There is something about Katy Hill's absolutely amazing story and sense of style. Sitting down to chat about her career and motivating women through her personal experiences, Katy shares everything from the start of her career to her current wardrobe essentials. 

photo credit: Ocean Photography London

Hi Katy, thank you for having a chat with us! Coming across your blog and Instagram, we instantly thought of you as the Sargossa girl: so empowered, confident and stylish. You also have an absolutely amazing career in broadcasting – for our readers not familiar with you yet, can you share a few details about how you started working in this industry?

It’s a pretty epic story!  And forms the basis of my LIMITLESS Keynote Talk and Workshops.  But essentially, I wanted to present Blue Peter since I was 5!  It was a time before the Spice Girls and Girl Power and growing up I was a real “Tomboy” (a term I avoid with my kids these days as there’s nothing “boy” about it - just a girl who likes climbing trees!)  Anyway - Blue Peter was the one place I saw girls doing all the adventurous stuff I LOVED and dreamt of doing - jumping out of planes, flying fast jets - it just seemed to me the best job on the planet!  But at the same time I was shy and massively lacking in confidence.  

It’s a long and  pretty WOW story but I wrote to the editor of Blue Peter in 1991 - he wrote back a standard letter saying “get experience” blah blah bla.  So I worked my arse off to get experience -  working for free in local radio and TV and being prepared to start at the bottom and work up.  I taught myself to type, got a job as a Personal Assistant at the BBC and got to a point when I was doing a 2 hour commute to BBC TV Centre in London as Assistant to the Controller of BBC-1 during the week, then I’d get up at 3am on weekends to be picked up in a car and present on Nickelodeon out of the Trocadero in London.   I re-framed my fear because the thing I wanted to do was bigger than my fear and I wasn’t about to let it hold me back!    It was a pretty busy time! 
I then went back to the Editor of Blue Peter in ’94 and said “This is what you advised me to do and THIS is what I’ve done about it” and handed him my CV and Showreel!  I got an audition and since discovered I was making up numbers and there was a girl they were keen on for the job - but I knocked the audition out of the park and my TV career was born!  At that time the show was on live 3 times a week to an audience of 10 million at a time so yes - life changed pretty dramatically from that moment onwards.

photo credit: Ocean Photography London

Besides broadcasting, you also offer motivational speaking and you’re your very own Limitless workshop. How did you get into motivational speaking and what is Limitless all about?

I spent 2017 and 2018 secretly training in Coaching and NLP (Neuro Linquistic Programming - understanding how people organise their thinking, feeling, language and behaviour to produce the results they do) to become a Personal Development Coach.  I’m passionate about encouraging others to live their biggest, boldest “playing all out” life.  It’s so exciting to watch clients find out what they want for their own lives and start living it!  Feeling like you’re helping people explore what’s possible for their own lives and step into their own LIMITLESS future literally sets my soul on fire!  Being fulfilled is what it’s all about.  I now have a company - LIMITLESS BY KATY HILL - which offers Coaching, Workshops and my Limitless Talk within companies.  I kicked off my keynote speaking at a huge conference in Florida, speaking alongside Erin Brokovich - and haven’t looked back!   I LOVE being able to positively impact others and have big plans for 2020 and beyond!  

If you could give one quick tip for women starting out in their chosen career, what would it be?

Be FEARLESS in your choices!  I think fearless is a misleading word - NOBODY is actually FEARLESS but if you can learn to FEAR LESS - it will empower you to make bold choices and decisions.  We get one shot at this amazing life journey - don’t let anything hold you back. 

photo credit: Ocean Photography London

Your style seems to reflect on your amazing confidence with classic silhouettes and bold colour combinations. What is your go-to in your wardrobe you couldn’t live without? 

Dresses and biker jackets - you can’t go wrong!  Usually teamed with trainers. 
When I’m doing my talks I’ll often wear my Sargossa Spiders.  I have the black and camel colours.  They’re probably the comfiest shoes I’ve ever worn and the heel is exactly the right height for work. 

Speaking of must-have wardrobe pieces, what clothes are on your top 5 autumn/winter wishlist for this year?

I need a new pair of biker boots.  And that’s honestly it!  I’m super conscious of trying not to buy into the constant need for “more”. So I prefer to maybe spend that bit extra on items I’ll keep and wear forever.  I’m always careful to make sure I wear repeat outfits on social media.  I think the feeds where women are constantly wearing new clothes are damaging and misleading.  Buying less but buying clever rather than constantly buying MORE is what I’m all about.  

photo credit: Ocean Photography London

You are the owner of various Sargossa heels. Can you tell us what drew you to them and whether you have a favourite from our collection?

I am THE BIGGEST fan of your heels!  I first fell in love with them in John Lewis at Westfields.  I’d just parked and was heading to TV Centre for work meetings at White City House and had a few minutes spare.  My walk from the carpark took me through the shoe department and I spotted the Sargossa stand.  I picked up the Spider like a kid in a candy store and tried it on.  I had honestly never tried on anything like it and in my work on TV I can spend HOURS standing in heels.  These were a total game changer - probably the comfiest and most flattering shoes I’d ever worn. When I turned them over and spotted a slogan on the sole?  A love affair was born!  I literally couldn’t love a brand more and it’s a pretty perfect brand “fit” with what I’m offering with LIMITLESS and the empowering slogans on the soles. 

What do you usually look for when shopping for shoes in general? Are you a heel/flats person usually?

I’m generally a flats person - I live in trainers and boots.  I used to wear heels more but since having kids, my feet changed slightly and heels aren’t so comfy now.  Which is why I was beyond thrilled to discover the brand because for red carpet events, I love a heel but comfort is key!  Comfy heels are like the holy grail of footwear!  I want to be as comfortable dancing at the end of the night as for the red carpet arrival. I have CHIC and REDEFINED in various colours. I LOVE my REDIFINED Urano Nappa as they go with everything and, since I’m usually pretty tanned and have olive skin, they’re close to skin tone for me, which makes them super flattering and make my legs look longer!  The slight platform sole makes them not feel that high and the cushioning means I end the night as happy as I start it!  Which you can’t often say with heels! 

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