Being a business owner is something I’ve had to learn on the job – and learn quickly! I love being the CEO of my own brand, and now creative director of another brand; I’ve always wanted to be a business-savvy woman. But I can definitely hold my hands up and say I haven’t always been that way!
At first, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. When I first came out of Love Island, I had no understanding of finances or even tax. On the business side of things, I didn’t know about business VAT and limited companies – I had no idea what they even meant – and found all this stuff so confusing! Which is fine – most of us don’t learn this stuff in school.
So, starting from scratch, I was very clear with Fran that I needed to sit down with a financial adviser and have them teach me from start to finish all the things I just didn’t know. Now, I’ve got a really great accountant who understands that he needs to explain, in black and white, even what might seem silly things to someone who’s already familiar with it all. But it’s a new world for me, and that’s nothing to be embarrassed about – I’ve never tried to pretend that I understand something that I don’t.
In certain situations – say, if I’m in meetings with important people! – I might not let on that I’m not sure of a detail, but afterwards, I’ll just say to Fran, ‘OK, so what on earth does that mean? What was that about?’ So I play the game – I give the front and then I’ll ask questions later! And I’ll be honest with the people close to me: ‘That bit of the meeting was gobbledygook to me. What did they mean?’
Fran can sometimes tell I don’t understand something before I even ask her anything – because I do have this habit of staring off into the distance now and then! If I’m not engaged in something, or I don’t understand what’s being talked about, I can switch off quite quickly. Over time, I’ve had to learn how to be engaged and chat back – and, if it doesn’t feel like the right moment in the meeting, always make sure to ask the right questions later.
But though I’m young and still learning, I don’t feel underestimated. I feel the people I work with are really respectful of me and my team. I’m very lucky in that I’ve never experienced ageism in that way, or sexism. I’ve never come out of a meeting and felt, Cor, they really looked down on me!
In fact, the only times I’ve experienced any negativity like that were when I’ve bought something people might not expect someone like me to be able to afford. Tommy and I always get that from estate agents when we’re looking for a house, and when I bought my first expensive watch, I remember the lady working in the shop was so rude to me. When I told her, ‘I would actually like to buy this watch,’ her attitude changed instantly: ‘Oh, OK!’
That was my first big purchase, in fact – a beautiful AP (Audemars Piguet) watch. I had bought my sister a car, and then after that I treated myself to this watch in a shopping mall in Vegas, when Tommy and I were over there to watch Tyson fight Deontay Wilder. It was silver with what they call a factory-fitted diamond bezel – which is a higher finish than when the diamonds are added later. My dad saw the money come out of my bank account and rang me up, not very happy with me! But I was glad I’d treated myself, despite that saleswoman: I planned to keep that watch forever, because it was such a sentimental piece for me, but sadly I wasn’t able to (more on that later).
But it’s noticeable that at work, I’ve never experienced anything like that: everyone’s been really great. With the brands I work with, it’s a two-way relationship that benefits everyone.
Which, if you think about it, goes for any job. Always remember that you’ve got something to offer, and that respect is the minimum everyone deserves, whatever your age or stage in life.
Of course, it can be hard to feel the best about yourself when you look at where others are at – that’s only natural, but it is something to be aware of in case it starts to bring you down.
Starting out, I compared myself a lot to others. At the event to celebrate my current role with PrettyLittleThing, a conversation I had really reminded me of this: my mum and I were talking to Emily Shak, who as you know I really looked up to as a teen. My mum said, ‘Emily, you have no idea how many times Molly showed me your Instagram, saying, “I need to be like her, this is what we need to do when we take our pictures.”’ I definitely used to compare myself to other influencers. I was trying to be like them, and I was trying to get as many followers as they had.
Which is understandable! I think when you’re starting out is when you’re most likely to compare yourself to others, as you’ve yet to establish yourself. But in my case, I remember thinking, God, all these girls are so successful, they’re doing so amazingly and I can’t even afford my rent! And that was tough, I really did compare myself. As I’ve said, it can actually be really helpful to find inspiration in people who are doing what you want to do – but don’t let that slide over into you punishing yourself for not being where they are yet.
More recently, I’ve just really focused on myself – been in my own lane – and I think that has changed a lot for me.
When you focus on yourself and don’t worry about anyone else, that’s when you really go places. Comparing yourself never works.
Of course, that’s easier said than done … so one thing that can help is really focusing on your niche: what you have to offer. These days, I actually view myself as no longer solely an influencer, but as a businesswoman, too. So much of my focus is on running my business, Filter by Molly-Mae, and on being creative director of PrettyLittleThing for the UK and EU, that I don’t see myself as an influencer alone – although I absolutely still have a passion for it.
Just as when I was starting out on Instagram, I draw so much inspiration from other women: for example, Conna Walker, the owner of House of CB, is so inspiring to me. She’s literally conquered the world with her brand – what a woman!
And another huge inspiration would be – of course – Kylie Jenner. I’ve always said, if I could be anyone for a day, I’d be happy to be Kylie, who has this incredible cosmetics business. Of course, her background definitely meant she had a platform, but she’s not just a pretty girl who posts pictures – she’s gone and done all this stuff behind the scenes. She has inspired so many girls, including me, to think that we can build our own businesses if we want to.
I admire anybody that has their own business – because I know now what it takes. It’s hard work and so much goes into it.
So, being a business owner has changed my perspective on who I compare myself to – and, crucially, I make comparisons in a positive way. I don’t think to myself, Oh, I wish I was doing that. It’s more I have a mindset of Wow, I can’t wait for my brand to be doing that too! Again, I’m subconsciously manifesting that we’ll get there. And that’s always the attitude I’ve had. I have so many hopes and dreams for Filter by Molly-Mae – and I feel that’s the attitude you need to have. When you manage your own business, you have to believe in it wholeheartedly.
My main goal these days is just to continue to grow and grow and grow. I want to grow my business, and keep growing and developing my partnerships with the brands I work with. At the same time, I want to keep growing my socials, too – I never want my followers to subside or just to plateau. I want to keep creating content so that more people find my page and think, Oh, who’s this girl? I want to follow her!
And I love the fact that these days, more of my followers follow me not because I was on Love Island but because of the content that I create. That ultimately gives me so much satisfaction. Still, if I hadn’t reached this level by now, I’d actually be appreciative of whatever level of success I’d achieved.
Why? Because I don’t necessarily set myself goals by time frames. I think if goals don’t happen by the time that you planned, it can be quite disheartening. Now, I just think, I know we’re going to get there – so let’s just work towards that. With Filter by Molly-Mae, for example, it’s all about working towards making this brand absolutely huge, but I don’t have a set timetable for that.
As with everything in life, I don’t like to apply too much pressure – because the minute you start to put pressure on yourself to be better than someone else, or to do better than another business, that’s when it starts to get competitive in a bad way. The vibe becomes a bit negative, and it sucks the fun out of it all – which doesn’t actually help you work any harder or better to get where you want to be. So, I just try to enjoy the process and take my time, and I know things will happen when they’re meant to happen.
You have to work towards your goals gradually, not put too much pressure on yourself.
That doesn’t mean you’ll always get everything you want. Even when it seems like everything is going your way, there will still be things that just don’t go the way you plan. I think people forget that if you’re successful; they think your life must be perfect. The reality is, whatever stage you’re at, you’ll still face let-downs or failures – they just might come in a different way or in a different form to when you were at an earlier stage. But I really do believe that everything happens for a reason.
Recently, I was in talks for a job that I was so excited about – we had hair and make-up planned; we were ready to go. Then I learned they didn’t want me anymore. I was heartbroken. But then, a week later, I secured one of my biggest campaigns to date with Starbucks, a brand that I’d always wanted to work with. If the other job had happened, I would have struggled to get the Starbucks one that I really wanted to do. So, I really believe that everything unfolds the way it’s meant to. Trust that process – and trust the timing of everything in your life.
Because I do feel like it all works out in the end. So, when things don’t go my way, I think, That’s just happened because something else has come in instead, or This has got to happen so that can happen. I just believe that all the events in your life are meant to happen in whatever order they take, so that other things can fall into place. I’ve always thought of it that way, and that’s a way of thinking that helps me on my not-so-good days.
And when you do reach a goal? Appreciate it!
That’s something that I’m still learning to do. I’ve always been focused on the future, and what I wanted to achieve next. It’s a good attitude to have in that it keeps me motivated and working hard; but equally, there is a downside – or at least an aspect to be aware of – because sometimes it means you don’t appreciate what you have in the moment.
Looking back, I have struggled with that. For a lot of my younger life, I didn’t necessarily enjoy the moment I was in. Having an older sister is probably why, every single year of my life, at every single stage I was at, I always thought to myself, I wish I was old enough to do this, or I wish I was old enough to do that! At 15 and 16, I remember thinking, This is rubbish, I want to be older, I want to be able to go to clubs on my own, without having to borrow Zoe’s ID! Then, when you get the chance to do those things, you think, I don’t like doing that … I want to be this age so I can go and do that. I look back now at trips I went on when I was starting out as an influencer, and think, Oh my God, I’d love to do that again. As with everything, though, you don’t really cherish it until it’s gone.
Now, I would tell my younger self to slow down and stop trying to rush things – and, even when I was 15, just to look at the things I’ve achieved, at school and in my activities! I’d tell myself, ‘Just be proud of that for a minute. Don’t be worried about what’s coming next, don’t be worried about what’s the best college to go to, don’t be worried about what’s going to get people talking – just appreciate where you’re at.’
Know that what comes next will come when it’s meant to come. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have ambition and drive – I’m all about that! – but stop worrying about what you don’t have or aren’t doing yet. Make sure you enjoy the stage you’re at, and trust in the timing of your life.
Wherever you’re at, it’s important to appreciate that without looking to the future all the time – to be in the moment.
That’s something I’ve really been working on myself: to remember that sometimes I just need to sit down and tell myself, ‘You’ve actually achieved a lot – you’ve become successful.’ That’s why, on the day we announced my PLT role, one of the biggest days of my career, I actually took some time to sit in my hotel bedroom by myself to reflect. I even went to the gym at lunchtime, so I could walk on the treadmill with my headphones in, listening to empowering music! I told myself, ‘Appreciate where you are right now – because this moment is not going to come again. In two years’ time if things have quieted down or you’re having a down day, you’re gonna wish you were back in this moment.’
So, I’m definitely taking more time out of my days now to recognise and appreciate where I’m at – and I really do think everyone can benefit from doing the same.
What gets me up in the morning is picturing my future and where I know I want to be. Where I am now, I wouldn’t even say I’m anywhere near the point that I want to reach. Although, that doesn’t mean I see myself stopping when I get there: I work because I absolutely love it!
Recently, my nail tech Corrine did my nails and I quickly posted a picture of them on Instagram. ‘Don’t you get sick and tired of that?’ she asked me. I told her no. I’ve never felt tired of posting on Instagram, it’s a passion for me. It’s never been a chore – I do it because I genuinely love posting content. Even if I didn’t earn money from it, even if I had another job, I’d still post on Instagram. I love it.
While I really am trying to appreciate the present more, one of the things that still excites me the most in life is just the thought of what lies ahead. I want to do as much as I can and be the best version of myself that I can be. In my professional life, I envision that as I continue to grow on my platforms, and I plan on growing all my businesses. In the process, I will continue to work and work and work. I won’t stop until I can provide for my family for years to come, and until I’ve inspired so many girls to do what they want, too.
And if that isn’t the sort of life that you want to have – if you want to do something totally different? Whatever you want to do, great! But I do think that whatever you’re doing, it’s not OK to hate it. Some of my friends feel that way about their jobs, and I always say to them, ‘If you don’t love it, you need to leave when you can, because you only have one life and it’s not that long.’ And I feel that you cannot waste your days doing something that you don’t enjoy; you cannot waste your days waking up in the morning and dreading going to work!
We spend so much time in work, so you have to love what you do. Aim to be happy!
Because imagine being old in your rocking chair, and looking back and thinking, God, I wasted 10 years at a job that I hated when I could have been into something that I love. Now, I’m not saying to just quit your job instantly – I’ve stayed in jobs I didn’t like. We all need money to live, and we all have tough days at work even when we’re doing what we want to do. But I think it’s important you don’t feel you need to remain stuck forever in a place where you don’t want to be.
Of course, not everyone has the same background or the same opportunities. And some people start off with a lot more obstacles in their way. So, when good things do happen for you, hopefully, someday, you can help make them happen for other people too – as I really want to do.