We recently connected with Allison Mcdowell and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Allison thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

It may sound silly, but I believe my parents did everything right. I wouldn’t change any of the good, bad or ugly because all of it made me who I am. As the youngest of 8 kids who ended up a family thanks to a “yours, mine and ours” situation, I am also aware that my story is mine and mine alone. But I love my story and am endlessly grateful to my parents.

My parents gave me so many lessons that have impacted my life. I’ll highlight some that come to mind first. Thanks to my parents I was a kid who learned that asking questions was a way to show interest, to clarify understanding and express a genuine curiosity. They taught me I should feel empowered enough to ask questions of anybody as long as I was polite and respectful. My Sunday School teachers probably didn’t love this about me, but I think this lesson has given me a genuine interest in lifelong learning and an ability to easily build relationships.

My parents taught me by example that hard work meant you could determine your future. If you felt you needed more, then you should do more. My Dad worked two fairly entry-level jobs, held a time-consuming community athletic association Director position (a volunteer role he loved) and was heavily involved in our Lutheran Church. To say he experienced times of high stress juggling these responsibilities on top of being a husband and a father is an understatement. He did it all and still made me feel like he was always around for everything important. He was never too busy for me.

My mom worked for more than 25 years at the same company. She earned multiple promotions and ended her career in a Corporate Finance setting with millions of dollars of responsibility. Some of those years she endured ridiculous amounts of emotional stress thanks to a truly narcissistic boss. She would share her struggles at home but never for a moment did I think she would quit. I knew she would never let him ruin a position she worked hard to obtain for a company she loved. Watching her skillfully navigate his antics over those years was difficult but inspiring.

All of the work my parents did taught me that how I react to challenges, disappointments and struggles is critically important. They taught me I will never be able to control other people, but I can (nearly always) control myself.

My parents also ensured I was able to get involved in things that over time built solid self-esteem and self-confidence. I danced competitively from age 3-16 and it was awesome (until physically, thanks to some spinal fusions, it wasn’t). When I say they let me try lots of things I don’t mean they told me I was wonderful at everything or enrolled me in “everyone-gets-a-ribbon” events. They knew how to use a language of love when telling me I wasn’t the best at something and that it might not be for me (I’m thinking of you soccer, softball, basketball and volleyball). They knew that sometimes a loss teaches more than a win. They also knew that there was power in being part of a winning team. The bottom line was they taught me I didn’t need to be perfect. I just needed to find things that brought me joy to make life meaningful.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I grew up in Coon Rapids, MN and graduated high school there. My college years resulted with a bachelor’s degree in sociology/criminology and a master’s degree in leadership. I started my professional career in Customer Service and soon after moved into Human Resources at Aveda Corporation in Blaine, MN. I loved everything about that organization, but my husband and I longed for change, so we relocated to the Phoenix, AZ area in 2006.

I was blessed to continue working in various aspects of HR, first, for a financial services firm called ProVision Wealth Strategists and then for a large hospital system, Banner Health. I had amazing growth through numerous promotions, wonderful mentors and I made wonderful friendships along with loads of memories, but I again craved change.

When I created Allison’s Addicts Boutique, I intentionally wanted to be different from most Boutiques I had shopped. First off, nearly every Boutique I knew either carried only S, M and L or they marketed themselves as being size inclusive but only carried a few styles that went into XL and above. So, I knew that ALL my clothing lines had to be manufactured in both straight (0-12/14) and plus (14-22/24). That means I likely have to spend more money bringing styles in (stocking 6-7 sizes instead of just 3) and likely have to spend way more time sourcing product (because there are a small percentage of manufacturers making full size runs).

Another thing I wanted to do differently in my Boutique was change the target market. In my experience Boutiques weren’t aging with me. I loved them in my teens and 20’s but once I passed around 30, I started thinking and feeling like I couldn’t pull off things I was seeing on the mannequins. So, this meant I needed to think a little differently for my own Boutique. Instead of just stocking the major trends and trying to carry whatever “would sell”, I would think of a more specific slightly older market similar to myself and bring in things I believed would look good on all sizes. That being said, I don’t actually believe fashion has age limits and I do believe people should wear whatever makes them feel amazing. However, running a business I feel it necessary to get a bit more specific to keep things manageable, I know I can’t try to be all things to all people so I tend to think about women 30+ who have some disposable income and prefer on-trend and unique pieces that suit them in work or play.

Next, I wanted to help women who really thought they hated shopping. The people who felt like nothing looked good on them, like their bodies were difficult to flatter, or like they didn’t know how to put outfits together that made them feel good about themselves. So, I knew I would offer private personal styling sessions at no charge. I still schedule these one-on-one appointments, and they remain one of my favorite things to do.

I am proud to offer an inclusive, fun and relaxed environment where people can find things that make them remember their own beauty and maybe even pick up some gifts to bring joy to others.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I think my resilience stems from not being afraid. I’m not afraid of trying and failing. I’m not afraid of what other people think of me. I’m not afraid to be doing something with my life that other people might not understand. I’ve been the girl who wanted to achieve several promotions to reach a specific job title that some felt I was too young for, and I did it. I’ve been the girl who was motivated to make a specific amount of money that I deemed to be more than I needed, and I did it.

When I hit my mid-forties my goals and desires just shifted and I’m not certain why. I was (and still am) incredibly grateful for the achievements of my past but I craved something different that allowed me more freedom to do things that brought me joy. It might sound silly, but I was really motivated to have more time with my dogs. I, of course, also wanted more time with friends and family and I wanted a day-to-day life that was filled with personal connections and more creativity. I was willing to try to find that even if it meant I would be earning less and perhaps viewed by some as being less “successful”. The Boutique world is not easy. It is filled with unpredictable trends and shifts and vendors who cater to certain unattainable ideals which drives me batty. However, in my little corner it’s filled with inclusiveness, joy, laughter, connections and fun. Resilience is needed daily, but I feel like overall it’s worth it.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I built my business using social media. I don’t believe I’d still be up and running if it weren’t for Facebook. It’s still the platform that brings me the most new-to-me customers. Some days it makes me want to toss the computer out a window but, for a free platform, you really can’t beat it. When I launched my business in 2016 there weren’t many people selling through a live sale format on Facebook, so I jumped on it and that became my primary mode of communicating with my customers and getting products in front of people. I started with some close friends and family but within months my biggest returning customers were people I had never met in person.

I’m not live consistently anymore but I blame my lack of self-discipline and constant desire for change as it seems a little mundane to me now. However, when I do go live I am always reminded that it still works as it always brings more engagement to my business page or VIP group. Even with my recently opened brick and mortar the thing I hear most is “I saw you on Facebook so wanted to come visit”.

My advice for people just starting is to not count out the power of social media. Choose a platform you like using for personal reasons and start there. Ignore the advice that says you need to be on every platform. That’s too overwhelming. Pick one and just start and be consistent. Maybe it’s a 90 second video every M/W/F at 6pm. Whatever it is, just commit to consistency for 30 days (90 is better) and see what happens. Share what you are passionate about. Think of what you can provide to others on an amazingly simple and genuine level. Share your personal life too. People often connect with something personal way before they consider purchasing from you. I believe if you build genuine relationships sales will come when the timing is a win-win.

I would also say that spending some money to follow and learn from a reputable social media coach (or even finding a few free options) is always a promising idea. Algorithms, time to post, how often to post, what type of media to post, words not to use…there really is an ever-shifting method to the madness of social media. If you know some of the tricks and tips that can help you go a long way. However, keep in mind change really is constant!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.allisonsaddicts.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisonsaddictsboutique/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonsaddictsboutique
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonmcdowell/
• Other: Pinterest:
  https://www.pinterest.com/allisonsaddicts/

Image Credits

Life In Full Photography