STEPHANIE MANSOUR—Steph, to her clients—is a godsend if there ever was one. Her company, cutely named STEP IT UP WITH STEPH, breaks women out of their low-self-esteem funk through private yoga and Pilates sessions, personal training and life coaching on everything from how to ask for a raise to dating tips. Her background in the TV industry was what first motivated Steph to crank out more positive messaging for women. “I was tired of messages telling women they had to do XYZ in order to look perfect, get the job or snag the guy,” she laments. “Step it Up refers to a mental switch, where you do what you know is best for yourself. My mission has always been to help women look and feel their best, on their own terms.”
Style and beauty, of course, are a bonus byproduct of feeling better about yourself. “When you feel good, you look good,” she says, adding that for her, that is when she’s keeping up with her 20 minute ab workout per day regimen, and donning a pair of perfectly-fitting pants from White House Black Market. (“They are the only store that has pants that fit my proportions: bigger booty, smaller waist!” she says.)
This year, Steph takes her positive, uplifting message back to the social media landscape as she plans for many more media appearances; she’s already been featured on CNN, NBC Chicago, and in Crain’s Business, among others, and plans to hit even more outlets in 2014. All this while staying positive and fit? Now that’s what we call Steppin’ Up, Steph!
for Steph
HEALTHY LIVING: Healthy buffet at Foodease | Peach bellinis at Cru | Workouts at Equinox—“It’s motivating to see others working really hard.”
BEAUTY SPOTS: Manicure at Azure Nails, Hancock Buildling | Haircut at Custom Hair Lounge—“Tanya is the best!” | Naked cosmetics | Massages from River North Massage
INDULGENCE: Paris Club—“My favorite place to go when I want to let loose.”
plus watch Steph sound off on booty dancing in our ART OF GOOD LIVING film: