is changing. And it's opening up because of the demand of people. And we have people who are like, they have their own creative license. So, it's like, you can choose who you want to follow, and people can put themselves out there. And it doesn't really matter, like what size they are or anything. It's just like, do you do good content? Is this someone that you want to follow?
Mel Carrero 27:54
I'm finding it more interesting and more inclusive, because there are so many more creators out there able to, like make a living from this. And that might be from their particular niche, or what they look like or what they're putting out there. So, I I truly believe that what some people say that Instagram is bad for mental health. And I understand it could be. I also think its broadened what people are saying, because it was very rare to see diversity in a magazine. Really.
Katrina Blowers 28:22
Yeah. And I think this is such a beautiful time. I mean, I work in mainstream media. So, I know, this is probably not a popular viewpoint because, you know, in terms of mainstream media losing a lot of revenue, because it is splintering and niching. I actually see the opportunity. And I think it's so fantastic that people who would not normally have access or have a voice on a broadcasting platform, can now you know, reach millions of people via the phone in their pocket. Like what a cool time to be alive.
Mel Carrero 28:55
Yeah, totally.
Katrina Blowers 28:58
You posted something recently that I would love to have a chat to you about it was a really raw and honest post. And you were saying that a lot of people ask you in Q and A's and DMS about your body and body confidence and you say would you know it? I'm not that confident. I post photos on Instagram and even some in a bikini. But remember that they are controlled by me and are poses I like the shape of myself in and they're filtered. And you just go on to talk really openly about how it's not always, you don't always jump out of bed going Whoo. You know, I feel amazing. Talk to us a little bit about that and the confidence that you've been able to dig deep and draw upon to post some of those beautiful pictures of you in bikinis and you in underwear and you by the pool. Yeah, talk to us about where that comes from and what you tell yourself.
Mel Carrero 29:55
Um, I'm trying to think of like when might have been the first time I had posted a picture like that. Let me tell you and this is the same of all of my I have a lot of friends who are plus size models in the industry like not necessarily influencers or they're a little bit of a hybrid of both. And like the bikini photos, they get the engagement. I don’t know why people want to see skin, but they do. The same for people who aren't plus size, let's be honest, because it’s the appeal of the human body. So, I guess like that, that's part of the confidence, what my husband would call the dopamine hit of getting Instagram likes. So that's definitely like a thing. I guess. Like if you're getting encouraged, and people are like going, yay, you know, this is great. I love this. You look awesome. And you go, Okay, well, let's give the people what they want.
Katrina Blowers 30:43
Oh, my gosh, there's always a first time where you're pressing the publish button. And then you sit there going… what have I done??
Mel Carrero 30:52
You think I remember the first time, but I don't know if I do. I'd have to like to scroll back and work that out. But definitely that feedback. But not only that, privately, I get people messaging me saying you made me feel okay to like, go to the beach in my one piece. Or like I was scared about summer. And now I feel better or like thank you for putting that picture up. So, it's like, this weird, like, in a way. And I didn't intend to be putting up photos of myself to be like a body positive thing at all. But in a way, I guess it feels like you're representing somebody, which is so strange. But yeah, it's an odd thing because people just assume that like, because I'm a certain size that like that I represent body confidence.
Katrina Blowers 31:39
Yeah.
Mel Carrero 31:40
But like, I just want to put out the pictures that I see other people doing on me. Like, who cares about what size I am? But people do.
Katrina Blowers 31:49
I'd love to know, too, because you know, you work with a lot of models and celebrities who do have, you know, like, they've got that body shape that I think point 02 percent of the population have. And you're around those people. Ah, where do you get that self-talk where you don’t compare? I think I would really find that tough.
Mel Carrero 32:14
Funny question. So, every once in a while in a q&a I get asked something similar or like how do you find being plus size in the fashion industry? I don't know. I don't really think about it. I'm weird. I think I'm weird compared to other people. Same thing when it comes to Instagram and people saying they compare themselves to other people. It's not often that I'm doing that. And it's not because I don't look at them and go ‘oh my gosh, like, like, I want that body’ because I definitely do! But I don't let it affect how I feel about ME. And I don't know if that is because I'm so different to them in size. So, I'm like I know that size six is never achievable for me unless I like literally stop eating and I would rather not. I don't believe that. And what is that Kate Moss quote?
33:02
‘Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’ which is hideous. A hideous quote. I mean, that bitch has never eaten garlic bread. So yeah, I don't know, I don't compare myself. And you know what, those people do not give a shit. It's not like they're judging you. Because you're not their size. They don't care. They just want to be treated like anybody else. And I've met models, like I've met models who are rake thin, and they're like, Oh, I really wish I had more curves. Like you, Yeah, right. But they've said it. So, I don't know.
Katrina Blowers 33:37
yeah, everyone always wants what they don't have. And we should point out here that you, you are curvaceous, you're stunning. I feel like by asking you these questions. I feel a little self-conscious myself, because I'm like, I don't want to make you feel like I'm criticising you in any way or pointing you out as being different because you're not, I think what everyone loves, and the reason why so many Spell customers ask if you can specifically try outfits on is because it's so refreshing to see someone represented in such a glamorous way who looks just like the rest of us.
Mel Carrero 34:13
Yeah, and I think that might be the difference. No, I don't I don't take offence, because it's like, it's realistic. Like, I'm very real about that in the sense that I know what the fashion industry is like, I know that it’s not representative. I've never really been one to like fight or even like, think about that though, which is the strange part. That's not why I started taking pictures of myself to fill a gap that I didn't think was there. That wasn't why I didn't ever look at magazines, because I'm not represented. I think when I go to Instagram, I go to those platforms. I look at fashion, it's like escapism and I want to see the beautiful and obviously there is an element of clothing that looks maybe nicer on a, you know, a hanger type body. But if you look for plus size influencers, and I don't even love that word, but you know what I mean, women who aren't a size eight, or over size 12 in the states and stuff, a lot of the women I follow in that scene are quite commercial looking. And they're always like, smiling and like, I've got to be like, I'm big, but I'm happy, you know, vibe. And I just, I want to post pictures, like my friends, you know, that are influencers who are doing cool fashion shit, you know? And that's what I want to do, too, because that's what I enjoy. Yeah, that's probably the representation I would be wanting to put out there myself.
Katrina Blowers 35:51
Well, it's really resonating with people as you would well know. And that's the other beautiful thing about social media is you do get that engagement, and people are really responding to it. I'd love to know what your thoughts are on where you see the future of social media going like crystal ball gazing. I feel like there is more of a desire for realness on our social feeds now and a bit of a rejection of perfectionism.
Mel Carrero 36:19
Yeah, I definitely can say that. And I've noticed, you know, a couple of influencers, friends of mine, one in the states who she actually has like a content creator course. Basically, she talks about how she grew like 100,000 followers in a year, because she became more real. So, she was striving completely for perfectionism and the best photo but was completely depressed behind the scenes. And then when she sort of started opening up about the struggles she was having, she grew because she was being more real. I think there will be that demand. But then like, there are some people who want to go to that platform for inspiration and escapism, just to see beautiful things and like the beauty in the world, because there’s enough crap out there. There are enough depressing things out there. So, I'm a little bit on the fence of that. Particular like with Spell, obviously, we've been a brand that like puts out inspiration through imagery. So, I want to see prettiness and things and to escape from the realness as well. But that doesn't mean that it can't be a beautiful, diverse picture range.
Katrina Blowers 37:35
I would love to ask you now a little bit about what you think the secret sauce has been to Spell’s success. This is a brand that women are and men, but mostly women just are fanatical about like your collections sell out straight away. Like as soon as they go online. People are really engaged in the spell ethos, what do you think it is about your brand that really just sweeps people away?
Mel Carrero 38:14
There’s a combination of many things. I think it's so hard to explain it without saying this icky word of authenticity. But the owners of spell to this day, like it's almost 11 years old, they are so authentic with what they want for the brand, and what they desire. And like, it's never really looking to anybody else. going towards the trends, any of that it's just this heart and soul of what they'd love.
So, if anybody listening, I guess doesn't know what Spell is - it's founded by two sisters. Isabella is the designer and Elizabeth is the chief brand officer. So more of the marketing side of things and the business side of things. So, they're kind of like a Ying and Yang. And that's why I guess it's successful in the sense that one of them, they're both creative, but one of them was the creative when it came to design. The other one, like helped the business. And she's excellent at that without any formal training. So, I think it's, it's just that heart and soul, like there's a heart and soul behind the brand, there's a personality behind the brand, and you can't emulate that if it's not real. You know, there's other brands around that try and take that vibe, but it's never going to speak as true to people as that.
I think too, like, there's a couple of things like I put the brand success down to in the early days. One of them is the content that they put out there. I think they were excelling, like prior to my time. And obviously during my time and now, but they excelled at putting out beautiful photoshoots and they were like creating their own editorials similar to how I was doing when I was doing my own blog. They couldn't get in Vogue. And they couldn't get in these magazines. And they were like, ‘Oh, well, we'll create our own photoshoots that are cool’. So they’d sort of do it themselves. And they started going viral on Pinterest and Instagram, and they’d grow their following. So I think the imagery that they put out there, they've invested in their campaigns from a really early stage, and nobody was doing that, like people would do like a wholesale look book in a studio shoot or whatever, but they weren't putting out really good pictures. So that's one thing.
And then the other part is the prints. Isabella, literally like thinks for days on end about a colour combination. And I think that's what sets spell apart from other, you know, what you would call like, in the Bohenian niche brands, because the print colour combinations and the type of prints that she gets put together, I think, are so special and unique and make people feel awesome. And happy.
Katrina Blowers 40:47
Yeah, so fascinating. Watching from afar and seeing just the explosion that that and yeah, the juggernaut, I've used that word before that has been your brand. What advice would you have for someone who, you know, they want to get into that world of content creation? They don't know where to begin. They want to develop their own sort of thing. What advice would you have?
Mel Carrero 41:39
First of all, you better be bloody committed to be married to your phone. Um, I pretty sure that when I look at my like screentime, it's the scariest thing ever, but I have like a whole other full-time job on my phone, which is terrible. Like, I definitely have some sort of addiction, but in a way, it's kind of like a game, you have to be engaging with the community and be playing to the platform in terms of Instagram, to make it a success. And then you have to be committed to content creation.
Some people are quite lucky. And they just, you know, authentically put out really good content, grow a following, and it grows from there. And other people have to try a bit harder, just depending on what you put out there. But you do need that, that creative element. And I guess, almost like a certain scrutiny of what you put out there. And one, an influencer, who's one of the OG’S of Australia, I did a photography course with her, like a digital photography course many, many years ago. And the one thing she said that stuck with me is you're only as good as your worst image. So, if you put out a picture that you're not like 100% happy with then, you know, that's the standard that you have, sort of thing.
So, I guess like, really, my advice would be like, Yeah, you've got to be ready to do the hard work. And I guess know: is it for you? Like, can you actually take a good picture? Are you willing to get in front of the camera, those kinds of things? And it is like putting yourself out there as a person in front of the world is not that I'm saying, I'm in front of the WHOLE world. But you know, like people who do this for a living, it's not easy. It's not the hardest job in the world, of course, and it's definitely not the most important job in the world. But it's not easy as well, like a lot of these women have worked really hard. And I think people discount that when it comes to influencers in particular.
Katrina Blowers 43:37
I think people who don't really understand what goes on behind it and see it all as a bit of fluff or a folly or whatever.
Mel Carrero 43:45
Oh, people don’t get like what some of my friends would charge for an Instagram post because like they've been spending years on this. Like I've been on Instagram for 10 years or longer. Yeah, 10 years now, I think so like I've been on there as long as Spell. And that's how long it's taken for me to grow this following. And I know many people around me who have grown their following like, tenfold mine and in much less time. It does take time and it does take a lot of work. Like you've got to be committed to it. I know a lot of people who like start doing it thinking they'll get free stuff or whatever. And then they realise Hey, this is not worth it.
Katrina Blowers 44:23
Alright, we've come to the Rapid-Fire question part of our chat now. And I would love to know what is your number one confidence tip that you would give someone whether it be about body confidence, or just showing up in general?
Mel Carrero 44:37
I think physically, my number one tip is focus on your best asset instead of your worst. So, if I like dressing in particular, I think okay, I like my chest and décolletage, and I like my small waist. So how am I going to dress for that? How am I going to put pictures up for that? Everything comes down to what I like, not what I don't like because that's what people focus on too much like, Oh, you know, I had this weird part of my legs or I don't like my arms, like, Who cares? What do you like? And then work with that.
And when it comes to confidence, as a person, I find that a little bit harder to give people a tip, I'm because I guess, obviously I'm an extroverted personality. So, I find confidence a little bit easier to put myself out there. And sometimes that's not a good thing, because I don't have a filter, so I can put my foot in my mouth often.
:34
I don't know, if you are quieter and you find it hard to speak up. It might be like planning your conversation or getting the knowledge behind you. So, you feel confident to do it. Whereas like, I'll probably just speak even if I don't know the answer.
Katrina Blowers 45:49
I love that now, is there a book that you've read or an inspirational quote that helped you on your way in your confidence journey?
Mel Carrero 46:02
I read Daring and Disruptive by Lisa messenger, which gave me confidence to ask Elizabeth for the job.
Katrina Blowers 46:46
Uh, you don't have huge amounts of time in your life. But what do you do for pure joy? Something that has no outcome attached to it?
Mel Carrero 46:57
Watch TV with my husband.
Katrina Blowers 47:24
yeah. I love Seinfeld. And I just there's nothing better. And I rewatch episodes of that all the time. And they never get old.
Mel Carrero 47:33
No, never.
Katrina Blowers 47:38
And really high waisted jeans on men, which I don't know, let's hope that never comes back. All right, what are you working on right now in your confidence journey to take you to where you next want to be in your life?
Mel Carrero 47:51
Oh, I think if I don't know if anybody listening has been following me recently. But I was faced a big feat of mine. So, I hope exercising like hate it. And obviously, like I don't know, is that a part of like the size that I am, I don't know, whatever. But during COVID because I wasn't travelling as much and travel seriously screw screws up your exercise routine. I did a couple of PT sessions a week with a group of friends over the last few years. I love that. But I always was going away. So, it was really hard. Like people who exercise on a trip. I don't even know how they do it. Like I could never do it. I'm like going to bed at you know, two in the morning because I'm jet lagged and then having to wake up at six to do whatever work I'm doing so that I'm like, I don't have time to exercise otherwise I'll never sleep. So, during COVID I had finished up my gym membership locally. And this barn studio called hustle which I know that I know of. And one of my dear friends is a trainer at started doing online classes just like on the Instagram Live every weekday. And I was like okay, finally I can try this place because so many of my friends were going but all of them like so I 68 were crop tops like I saw the girls walking in and out because it's across the road from spell and I was like there's no way in hell I'm ever going to that studio. So, I started doing it at home by myself and they ended up luckily launching an online platform that you could like, subscribe to, and do it at home at your leisure. The owner who is this crazy Canadian person she swears like a sailor on the platform. She's amazing. So so funny and made like exercise fun for me at home, wrote to me on Instagram was like you have to come in. Otherwise, I'm going to find where your car's rear ended. Like no like, I'm not a con like there's no way and I was so petrified anyway, I ended up doing it. I was like I have to like to face my fear and it was the worst because they have two trainers online. One is that Let's see who is Dana? And what is Kika? Who is another trainer and I find her classes harder? So, I'm never going to want to take his classes in person. So, I booked in the class with Lexi. But two days before, they were like, your trainer has changed like vine. And I was a friend and I was like, Oh, I don't know. And she's like, should we cancel? And I was like, No, like, I can't, I have to commit, I have to go. I was petrified. Like, legitimately, like, I felt sick going in there. And I was like, shaking. So, it's kind of a good thing. Because I had this weird adrenaline, I was able to get through the class. But I face my fear and I went in. So, I guess it's helping me with my confidence in a different way, not body confidence. I do feel a little bit more body confidence in doing this potty training, because I guess I'm feeling my body tighten up and feel a little bit more fit and strong. But it's like confidence of like, getting over it. Nobody even cares. Like, I just had this weird thing in my head that like, oh, like everybody environment is so true. Like everybody in Bahrain is small and beautiful. But everybody This place is going to be really fit and I'm going to look like an idiot because I don’t, I’m doing I’m going to stop doing it or whatever. And you know what? No one cares. I had a really good time. And I've been back for time since
Katrina Blowers 51:13
Ah, I love that story so much. Yeah, yeah, you That's beautiful. Well, I can't thank you enough for sharing everything that you shared with me today and your beautiful life story and giving us a few little peeks behind the curtain into the success of spell as a brand as well as your own brand. Thank you so much.
Mel Carrero 51:36
Thank you for having me.