The Inspirational Woman Project: Kit Wallace + Tanya Dempsey

Together they have created a business partnership that extends beyond the confines of the office and reaches into all areas of their lives, while providing a unique impact for their clients.
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The Inspirational Woman Project believes that every woman is inspirational. It's our mission to tell their stories.

Kit Wallace is an aspiring author, a manager to her daughter Stella and the founder and CEO of Blue Eyed Entertainment, Inc., a Los Angeles based beauty, fashion and lifestyle PR company. Wallace's vast knowledge of the inner-workings of television production, music booking and product placement have helped provide excellent results for her clients and her grow her company significantly. But in her gut she always knew that she wanted to find a way to take PR to the next level.

Tanya Dempsey is a fashion stylist and the CEO and Founder of Séchoir TV Productions. When she first conceptualized her fashion and beauty production company, she knew that a PR element was imperative. In fact, it was one of her very first ideas for the company; to create professional online video content in fashion and beauty, and partner with PR to get it out there. Séchoir started out as a small idea of combining her cinematic experience and connections with the fashion blogging world, and it organically grew into something more, when brands started reaching out to them to film content for their online needs.

Together they have created a business partnership that extends beyond the confines of the office and reaches into all areas of their lives, while providing a unique impact for their clients.

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How did you two meet?
{Dempsey}: We first met at Miami Swim week, then again at New York Fashion Week. We shared a client and realized that we not only worked really well together, utilizing our individual companies and skills for the benefit of the client, but we also really liked and respected one another. I still remember being seated next to each other at a dinner in Miami, and learning we both had daughters named Stella!

What made you decide to partner in business?
{Wallace}: I feel like I knew the moment I met her in Miami that she was my "match." We had the same exact Stella & Dot gold necklaces on. The only difference was hers was engraved Sechioir and mine BEE. To me it was a sign; call me crazy but I believe in kismet energy.

{Dempsey}: I think we realized that we were already working hand-in-hand for the same goal with shared clients, so why not join forces to offer these brands even more? What we do is already so synergistic. At Séchoir, we produce the creative content, and Blue Eyed Entertainment brings it out into the world.

What makes your partnership so powerful?
{Wallace}: Our world is moving into digital everything and this is something I wanted to offer my clients. The PR world is ever changing; and when I met Tanya I envisioned us changing the world of PR together by using the digital knowledge her and her team have while creating videos for clients instead of mundane press releases. This is something we both feel strongly about and that's what I think makes our partnership powerful. We are on the same page and both very passionate and love what we do. Love is a powerful word not to be taken lightly; but I can truly say we love one another and want what's best for each other, our families, and our teams.

{Dempsey}: For me, it's the knowledge that I'm supported and understood. And there's no ego or competition between us. We both want the other to do well, to be happy, to kick ass. When women support each other, there's a special connection and bond that is unmatched. There's nothing like it. Especially by another working mother who is climbing that uphill battle of simultaneously building a family, a home, and business. Nobody understands a working mama, like another working mama.

Why are you inspirational?
{Wallace}: No, is not a word in my vocabulary - unless it's no I'm already busy. An example being that I do not take no for an answer or give up on things I set my mind to. Being a melanoma cancer survivor taught me that at the age of 26; but it was always in me. I've always been very competitive and people ask me all the time how do you do it? You just do it. It's not necessarily that cancer taught me that but it definitely shaped me as a human. I had the choice then to be positive or negative when I was diagnosed. I've always chosen to be positive about all situations. I hope that's how I inspire others, through my positivity.

What's one thing you want to tell the women who will read this?
{Dempsey}: Support one another! Don't feel the need to compare yourselves to other women who may seem like they're doing better, doing more. Our battles are so individual. And by helping and supporting each other, good things will happen. Trust me.

What is your mantra?
{Wallace}: Positive thinkers create positive outcomes.

What gets you out of bed every morning?
{Wallace}: At this very moment everything in my life. Being a mom, step-mom, wife, entrepreneur, friend, aunt, sister, daughter, granddaughter, gosh everything, my puppy Peanut Butter. I've never been this happy in my life. My ideas will not let me sleep past 6:00 am no matter the day of the week. Life is good.

{Dempsey}: Usually my three year old son's foot in my ribcage, but other than that - it's the desire to keep up the momentum of something I built. It's pretty cool to think that I built something out of thin air - out of an idea.

What is your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?
{Wallace}: Putting ideas to life and building an empire for my family. I want to leave a legacy for women everywhere in the world.

{Dempsey}: Being able to choose who I work with! I've gone through several versions of partnerships, even lost a couple of friendships along the way, but those true ones stick. My sisters (makeup artists Lisa and Leah Dempsey) have always been involved and tremendously supportive of Séchoir, offering their talents and time and belief - even in the baby stages at the beginning. My video partner, (Lauren Atchison) has become like family to me, and now with Kit Wallace, well... I can't believe I get to be surrounded by so many amazing women, all while doing what I love. I'm one lucky girl.

Follow The Inspirational Woman Project on Twitter @InspWomanProjct and Instagram @InspWomanProjct.

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