Debbi Allison

I empower entrepreneurs to understand their numbers so they can make better decisions As a kid it struck me as funny that my grandmother Rose always wore gloves. It may sound weird, but the story behind those gloves is a key inspiration for my business. And in a way, those gloves tie into every entrepreneur’s story. Grandma Rose was a florist, and one of my most distinct childhood memories was playing in her floral shop “Spring’s Flowers”. I would dye carnations there, and I remember watching the petals soak up food coloring on hot days as we sat in the walk-in refrigerator. At the time, there was no way I could have fully appreciated the quiet determination and love she put into her work. Only later in life did I learn the reason she wore those gloves all the time: She was allergic to something in the plants. If she actually touched the flowers, she’d break out in a rash. But she loved what she did so much that she found a way to make it work. That entrepreneurial passion is such an inspiration to me to this day!