We had the good fortune of connecting with Isha Casagrande and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Isha, what do you attribute your success to?
Authenticity, passion, and a lot of love are the keys to creating success in my brand. I am not only consistent in my message, but I am also consistent in showing up every single day even when I do not want to. I am a passionate advocate of helping women fall in love with themselves from the inside out and then I teach them how to style themselves from the outside in. They need to trust me. They need to know that I am falling in love with them during the process as well. Sometimes I make decisions for my business based on the emotional impact I can have on my clients and not so much the financials. I have created a safe place within our inspired community where my clients get to make connections with other women that want to encourage each other and feel confident as well. We connect with each other intimately and regularly so my brand has become more than just a business. It has become a lifestyle. I have 3 things that I do every day that I really believe is the foundation for my business. 1. I show up every day. 2, I learn something new every day. 3. I pray and meditate every day. These things not only help me grow, they also ground me. They give me the opportunity to consider how I want to present myself authentically.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I love styling women from the inside out and then dressing them from the outside in. I am so passionate about what I do that I often have to pinch myself to make sure that I am not dreaming. Nothing makes me happier than seeing a woman finally see herself the way I see her….completely beautiful and unique. My breath is taken away and I get choked up when I get to participate in the growth of someone else. I have 4 things that I am convinced create an amazing space to live in. They are fashion, food, fitness, and faith. Fashion is not about what you are wearing but how you feel about yourself in what you are wearing. I love food and teach cooking classes monthly. I have been a Jazzercise Instructor for 17 years and just bought my own studio in Encinitas. I am a Christian and I know how important faith is to a healthy life. Scheduling prayer time, meditation or even time in nature bring calm into our lives. I have always said that I am not a good salesperson but I am an excellent stylist. Some call me the Closet Whisperer. I see clothing differently than most. I love to take basics and turn them into something glamorous. I like to show how you can wear one piece of clothing in a bunch of different ways. I inspire women to think about what they are wearing and how they buy clothing in the future. I get to play dress-up every day. It is a dream come true. It has not always been an easy road because it took a lot of years of consistency to build my reputation. As I said before, I have made decisions in the past that were not always the best financially but they were the best for my brand. Sometimes I feel that I have not really “arrived” yet and then other times I am thanking God because I cannot believe I get to do what I do for a living. I am very proud of what I have done and I sometimes have to step back and realize I get as much out of it emotionally as I do financially. Every day is an adventure and every day is a gift. I am not afraid to work hard and to evolve with the times to ensure that I get to continue doing what I love.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love to play hostess and enjoy it so much when friends come to visit. I love that each beach town has its own unique personality and landscape. I love picnics with fabulous wines and beautiful foods. I love to be on the water and sailing is my favorite way to show people the San Diego skyline. Captain Keith’s Charters in Point Loma is my go-to sailing adventure. He has smaller boats that you can take private cruises and enjoy any food and beverages you want to bring on board. He makes everyone feel so comfortable and often sneaks a lot of photos in of your group to surprise you with at the end of the trip. Hiking is another favorite of mine and Torrey Pines provides the most incredible backdrop for a hiking adventure. I love to head over to Farmer & the Seahorse for a little celebration and food after the hike. It is the perfect place to be casual but still has a beautiful dining experience. I always make sure to bring my guests to Stone Brewery for a bite followed by wine at Cheval Winery in Escondido. Then I love to head to Fallbrook to take in the views and wine at Beach House Winery. The wineries are family-owned and always provide a unique experience. My favorite restaurants are Alce101 in Solana Beach, Buona Forchetta, and La Papagayo in Encinitas.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I feel so deeply blessed that I am surrounded by people who believe in me and encourage me to live my dreams. My 21-year-old son, Blake Ferris, works for me full time and he understands my passion and he is such an encourager of all that I believe in. I am also lucky that my guy, Rafik Azar, is literally always ready to support everything I do. He films with me helps at events and comes to my Jazzercise classes. He lets me shine. In fact…he puts the light on me.

Website: www.ishainspired.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ishainspired
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ishainspired
Youtube: www.youtube.com/ishainspired
Other: www.facebook.com/ishacasagrande

Image Credits
Image 1 – Shannon Henry Studio Carre Photographie

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