Today we’d like to introduce you to Alena Lane
Hi Alena, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
As a new mom in 2019 while out on maternity leave I was constantly scheming new ways to not leave my brand new miracle and return to my job as a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Nurse at our local Children’s Hospital. I loved my job, my coworkers and the work I had the privilege of providing for my patients and families. However, Mama was my new favorite title. One evening while putting together our outfits for family photos, I thought to myself, where do I go to shop for my daughter? My only options were big box stores and they did not quite hit the mark. I envisioned one store, where I could find a cute outfit, find a fun new toy and maybe an accessory or two. As a new parent, life was busy and I wished I had one spot to find goodies and help me save time. That’s when it hit me, I wanted to create that store, the one I wished I could shop at. After two years back at work in the PICU, during the Covid pandemic, I decided to retire my stethoscope. It was a difficult decision, but work after I was a mama was forever changed. Too much came home with me, anxiety started growing around each shift, a new thing for me. My patients and families deserved the very best, as every day they were there was the worst day of their life.
After leaving nursing I enjoyed some time off before launching Duke & Mae. My babies are at the forefront of my business, Duke was our first baby. A sweet, amazing black lab that my husband and I adopted as a newly dating couple. We unfortunately had to say goodbye to him a month ago after an aggressive cancer took him quickly. He gave us almost 13 beautiful years and we miss him so much. Mae, is our daughter’s middle name. A beautiful 5 year old, whom was quite the journey to get to meet and could not imagine life any other way.
Duke & Mae launched in June of 2022 at a local farm’s summer market. I had worked all spring to shop for product and bring my vision together. A month later we launched online. Since that time we have continued to run online and in person. Popping up at local markets and boutiques whenever the opportunity arises.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The learning curve has certainly been steep. But, I have enjoyed the challenge. It has been fun to learn and teach myself new things. Merchandising, website building and marketing to name a few. No two seasons or markets are the same, so noticing trends has become pivotal to our shop success. Day by day, I am figuring it out. I feel very fortunate to have a supportive community but we have certainly still had our fair share of ups and downs. 2024, has certainly been our slowest year to date. Which I have been hearing amongst several of my small business friends. All to say, we are humbled to be coming up on our second birthday and looking forward to continue growing and learning!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am so proud of this little idea I had as a new Mama that has now become a reality. For jumping in feet first and continuing to figure out and push through obstacles as they come up. I love intentionally curating each piece that comes into shop. Most coming from other small, women owned companies. From buying, inventory, fulfilling orders and answering emails, I do it all and proud of the customer experience that shopping our small shop provides.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Finding balance. As a nurse I clocked in and clocked out, shift work was a lot easier to turn on and off. But now, with the shop run out of our home I need to be a lot more intentional with my boundaries and time. Social media is probably the biggest contributor to this and I have finally thrown in the towel on the algorithm and do not let it control me or my time – so freeing! This has definitely been the year of boundaries. I am more intentional with my time, working less but more efficiently, and being more selective in the events I participate in. I feel proud with how far I have come in this regard and the balance feels amazing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.dukeandmae.com
- Instagram: @dukeandmae
