Today we chat to a lady who is combining her two greatest loves – science and fashion – to ensure she lives life to the fullest. Kendall Marie Platt has been a forensic scientist since 2010 and last year she also decided to launch her own fashion business styling women across the UK. She loves that she earns a living from both her technical and creative skills and she is now mentoring other women as they start up on their own. Enjoy the interview! ~Rachel
1. How are you ‘doing what you love’?
By day I am forensic scientist and by night I am an independent stylist with Stella&Dot, a boutique jewellery and accessories company. I offer pop-up shops and styling sessions, called trunk shows, in people’s homes. Usually a group of girlfriends will gather at someone’s house for coffee or wine and I talk everyone through next season trends and style them using the products I have in my trunk. There’s the opportunity for guests to purchase jewellery and accessories and the hostess gets free jewellery as a thank you!
2. Tell us about your background and how you’ve come to find yourself doing two dream jobs?
I’ve always enjoyed science and wanted that involved helping people. My school wanted me to study medicine but instead I chose to do Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bath and a masters in Forensic Archaeology at Bournemouth University. During the process I applied for loads of CSI jobs and sent my CV to all the big forensic providers. I also did a number of short courses, including Forensic Photography and Forensic Entomology, to make my CV stand out. My perseverance paid off when I was offered a job at the Forensic Science Service (FSS) as a Forensic Biology Examiner in the Violent and Homicide team. The FSS, a government owned company, closed in 2011 and since then I have worked for nearly all of the private forensic providers in the UK. The current company I work for, Arrogen Forensics is a small, innovative company that is really going places and in my current role as Deputy Quality Manager I am enjoying contributing to the growth of the company.
My other big love is fashion. In fact in my school year book it said I was ‘Most likely to…. wear diamanté chemistry goggles’ – which is so apt! I first realised I could make money from my passion when I went along to a Stella&Dot trunk show (a pop-up boutique) at a friend’s house. I fell head over heels for the gorgeous jewellery so when the stylist explained that I could be a stylist myself, I jumped at the chance. Now, as well as earning good money, which will help pay for my wedding, I get free jewellery and helping other women style their own lives and even build their own business.
3. What do you most like about each job and how do they complement one and other in terms of your personality, interests, and skill set?
My day job taxes my brain in a technical way because I have to think outside the box and use my knowledge and experience to work out, for example, where tiny blood spots might have ended up on the trainers worn by a suspect during a fight. It’s quite intense and serious, and I don’t like to think too much about what the victims might have been though.
In contrast, being a stylist allows me to interact with people in a more fun and social environment, whilst indulging my creative side. I love seeing people happy so helping women to solve their fashion dilemmas while boosting their confidence and making them feel fantastic about themselves is wonderful. Both roles require me to be super-organised, consistent in approach and persistent in order to achieve my goals.
4. What does a typical day in your life look like?
I get up at 6.30am have a cup of tea, check my emails, shower and have breakfast, making sure to accessorise and take a photo of my outfit to post to my Facebook business page before doing the 40-minute drive to the laboratory. Mornings usually involve examining clothing for blood and blood patterns, examining exhibits for footwear marks and body fluids, creating test impressions for use in marks examinations, and conducting audits and running most aspects of the Quality System.
On my lunch break I try to make one or two customer care calls for my Stella&Dot business and maybe post on my social media pages about the latest offer or featured piece. After lunch I might put together a scientific supplies order and draft a checklist for that months audit. Unless an urgent case comes in I usually get in the car about 4.30pm to drive home. I make a couple more calls to book in trunk shows or to chat to potential stylists. If I have a trunk show in the evening I’ll arrive at my hostess’ house for about 7pm. I’ll set up in her front room or kitchen and chat to her about who is attending and what pieces she would like to get for free. Once all the guests have arrived and I’ve got to know them I talk a bit about the company and the fashion trends for the upcoming season and do some group styling. The rest of the evening entails personal styling, chatting with the guests, answering questions and taking any orders on my iPad.
My pop-up boutique inside a hostess’ home
5. What has been your biggest challenge to date, and how did you overcome it?
When a good friend of mine was diagnosed with terminal cancer I began to have panic attacks. I am a control freak, and tend to adopt the role of organiser in group situations, but I felt so helpless because there was nothing I could do to make my friend better. In the end I decided to go and speak to someone about my feelings. This made me realise that there wasn’t anything I could do, other than support and love him whilst he was still around, and then do my best to make him as proud as possible.
6. How do you think each of us can live the fullest life possible?
Always be kind; kindness breeds fulfilment. And make sure you do at least one thing every day that makes you happy – if you can make that thing your job even better as we spend 70 per cent of our lives at work! It helps to make a list of everything that you enjoy – be it reading a book or going for a long walk – then schedule these things into your week.
7. What is the best advice you have received?
My parents always said I could do anything I wanted to and they showed me that hard work and determination to succeed would get me there. They also taught me that I don’t have to stay in situations that make me unhappy because there’s always have a choice – even if it means working two jobs and seven days a week to get where I want to be.
8. What keeps you awake at night?
Dreaming up new ways to build my Stella&Dot business, or thinking about tasks I need to do in order to complete my latest audit or update my case!
9. What gets you up in the morning?
The friend I mentioned sadly lost his life to liver cancer aged 26. He was a forensic scientist, a father, a party animal, pretty badly behaved and utterly loveable. The fact that he doesn’t have the luxury of living his life everyday is what motivates me to get out there and live my life to the fullest! I adore mentoring other women, giving them confidence in their own abilities and seeing them succeed is one of the things I’m most proud of.
Spreading the word about business opportunities with Stella&Dot at Mumsnet Workfest, London
10. Finally, what do you hope your life has in store? What are your big dreams?
I hope to continue helping women to style their lives and grow their own flourishing businesses while fighting crime and building the most robust quality system in the Forensic arena. My big dream is to live a happy and healthy life with my wonderful husband by my side. Oh and world domination of course, but that goes without saying, right?
Kendall’s snapshot…
Biggest ‘ah-ha’ moment: Realising that I could indulge my love of fashion whilst continuing my dream job as a forensic scientist.
Happiest place: At my parents house in France surrounded by friends and family.
Three things you do to relax: Hot bath, good magazine, digging in my garden.
Best way to stay focused: Lists, lists and more lists!
Mantra of the moment: Never let anyone dull your sparkle.
Most inspiring book you’ve read: Elephants on Acid by Alex Boese
Advice to anyone who isn’t doing what they love: Decide what truly makes you happy and go for it!
Quote you live by: “…life is too short to be anything but happy” ~ Karl Marx
Wish for the world: For everyone to indulge their passions at least once a day – we would all be more content that way!
If you love jewellery and fashion and would like advice about becoming a stylist or hosting a Trunk Show visit www.stelladot.co.uk/kendall or contact Kendall via Facebook , Twitter: @KBev86, Instagram: kbev86 or email: [email protected]
