Name: Lisa Ebbing

Job Title: HOTmilk Lingerie Director

 

Where did you start your career?
When I was pregnant with my first child, I was dismayed to be faced with only an array of beige, brown and occasionally black maternity lingerie. I was pregnant, not 90! After a lifetime of wearing gorgeous, feminine lingerie, I wasn’t prepared to give it up. So, I decided to launch my own designer maternity lingerie company. Not only did it make me look and feel fantastic, it changed the lives of many women around the world and has become a global leader.

What do your love about your job?
Every day is different in this industry and that’s stimulating! I work with the most wonderful team of people around me, coming to the office is a pleasure. And the fact that our product benefits women from all walks of life is something I am so proud of. We receive so much feedback telling us how we’ve changed people’s lives for the better, made them feel glamorous and sexy during a time they really didn’t expect to – it’s really rewarding.

Tell us about your average day, what do you do?
It’s hard to pin down what my average day is! I am head of marketing for HOTmilk and as such receive a huge number of emails from around the world – the UK and Europe over night, which often makes my days long; the US later in the afternoons and Australasia during the mornings. But of course this all overlaps! I jointly oversee design with my business partner Ange, and am very hands on in the office and available to everyone. I’m strict about my family time – our children are young and we have routines which mean we can still do every day family things together. It also means the day starts pretty early…

Is there anything you dread doing?
The “must do” paper work. Most people envisage my life as being a glamorous jet-setting one, full of photo shoots, fabrics, models, celebs and so on. While this is part of it, a significant part of my time is spent dealing with lawyers, accountants, insurance companies, banks and so on – that’s the reality of being in business.

What is your advice to someone wanting a fashion career?
Having a successful career in fashion means you have to be business savvy. Combine your interest with a business degree or up-skill in this field in some way. You have to keep current with fashion trends, understand what your competitors are doing, research continually and always look at making improvements in every aspect of your business.

Is it what you know or who you know?
I believe it’s a combination and that it’s actually more about what you are prepared to do. I don’t think we “knew” anyone when we started out – we just got off our butts and went and did what needed to be done, which included getting in front of the right people. You have to be prepared to put in the hard yards yourself, there’s no easy way around it.

What inspires you?
My family and the evidence that we are helping so many new mothers regain their femininity and sensuality. We believe intensely in our product and the fact that we are empowering women across the world, reminding them that they are beautiful, confident and sexy!