Today we’d like to introduce you to Fabiana Peterson.
Hi Fabiana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Brazil and moved to the United States over 25 years ago when I was 29 years old. My professional journey started in the corporate world, where I worked for 30 years, including in leadership roles for companies like AT&T, Bloomberg and Morgan Stanley. My work always involved strategy, operations, and building strong relationships across teams, but over time, my focus began to shift toward something more personal.
In my early 40s, I went through a divorce that became a turning point in my life. While it was challenging, I came out of it stronger and with a very positive perspective. I learned so many valuable lessons that I felt called to help other women navigate divorce without ruining their own lives, their children’s lives, or their children’s father’s lives. That’s when I left the corporate world to become a Life Coach at 47 years old. After about a year, I decided to deepen my expertise by studying neuroscience and became a Certified Brain Health Coach, gaining a deeper understanding of how our thoughts influence our feelings, behaviors, and overall quality of life. Around that same time, I began noticing the changes in my own body and the way society perceives women as we age. I realized how many women struggle with confidence, not because they aren’t capable or beautiful, but because of the pressure to fit into outdated narratives about aging.
At first, I had an Instagram account for my coaching business, where I shared my outfits of the day, but it didn’t quite fit. In 2022, I created the Instagram account @FashionByFabiana purely as a hobby to share my passion for fashion. It grew quickly, and I began incorporating my empowerment messaging for women. Over time, my content evolved from general fashion, lifestyle, and health inspiration into a clear niche: embracing aging without fear or shame. In the past year alone, my platform has grown by nearly 100,000 followers, fueled by around 10 viral Reels with a combined total of about 85 million views. Women connect deeply with my message because they feel seen, empowered, and inspired. Not just by the content, but by my own personal journey of living authentically and embracing every stage of life without fear or shame.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s definitely not been a smooth road. In the corporate world, my early struggles were directly tied to being both a woman and very young. In my mid 20s, I was the Chief Administrative Officer for Latin America at Bloomberg in Brazil, and some men had a hard time accepting that. But I thrived by staying authentic, focusing on why I was hired, and delivering results. The leaders who brought me in respected and valued my work, and that’s what I chose to focus on.
Fast forward to today, as a content creator in my 50s, I sometimes face judgment for being “too old.” It feels like women are always “too” something: too young, too old, too this, too that. What’s worked for me in both worlds is listening to my own voice and following my internal compass. That’s what has attracted my audience on Instagram: my commitment to being myself, regardless of what society or anyone else says.
My current challenges are tied to navigating the constantly changing world of social media. It’s still a relatively new industry, almost like the wild west, when it comes to rules and norms. Most creators monetize by partnering with brands to sell products, earning commissions, or creating sponsored posts to drive sales. That’s not my primary goal. My mission is to create content that inspires and empowers women to embrace aging on their own terms, without fear or shame. I want to work with brands as true sponsors, aligning with their values and mine, so that I can share them authentically as supporters of my work, rather than simply selling products. I haven’t yet found a brand willing to fully embrace that approach, but I’m determined to keep trying. I believe it can make social media a more meaningful space, one that goes beyond entertainment and shopping.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a Certified Brain Health Coach and, over the past seven years, I’ve coached more than 200 women 1 on 1. While I no longer do private coaching, the work I do today as a full-time content creator on Instagram (@fashionbyfabiana) is an extension of that same mission to help women live with more self-love, self-acceptance, and confidence.
On Instagram, I focus on empowering women to embrace their aging process without fear or shame. There’s a lot of important conversation happening around menopause right now, which is amazing, but my work goes deeper than just a stage of life. I want women to see aging as a privilege and something to welcome, not resist. I’m 54, I feel and look healthy, and I’ve chosen not to have any anti-aging procedures on my face or body. Instead, I focus on what’s in my control: fitness, nutrition, mindset, and lifestyle, so I can age in a healthy way. I don’t want or need to feel young. I was young. Now, I want to feel strong, vibrant, and healthy as I age.
I’m probably one of the few creators who uses the word “old” in a positive way. I am old, and that’s okay. It means I’ve lived more than half my life, and that is a blessing. My work isn’t just about inspiring women my age and older, it’s also about showing younger women that they don’t need to fear getting older. They need to see examples of women who are happy, confident, and fulfilled in their later decades, not fighting an impossible battle against time.
What sets me apart is my authenticity. I hear it all the time: followers tell me I’m a breath of fresh air, especially in a space like Instagram where so much content feels “plastic” or filtered. Even women in their 20s are now following me because they’re tired of unrealistic portrayals of beauty and aging. I’m here to show that aging isn’t something to dread, it’s something to honor, embrace, and live fully. That’s the work I’m most proud of.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I was raised by a father who was very conservative when it came to risk taking, so naturally I’m not someone who jumps into high risk situations without thinking them through. I’d say I’m more of a “calculated risk taker”… I’ll take the leap if I can see a way forward in case things don’t go as planned.
For example, when I left the corporate world to become a Life Coach, I knew I could always return to the corporate environment if it didn’t work out. When I left Brazil at 29 to marry an American and move to New York, I agreed with my fiancé back then, that if living in the U.S. became too difficult, returning to Brazil was an option. After my divorce,one of the hardest experiences of my life,I could have gone back to Brazil where I had the support of my family. Instead, I chose to stay in Minnesota to see where a new relationship would lead. That man is now my husband. Even then, my father reminded me that if it didn’t work, I always had a place to come home to.
For me, risk taking is about stretching ourselves, trying things that could lead to amazing opportunities, but still having a safety net in place. I admire people who can stomach high risk, high reward ventures like putting everything into a business or playing the stock market, but that’s just not me. I believe in taking risks where the outcome is, at the very least, manageable if things don’t go in your favor. That’s my way of moving forward without gambling everything.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.feelfabulousbyfabiana.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fashionbyfabiana/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabianapeterson/
