This is a post I’ve wanted to write for a long time.

It’s now time to share.

When I first launched my blog in 2012, it was called Neon Polkadots. I was determined to move to New York City and become a fashion blogger. After thinking about the “brand” I wanted something that went along with my own identity. After some brainstorming, I finally landed on Corporate Catwalk. The name was perfect. At the time I didn’t have a clue that I would be where I am now 6 years later. With countless hours of work and the changing landscape of digital marketing and social media, here I am today. Lately, the need for accounts like Corporate Catwalk has reemerged.

Who am I?

In 2016, I decided to leave my corporate job at Salesforce and start blogging full-time. A few weeks later I discovered I was pregnant with Sebastian. It’s interesting how life always works out for the best. I was making a small income from my blog and Instagram.

After leaving the corporate world, I struggled a bit with my own identity. I was Corporate Catwalk. That was me. The 9-5 girl that dressed up and went to the office. Now I was working from home and expecting my first baby. There were days I wanted to turn off my computer and run back to Salesforce. I missed the Monday morning meetings, learning from my colleagues, and the overall rush I received when I was in the office. (There are still things I miss.) But now I had none of that. I had to start over. It was time to find Olivia.

It was scary.

A Little Help From Sebastian

At one point, I even decided to interview for a new role at Salesforce. At the time I was a month away from having Sebastian. I figured I would enjoy a few months as a new mom and go back to work. On paper, everything looked great. Accept the job. Have a baby. Enjoy my 4 months. Go back to work with a promotion. Things looked good. Really good. You can see a bit of it here.

Sebastian arrived and it was the singular most life-changing event I’ve ever experienced. All of my preconceived notions and plans went right out the window. I wanted to spend every waking moment with him. As I counted down the days until I started my new job, the business started to grow. I knew I had to make a tough call and I declined the position.

They understood, but I didn’t. It almost felt like a piece of me would be back. Somewhere inside of me I was convinced I would be working in a corporate role again at some point. This internal struggle was such an identity crisis for me. In my mind, I had all of these ideas of a “blogger” and I didn’t fit any of those molds.

Finding Olivia

Around the time Sebastian turned six months old, Instagram became a huge driver for my business. However, workwear looks weren’t gaining traction anymore. People seemed to be escaping through Instagram with bloggers as their guide. Lifestyle and travel content were performing better. The market had changed. My workwear content started to dwindle along with my desire to post it. I wasn’t her anymore. I no longer worked in an office, I worked from home, and I managed my own business. At the time Matt and one other employee were working full time on the business. Since then, we’ve expanded further.

Some of you might remember, several bloggers at the time changed their Instagram handle to reflect their full name. I did the same. The decision to change my blog and Instagram handle was a huge turning point for my business. For years I was known for corporate fashion. I had evolved and changed. I wanted this reflected in my brand too. It took several months for me to fully embrace the change, but I knew I had the opportunity to reach a much larger audience.  It opened the door to do more fashion, beauty, family and travel content, all things I’m passionate about.

That was a little over a year ago and looking back now it was one of the best decisions of my blogging career.

What’s Happening Now

While embracing my new blog name, I always kept the brand Corporate Catwalk alive. When being introduced to others, I’d always say the founder of Corporate Catwalk. In my mind, I always knew I’d find my way back to the site, but I wasn’t sure how I’d get there.

For years the goal was to change Corporate Catwalk into a workwear website. This is something that could still happen but I’m not sure what the demand is in the market. As for Instagram, I’ve had a few ideas on how to start posting to the channel. As of right now, we’re slowly working on creating additional content for Corporate Catwalk for you ladies to find new pieces for your closet. It’s interesting to see the responses from each and every one of you. You’ve all been incredibly supportive throughout the entire process. For that, I am forever grateful.

What’s Next

Right now, I think we’re going to create unique content for the page to share with everyone. In the short term, I want to start pitching collaborations with workwear brands. I would love to partner with someone on a Corporate Catwalk skirt collection. For the longest time I wanted to create a clothing line, but I’m not sure that’s what I want long term. As much as I love the idea, I just don’t know if that’s what I’m truly passionate about at the end of the day.

I’m currently working on offering consulting services to women in the workplace, especially entrepreneurs. Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of requests about how we run our blog as a business, so I thought this would be the perfect time to launch Corporate Catwalk Consulting. It’s just the beginning. There will be more details to come! I’m excited to share more of this journey with you!

What would you like to see from Corporate Catwalk? I’ve had a few people throw out some ideas, but nothing that intrigued me. I don’t say this enough but thank you. Your support means so much to me.

xo, Olivia

Joie Lian Blazer | Similar Styles Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3
Joie Jun Pant | Similar Styles Option 1 | Option 2  | Option 3
Ribbed V-Neck Top | Similar Styles Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3
Pigalle Follies Pumps | Similar Styles Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3
Madewell Coin Necklace | Similar Styles Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3