Pippa O'Connor has the last laugh at those who didn't take her seriously as a businesswoman

The 31-year-old began her career as a model and now runs her own successful blog and business.

But, despite her success, Pippa is still subjected to tired cliches.

“There is a stigma attached to models and it’s probably harder for someone like me to move away from that and be seen as something different and to be taken seriously as a businesswoman,” she told the Herald.

“But it can be done. I suppose you just have to work hard at it like everything else.”

Read more:

The Leaving Cert results were the talk of the country yesterday and Pippa said that she only realises now that points and grades “really don’t matter”.

“I remember being so anxious, but it just really didn’t matter as much as it felt like it did at the time,” she said.

“If you’re passionate about what you want to do, you’ll get there.”

GALLERY:

While running her site – pippa.ie – and her Fashion Factory days out, Pippa is also filming regular slots for Xpose.

“I did a fashion slot with Lynn Kelly this week – I wasn’t filling in for anyone, but it’s something I’d like to do more of,” she said.

The mum-of-one turned 31 last week and was spoilt rotten by her hubby Brian Ormond and their adorable son, Ollie.

“It was lovely, there was great excitement. I came back from the Dublin Horse Show last week to have a gorgeous bouquet of flowers waiting for me,” she said.

Read more:

The following day Brian whisked the mum-of-one off to the Shelbourne for a champagne lunch.

It has been a testing few months for Pippa, whose mother Louise Mullen died suddenly in October of last year.

Pippa was extremely close to her mother and her death was a devastating blow for her.

“A lot has gone on in the past year and it’s been a roller coaster to say the least, with a lot of ups and some terrible downs,” she said.

“My Mum passing away last October has been really tough.

“Things changed that day in a blink of an eye, which has taught me some life-long lessons,” she added.

Meanwhile, Brian is busy with his video-marketing business, Corporate Profiles, which he runs with fellow presenter Laura Woods.

While he’s busy behind the scenes, Pippa said he “always has things in the pipeline” when it comes to presenting and being on TV.

Pippa is taking her Fashion Factory to Kerry this weekend and said she wasn’t too concerned about other stylists – such as Lisa Fitzpatrick and Lorraine Keane – doing similar events.

According to Pippa there is room for them all.

Read more:

“I don’t mind that there are other fashion factory types out there, there’s a market for everyone,” she said.

“Obviously, when something is going well for someone, others will do something similar.

“It doesn’t bother me [that there are others].

“I’m appealing to a wide audience – girls in their late teens and 20s, but also those in their 30s like me, and I’m a mum,” she added.

As her site has taken off here, the Kildare native hasn’t ruled out re-locating abroad.

“The convenience of what I’m doing is that I could do it anywhere,” she said.

“Sometimes I think that maybe even being out of the country for a while would be more exciting for people that are following me, but here are no plans at the moment,” added Pippa, who has been unveiled as the face of Dublin Fashion Festival.