We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ally Waters a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Ally, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?
Louadore was born out of a personal need for clothing that would fit my 15-pound fur babies. Creating a brand that caters to the specific needs of pet owners and their furry companions is important to me personally. As a petite 4’11” woman I have consistently faced difficulties in finding clothing that fits me perfectly. I have frequently resorted to visiting a seamstress to ensure a proper fit. While looking for stylish and cute bandanas in my dog’s size, I realized that I could create customized ones myself, I just had to become a seamstress.
Following that, I decided to enroll in fashion design courses. I pursued my studies at Mesa Community College and even convinced my friend Kristi to join me! Following the design of the first bandana, the next step was to come up with a name. While one might expect this to be a challenging decision, it was actually quite easy for me. All credit for the inspiration goes to my beloved fur babies Louis and Theodore, leading to the creation of LOUADORE.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am Ally Waters, the Owner and Fashion Designer behind Louadore. Prior to becoming Louadore, our business was known as Waterschic.
Waterschic was established in March 2017. Prior to transitioning into a career as a fashion designer, I was and continue to be a reseller. A friend generously donated 10 garbage bags filled with clothing to me. Growing up with limited financial resources, I was unfamiliar with some of the higher-end clothing brands.
Being quite petite, I found that most of the clothing did not fit me well. Despite not being familiar with the brands, I could sense from the fabric that they might hold some value.I stumbled upon a Poshmark commercial and decided to give it a shot. This was back when the platform was not yet saturated with competitors, and before I knew it, I had a business.
In late 2019 and early 2020, the impact of Covid led to my layoff from my part-time serving job at Pita Jungle. Subsequently, Waterschic transitioned into my full-time occupation. What’s even more exciting is that many individuals were seeking additional sources of income during this period, prompting Waterschic to evolve into an online consignment shop.
I currently serve 20 consignment clients, providing complimentary clothing pickups and splitting payments at a ratio of 60/40 through Venmo. Once you reach a threshold of $25, you will receive your payout. All items are listed on Poshmark, Depop, and Mercari.
Although reselling brings me fulfillment, I was still in search of a creative outlet for my energy.Louadore, my personalized dog bandana business, meets all the criteria. Returning to school to learn how to sew has truly transformed my life in a positive way. Louadore is thrilled to announce the opening of appointments for our fully customizable Bandana Bar!
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
My online consignment shop, Waterschic, gained rapid popularity, requiring my constant attention. While this isn’t a negative aspect, my true passion lies in Louadore, my personalized bandanas. While building momentum for Louadore, I ultimately concluded that seeking a part-time job was a more logical choice, leading me to join Shop Gorgeous Things.
Sara, the owner, and I instantly connected. If you’re not familiar with Shop Gorgeous Things, you should definitely pay a visit! Located in Old Town Scottsdale at the 5th Avenue shops, Sara specializes in crafting personalized denim jackets and offers a customization studio where you can design your own unique piece.
She has guided me in propelling my business forward and assisted me in transitioning it into a full-time endeavor. You can now purchase Louadore bandanas at Shop Gorgoeous Things!
My biggest take away from this experience is, don’t be afraid to take a step back. I was not thrilled to get back in the work force after working for myself for so long, but knowing what I know now it has completely changed my life. I truly hope that one day I will be fortunate enough to help another entrepreneur the way that Sara has helped me.
You now have the option to schedule a personal appointment with me, where we can work together to design and create the ideal style for your furry companion. This includes precise measurements, high-quality fabrics, embroidery, patches, and the ability to customize even the closure. All of this can be done while savoring a glass of champagne!
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Incorporating and scheduling local dog events is something that helped me build our reputation in the dog bandana niche. Each week I started planning one dog event in and around the Tempe area. As the heat builds up here, we started going to local dog boutiques, supporting them and introducing ourselves. We were invited to an event held by Oakley’s Oath by Rachel Rover, the doggy daycare. We just went for the fun, interaction, and all the dog treats of course! What ultimately ended up happening is we met the founder of Oakley’s Oath! They are a non profit foundation, spreading awareness for our furry family members when maintenance workers are in the home. We are all now collaborating! We are in the process of curating a bandana specifically for them and 20% of the proceeds will be allocated to their foundation to help spread safety and awareness.
My biggest piece of advice, is to fight those nervous jitters, tell yourself you are not shy, believe in yourself and your product. TALK to EVERYONE, and celebrate the small victories!
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