Growing beautiful babes (she’s got her fourth on the way!) and a booming business is just another day in the life of super mompreneur and Alice + Ames founder, Stacie Lang. Married right out of high school and with a baby on her hip by the age of 21, family has always been at the center of Stacie’s life and the driving force behind her cult favorite kid’s brand that she runs with her hubs (more on that later). Below, she gushes on that Blake Lively pinch me moment, expanding her adorable brood and how she met her other half via AOL instant messenger when she was only 14…LOL!
Q. What is your background? What inspired you to start Alice & Ames?
A: I guess you could say my background is barely graduating high school, attending a year of culinary school, getting married, having kids young and dabbling in wedding photography. I really had no experience in business, fashion or e-commerce, but I knew I wanted a creative job that allowed me to stay at home with my family. With having three daughters, girl’s clothing just felt right!
Q. Alice & Ames is a cult favorite brand (those FB groups are no joke!). At what point did you realize the brand had “made it”?
A: Oh man, I’ll let you know when I feel like we’ve made it! We may have grown a loyal customer base, who we’re so grateful for, but every day we’re still learning, failing, growing and proving ourselves. If I had to choose a moment that I was most proud of myself, it was definitely Geoff’s last day of work at his old job. When I first started Alice + Ames, I set only a couple goals, and one of them was that Geoff could leave his job and work from home with me full time.
Q. Because social is always on, how do you find a way to shut out the noise?
A: Oh my gosh, this has been something I’ve really struggled with. Geoff and I have toyed around with the idea of getting me a separate phone or outsourcing social completely, but ultimately what has given me a healthy balance has been charging my phone in a separate room at night so it’s not the last thing I look at and the first thing I look at each day. Another thing I’ve had to learn to do is create boundaries for myself. While I know I could be doing so much more on Facebook, Pinterest, IG Stories, etc. I really only devote myself to a couple channels and then just do my best at the rest. I know that’s not the best business strategy, but I started my company to improve my quality of life and being plugged in 100% of the time wouldn’t be in line with that.
Q. Favorite Alice & Ames moment to date?
A: Ok, I never thought I would be a star struck type person, but when Blake Lively’s little girl James essentially made her first red carpet appearance in Alice + Ames, I totally freaked out! Blake and I later messaged back and forth a few times and the 15-year-old Gossip Girl fan in me is still geeking out about it!
Q. We saw you collaborated with Oh Joy! Who would be your next dream collaboration?
A: Yes! We love Joy! Collaborating with anyone who is even 1/10th as kind and professional as Joy and her team would be a dream, but if I could pick anyone right now it’d definitely be Rifle Paper Co. Fingers crossed!
Q. If someone only knew you from social media, how would they describe your life/experience as an entrepreneur? If they could see the reality behind the scenes, what would they see instead?
A: While I try my best to show the nitty gritty behind the scenes, I think people would still assume my job is mostly flipping through Pantone books and attending fun photo shoots. It’s easy to glamorize other people’s day-to-day, but what people don’t see is lots and lots of late nights at the computer, lots of problem solving, flagged emails, paying invoices and a healthy amount of anxiety attacks in between!
Q. You have had three kids! Has anything (gear, clothes, parenting styles, etc.) changed from your first to your third?
A: 100%! When we were pregnant with my first, I was thrown a huge baby shower and received so much! I was so grateful for it, but once Ivy came, I quickly learned that you really don’t need a lot of it. I’m actually pregnant with my fourth now (yay!), and while we got rid of everything thinking we were done a couple years ago, I’m not very nervous about having to buy new stuff. I’m a bit of a minimalist so it’ll be a fun challenge for me seeing how little I can get away with buying actually.
Q. If you have a day for yourself (no work, hubby, kids), what would you do?
A: Oh I like this question, even the idea is making me excited! I think the day would start with a long run and end with a hot bath! In between I’d love to go out to eat, go see a movie and get a massage!
Q. What makes you feel sexy?
A: A great fitting pair of jeans and a good hair day!
Q. How did you meet your husband?
A: Geoff and I first met when we were 14 from a mutual friend. She gave us each other’s AIM names because she said we were the same person and would hit it off. Ha!
Q. Favorite part about raising a family Arizona?
A: Being born and raised in AZ, it’s so great to have so many friends and family members close by, but other perks include: 7 months of perfect weather, great food, and it’s so affordable, it really allows for us to travel as much as we’d like during the hot months.
Q. Favorite local store?
A: I love visiting Phoenix General, and the owners are such good people. My women’s company Shop Suunday is sometimes carried there though, so maybe I’m just biased!
Q: Favorite local restaurant?
A: Arizona really has the best food, but you can find our family eating pizza at Liberty Market most weekends.
Q. Favorite local kid’s activity?
A: Because the summers in AZ are so miserable, we have lots of great museums, water parks, and indoor jungle gyms. It’s pretty easy to keep busy all summer with your kids!
Q. 3 things you can’t live without?
A: Geoff, my Hydro Flask full of cold water and music!
Q. Fave womenswear brands?
A: Shop Suunday of course! I also love shopping basics at Madewell and Everlane and looking for more special pieces from Christy Dawn, DÔEN, Neve & Hawk and Tribe Alive.
Q. Other fave kid’s brands?
A: We love Mabo, ARQ, Tea Collection, Boden, Childhoods Clothing, Bloom Handmade and Cloth.
