At Armoire, we’re casting a spotlight on some of the notable, powerful boss ladies in our community and sharing what being a boss lady means to them. Read on to learn all about the founder of Helping Give Back and Armoire member, Aleta Pritchard.
Q: How did you get inspired to start Helping Give Back?
Aleta: I grew up in Sammamish, WA, where my family was very involved in giving back to their local community. This inspired me to found Helping Give Back with the goal to bring joy to families through gifts. In determining how to fund my newly founded charity, I realized my greatest strengths were organizing, facilitating, and implementing action. I used these skills to raise awareness and donations for my charity through Facebook groups, finding people who were eager to provide gifts for families in need during the holiday season.
In 2021, I was able to facilitate and distribute gifts to 75 families, with additional essential items for stockings. Helping Give Back is driven by the question, “How can we help our local homeless during a hard time and make them feel special?” Every year during the holiday season, my house is filled to the brim with gifts for others. I hope to eventually expand Helping Give Back statewide.
Q: How are you redefining women who work?
Aleta: A couple of years out of high school, I had a job in the corporate world, working 60 hours a week. After 4 years I was burnt out and needed to reevaluate what I wanted my professional life to look like for me. I have a teenage son and needed a flexible schedule to prioritize my role as a mom. I always wanted to work close to where I live after losing my sanity in corporate life. With my position at the Church, I was able to prioritize flexibility and an easy commute. For the past 15 years, I’ve had a 2 ½ min commute to work, which saves my sanity.
Q: What is your biggest challenge?
Aleta: My current biggest challenge is learning and managing my gift of Attention Deficit Disorder. I find that as a person with ADD, I am a super creative person which leads me to work on a million projects all at once. I am trying to keep my focus on one thing at a time and live in the present moment with work and family.
Q: What is your secret to balancing work and life?
Aleta: My secret to the perfect work and life balance is prioritization. For me, I put my family and mental state first. I make sure that my job allows me to decompress on the weekends, prioritize my family, and work close to home.
Q: How does Armoire fit into your life as a boss lady?
Aleta: I love change and taking risks. In every case, I pack one thing I would never normally try. I find that Armoire allows me to have more fun by dressing in ways that I couldn’t otherwise afford. I value quality, and that is what I find through Armoire.
Q: Why do you use Armoire?
Aleta: I love scrolling through the site using it as a way to wind down and enjoy shopping. My Armoire subscription is my guilty pleasure for the year, without the guilt. I find that Armoire helps me to avoid purchasing clothing, and live a more sustainable life which makes shopping more fun!
Q: Favorite part about Armoire?
Aleta: I LOVE dresses. Dresses are SO expensive, and I have a hard time finding dresses in my price range that are well-fitting and high quality. With Armoire, I can find quality and the pieces that truly fit my body.
Q: What Armoire outfit do you feel most powerful in?
Aleta: It is too hard to pick just one! Here are a few of my favorite repeat offenders.
A peek inside Jessica’s closet
