YYC Feature: APOSTLE BOUTIQUE
Alayne Lebsack’s jewellery collection is more than exquisite: it’s composed of beautiful pieces that do beautiful things
When she was in her 20’s Alayne Lebsack wrote an ambitious but unequivocal statement: “One day I want to have my own boutique”. Today, her company Apostle Boutique is more than just the manifestation of her own dreams and a successful jewelry business, it’s a source of inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs who wonder whether giving back and business can go hand and hand. Alayne is committed to donating a portion of every Apostle sale to a charitable organization near to her heart. Every six months, she chooses a new organization in hopes that her efforts will not only raise money but spread awareness about amazing non-profits that are changing the world.
Alayne is not only a designer herself, but a champion of fellow Canadian artisans. Apostle Boutique prioritizes supporting Canadian designers, and it’s paid off. Their collection of beautiful, highly versatile jewelry is comprised of pieces that could make any woman feel confident and beautiful. When asked about her company, Alayne conveys her passions and business journey with wisdom. The manner in which she shares and articulates her ideas makes one thing clear: her heart is just as beautiful as her products.
When did you decide to create Apostle? What is it about the jewelry craft that you’re most passionate about?
“There were a few factors that helped push Apostle along. The first one being that I saw the need for a jewelry-focused online boutique that was both easy to shop and trustworthy. Another big factor was the need to bring back some sense of self. My second son was just 6 months old and he and I had a rough start- he was very colicky and I waded through months of postpartum depression. Once some sense of normalcy returned, I was desperately trying to find something that I could do that was just my thing, something that made me feel like myself and that wasn't all about being a mom. An online jewelry boutique ticked all of the boxes for me- I knew retail, I was passionate about style, and it would allow me to stay home with my boys. At the time, launching an online jewelry boutique seemed to make sense and I was up for the challenge.
At the one year Apostle anniversary my cousin reminded me of a little questionnaire I had filled out years prior when I was in my 20's. In the questionnaire I wrote "one day I wanted to have my own boutique". I had completely forgotten about this questionnaire, but in my 20's I had dreamt of having my own bricks and mortar shop, the ecommerce thing didn't cross my mind until years later when I had the idea for Apostle. But it was really cool to be reminded of that vision/dream that I had, and then years later to see that it came to be.
Why jewelry? To be honest, my passion doesn't start and end with jewelry in particular. It's about personal style and creating outfits that women feel amazing in, and that includes jewelry. People don't always see how transforming jewelry can be for an outfit- adding jewelry instantly completes any outfit and makes it look polished and put-together. It's a quick & easy way to look like you put in a lot of thought, care and effort.
This is really cheesy, but it's the best analogy I can come up with : You are a gift, and a gift in and of itself is beautiful & amazing. When you add wrapping paper (aka, your clothing) the gift changes a bit. Whether wrapped in kraft paper, vibrant patterns, classic colours, or themed paper, the wrapping that is chosen gives a bit of insight into what might be inside. It adds character, charm and interest. But when you add a ribbon and a bow, and maybe even some other little accents, the gift transforms and looks complete and one of a kind. The ribbons and bows are your jewelry, and jewelry has the same impact on your outfit that a bow has on a gift.”
Why is it important for Apostle Boutique to have a target focus on Canadian talent?
“My original plan was to have designers from around the world, but as I searched for the perfect Designers that I wanted to represent, I found that so much of what I was looking for was right here in Canada. I am a proud Canadian, and always like to look at local Canadian talent first and I want to support and feature Designers within our borders as much as possible.”
“I've always had an "I can do that!" mindset, and when I couldn't find what I was looking for, I did the research, bought the tools and materials, and created the first Apostle In House Collection design.”
You also have your own jewelry collection! How has your background in personal styling influenced how you design your collection?
“There was a specific necklace design that I had wanted to offer my clients, but I wasn't able to find that style in the quality of product that I had hoped to carry. I've always had an "I can do that!" mindset, and when I couldn't find what I was looking for, I did the research, bought the tools and materials, and created the first Apostle In House Collection design.
When creating my designs, I am inspired by the women around me and my clients. I look at the clothing and outfits that these women love- from the shape of their necklines, to the colours, and the overall style. From here I think about what would complete, complement and perfectly polish-off those outfits, and set out to design it.”
Your company gives back to a ton of awesome organizations! Why did you decide to donate a portion of every sale to a charity/non-profit?
“Giving back has been ingrained in me since I was a kid. My parents are some of the most generous people I know, and I continue to be so fortunate to see them continuously giving back to those in need. I remember a specific conversation with my dad about my uncertainty about whether or not to give someone money. The conversation was about whether or not I should give someone money when I know that they'll likely spend it on drugs or alcohol. My dad's exact response was "Who are you to decide who is and isn't deserving? Doesn't everyone deserve help?" And that hit me then and has stuck with me ever since.
From the beginning, even against the advice from other entrepreneurs and business-educated friends, it was a part of the Apostle business plan to give back by donating a portion of every sale to a charitable organization. My problem was that I couldn't pick just one organization that I wanted to support- there are SO many incredible groups doing amazing work in our city, our country, and our world. Because of this, I decided to partner with a different organization every 6 months. This way, I could help out a number of different charities by not only monetary donation, but by also telling people about who they are and what they're doing to help & change our world.
My hope is that through the Apostle Giving Back Campaign both myself and my clients can make a positive impact through the donations, but I also hope that maybe someone learns about a charity that I have partnered with and is so touched by what they are doing, that they go a step further to getting personally involved with what the charities are doing.”
How do you choose which organizations to partner with/donate to? What type of causes are you most excited about supporting?
“There really isn't any formula or any parallel lines that connect all of the organizations I partner with. Some are local to Calgary, some to Alberta or Canada, and some do their work on an international scale. Essentially I look for charities that are run by genuine, passionate people that are driven by their cause and making a positive impact.”
What sort of challenges did you face launching and running your company? Do you have any advice for people who want to start their own business?
“This is a BIG question, and I don't think I have a short answer. There are always challenges, and like anything, there always will be things coming up. Starting out, one challenge was being unsure (or insecure) of what my client might like. I lost sight of my voice and my style and wanted to appeal to the masses. This wasn't possible or achievable, or even financially smart. I've really streamlined the number of designers and styles that I carry so that Apostle could have a more focused aesthetic.
The biggest "mistake" I made was in my company name. For the first 2 years, Apostle was "Apostyle" but still pronounced "Apostle". I wanted the name to be pronounced one way, but I wanted to be unique... Unique is one thing, but I learned that there is such a thing as creatively confusing. More times than not, I heard people call my company "Ape-oh-style" and I got tired of having to correct people, or having to spell it out (people would ask "What's your company?" and I would say "It's Apostle, but spelled..."). I realized that a company name should be simple, straightforward and easy to remember.
I don't believe in regrets, nor do I think that everyone's path is the same- so any advice I might have may not be applicable to someone else because it's based on my experiences, my life and on who I am. I have received A LOT of advice (some I asked for, some I did not), and a lot of it just didn't mesh with who I am or what I wanted to accomplish.
However, if I had to say something to those looking to start their own business, it would be to do your research, have some kind of plan, and move forward! Just do it! Even a small step forward, gets you moving in the right direction. There were many times when starting both of my businesses where I thought "not now" or "I'm not ready", but changing the thinking to "Why not now??!!" made such a huge difference. Starting something doesn't have to mean dropping everything else, it could be small, intentional steps every day to get you closer to that launch. I read a book while I was in the planning process and it talked about how you should start that social media account, start that website right away- get the word out about what you're doing, build that excitement in not only your community but in yourself as well, get the ball rolling.
I love the image of a boulder being at the top of a hill and someone starting to push it. That boulder is heavy and not easy to push, and that person may even need others to help them to get it going. But once it's going and that boulder begins to move, there's no stopping it! It might get stuck sometimes, but it just needs another little push to get going again. The real magic happens when the momentum builds up and that boulder creates an avalanche!”
What is your dream for your business—in what ways do you see your business growing, improving, expanding over the next 5 years)?
“I always have a tough time looking down the road. I don't like to do hard-set long-term goals. These days people seem to be all about goal setting, and I have tried it, but for me, I find goals to be restrictive. Of course I have thoughts, ideas and dreams for what I want to accomplish: I want to continue to provide women with the tools to showcase their style, to feel confident, beautiful and unique. I want women to see that creating outfits that are polished and put-together is easy, and not trivial. I want to continue to support designers that create beautiful jewelry that looks amazing with anything from jeans and a t-shirt to a wedding dress. And I want to continue to support charitable organizations that are doing amazing work, because it's so important to me that while I'm not always able to be the hands and feet doing the work, I am able to help those that are. Apostle is my tool to achieve all of these things.”
What is a quote or piece of advice that inspires you?
There is a quote from Maya Angelou that speaks so much to who I am, to how I live my life, and to the direction of my companies:
"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style."
Find her at:
https://apostleboutique.com/
@apostle_boutique