The Art of Starting Again: Carla Bentele's journey from High Street Fashion Designer to All About Me
"I pinned my whole self and beliefs on my career"
At some point in life, many of us build a world that looks perfect on paper. We climb the ladders we were told to climb, hit the milestones, and find a sense of self in our professional titles. For Carla Bentele, that world was the high-octane fashion industry of London.
As a senior designer and design manager for some of the UK’s biggest retailers - River Island and Very - Carla lived what many would call the "London dream". She flew business class to factories in Hong Kong and China, leading teams and immersed in a world of trend and colour. Her career wasn't just her job; it was her identity.
But as we often discuss at NTYP, adulthood is rarely a straight line.
The Identity Shift
"I pin my whole self and beliefs on my career," Carla admits during our conversation. Because she is a creative, she felt her creativity was her. So, when the intersection of motherhood, a global pandemic, and redundancy suddenly pulled that ladder away, the impact was more than professional - it was existential.
Carla speaks with refreshing honesty about the "messy middle" that followed. It involved moving from the buzz of Camden to a barn in West Yorkshire, navigating life with a toddler while pregnant with her second child, and facing the brutal reality of "starting again" from scratch without the security of a corporate salary.
The Reality of "Starting Again"
Redundancy is often framed as a "new beginning," but Carla is open about the fact that it didn't feel like a highlight reel. She describes a year of feeling "lost," crying a lot, and grappling with the shame that can come when financial independence isn't there anymore.
"It's so materialistic... I felt ashamed that money and that job was making me feel so bad," she reflects. It’s a feeling many in our community recognise: the unsettledness that happens when your external success no longer aligns with your internal reality.
Finding a 'Positive Mindful Attitude'
Out of this uncertainty, All About Me was born. It didn't start with a polished business plan; it started with a vision board and a motto Carla developed to get through the long, isolated days of lockdown: Positive Mindful Attitude.
What began as a way to "pick herself up" has evolved into a brand of bold, impactful art prints, wearable pieces, and workshops that connect the community. Today, Carla uses her work to help others reframe their own challenges - whether she’s running screen-printing workshops for refugees or helping school children find empowerment through their own words.
Permission to Pivot
One of the most powerful moments in our chat is when Carla discusses her "deathbed perspective". Faced with the choice of rushing back into a career that didn't fit her new life, she chose to "pause". She chose a year of "beans on toast" and being present with her children over the pressure to constantly achieve.
She reminds us that trying something and realising it isn't right - like her brief stint retraining in baby massage - isn't a failure. It’s just finding out what fits and what doesn't. It’s part of the process of becoming.
This conversation is for anyone who:
- Has ever felt defined by their job title and wonders who they are without it.
- Is currently navigating a career pivot or a period of "messy" transition.
- Needs a reminder that "nothing has gone wrong," even when the path feels chaotic.
As Carla says, "Feel the fear and do it anyway". Because the truth is, most of us are not lost - we just haven't arrived yet.
Listen to the full episode: Finding Your 'Positive Mindful Attitude' with Carla Bentele
We're just getting started with Carla's story.
In the full episode of Notes from The Not There Yet Project, Carla shares more about:
- Losing the career you love and the professional identity you’ve built your life around.
- The reality of starting a creative business with kids, no structure, and a lot of self-doubt.
- Navigating life's "messy middle" after moving across the country and losing a regular income.
- Manifestation, vision boards, and birth chart readings and whether belief really changes outcomes.
- The "deathbed perspective" and choosing to take a year off to be a present parent.
- Redefining success and building something that actually fits your life.
Listen to the full episode of Notes from The Not There Yet Project with Carla Bentele.
Find Carla Bentele
If you want to find out more about Carla or All About Me, follow the links below