Why the 'Women Who Inspire' Series?
allison tetzlaff
You know her. She’s the woman who seems able to do it all. The mom who also works a full week, and still has the energy to put a home-cooked dinner on the table. Or maybe it’s the lady boss who you know has worked her butt off to climb the corporate ladder. She might even be the teacher at your child’s school who kicked cancer last year, yet returned with a smile in September to resume molding the minds of the kiddos in your community. She might even be you. You’ve seen her, you’ve admired her, and you’ve been in awe of how much strength it must have taken to walk her path in life. Women are strong, inspirational and compassionate.
When I started my journey as a maker, I, like many women I know, was looking for an outlet for my creativity, while staying home to be a mom and to provide a little extra income for our growing family. I was thinking small: I had a talent that I could turn into a product in order to turn a profit. But it didn’t take long for me to realize that this talent was actually a calling I could use to affect change in a bigger way, and it was then that Allison Marie Design pivoted (thank you Ross from Friends for never allowing me to use that word without thinking of you- am I the only one?) into the hand painted signs you know today. I recognized that there were so many women out there who I could serve with my art. Ladies like myself who were devoted to their families and to God and wanted to decorate their walls with more than just the prints you can purchase at Bed, Bath and Beyond. These women were looking for encouraging messages to remind their families of the love that grows among them and inspirational verses to uplift the spirit. Women who wanted to feel their purchases were appreciated by real people, not just an increase in profit margin for an already-established chain. It is these women who I think of as I craft each unique piece of art, and it is these women I appreciate and thank the Lord for every day.
As I have been in business and traveled to events and vendor shows, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with other female entrepreneurs and visionary creatives and learn about the causes that drive them. As I open each inbox message with orders from clients, I learn a small piece of their life’s story and see just how unique and inspired each one is. This modern world of connectedness can sometimes be seen as a curse, but myself, I view it as a blessing, as these technologies have allowed me to connect and be graced by so many more people than I ever could have dreamt of at the beginnings of my AMD business almost 10 years ago. I love the ladies I work beside and the ladies I serve, and I feel privileged every day that God put me right here.
Early 2018 has been a time of deep reflection for me and my goal this year is to spread hope, encouragement and to be a blessing. So with all of that an idea was born to provide a platform for these women who have inspired me to tell their story and hopefully in turn inspire you. From makers to moms, CEOs to entrepreneurs, the women we have coming up cover a wide range, but the commonality that connects them all is the passion in their hearts, the depth of their talents and the generosity of their spirits.
And so I invite you to join me on this journey to recognize the beauty and strength of the women in our communities, and I encourage you to take time to recognize important female mentors and role models in your own life. As for me, I’m super excited that you'll get to hear from some of the important ladies in my own life these next few months, and I ask your help in supporting and raising them (and all of us women) up!