Inspired by...Bianca Miller, Businesswoman and Star of The Apprentice

Bianca Miller is just the kind of woman we like to champion here at Little Black Dress. Starting out as a HR advisor in The City before founding personal branding and image consultancy firm The Be Group, she then went on to be a finalist on the 2014 series of The Apprentice. Following this, her star then continued to rise and she went on to develop and launch her business idea for a range of tights designed for all skin tones. With Little Black Dress now proud to stock that very range, Bianca Miller London, we took the opportunity to ask the unstoppable entrepreneur all about her inspirations, advice and, of course, fashion...

What inspired you to start the Bianca Miller London hosiery brand? I was inspired to start the brand due to personal experiences of not being able to get the right shade of hosiery to match my skin tone. At the age of 18 and being a December baby, I wanted a pair of tights to wear with a mini skirt for my party but couldn't find any, so I did what most fashionable teenagers do and braved the cold. It was only when i went to work in a large corporate organisation in the city that i realised how important it was to have ‘nude' hosiery to aid that final polish. I saw that most people who were outside of the standard ‘nude' that most stores offer had only two choices - 1) go bare legged 2) wear black hosiery (or of course wear the wrong shade - which we have all seen I'm sure). I didn't think it was fair or right that brands thought offering one or two shades of nude was acceptable. I reasoned that I couldn't be the only person struggling to get the right match because people come in an amazing variety of beautiful skin tones - so it was time to offer them a diverse range of nudes to suit.

What do you love most about your job?

I love being an entrepreneur, mostly because I feel like I am the author of my own destiny. I like making new concepts, especially those that create the solution to a problem, then bringing them to fruition. What did you wear to your first job interview? That is a very good question...probably a white shirt, black skirt and jacket with fancy cufflinks - I had a big thing for shirts and cufflinks in my late teens, early twenties! That was literally all I wore to work. Who is your ultimate style icon? Victoria Beckham (love her dresses!) and Beyoncé for her variety of styles (day, night, casual, occasion etc). Who is your favourite designer for occasion wear? I don't have a favourite - I like to choose a new outfit on its merits as opposed to its designer. I tend to choose the look that best complements my figure and the event. Who would you like to have a 30-minute meeting with? Oprah Winfrey - I would just like to know how she did it and how she continues to do it...I love her tenacity, drive and her philanthropy. What is one thing in your career that you've regretted? I dont really ‘do' regrets, I like to see everything as part of the learning curve - from each obstacle I have learnt something new. What are the five top qualities you look for when hiring? Drive, Enthusiasm, Passion, Willingness to Learn, Ability to innovate What do you do when you're feeling uninspired? Take a break...sometimes you just need time to do nothing or something out of the ordinary. On occasion when i have felt I am being unproductive or I am uninspired, I down tools and give myself some time to reset. What's the best advice you've ever received? That you can't please everyone all of the time! No matter how hard you try to create an inclusive brand, there will always be someone who feels that they have not been catered to - whether that be regarding price, size, shape, style etc. I try hard to listen to feedback to enable us to grow the brand but I also have to be conscious that Rome was not built in a day. What do you most love to do for fun? Socialise with my friends and family - that can be something as simple as dinner or the cinema, or as extravagant as a holiday or new activity. Shop Bianca Miller London here at Little Black Dress!