Take a stroll down Marda Loop, a southwest neighbourhood in Calgary, and you’ll quickly realize it’s a trendy spot for people of all ages looking to shop, eat, grab dessert or relax at the spa. It’s also home to Distilled Beauty Bar, a popular spot for Alayne Lebsack to meet with clients. Alayne runs Apostle Boutique, an online store that features a curated collection of jewellery that can be paired with any outfit.
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| Apostle Boutique is an online jewellery store owned by Alayne Lebsack. Photo: Substance YYC. |
The idea didn’t come together right away, but it came from a significant experience following the birth of Alayne’s second child.
“I had my second son and had postpartum depression,” she says. “Once that finally lifted, I decided I needed to do something for me – my own thing.”
At the time, she didn’t know what that thing was. She knew she loved fashion and style, and she had experience in helping others with both. It wasn’t until she was online shopping herself that the idea dawned on her.
“I’ve always had the mindset that if I want something, I can do it myself. So I just self-taught and figured it out and went from there.”
“I was looking for a certain pair of earrings, and all the online shops I found were terrible. They didn’t seem legit; I wasn’t sure if I was going to get what I wanted or if I was going to get anything at all. I didn’t trust them,” Alayne says.
An online jewellery store was the perfect fit: Alayne would be able to use her passion for fashion and seven years of styling experience, she’d be able to help people find pieces that reflect their own unique style, in turn helping them feel more confident and beautiful, and she could do it all without leaving home.
Going from an idea to an actual business came with a lot of learning experiences for Alayne. For example, when she first started, Alayne had pieces from 19 different designers, most of whom were Canadian. Looking back, she says having that many designers at once wasn’t the best way to run her business, but it was still a helpful experience for her.
"That was partially inexperience and partly because I wanted to see where my clients’ interests grew and what styles and aesthetic they had,” she says. Over the last four years, she’s streamlined and now offers pieces from a select eight designers, the majority of which are still Canadian.
Despite curating from different designers with a number of different pieces, Alayne still found there were some styles she wanted to offer her customers that she couldn’t find.
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| Alayne turned to designers and YouTube to learn how to create her own line of jewellery. Photo: Greg Lily Photography |
Alayne turned to some of the designers she carried for help. They shared tips about materials and where to source them from. She also relied on YouTube tutorials and trial and error during the jewellery-making process. All of this led to the creation of the Apostle In House Collection.
Alayne puts a lot of thought into her decisions, and nothing is done without intention, including every aspect of Apostle – right down to what it’s called. She wants the name of her business to reflect the feelings that come with having your own individual style and living it every day.
“Everyone has their own unique style and I want them to own it and believe in it. An apostle of your own style,” Alayne says. “I have my thing, this is my vibe and I’m going to believe in it. I’m going to own it, because it’s who I am. And I’m not going to be ashamed in it; I’m confident in it and I’m just going to run with it."
Along with the name, the designers she works with and the pieces she carries, Alayne is very intentional when it comes to giving back. Doing so goes with one of Apostle’s mission statements: Do good. Feel good. Look good. For every purchase made through Apostle, a portion goes to a specific charity. Alayne switches the charity that will be receiving a donation every six months, and the causes and locations vary every time.
For Alayne, Apostle comes with a lot of positives. She gets to be her own boss, pick her own hours, work from home and, most importantly to her, gets to have one-on-one interactions with her clients. But it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. Even doing what she loves comes with its challenges.
“The hardest thing would be time-management,” Alayne admits. “I work from home, and I do have the kids, and they can be distracting. I just am always juggling everything, and that is difficult.”
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| Alayne with her husband and two sons. Photo: Greg Lily Photography |
“I have come to realize that balance doesn’t exist - at least not for me. There’s no way I can give equal time, attention and care to my businesses and my family. It all comes in ebbs and flows, and I have had to learn to accept that this kind of schedule is how my life is. In realizing and accepting that, I have found a lot of freedom. There is major pressures on working women, and working moms in particular, but I think the real beauty comes in when you release yourself of any of those outside pressures.”
Another difficult part of the job, but one that has gotten easier over the years, is finding support within the community. Alayne says when she started, she experienced moments of “deep loneliness” where she “felt lost,” because she didn’t know any other entrepreneurs who were in the same boat as her. But as her business has grown, she’s managed to find people who understand her successes and struggles and can offer informed insight and advice when needed.
Alayne has come a long way from when she first started Apostle, and now, she’s expanding her portfolio. She’s started a second venture that revolves around her first love of fashion and styling and that works hand-in-hand with Apostle. It’s called Cover Story.
“It’s always been in the back of my head to do something like this, but I've dealt with a lot of self-doubt,” she says. “When I think of a stylist, I think high-end and high-fashion; stiletto boots and like leather; the ultra fashionista. And that’s not me. But I really want to help everybody be smart, intentional and conscious when putting together their wardrobe.”
That’s where Cover Story comes in. Alayne says her new venture is about relatable, functional and personalized style. Cover Story will involve a “closet edit,” where Alayne will go through clients’ closets with them and get rid of anything that doesn’t fit, doesn’t suit their lifestyle or that they don’t wear. Another option, which can be combined with the first, is to have Alayne either take the clients shopping or pick out some staple pieces to bring directly to them.
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| Alayne's newest venture, Cover Story, will help people create a personalized, functional wardrobe. Photo: Substance YYC. |
“It’s about developing a very personalized wardrobe that is unique and effective for both your style and your lifestyle. And we’ll work together in figuring it all out together.”
While this new endeavour is exciting, it also means Alayne will have more on her already quite full plate. Of course, as someone who puts a lot of time and thought into her decisions, she’s already got a plan in place for that.
“But all good plans do change. So, we’ll see,” she laughs. “For now, I have certain days a week that will be dedicated Cover Story, and then the rest of the days will be dedicated to Apostle. I am also being more intentional on using weekends as my time with my family.”
When asked if she had any advice to share to others hoping to start their own businesses, Alayne paused, clearly thinking about her answer. The one she gave, via e-mail later that day, was, like most things in Alayne’s life, well thought out.
“I would say do your research and try to have some idea of what you're getting into,” she suggests. “But really, just do it! You'll never feel completely ready and it will never be the perfect time. But instead of thinking ‘not now’ change the thought to ‘why not now?’ and go for it!”
You can find more about Apostle Boutique offers on the website. You can also get updates on new pieces and restocks on Instagram.
If you’re looking for Alayne’s help with all your styling needs, head over to the Cover Story website and follow the Instagram page.