How did Kim get started?
Key takeaways
- Kim Bolsover founded The VIP Lounge to train image consultants after noticing a lack of support from other training companies.
- She combines her expertise in personal colour analysis and teaching to empower individuals in their style and confidence.
- The VIP Lounge offers a streamlined platform for accessing various courses, coaching, and resources with a single login.
- Transitioning from DVDs to online, The VIP Lounge embraces modern technology for easier lifetime access to training.
- With over 45 years of experience, Kim’s mission is to help clients build fulfilling lives and businesses while having fun along the way.
Put the coffee pot on and I’ll tell you how I started
We don’t serve coffee in the VIP Lounge I’m afraid, but here in the office it’s Lavazza Crema e Gusto all day long! We’d add coffee to your VIP Lounge account if we could, but the technology just isn’t quite there yet. So put your Itallian coffee pot on the stove, brew that perfect Americano, and I’ll tell you a little about who we are, how we started out, and why we created The VIP Lounge.
Why did I started training clients?
Hundreds of years ago, when I was offering personal colour consultations, 3 ladies all rang me in the same month to ask for my help. They had all trained as image consultants with other companies but they weren’t making any money.
They wanted to know what exactly I was doing, how I was getting regular colour clients, and why my diary was booked up so far ahead. I invited each of them to my home for a private chat to see how I could help. Funnily enough, each one arrived with a box of drapes and asked the same question,
What do I do with these?
So not only did they not have a clue how to find clients but they were also struggling with how to run an actual colour consultation. Training companies were taking people’s money, a lot of money, and leaving them high and dry with no support.
Such behaviour on the part of the training companies made me extremely grumpy.
You have to understand that I was put on this planet to teach but not in the conventional school system.
So put together two of my absolute favourites, colour analysis + teaching, and that’s why I started training image consultants and creating courses, not only in the core skills of colour analysis and personal style, but also advanced training, showing you how to get a return on your training investment and be in profit as quickly as possible.
Kim Bolsover
Managing Director | The VIP Lounge
The VIP Lounge was founded by award-winning mentor, trainer, speaker, and author, Kim Bolsover, who is also an independent trainer for Wella UK’s Master Colour Expert trainers and a Certified Words That Change Minds LAB Profile® Practitioner.
Working in the world of colour, confidence, and unforgettable personal transformation since 1980. Kim is an award-winning mentor, trainer, speaker, and author with over 40 years of experience empowering women to fully embrace who they are, with confidence, style, and unapologetic presence.
From teaching colour, style, and image to coaching entrepreneurs and professionals on appearance, behaviour, and communication, Kim has built an iconic legacy that’s inspired thousands around the globe.
But here’s the twist – before she was transforming lives with colour palettes, Kim was tearing through forests in a rally car (yes, really!). From running a global rally driver matching service to getting muddy as a motorsport journalist and rally marshal, her adventurous spirit matches her bold brilliance in business.
Whether she’s helping someone ditch their limiting beliefs or guiding a client to discover their soul-aligned style, Kim’s mission is simple but powerful: to help you build a life and business that feels as good as it looks and to have fun doing it!
Published training
We started publishing recordings of our live training courses on DVD and audio CD in 2006. I can’t believe we started shipping DVDs around the world so many years ago!
Just think how technology has changed during that time.
It’s no surprise that more and more enquiries started coming in asking how our training could be accessed without a DVD player.
Remember when DVD players were common place in computers? Doesn’t seem that long ago does it, but desktop and laptop computers more often than not just don’t have them anymore.
Ways of working have changed too.
With today’s video streaming technology and broadband internet connections, it’s normal to work through an online course using earbuds or headphones, and a laptop, tablet or smartphone.
So we decided to take the plunge and phase out DVD sales in favour of online professional-level colour analysis courses, audiobooks, and step-by-step masterclasses. Training that can be easily accessed from anywhere around the world.
Too many websites
The technology we had to hand during those early years, creating online training courses, meant that as our training business grew, the number of separate websites for each training product range grew also. A website for The Library, a website for Mini Courses, one for Professional Training, another for Coaching & Mentoring, yet another for the Masterclasses, another for Colour Supplies.
You get the picture. It all became a bit too much.
We needed a way to make things easier for our customers, with a single log in instead of several accounts, and we needed to make it easier for ourselves too.
The VIP Lounge
The VIP Lounge is the new single-log-in website we’ve all been waiting for. The new home for instant online access to private forums, secure discussion groups, bespoke mentoring & coaching, and franchise-free training, with one account, and just one username and password.
It’s the place where you can enjoy online access to all your training and coaching purchases. Anywhere, anytime access in the comfort of your own home or office with just one log in from a huge range of compatible devices including Android tablets & smartphones, iPhones, iPads, laptops and desktops.