Today, we’d like to introduce you to Jen Taler.
Hi Jen, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Honestly, I am where I am because of my family.
My parents were really dedicated to making sure my sisters and I had the best possible future. They were incredibly loving, supportive, and always instilled in us that anything is possible if you’re willing to work hard enough for it.
Along with my parents, my sisters have also always been huge supporters and guiding lights when things have been tough. Knowing I’ve always had their support has given me the belief and strength to try.
With that support system, I had the confidence to leave my hometown and take risks in my career. I found myself immediately in spaces and businesses that were startups, creating stories and building relationships. Those opportunities ranged from a progressive boutique in my college town, and a small boutique designer out of LA, to a larger retailer focusing on customer experience, and moving across the world to work for a startup out of Australia.
All these experiences, as well as a leap of faith, brought me to Las Vegas to start building and creating space for our local creative community. It started with opening and running Stitch Factory with Owner Megan Mossler, and evolved into designing, developing, curating, operating and being the Co-Founder of Fergusons Downtown.
During that time, I also created Market in the Alley, which today supports well over 400 local small businesses throughout our city. And within the last year and a half, I opened Akin Cooperative, a retail store that supports over 50 local creatives on a more regular basis.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My journey hasn’t always been smooth, but the bumps and turns have helped me get where I am today.
But the biggest challenge has been myself – the self-doubt, the imposter syndrome, the fear of failure. At various times throughout my career, it’s been a daily fight to remember and believe that I’m capable, I’m resilient, and I’m on the right path for me.
Taking the time to reflect, knowing that I’m out there doing my best, doing work I believe in and giving myself grace to adjust, pivot and implement change has been essential as well as critical for my growth.