Breaking the Mold (Over Floral Arrangements) with Alice Rossiter

With six team members, 68 event execs and workshops in 30 states around the country, Alice Rossiter is no stranger to breaking the mold. She’s the 27-year-old founder of Alice’s Table, a new company that throws chic flower-arranging workshops and teaches women how to host classes themselves so they can launch a creative career or side gig that’s fun, flexible, and rewarding.

We sat down with Alice to discuss what it’s like running a business, how she keeps her team motivated and why a T-Shirt Bra is her most-loved bra style:

What was your “aha moment” with Alice's Table? When did you know this was something you should take seriously?

I knew that we were onto something when we had women come back to our flower-arranging events over and over again. One woman told me that the events were her “happy place”, and I knew this was it!

What is the hardest part of running a company?

The hardest part about running a company is people! (Though they’re also the best part.) I try really hard to keep everyone I work with motivated and happy. This goes for the people in our office and also for all of our event execs, who are spread across the country. Making sure that they feel supported, that they have what they need to get the job done and provide an on-brand experience is extremely important.

What’s your method for work-life balance?

Family comes first—always. My work fits around it. I work extremely long hours so if I am needed at home at 3 pm I’ll be there, even if it means working after until midnight! I also always love to say that work-life balance is a marathon, not a sprint. Alice’s Table is in a period of extreme growth and this means long hours and sleepless nights, but that’s now. Hopefully, it will all pay off in the future and true balance will become more attainable.

Besides running your business, what’s another way that you #BreakTheMold and stray away from the conventional?

I am extremely passionate about contemporary art! I actually have an M.A. in Art Business and was working in art before I launched Alice’s Table. If I am not working—which is rare, admittedly—I am likely at an art-related event or learning about new artists.

What’s one thing that people would be surprised to know about you?

I love country music! It is all I listen to in the car, at the office, when I am working out—you name it.

What piece of advice do you have for young women just starting out in their career?

You don’t need to have your entire career planned out! Your path will reveal itself along the way.

What quotation or saying inspires and motivates you to be yourself and #BreakTheMold?

“Empowered women empower women.”

What's next for your company?

Immediately, we’re getting ready for the holiday season. (It’s never too early—ha!) We are so excited to release new arrangement designs for Thanksgiving and Christmas as well as fun wreaths. In the long term, we could branch out to interior design or food, who knows! That’s the fun thing about this model, the possibilities really are endless.

Extra Credit

What is the most-used app on your phone – and why?

Google Calendar—I would be totally lost without it.

What’s the first thing you do every morning?

I have a cup of coffee while checking emails and reviewing my calendar in bed. Then, I am ready to face the day and know what to wear.

What book could you reread over and over?

The Paradox of Choice—I think it captures the current state of our society and I always discover something new when I read it.

What is your go-to bra style?

A Classic T-Shirt Bra—you can wear them under almost anything.

Finish the sentence: I #BreakTheMold by: believing that everyone is capable of being an entrepreneur with the right tools.

This post is part of our #BreakTheMold series, where we celebrate the lives and work of trailblazing women. Check out the rest of the series here.