Benchmark Happenings
Brought to you by, Jonathan Tipton & Steve Reed of Benchmark Home Loans, Benchmark Happenings is a podcast that is a biweekly discussion about living in and moving to Northeast Tennessee along with the local real estate market. Join your host Christine Reed as she interviews Jonathan & Steve, local business owners, sought-after industry experts, Veterans, Realtors, Benchmark clients, and more.
Benchmark Happenings focuses on discussing all things related to mortgages and Northeast Tennessee. Placing the spotlight on all the reasons you would want to live in and move to Northeast Tennessee, Benchmark Happenings highlights upcoming events, local businesses, things to do, and other aspects related to Northeast Tennessee. We will also be answering mortgage questions from buyers, sellers, and real estate agents as well as discussing everything going on in our local real estate market.
To help you to navigate the home buying and mortgage process, Jonathan & Steve are currently licensed in Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia, contact us today at 423-491-5405 or visit www.tiptonreedteam.com.
Benchmark Home Loans | NMLS # 2143
4138 Bristol Highway
Johnson City, TN 37601
Jonathan Tipton
Senior Mortgage Planner
NMLS # 1188088
jonathan.tipton@benchmark.us
Steve Reed
Branch Manager
NMLS # 173024
steve.reed@benchmark.us
Benchmark Happenings
The Art of Color: Elevating Your Natural Beauty
Discovering your authentic style isn't just about looking good—it's about reconnecting with your natural beauty and finding confidence that radiates from within. In this enlightening conversation, Christine Reed welcomes Shelli Holchek, owner of House of Color in Johnson City and Bristol, who reveals how color analysis is transforming lives across East Tennessee.
Shelli shares her fascinating journey from 24 years in education to becoming an image consultant who has served over 600 clients since opening in May 2023. As a Midwest transplant who fell in love with East Tennessee's beauty and people, she brings a fresh perspective to personal styling that goes far beyond fashion trends.
What makes House of Color unique is their holistic approach. Color analysis begins by examining your natural features in pure daylight, identifying the palette that perfectly harmonizes with your God-given coloring. But Shelli doesn't stop there—she addresses makeup (using European standards that ban 1,300 harmful ingredients compared to just 11 in the US), jewelry metals that complement your undertones, and a style analysis that considers both body architecture and personality.
The transformative power of this work extends beyond aesthetics. "There are people who have gone through life changes," Shelli explains, "and somehow their confidence has been taken from them." By reconnecting clients with their natural beauty, she helps them reclaim their self-assurance. The ultimate goal? When you're dressed as your authentic self, you can stop focusing on your appearance and start serving others.
Whether you're preparing for professional headshots, transitioning between life phases, or simply seeking to build a more intentional wardrobe, Shelli's approach offers tools—not rules—for presenting your best self to the world. Follow House of Color Johnson City, Bristol on Instagram and Facebook to see client transformations and learn about upcoming events that could change how you see yourself forever.
To help you to navigate the home buying and mortgage process, Jonathan & Steve are currently licensed in Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia, contact us today at 423-491-5405 or visit www.jonathanandsteve.com.
Thank you. One of the most beautiful places in the country to live, tons of great things to do and awesome local businesses. And on this show you'll find out why people are dying to move to Northeast Tennessee. And on the way we'll have discussions about mortgages and we'll interview people in the real estate industry. It's what we do. This is Benchmark Happenings, brought to you by Benchmark Home Loans and now your host, christine Reed.
Speaker 2:Well, welcome back everybody to another episode of Benchmark Happenings. And you know, every two weeks we always put out a new show and have a star, and so today the star of our show is Shelly Holchek from House of Color. So welcome, shelly.
Speaker 3:Welcome. Thank you, happy to be here.
Speaker 2:Oh, it is great to have you here and House of Color. We're going to talk all about that business and how you got here and I will have to say you look absolutely beautiful today.
Speaker 3:Thank you, so do you Christine.
Speaker 2:Oh well, thank you, thank you. So, shelly, tell us a little bit about House of Color. What is it that you're providing to your families and clients that come to see you? What are they looking for? And then we'll talk a little bit about your background too, because it's very interesting.
Speaker 3:Thank you. So House of Color is a 40-year-old company based out of the UK.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 3:Yes, and we made our way to the US about 10 years ago. House of Color is a franchise opportunity and I am an image consultant, so that is my title. Color analysis is currently having its moment again, like it did back in the 80s. I remember, yes. So right now most of my time is spent doing color analysis, but I always tell my clients I am not just a color analyst, my real title is image consultant. So anything regarding elevating your image. So I do style analysis, color analysis, I teach people about what their best jewelry options are, what their best hair colors are, I do personal shopping, I do wardrobe edits, so anything just related to elevating your image.
Speaker 2:Wow, that is phenomenal and I would say that. So how has when you opened up this franchise, Shelly, when did you open it and what has your business been like?
Speaker 3:Okay, so I went to training. House of Color provides robust training for their stylists, so I went to color training out of state and I did that in April of 23.
Speaker 1:And in.
Speaker 3:May of 23,. I opened my doors and I have worked with well over 600 clients since that time. Yes, and remind me again the rest of your question, Christine.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so so over 600 clients, I mean. And you moved to Johnson City, yes, so we are so glad to have you in beautiful East Tennessee, shelly. And so where did you move from originally?
Speaker 3:Okay, so we were in Omaha, Nebraska for 20 years.
Speaker 3:Well, my husband and I are both Midwest born and raised, so he was raised in Nebraska and I'm a Kansas City girl. So we met in college. We had our children in Kansas City and then we a Kansas City girl. So we met in college. We had our children in Kansas City and then we moved to his home and we were in Nebraska for 20 years. So during COVID my husband left his job and we decided we wanted to move south, but we still wanted four seasons.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:And he hired a recruiting company and several opportunities began presenting in.
Speaker 1:East.
Speaker 3:Tennessee. So we came to Bristol and we spent a long weekend and he was interviewing and the company he was interviewing with wanted to interview me as well and we fell in love with the area, we fell in love with the people and the topography and just the beauty. And so here we are, four years later.
Speaker 2:Well, that's wonderful and you know, I hear this story so many times from people, shelly, that move from all over the country because, just like in our intro for the podcast, people are dying to move to East Tennessee. It's true, I mean, it truly is a beautiful place. Because, just like in our intro for the podcast, people are dying to move to East Tennessee. It's true, I mean, it truly is a beautiful place, the Four Seasons. You mentioned the people. You know, my husband and I were both born and raised here in East Tennessee, so we're blessed and we've known that for a long time and we love the area and so we're glad to have you. And you know, I just think it's kind of cool that you ventured out and started a business. So I see and hear that Shelly Holchek is an entrepreneur as well, and really pushing yourself outside the mold and kind of recreating yourself again.
Speaker 3:Yes, so tell us a little bit about your background, Shelley, before you became an image consultant. Okay, so I am a teacher by education. I have two undergraduate degrees in education and then I have a master's degree in education as well education and then I have a master's degree in education as well Wow Okay. And I taught school in the public school system for 16 years, and then I went back later and taught in the Christian school setting for eight years.
Speaker 3:Okay, during that entire time that I was a teacher. I will tell you because people ask well, how did you go from being a teacher to being an image consultant? So, as a teacher, I will say that all of the other teachers always ended up in my classroom in the morning asking about their outfits, asking if I would go shopping with them. My principal would always stop me on the way into school and say, hey, where did you get that outfit? You need to take me shopping. So I feel like this is something that's been there all along. But I just also love teaching and the beauty of this is now I'm still using my teaching but I'm using it in a new manner and just teaching women and men how to elevate their look.
Speaker 2:That's wonderful and you know I always think teachers. My husband always says teachers make the best realtors. I've heard that too and they really do and I just love having that teaching background and how that sort of you know you've just kind of segway into this, really working with people and helping them to elevate their personal style and we were talking earlier, shelly, and I think kind of you know the heart and soul of your business and what you're doing. Can you kind of tell us some of your passion in this and maybe some clients that you've worked with and done a color analysis or something and just some of those outcomes for people that have come to you?
Speaker 3:Yes. So I think when I started this, I just thought it was going to be fun to help people, you know, find their best outfits and find their personal style and elevate their image. But what I've seen over seeing 600 clients- is that it's? So much more than that. I mean truly. There are people who have gone through life changes Maybe it's their health, Maybe it's relationship issues, and somehow their confidence has been taken from them, and so I feel like just this little change where someone is focusing a little more, I call it.
Speaker 3:It's another version of self--care so they're tapping back into their own natural beauty, the way God made them, and I mean he made all of us beautiful, and so I think sometimes, when life gets difficult, people forget that and so this is just a reminder that each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made and that we're going to go back to that natural beauty that you have in you and that it's been there all along, and sometimes you just need a little extra help tapping back into it.
Speaker 2:That's why we need each other.
Speaker 3:That's exactly right.
Speaker 2:That's why Christianity is not a lone ranger. We need people. We were created for relationship, we're created for community and I think I said this on one of my last podcasts, shelly, it's like and I love how you brought out our natural beauty, because we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Each of us has our own unique DNA that God created and designed. You know we all have a purpose, unique purpose to glorify God. But he's given us these unique talents and abilities not only to serve others and you found a lot of joy in doing that but also to glorify God as well.
Speaker 3:That's right.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 3:So one of the things before I start a color analysis, I always step well, color analysis has to be done in just natural light, so we don't use any artificial lighting.
Speaker 2:So, not like in here, right.
Speaker 3:That's right. So there have to be windows with natural light just pouring in. So my clients are sitting in front of a window with natural light pouring in and I stand in front of them and I. The first thing I do is look into their eyes because I want to see their eye color and how God made them, naturally, because he's the best artist of all. He is. So, one of the things that I notice is no person, even if they have blue eyes, say, I see 10 people in a row with blue eyes.
Speaker 3:No one's blue eyes are the same color as someone else's blue eyes. Isn't that interesting? Yes, a row with blue eyes. No one's blue eyes are the same color as someone else's blue eyes. Isn't that interesting? Yes, and then the little patterns inside our eyes, different on every single person that comes in. So color analysis is taking what God gave you, how he made you, and then matching the colors that you put on your body with the canvas that's already there.
Speaker 3:And it's a game changer. It sounds like I'm being dramatic when I say it's a game changer, but it's a game changer.
Speaker 2:Well, and you've actually had clients that cry because after they go through this process, they feel beautiful again.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely. So it helps us. Like I said before, it helps us tap into the beauty that's been there all along, but for some reason maybe we've been hiding it.
Speaker 2:So now and you're doing color analysis for individuals, yes, um, do you also provide, uh, uh I think you had mentioned makeup, because we know makeup is such a huge part of you know, we can really accentuate our beauty through makeup. Yes, and also talk about makeup and then talk about metals, jewelry.
Speaker 3:Okay, so in a color analysis it's at least a two-hour appointment, but first, like I said, we get back to the natural beauty. So we pull your hair back, so that if there's any you know artificial coloring in our hair, we're not paying attention to that, we're paying attention to the natural colors.
Speaker 2:Oh, you'd have to pull my hair back, pardon. Look at my roots to see my natural color, me too.
Speaker 3:But yes, once we find what we call your season, which is the color palette that matches best and harmonizes best with your natural beauty, then we talk about makeup and our house of color makeup is formulated in Europe, so we follow these European standards where they ban over 1300 ingredients that are harmful in the makeup. In the US we ban 11 ingredients, so 1300 versus 11.
Speaker 2:You know what, shelly? It's the same as the food supply.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 2:The same as the food supply and hopefully there's the Maha movement and Kennedy is going to make and Dr Oz make a lot of changes in our health, of our food. But it's amazing the horrible additives and preservatives that are put in our food supply. The dyes, yes. And then it's the same as makeup what you just mentioned. So they ban 1,300. And how many here?
Speaker 3:in the US 11. Not 1,100, just 11.
Speaker 2:11. And so your makeup comes from Europe.
Speaker 3:Well, actually, because we are a European-based company, but we've been here in the US. We do make it here in the US. But we follow the European standards because we're a European company originally, so I love that it's made in the US but, we follow those European standards.
Speaker 2:Nice.
Speaker 3:Because our skin is the largest organ in our body, so what we're putting on our skin matters as much as what we're eating.
Speaker 2:And it's being absorbed.
Speaker 3:Yes, so the makeup. Then once we know your season, then we match the makeup to your specific season. So when a person knows what makeup colors, they're supposed to wear it's the best life hack ever, because you never have to go to Sephora or Ulta and guess and waste money, because you know that everything that you choose is already going to harmonize with your natural coloring.
Speaker 2:That is awesome, and so tell us about metals. So jewelry I love jewelry and I know you love jewelry too. I'm admiring your silver Julie Voss necklace. I have that in gold.
Speaker 3:Yes, I love this piece. It's a statement piece, it is for sure, and this is from our favorite little boutique in town, aslan Hope as well, who keeps all of my clients looking beautiful in their clothing, and me as well, and I know I've had Aslyn and Carlina on several times.
Speaker 2:And you know, aslyn, hope it's always. Hope never goes out of style, that's true.
Speaker 3:That's so true, so okay. So once we know whether a person is warm or cool in their undertones, then I can instruct them on which metals are going to most harmonize with their natural undertones. So people that are cool and blue based in their undertones look more rich and expensive in silver metals. And people that are warm and yellow, based in their undertones, look more rich and expensive in gold metals, yes, and so even certain clothing colors are going to harmonize better with silver metals, while certain other clothing colors will harmonize better with gold metals.
Speaker 3:So I have had people nervous to come see me because they're afraid because all of their diamonds are set in white gold or in yellow gold and they don't want to be told that it's wrong. So I always tell my clients it's tools, not rules. These are just tools moving forward, and if your heirloom quality pieces are in gold and you are told that silver is your best metal, we're just going to mix some silver in moving forward.
Speaker 2:And when you buy costume pieces.
Speaker 3:You can buy them in your best metal.
Speaker 2:Absolutely so I love how that's not a hard and fast rule. That's true Because, you know, in engagement rings and wedding bands they go through cycles. So when I got married it was platinum, so you had to have platinum. You know, back in the day it used to be yellow gold, then it was white gold, it was platinum, so you had to have platinum. You know, back in the day it used to be yellow gold, then it was white gold, then it was platinum. And I believe, shelly, we're going full circle. I think it's gold again. Yes, I've been seeing more gold engagement rings. So cool thing that you can mix metals and I know there's a lot of jewelry out now that have the silver and gold mix. And I know there's a lot of jewelry out now that have the silver and gold mix.
Speaker 3:These are just guidelines to help people curate a closet that works and brings joy when they step in, and that they're not wasting money on things that they're not going to wear.
Speaker 2:It really just helps you kind of streamline your closet and build a wardrobe that works for you Absolutely, and a wardrobe that's usable, mix and match, so that you're not going with trends and then having all these clothes in your closet that oh, got to get rid of. That Doesn't look good anymore. So the other piece is let's talk a little bit about fashion. So it's putting together your color, your beautiful makeup, the right metals. It's going to accentuate your natural beauty. So let's talk about fashion for women, because I think it's there's so much out there, but a lot of times, your body type, your shape maybe. However, there's certain styles that look better on you than others, right?
Speaker 1:So how do you?
Speaker 2:coordinate that Shelly in with your image consulting.
Speaker 3:Okay, so most people come to the studio first for a color analysis and then most of those people come back for what we call a style analysis or a style session. So House of Color is the only styling company in the world that styles not only a woman's body architecture, but her personality. So, most style companies say she's an apple or she's a pear, and then they dress that body type. But we aren't just an apple or a pear, we have personalities. I hope not.
Speaker 2:Apples and pears are a little bit boring, aren't they, Shelly?
Speaker 3:Yes, so House of Color does an in-depth personality profile during our style sessions, and we also talk a lot about your lifestyle and what you do for a living and you're a stay-at-home mom, or if you're an attorney, and an attorney is obviously going to dress different differently than a stay-at-home mom. In fact, I've recently styled a woman who was an attorney and is now a stay-at-home mom and so that's why she came to me was she's like okay, I have all these suits and pumps and you know, designer bags.
Speaker 3:and now I'm a stay-at-home mom, and so I need to figure out how do I dress as a stay-at-home mom without just wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt. So, House of Color likes to consider the whole person and not just the person's body architecture.
Speaker 2:You know what? I love that, what you said, shelly, because I'm a nurse by trade and we always treat people, even though I've been in sales for I'm not going to say how long it's been a long time, though. But I think that, looking at the whole person as nurses, we look holistically. We look at your spiritual health, your emotional health, your physical health, mind, body and soul, and I think what you're doing at House of Color is you're encompassing everything.
Speaker 3:True, yes.
Speaker 2:That's a great way to put it, and people really, so they come back. So see Shelly for color analysis, right, and then you might want to do style. So do you have clothes there that people try on or do they go?
Speaker 3:do you go shopping with them or so in a style appointment I ask my clients to bring five outfits or five pieces from their current closet that they love and then bring five pieces from their closet that are not working for them. And then they try those things on and we talk about why it's working or why it isn't working, and then I helped them to see how they can tweak it a little bit or what they could change to make it work better for them.
Speaker 2:Okay, so it's not just like oh, you got to get rid of that. You know it's kind of you're going to help people work with what they have.
Speaker 3:Yes, definitely. This is all about building a sustainable wardrobe. It's not about people having to start all over. It's just about moving forward and making better choices.
Speaker 2:That is awesome and you know what would be great too for a lot of your clients who are professional. I had a photographer on a while back, krista Goodwin, and she does a lot of professional headshots. She's done several for me, actually, and she does a lot of beauty pageant things, but you know women that come to see you. That's a great place to start before you have your professional headshot, absolutely. Because, that's our calling card in the business world. Now, right, that's correct?
Speaker 3:Yes, so any sort of branding, family photos, professional photos, weddings, any big life events like that. Knowing your colors and your style is key to getting those things right and helping you show up as your best self. Because I always say, when a person is in their correct color and their correct style, it's like a camera that just clicks into focus when we don't quite have it figured out yet. There's just a little bit of blurriness to it, and then once someone figures out, well, these are the colors that work best for me and this is the style that honors my body and my personality best then that camera just clicks into focus and everything else falls into place and your confidence is elevated.
Speaker 2:That's which is the most important thing, Absolutely, and that you know when we have to make an impression on someone, we have 30 seconds.
Speaker 3:That's right. We have to nail that 30 seconds. We have to nail that 30 seconds.
Speaker 2:And you know, when we lack confidence, it's we all, especially women. We kind of God built in within us that sixth sense. Yes, so we, and that goes with anything that you're doing, you know, is just have not not arrogance, it's not an arrogance, it's just confidence in who God made you to be and fulfilling that full identity of of your DNA.
Speaker 3:Basically, One of my favorite quotes is by CS Lewis and love him. Yes, he says. True humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less, and I always tell my clients in a style appointment that when you are dressed as your true self, so that what you're showing the world on the outside matches what's on the inside that's when you can stop thinking about whether you're looking okay.
Speaker 3:that's when you can stop thinking about whether you're looking okay or you take the focus off of yourself and you're able to put it on other people and serve other people because you're confident in how you feel and how you're presenting yourself. So, that's when we can step into serving other people.
Speaker 2:I love that. That's beautiful, shelly, thank you. Thank you so much. So tell us how we can get in touch with you, what social media sites you're on, what's your website phone number? So what would you like to share? So, cause I know there's people it's going to be listening.
Speaker 3:That's like oh man, I need that Okay. I think the first thing would be to go find my business page on Instagram. I'm consistently posting our clients on there and telling client journeys and sharing what we're doing and any upcoming events. So our Instagram handle is House of Color Johnson City, bristol, and then Facebook is also House of Color Johnson City, bristol.
Speaker 3:So those would be two places that you can follow along. And then the website is just House of Color and if you put in your zip code, you're in East Tennessee. It will pull up your closest House of Color consultant. I also own House of Color Bristol and I have an associate in that territory and her name is Sarah Hall. So her studio is in Bristol, tennessee, okay. And then I have another studio in Piney Flats and that associate is Abigail Abram. So the three of us are right here in the Tri-Cities and we would love to help everyone find their best color and their best style. That is wonderful, and we would love to help everyone find their best color and their best style.
Speaker 2:That is wonderful. Well, the fact that you've served over 600 clients since you started is amazing, and God has just blessed the work that you're doing. And we actually have one of the young ladies that works here at Benchmark, christy Sanders. She's back there running the recording. She actually had an analysis.
Speaker 3:She did Christy saw Abigail a few weeks ago and enjoyed her experience so much that she reached out and asked if I would come on and talk to you all on this podcast.
Speaker 2:Yes, and thank you, shelly, for being on today. It's truly been a pleasure.
Speaker 1:Thank you.
Speaker 2:I love what you're doing and I just you know, even though this is a podcast for Benchmark Home Loans, you know my what you're doing and I just you know, even though this is a podcast for Benchmark Home Loans, you know my heart is for women and serving women and thank you for what you're doing in our community.
Speaker 3:Thank you, christine, thanks for having me today.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and you're going to come back right.
Speaker 3:I will come back, yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, I've just you know and I'm just going to put you on the spot here. So what? Looking at me across the table, what am I?
Speaker 3:So if I could tell you that we wouldn't have to have a two-hour appointment.
Speaker 2:But you are beautiful and you look great in your red today. Some would say I might be a little bit of a peacock, anyway, well, thank you, shelly, for being here and look forward to what you're doing and coming in. Maybe I'll be coming in for that consult.
Speaker 3:I would love to see you.
Speaker 2:Get some colors done for me so.
Speaker 3:I would love to see you.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 1:This has been Benchmark Happenings, brought to you by Jonathan Tipton and Steve Reed from Benchmark Home Loans. Jonathan and Steve are residential mortgage lenders. They do home loans in Northeast Tennessee and they're not only licensed in Tennessee but Florida, georgia, south Carolina and Virginia. We hope you've enjoyed the show. If you did make sure to like rate and review. Our passion is Northeast Tennessee, so if you have questions about mortgages, call us at 423-491-5405, and the website is wwwJonathanAndStevecom. Thanks for being with us and we'll see you next time on BenchmarkLifecom. Thanks for being with us and we'll see you next time on Benchmark Happenings.
