CASE STUDY ALLISON ANGEL In her 30s, Allison appeared to have it all. She was married with two children and co-founder of one of Manchester’s fastest growing letting agencies. Yet, burnout from work and motherhood coupled with the devastation of a “brutal divorce” took their toll and Allison felt like she had hit rock bottom.
When the pandemic struck, Allison, like many other business owners, was ineligible for financial assistance from the government and could not access grants, furlough or business rates relief. With sheer determination and resourcefulness, she managed to keep herself and the business afloat. The hard work paid off when an incredible opportunity arose to sell the company, and she took it. Within a few months, Allison qualified as a personal stylist, saying farewell to two decades in the estate agency business and focussing instead on her love for clothes and personal style. Allison rebuilt her life and is now the founder of Years Of Style - a company that helps women look and feel the best they have ever felt in the clothes they wear. Looking back, Allison now fondly says that everything she went through was an incredible journey of self-awareness and restoration of her self-esteem, which uniquely equipped her to empower women who need support at pivotal times in their lives. As a mentor for FreelanceHER 100, Allison supported and inspired 100 women from
across the UK to launch and grow successful businesses. Sharing her first-hand business experience through our peer-to-peer mentoring she helped participants to access the skills and confidence to pursue their ambitions. “When women have someone who believes in them; their power, their authentic self and their unique gifts and talents, anything is possible. It’s an absolute honour to have been chosen as a mentor for FreelanceHER 100 and I can’t wait to start sowing into the UK’s next generation of female led awesomeness,” she said at the beginning of the programme. As a previous HOST accelerator programme member, Allison benefitted from joining a diverse and inclusive community of entrepreneurs from all walks of life. Speaking about her time on the programme, Allison said: “I’m so thankful for the support, knowledge, expertise and connection from this programme. I am seen and championed as an entrepreneur. Years Of Style is in its infancy but has solid foundations from which to grow. It’s all turned out well in the end.”
FreelanceHER 100 Impact Report | 9
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