Therese Rein is a successful entrepreneur. Do clothes matter?

Dear Aunty B,

I have always thought highly of Therese Rein for being one of Australia’s most successful female entrepreneurs (and not so highly of your own scummy profession).

However I am disappointed that she is looking so dowdy on the world stage. Surely as an entrepreneur running a global business she can dress better than that.

I run a number of dress shops and would be quite happy to help her out!

DeAnne,
Brighton, Victoria

Hi DeAnne,

Well, she WAS one of Australia’s most successful female entrepreneurs until the unfortunate choice of a life partner forced her to sell half of her business. Just think. By marrying someone you can lose half you’re livelihood. Reminds me of the 1950s all over again.

Which brings me to clothes and the entrepreneur. How you dress depends on what you do and what you want to become.

If you are a rich geek like Bill Gates you can wear a cardigan and thongs to work and no one will blink. You’ve broken all the rules, made your fortune and you can wear what you damn well please. But you can bet your bottom dollar that Bill employs a band of swankingly dressed salespeople, that would make even you sit up, to go out and flog his software.

Anyone else down the food chain? Dress up.

As for Therese, her clothes are perfectly suitable for someone running their own business.

But DeAnne, you are quite right. She is now in the public eye where members of my own scummy profession will scrutinise her from top to bottom.

The quickest way to shut us (and you) up is to bring in a stylist. And she will. She is a pragmatist. After all she is an entrepreneur.

Your Aunty B

What are you waiting for? Email your questions, problems and issues to auntyb@smartcompany.com.au right now!