2024 Volume 2

Hi Friends, I hope you’re surviving the cold, and I hope you enjoy the first edition of this Substack that pertains to my professional life. I’d love to hear what’s helpful, what resonates, or what you’d like to hear more about!

xx, Abby

What I’m Up Against

I’m not sure if this is really something I’m up against, but it feels like something maybe we’re all up against as female entrepreneurs/ solopreneurs, and that’s the reality that it’s hard to build a business alone. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had conversations with other women about the desire to help each other, support one another’s businesses, or figure out a way that we can all rise together. But the truth is, we’re all stretched so thin and are pulled in so many different directions, and have very different businesses, and it feels like an uphill battle. 

One of the things I’ve been reflecting on is how much joy I get from having conversations with other women about their businesses and helping them problem solve around the day-to-day or more strategic areas of their businesses. AND the women I’ve met in this entrepreneur space - especially in the handmade, slow fashion, ethical practices space - are AMAZING and so are their businesses. They are businesses that deserve to exist and that make our communities and world a better place. 

So I’ve been thinking about the best ways to make this passion of mine a little more tangible. Here are some of the things I’m thinking about:

• Curating a small collection of some of my favorite products and offering them on the Abby Alley website.

• Offering “office hours” where women can literally phone a friend to hash out an issue. It’s amazing what 45 minutes of dedicated time can do to shed light on a problem and go from stuck to on a roll.

• Investing in other women’s businesses and partnering to help increase profitability while maintaining their brand values.

If you’re a female entrepreneur/woman in business, I’d love for you to answer the following questions: