From One Direction Sibling to Stealth Entrepreneur: Lottie Tomlinson's Savvy Moves

When she was just 11 years old, Lottie Tomlinson's brother Louis became a member of one of the biggest boy bands in the world. One Direction's meteoric rise to fame thrust each of their families into the public eye. But rather than shying away from the spotlight, Lottie embraced her newfound platform and turned it into her own.

Now 26, the Doncaster native has come a long way from being simply known as Louis Tomlinson's little sister. She has honed her beauty skills into a successful make-up career, working at London Fashion Week and even publishing a book of tutorials.

Lottie has also established a self-tanning empire with Tanologist, a venture she co-founded with Lou Teasdale, whom she met through her brother. Teasdale, a former make-up artist for One Direction, recognised Lottie's talent after working with her on the band's "On The Road Again" tour and quickly signed her on.

Finding her own path

Lou has been a constant source of support for Lottie, both professionally and personally, helping her through the tragic deaths of her mother, Johannah Deakin, and younger sister, Félicité Tomlinson. She even penned the foreword for Lottie's latest book, "Lucky Girl: Family, Falling and Finding My Way".

Brand expert Nick Ede spoke exclusively with Fabulous about Lottie's new book and its potential impact on her career.

"I think one of the things that's really interesting about her is that she obviously became famous vicariously through her brother and the success of One Direction," he says. "But you have to be good at your job to carry on doing well. As a make-up artist, she's got a really good portfolio and people really respect her and what she does."

Ede notes that the unexpected and overnight success of One Direction likely meant that Lottie found herself "caught up in it".

"It may have been something that she hadn't really planned but obviously has used it to her own advantage and done it in a really great way," he explains.

Ede predicts that Lottie's shift from writing about make-up to sharing personal experiences will only amplify her following.

"I think a lot of people have grown up with her from a young age so they feel they can relate to her," Ede says. "Obviously, with her talking about the passing away of her mother and then her sibling, that was really tragic and a moment which will never leave you. I think a lot of people will find it very authentic and buy into it because they've been on her journey with her."

Building an empire

Ede believes that readers will be equally invested in hearing about the highs of One Direction and the lows of family loss through Lottie's perspective.

"I think out of a lot of people who've come out of that bubble, she's really one of the most authentic," he states. "And I think a lot of people really respect and look up to her."

He points out that despite her success and famous connections, Lottie doesn't have a mainstream media presence and rarely appears on television. Ede believes that by sharing more of her personal story, Lottie will solidify herself as a household name.

"I think doing this and being much more open about her life will actually open her up to a lot more people and it will make her more famous," he predicts.

Ede believes Lottie's work with bereavement charities and recent foray into wellness will have a significant impact on her career.

“She's the stand out of the family so I think she's taken on this mantle to make sure she looks after the family," he says. “I think watching her success, other members of the family might be quite interested in emulating that, but I feel that she's the one, and her brother obviously, who will be sort of taking that mantle. I don't think you will see other Tomlinsons going that direction."

A Stealth Entrepreneur

Lottie's foray into fitness and wellness content was another savvy move, according to Ede.

“Obviously, it’s such a massive thing at the moment and she’s got over five million followers so I think for someone like her, to show everybody her lifestyle is really important,” he explains. “If you look at the really successful influencers like Molly Mae, Stacey Solomon, or Michelle Keegan, you can see that they all give glimpses into other parts of their lives. It gets people engaged, obviously brands want to give them sponsored posts.”

Ede describes Lottie's health and fitness venture, Verdure, as "a very savvy move" and a clever way to make her into a “much more of an all-around person”.

"We get to know more about her, we see her highs, her lows, we see what she's done every day," he explains. “She’s doing this extremely well, she’s got the book, she’s got the tanning brand. She's like a stealth entrepreneur, that's what I call her. Everyone talks about Molly-Mae Hague being an entrepreneur, but actually, Lottie Tomlinson is doing really well and is just stealthily building this empire, which is really impressive."

This point is underscored by the fact that Lottie's famous surname does not appear on any Tanologist products. She has managed to build her own beauty empire without relying on her family name, and even opted to align herself with Lou Teasdale's management rather than her brother's.

The future certainly looks bright for Lottie Tomlinson. With her genuine personality, successful career, and a growing platform, she is poised to become a household name in her own right.