Allie Lee shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Allie, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What battle are you avoiding?
Like many other small businesses owners, I love to create, but have a hard time keeping up with administrative duties. My website maintenance is always a struggle for me. What could be a small, weekly task turns into something much bigger. I just have to put the blinders on and the headphones in!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Allie and I am a polymer clay artist. At least that’s one of the hats I wear. I am also a mother, wife, daytime professional, commission member, and all the other things that come with those roles.
Balance isn’t always the easiest thing to come by, but that is the world we live in. If I’m being honest, balance doesn’t necessarily mix well with creativity anyway. That’s more like droughts and floods, but I don’t think I would change anything there. Clay is my side gig, so I can afford to step away from it for a time, but then I also get to enjoy being consumed by it for periods. That’s where the really fun stuff comes out.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I needed to grow up and do grown up things. I’d look up to the adults in my life and felt like I needed to do everything I could to get there as quickly as I could. I’m not even sure why I thought it was so important or necessary. Wisdom? Autonomy? Respect? Any which way, I chose poorly and have been trying to inject more childlike wonder into my life to make up for lost time. Having a creative and wild seven year old helps quite a bit.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I love getting things wrong. Not really, but looking at my track record in life you’d think that would be the case. But! I saw a study that showed people who screw up retain the correct answer much better, so we’re just going to roll with it. Knowing what not to do through lived experience gives a much sharper image of what is the correct path forward. Additionally, screwing up multiple times also affords you the guts to know failure is just a detour, and to make riskier decisions and free fall into them, knowing that if it doesn’t pan out you can just dust yourself off and see the right way a little clearer.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Of course not. We all have different hats/masks/roles/whatever analogy you want to use. We choose to put these shows on, and while they aren’t 100% your true self, I think that they’re all components of what comprises a person. Because we’re never just one thing, and even day to day or hour to hour, that can change.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. How do you know when you’re out of your depth?
Feels like always. I always joke that I am three raccoons in a trench coat pretending to be an adult. But it’s amazing what a little feigned confidence can do. Also, I’ve gotten pretty far by leaning on supportive friends and family, and knowing how to find the smartest person in the room for guidance.
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