Hidden Gems: Meet Addison Sayler of Elise & Clothing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Addison Sayler

Hi Addison, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
So, where does my story begin? As a little girl in a small Eastern Kentucky town in Appalachia, I always have had big dreams. Since I can remember, fashion has been a massive part of my life; I would sew my barbie clothes with my aunt on the weekend. Then, I would be nonstop drawing outfits and dresses throughout the week because I wanted to be a fashion designer. But, growing up changed me, and I felt like I needed to have a job in the medical field to be successful. Completely forgetting about my passion, I continued to strive for this until COVID-19 hit. During quarantine, my love for social media and fashion instantly returned, and I began to express myself through my outfits.

As I became more involved in politics and saw how the world was playing out, I began to speak out about women’s rights and how important it is to take care of your mental health. So at 16 years old, I decided to create my website from nothing and use my money saved from working at Subway 5-6 days a week. From there on, I have never experienced happiness like creating a business that supports women’s empowerment, mental health positivity, and women in business. Becoming a great business owner has been my motivation throughout my two years in this business world. I want to prove that my passion is more than meets the eye. I have overcome the social anxiety of sharing my business and people saying it won’t work to now have over 12.6k new friends on social media platforms. Every time I see that someone loves our items, I do a little happy dance in my head because I was the person that believed in myself. Now I believe in myself enough to constantly quit my 5-6 days a week job to pursue my dreams. Even though being a 17-year-old senior in high school with college classes and about to graduate, I would not change the struggle and hard times it has taken me to get where I am now. Growing my business and the whole world do me. After pursuing my major in Small Business Entrepreneurship and Management and minoring in Graphic Design at Morehead State University this fall, I want to continue to strive to open a storefront. My main goal is to have a store that inspires women to be true to themselves and feel empowered no matter their shape, size, ethnicity, or age. I would’ve never thought I would’ve come this far, but I will strive and push until I have a woman-owned business that has impacted and inspired others.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth?
Throughout my experience as a young entrepreneur, I have faced many challenges. First, growing up in such a small town, it feels unbelievable to be so young and have a successful business. People doubt you, talk about you, or try to tear your business down. This has been a massive thing in what I’ve had to sit and learn to deal with. Being so young has pros and cons, like being under the adult age limit for many things; it is harder to feel like your business isn’t yours because everything has to be in your parent’s name. Not only will you find out who truly believes in you, but you also can lose and gain many friends because of this. The last challenge I’ve struggled with is not to compare my business to other businesses, not everyone grows at the same pace, but everyone is successful in their ways. Learning that everyone makes mistakes and has to start somewhere significantly affects how well you and others perceive your business.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Elise & Clothing came from the middle name that me and my great grandmother shared. I see this name as not only a remembrance of her but to inspire me to keep pushing to make my family proud. I have always had a passion for fashion, but during quarantine, my interest grew and made my business what it is now. I am a 17-year-old young entrepreneur from a small town in Eastern Kentucky that is part of Appalachia. I’m a senior at Magoffin County High School and will graduate in the coming weeks. Being in school full-time while trying to work 3-4 days a week while also running a business can get pretty stressful and draining but seeing how much someone loved a product or visited a lovely review makes me forget all the bad. I am known for my business in my town, and I am always trying to interact with the community by participating in local pop-up vendor events. Being involved with everyone shows me how much I genuinely reach and inspire people locally, not counting the 50 states and two countries I have sent packages to. What sets me apart is that I am driven and will strive until I get what I want to accomplish. Eventually, I want to open a storefront full of women’s empowerment and inspiration. Living in a place like this, we have nothing to empower women. to be themselves and perfect just how they are—especially celebrating women in business. My most proud moment was when I sent a package to a TikTok influencer, and as a result, I sold over one hundred hoodies in two days. My business is not only to empower and inspire women but to provide an affordable option for cute and comfortable Clothing. Everything in our store will always be sixty dollars and below. I want our brand to be a safe place for my customers, and we will always be here to listen to everyone’s advice and support.

We love surprises, fun facts, and incredible stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Many people do not know that I’m seventeen and a senior in high school, working at a local restaurant and running my business. This business has been a significant adjustment. I have learned and done everything from the beginning by myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.eliseandclothing.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopeliseandclothing/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EliseandClothingBoutique

Image Credits
Hunnysuckle Imagery – Kalan Meek