#9 Taking an idea from paper to reality, making tough decisions and creating a values driven business with Alysia Hess, Founder of The Occasional Collective

Unpacking this episode min by min:1:21 - Introduction to Alysia Hess and The Occasional Collective
2:40 - What you will find in The Occasional Collective - a cozy mix of all things local
3:24 - Saw a building for sale, and Alysia knew she had to do something awesome with it
4:42 - An article about a local meat producer inspired her idea
5:33 - Working at the zoo shaped her mindset for conservation that influenced her idea further
6:00 - Sustainability has always been a priority, and the store inspires behavior change in her small-town community
7:46 - Everything is coming full circle for supporting conservation
8:07 - Unique ability to align passions for impact
8:42 - Designing brand pillars and guiding principles - Community - Sustainability - Inclusivity 
9:34 - Highlighting diverse local makers, especially in rural areas
10:14 -Sticking to brand pillars requires really tough decisions
11:29 - Trusting in the community to support the values of the business
12:51 - Can you be driven by your values or is it all about what the market wants?
13:25 - Sourcing from larger networks and Inspiring new creators, new makers, and new businesses
16:10 - Leaving her job and transitioning full time into The Occasional Collective
18:30- Juggling solo business ownership, full-time work, and healthy living
19:43 - Give yourself grace and start hiring things out to build the business
20:25 - What would it take to leave my job
20:51 - Getting buy-in from everyone with the idea of The Occasional Collective
21:32 - The right time for a boutique shop and the culture shift toward local shopping
22:24 - The Walmart effect and Amazon
23:33 - Our competitive edge is the customer service and locally sourced items
24:14 - Inspiring makers with feedback from customers
25:35 - Rural areas need community hubs like the shop to survive
27:00 - You need to secure a domain for your business
29:35 - What if you fail? What's the plan?
31:58 - Vetting your ideas and being open to the cold hard truth
36:41 - Finding the right people to review a business plan
38:11 - Have to enjoy risk
38:33- Pitch competitions, TS Bank REV pitch
41:55 - Buying and reselling items
45:50 - Utilize ALL the small business resources and get real feedback on your business plan  (scroll below for links to resources)
50:00 - Shifting your mindset for owning a business
51:52 - Utilizing Tandem Works resources (The Social Engagement Method)
52:00 - Improving social media to focus on stories
55:07 - What is on the horizon and how to support The Occasional Collective

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Reach out! Send your feedback and comments. What would you like to hear about on this podcast? Email me at ridingtandem@thetandemworks.com 
Vivian Kvam: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/viviankvam/ Email Vivian - vkvam@thetandemworks.com  GUEST: Alysia Hess Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theoccasionalcollective Website -https://www.theoccasionalcollectiveia.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/@the....occasionalcollective Email - theoccasionalcollective.ia@gmail.com Tandem Works Team: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TandemWorksTeam Instagram -