Catherine Lamb, a vivacious 27-year-old and the eldest of five siblings decided one day to take on the ultimate challenge: mastering the art of gifting. Known for her love of online shopping, Lamb presents the same energy and enthusiasm to curate thoughtful presents as she does to every part of her life. Growing up in Kennesaw, she attended NC as part of the International Studies Magnet Program, a fitting foundation for her bright and dynamic personality. Lamb describes herself as the color pink—vibrant, fun and outgoing. Her values reflect her colorful personality, with family, friends and her beloved cat, Nova, holding a special place in her heart.
“Catherine is a hard-working girl who knows what she wants and it’s inspiring. I look up to her so much and learn from her work ethic. She loves everyone and pays attention to every little detail to ensure everything is perfect for everyone,” freshman Monica Lamb said.
The young Lamb’s journey began not with a grand business plan, but with a simple yet powerful step: claiming a name. Hard Candy, her original title, reflected her boundless creativity and desire to build something unique. Initially, she planned to design, curate and sell handcrafted products through her platform, channeling her passion for artistry and entrepreneurship. While living in the dynamic city of Nashville, Tennessee, Lamb’s path took a pivotal turn when she met Nora DeKeyser, her future business coach, at their local church. Their connection felt serendipitous, and Lamb saw an opportunity to bring her vision to life with guidance and expertise. Determined to invest in her dreams, she enrolled in six months of business coaching with DeKeyser, committing to 18 intensive sessions. Through those months of collaboration, brainstorming and refinement, Lamb and DeKeyser worked together to shape her brand and define its purpose. While the original concept focused on selling products, the process organically shifted directions. The business evolved into something personal and engaging — a blog.
Lamb’s blog became her platform to share her passion for style and fashion with the world. Drawing on her prior writing experience, she confidently approached the journey, and her coach provided invaluable support to solidify her plans. Relieving herself of the overwhelming task of designing her own products lifted a burden and allowed her to focus on what truly mattered. However, balancing her demanding role as an account manager with her budding passion project proved no easy feat. The challenges mounted when Lamb discovered her original company name already existed, presenting a significant setback. Undeterred, she channeled her energy into brainstorming a new identity, ultimately landing on the name Velvet Lemon. By posting on TikTok and Instagram, she put her brand on the map; this creative process spanned hours each day for seven long months, culminating in the brand’s anticipated launch date, November 11, 2024.
Velvet Lemon focuses on channeling Lamb’s fruitful imagination. Through her blog, she analyzes products from different companies such as Zara, Heaven Mayhem and Free People while recommending her favorites. With divvied-up style guides, she helps match personality to the product. She thoughtfully provides tailored tools to match any type of girl depending on her style. Whether the reader needs a chunky piece of jewelry or a simple charm, Lamb’s keen eye for design accentuates each person’s individuality.
The launch proved superb with the blog garnering attention; however, no monetary success came to fruition. After the successful launch, Lamb decided to look forward to the future of her business happily. She hopes to gain monetary success from her Like To Know It (LTK) link which allows viewers to visit her profile and buy from her account, granting her a percentage of the revenue. Through her blog, she hopes to achieve high rates by selling her products and other businesses’ products. By accomplishing this, Lamb will spread her positivity and fashion advice to the world.
“All I want to do in life is create, market and have a cool brand. Highlighting products I love to potentially help someone with their fashion issues is one of the best ways that I know I can help someone. I hope that people see my blog and appreciate how much thought I put into it for all different types of styles,” Lamb said.
NC’s alumni and fashion icon Lamb continues to achieve success by eliminating the negative and replacing it with her positive outlook. While her blog starts underground, she hopes to reach a larger audience and contribute to a better world. As a Warrior of the world, Lamb displays the attitude and outlook that she learned at NC.
