Allison Statter is the co-founder of Blended Strategy Group, a Los Angeles marketing firm that connects brands and celebrities. Before launching her own company, she worked for her father in marketing and talent management for nearly 2 decades. But eventually, she hit a professional roadblock and decided to jump ship with co-founder Sherry Jhawar to launch her own company.
Since starting up in 2015, Statter has grown the firm to 11 employees — all women, which is “one of the things I’m most proud of,” she says. And, she has expanded its roster of clients to include companies like Revlon and famous folks like Chelsea Handler and Jennifer Hudson. Today, she’s focused on forging new partnerships and growing in a smart way.
“When you own a business, the scariest thing is growth,” she says. “We really try hard to stay focused, not to pivot too far and get lost or have too many services. We are focused on being really good at one or two things.”
Financially, she has found stability as a business owner, though “I don’t think there is anything I’ve splurged on.” Rather, the greatest rewards of entrepreneurship so far have been emotional, she says, calling it “an extremely freeing experience.” When Statter was working for her father, she was always known as his kid, rather than an employee. But today, she’s her own boss, first, and his daughter, second. “Now, people are taking me seriously because of my business.”