Interview with Entrepreneur and Influencer Jaimie Lynn Hilfiger

Several years ago, I interviewed entrepreneur and influencer Jaimie Hilfiger in an interview originally published in Thrive Global. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:

Adam: What is something about you that would surprise people?

Jaimie: Beauty and skincare have always been my first love (over fashion) which people find surprising. I am looking forward to creating vegan, cruelty-free products that will make people feel better about themselves.

Adam: What are your hobbies and how have they shaped you?

Jaimie: I began working as a model at a very young age, so whenever I’m asked about my hobbies, working always comes to mind first. I am lucky that my work is also my passion, so I truly enjoy what I do. I would love to go back to school to become a dermatologist because I am absolutely fascinated with learning about skin. Currently, I enjoy reading dermatological books. I also love shopping and traveling with my husband, where we can find design inspirations. I love taking long walks outdoors, yoga, and Pilates.

Adam: How did you get here?

Jaimie: I grew up in an upper-middle-class working family in the Hudson Valley Region of New York. My hometown, New Windsor, NY, is about one hour north of New York City, so it was very accessible to visit the city on weekends and for day trips. Since both of my parents worked full-time, a strong work ethic was instilled in me at a young age. I always knew that I wanted to be a “career woman” like my mom except I wanted to work for myself and to create my own brand. Around the age when children start dreaming about what they want to become in life, my uncle Tommy Hilfiger’s brand was really taking off so it gave me an inspiration that seemed accessible and doable.

Adam: How did you become an “influencer”?

Jaimie: People have always looked up to me for fashion and beauty advice. When I was a freshman in high school, I styled the senior girls for their prom. I would style them from head to toe. From hair, makeup, dress, shoes, and accessories. I continued this throughout high school and once I became a senior I was even styling my own classmates. It was in college where I really began a love for beauty and different products. I was always giving recommendations to my sorority sisters because, if I found a product that worked, I wanted everyone to know about it. Once social media gained its popularity, it was almost instantaneous that I became an influencer in fashion and beauty. I feel very fortunate that people look up to my style and ask my advice.

Adam: What advice do you have for those interested in working with influencers?

Jaimie: My advice for those companies that are interested in working with influencers is to do your research on individuals that you want representing and promoting your brand. Make sure that they’re compatible and complimentary. Look at their social media audience and make sure that they have a strong following in the category of your product.

Becoming a successful influencer takes a lot of work. You constantly have to be one foot ahead of the other and have an eye for the latest and greatest. For those interested in becoming an influencer, it’s important to differentiate yourself from all the other influencers out there. Find something unique about yourself and run with it.

Adam: What are your best tips on the topic of branding?

Jaimie: Branding is about recognition and identity. It’s important that, before you introduce your brand to the public, you need to establish the identity of the brand in a way that makes your brand recognizable to others. If you are creating a brand around yourself, make your brand personality-driven. Find a unique attribute that makes you stand out and distinguish your brand from others.

Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Jaimie: It’s so important to love what you do because if you don’t then you will not put your best self out there. Your image is a lot like your reputation. It’s the first thing people notice when they see your photo or meet you in person. You can’t take back first impressions and nowadays you have to remember that online content lasts forever. Before promoting your brand, do your research and make sure what you put out to the public is what you want to stick.  


Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.

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