Kay Korsh is the Founder of Mind Over Fashion, and a Style Strategist who has spent 20 years dressing celebrities for luxury brands. Kay now brings that wealth of experience into her business, working with professional speakers and business leaders to help them use their image as a business tool to increase their revenue. What she shares in this episode will really make you think about what you wear to your next speaking opportunity.

Can you share the moment when you realised your voice truly mattered?

For many years before I started this business, I didn't feel like my voice mattered. When I started out, I didn't even know that things like being an expert existed. Someone suggested I develop an online presence and I said ‘no, no, I can't have my picture taken, I can't speak on camera.’ My deep belief was: who needs my opinion? Everything has been said before. What can I add to this world that would be interesting?

But I tend to dive in deep with everything, and I kept going even when I was afraid. And I noticed that when I started sharing my thoughts, people actually found them really interesting. It didn't happen overnight - it was building blocks of confidence that grew each time I had confirmation that what I was sharing had an impact, or at least sparked a conversation. Over time, my self-belief changed.

Was there a shift in your mindset, or was it just time?

I think it was a combination of being authentic and having courage - just keeping going even when you're scared. And the reps. The more you do something, the more confident you become. Also, being authentic helps you share, because everyone has their own view of the world. A lot of what I share isn't just about image, it's my thoughts on the world, connected back to style. So yes, authenticity, courage, and keep going.

You grew up in Ukraine and moved to the UK - how did you use your voice when you were growing up?

I always had opinions on things, but I didn't always know how to express them or how to stand my ground when they weren't met positively. I was always interested in fashion - no one in my family is creative, but from a very young age I knew I wanted to work in fashion. Before moving to the UK, I worked in the film industry and TV in Ukraine, which gave me quite a bit of experience to bring with me.

And how did you translate that passion into a career working with celebrities?

Again, courage and just moving forward. Working at it daily, because it's a very difficult industry to break into. I was writing physical letters to get noticed - this was before emails were the norm. I wanted to stand out. I interned at magazines, which was quite hard because I was older than most of the other interns and not British. I did tutorials with photographers, built things bit by bit, and kept contacting people - eventually it came together.

You call yourself a Style Strategist - can you explain what that actually means?

It's not just going to the shops with someone for a couple of hours and hoping for the best. I always do deep work. There's the foundation - working out the shapes and colours that suit someone - but a lot of the work is about: how do you want to be perceived? What are your values and your brand? What is your tone of voice? And how can you translate all of that through style?

Studies show that much of our communication is non-verbal. Your image is a huge part of that. So you might as well use it intentionally - in your business and your personal life. I teach people how to use their image as a strategy.

What led you to specialise in working with speakers specifically?

Within a couple of months of starting my business in Covid, I was introduced to Maria Franzoni, who is a significant figure in the speaking industry. We started working together and I began developing content specifically for speakers and it really took off from there. I found a lot of creativity in it, and I love all things marketing and personal branding, which were new to me but felt natural.

What I love about working with speakers and founders is that they have a growth mindset. They're used to self-development, working on themselves. It makes my job easier and it means they connect with what I'm doing immediately. I did a deep dive into my target persona recently and interviewed my favourite clients. It was striking how similar their answers all were. I thought: I must be doing something right, because I'm attracting the same type of person.

How do you bring human psychology into your work with speakers?

Psychology and style are my two great interests and in my business I've put them together. Everything I talk about is through the lens of psychology.

When someone comes to me wanting to speak on podcasts or stages, I ask: what is your tone of voice? Are you playful or more serious? What do you want to convey through your outfit - authority or relatability? What is your natural tendency? How do you dress when nobody is watching?

If you're not interested in clothes, we create a simple formula you can repeat without having to think too hard. If you're creative, your wardrobe can be much more varied. And always - what is your area of expertise? Is there a way to translate that into what you wear?

For example - an AI speaker. You don't want to look dated. You don't have to follow every trend, but you need to know what's happening so you can choose what works for you. Looking dated can subconsciously make people assume your ideas are dated too.

Or an architect. What would you expect an architect to look like? Most people say stylish. But architects often dress in black, because they don't want to distract from what they're showing and pitching. The outfit serves the message.

The starting point is always: what are you physically and emotionally comfortable in? Comfort enables authenticity, and authenticity enables presence. Then consider who will be in front of you and adjust from there.

How should you dress to come across as credible?

Two things.

Fit. Not fitted as in tight - fit as in well-tailored. No unnecessary lines. Trousers the right length, sleeves the right length, hems sitting correctly. Looking sloppy immediately undermines your credibility. I always encourage people to have a seamstress or tailor they trust. It's a necessity, not a luxury.

Looking up to date. Not following every trend, but being aware. If you look dated, people may unconsciously assume your ideas are dated too. An expert is someone who knows things and your outfit communicates that non-verbally before you've said a word.

You mentioned colour analysis - should that come before choosing brand colours?

Ideally, yes. I always encourage people to do their colour analysis before they work on branding, website, and brand colours, because what often happens is that people choose colours they like, or colours they think suit their business, and then those colours don't work with their complexion.

Our brands are predominantly online now. If you're standing next to your brand colours and those colours don't suit you, it creates a subconscious disconnect - even for people who don't consciously understand colour. I work with a lot of people who discover their colours and then change their brand colours as a result.

For someone just starting out on their speaking journey - what's the one thing you'd recommend?

You don't need a whole new wardrobe - you need one outfit.

First, look at what you already have. Before buying anything, take stock of what's there. Then identify whether you have something that works. If you do, a couple of staple pieces - a good quality t-shirt, a well-fitting pair of trousers - can tie everything together into that one outfit.

If nothing works, invest in one outfit. I call it going over the hump. There's a moment when someone's face lights up because they've started getting compliments, and they finally feel confident in what they're wearing. That one outfit can get you there.

You need something in your wardrobe that gives you confidence - everything else can follow.

To close - can you fill in the blank: listeners should speak with...

Speak as if there is just one person in front of you and you are sharing your secret with them. Create that intimacy. I think of Brené Brown whenever I consider this - I always lean in when I watch her. There's something about that intimate energy she creates. That's what I'd encourage every speaker to aim for.

Kay can be found at Mind over Fashion or on LinkedIn - Kay Korsh.

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You can also listen to this episode on my podcast: She Speaks to Scale.

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