Today we’d like to introduce you to Alli Addison.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Oh, where to start? I was born in California to a family that has lived in California since the 1700s. I grew up on the coast, north of Santa Barbara, California, went to school at Cal Poly SLO, got married, received my undergrad in business marketing, turned around immediately for grad school, again at Cal Poly SLO, received my graduate degree in business marketing, started a career in marketing and design, established several businesses, essentially never left and the rest is history.
California is my home, down to my core. I feel incredibly connected to this area and our surrounding communities, and find it nearly implausible to imagine a life outside of California. Perhaps it is the strong sense of history my family has here. Or perhaps it’s just the environment – because its a pretty badass place to live. Today my husband and I own several businesses, in the construction and design industry, I personally manage a marketing and branding consulting business, and have recently launched a new equestrian-based lifestyle brand. Needless to say we keep extremely busy, on top of managing our young family.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Life is never smooth. Period. But it is certainly an adventure. I make a living working FOR individuals and organizations, so there is always a fluctuation in personalities and management styles that need to be considered for such a diverse group of clientele. Additionally, I’ve come to learn some important life lessons along this path we call adulthood: 1. Never assume anything. I ask the people I work for and the people I work with A LOT of questions. I keep very detailed records of all communications and proceedings and have come to realize that paper trails are most certainly my (professional) friends. 2. Start a Fuck Up List. No, seriously. I have one, and I call it my Fuck Up List. I give this same answer in the majority of my interviews, but it was something that was suggested to me when I was in grad school. For every project I encounter, every client I work with, I keep a running log of the scope of that project and every screw up that was made along the way. I am convinced that if you are “working” and “doing” but you are NOT making mistakes, then you might not actually be human. Humans make mistakes, its part of our condition and part of what makes us so unique. So I try to learn from my past mistakes and like to revisit that “Fuck Up List” as often as possible.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My main business is in marketing and consulting. I came from a background in marketing luxury consumer goods but found I really enjoyed working in a wide range of industries and products, rather than the single brand I had been working for prior. I adore the projects and firms I have the pleasure of working with and find myself feeling incredibly proud of the work we accomplish and have established a strong skillset in creating and maintaining a cohesive branded image for my clients.
Over a year ago, I decided to establish a brand (honestly as a marketing experiment), grow that presence organically and test its strength in a niche market. Well, it snowballed, led to the creation of yet another LLC for me, and has now emerged as its own brand in the equestrian marketplace; Milton Menasco and www.shopmiltonmenasco.com. The brand is based in equestrian culture but is working to gain some attention from mainstream culture as well. It was most recently launched with a collection of downloadable free digital art, licensed wearable products, custom art pieces, and consumer accessories. I am incredibly proud of what has transpired over this last year. It’s been an incredibly creative process; designing, creating and collaborating with other brands to deliver something entirely unique to my niche customer base. 2019 was incredible and I so look forward to the #horsegirlenergy 2020 will bring.
What were you like growing up?
Awkward, yet overly confident. Perhaps blissfully unaware of my awkwardness? But truthfully, I was a go-getter as a child. I relished in the thrill of the complex and the achievement. My world revolved around horses and competitions (queue all horse girl energy jokes, which by the way, I recently trademarked) and I had a strong desire to excel in everything I was involved in.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shopmiltonmenasco.com
- Email: info@shopmiltonmenasco.com
- Instagram: miltonmenasco
Image Credit:
Elizabeth Hay Photography
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