Alison Vaughn, August 30th, 2022

Alison Vaughn, August 30th, 2022

In this interview, Alison Vaughn talks about her business in Detroit, Jackets for Jobs.

Detroit Historical Society

Detroit Historical Society

en-US

Alison Vaughn

Alison Vaughn was born and raised on the west side of Detroit and graduated from Michigan State.

Lily Chen

Detroit, MI

8/30/2022

42:28

Taylor Claybrook

Lily Chen [00:00:01] Okay. So today is Tuesday, August 30th. It is around almost 12. And this is Lily Chen. I am conducting an interview for the Hustle Project at the Detroit Historical Society. We are so excited to have one of our 36 honorees. And yeah, so let's get started. So what is your full name? And go ahead and spell it out for us.
Alison Vaughn [00:00:29] Thanks for having me. And nice to meet you, Lily. My name is Alison Vaughn. CEO and founder of Jackets for Jobs.
Lily Chen [00:00:44] Awesome. And does Jackets for Jobs have a physical location in Detroit?
Alison Vaughn [00:00:48] We actually have two locations. We have one location on the east side of Detroit, which is at 5555 Conner, Suite 2097, which is inside of the Samaritan Center. And then we also have another office on the west side of Detroit, which is at 7800 west Outer Drive inside of the Henry Ford Medical Building. So that's the nice thing. We're able to service our clients all over the city of Detroit’s east or west side.
Lily Chen [00:01:11] Oh wow, are you an east sider or west sider?
Alison Vaughn [00:01:16] I'm a west sider, born and raised. Yes. Are you familiar with the West side of Outer Drive and University of Detroit High School? Born and raised right there.
Lily Chen [00:01:26] Wow. Is that where you went to school?
Alison Vaughn [00:01:27] Actually, sadly enough, right in the area where the shooter was the other day. And if you know about that shooter that was in the news yesterday of randomly shooting. That's the neighborhood that I was born and raised in. So, yeah, so the high school in my area is Mumford High School. That's where I took driver's training. They don't even have driver's training at the high schools anymore. But that tells you kind of my age if I'm dating myself. But yeah, that's right. Yes. I'm a Detroiter. Born and raised. Graduated from Benedictine High School. Then I'm a graduate of Michigan State. So I'm a Spartan.
Lily Chen [00:01:59] Go green.
Alison Vaughn [00:02:00] Yes, go green.
Lily Chen [00:02:03] All right. So. And and do you still live in Detroit now? Alison Vaughn [00:02:09] No, I live in the suburbs.
Lily Chen [00:02:10] Okay.
Alison Vaughn [00:02:11] I live in the suburbs.
Lily Chen [00:02:12] All right. But you're a true West Sider.
Alison Vaughn [00:02:15] Oh, yeah. You were born and raised and all of my schooling in Michigan. And so my businesses, I've had jackets for jobs for 22 years. And so I've been in Detroit for 22 years. You know, Jackets for jobs started off with one office on the east side.
And then I opened up a second office downtown on Fort Street. And then from there I moved that office to seven or 800 west out of drive. So for 22 years, our mission is to provide clothing and job training to job seekers. And so that's the mission of Jackets for Jobs is to help jobseekers overcome barriers to employment. So we're a supportive service to the city of Detroit's workforce development. So for 22 years I have been why shouldn't say I, but Jackets for Jobs has been outfitting over 35,000 job seekers. So I'm very proud of that. To be able to say that we've been able to help that many people obtain employment here in the city. So that's why I say this. This award is so special because I know about hustle, you know, and I know about helping other people hustle to find employment. So, yeah, that's, that's, that's wonderful what we've been doing, putting our mark in the city.
Lily Chen [00:03:23] Yeah, absolutely. So 22 years ago, what year would it that that been Oh yeah. 2000. Okay. All right.
Alison Vaughn [00:03:35] So March 17, which was actually like St Patrick's Day. So March of 2000, I started Jackets for Jobs. And so here it is, 22 years later, 35,000 people. We've held two locations office in Botswana and branched out internationally. And it's just been wonderful bit to be able to help so many people. And because, you know, the reason why we've lasted 22 years is because people understand the mission of employment. Everyone understands the need for a job, whether you're white, black, rich, poor, Democrat, Republican, everybody understands you need to work. And everybody understands that first job interview. And everyone understands when they were going for their interview, what they wore for their first job interview. Like, you know, what am I going to wear? I need to look professional, I need a suit, I need to look right. And so our mission is so clear of providing attire to go for our work, to go for an interview.
Lily Chen [00:04:31] Yeah. So do you find that your, like, uh, journey growing up in Detroit influenced, you know, your journey today and your success today?
Alison Vaughn [00:04:43] Oh, absolutely. No matter where I go, I'm always, you know, I've got that stamp of Detroit, you know, on me. So I love Detroit. I love growing up in Detroit. I love my business in Detroit. And I'm very proud to say that this month, August 2022, Jackets for
Jobs is in Forbes magazine. I mean, you can't get any bigger than Forbes magazine. That's the leading national global business magazine. And there's a full page article about jackets for jobs. So I'm putting our imprint and making Detroiters prouder because all the subscribers to Forbes will see this about jackets for jobs. So it's really cool.
Lily Chen [00:05:22] Yeah, absolutely. I mean, and we'll have a chance to kind of see that article in our exhibit at the museum.
Alison Vaughn [00:05:32] Thank you.
Lily Chen [00:05:33] So, okay, so take me back to… So did you study business in college?
Alison Vaughn [00:05:37] Yes. Okay. Exactly.
Lily Chen [00:05:38] And then did you immediately go to start a business?
Alison Vaughn [00:05:41] No. So after I graduated from Michigan State, I moved to well, I took a trip to Los Angeles to visit my roommate. So she graduated like six months before I did.
And I said, okay, well, once I graduate, I'll come and visit you. So I bought a round trip ticket to visit her in Los Angeles, and I loved it. I guess I was just kind of mesmerized by the glitz and glamor of Los Angeles. And so I never used the return portion of the trip. And I lived out in Los Angeles, and I got a job with United Airlines. And so, yeah, I was just very adventurous. I said, I'm not going back to Michigan. I just love it here in L.A.. And so six months later, I got a job with United Airlines, and then I was a flight attendant. And then I moved into management, and I started hiring flight attendants. I was an employment representative, hiring flight attendants for United. So then I moved to Chicago because that's where United Airlines headquartered. And then I still loved it. And then something told me after 15 years of being with United Airlines, something hit me and said, You know what? There's another calling. There's something else that you can do. And so I have that human resource employment background from United. And I said, You know what, people need help people. Kind of a catch 22. They need to look professional for a job interview. But in order to look professional, you have to have money to buy the clothes. So it's kind of a catch 22. And so the Lord just put it on my heart to start, you know, jackets for jobs. And I actually started it out of a tragic situation, my sister, that we had the same father, different mothers. When our father died, we kind of went our separate ways. She was with her mom, I was with my mom, and then many years went by. And then she said that she wanted to see me. And so she called her and said, you know, I haven't seen Allison in so long. What is she doing? And so my aunt reunited us and we were sitting on the porch on a nice sunny day, and I'm sitting in the rocking chair. And I said, Cheryl, well, what have you been doing all this time since we haven't been together? And she said, I'm dying of cancer. And I'm like, Oh, my God. Six months later, she died. And then when I was helping with the funeral arrangements, I found out that she was on welfare. And then that's when I said, You know what? I don't want any other woman to be on welfare. I don't want to see this happen, you know, struggling and with children and so forth. And so that's really how I started. Jackets for Jobs, as a tribute to my sister to help other women get off welfare, to empower other women to be better and to help and be the head of their household to help them out if they're single mom. And so that was really the birth of it. And that was the same time, right around the same time as 9/11. And, you know, United Airlines and American Airlines were the two airlines that were hit during that big tragedy. So all that that was happening, you know, within the year and then my sister passing. So just kind of that both of those tragedies really sparked jackets for jobs.
Lily Chen [00:08:32] Yeah. So in the beginning, it it sounds like it was like a very emotional journey for you all.
Alison Vaughn [00:08:40] Very emotional. Yes. Because, you know, here I was with a secure company, you know, stable. I knew where I was going to get a paycheck from. And then to say, you know, to hear a calling from God, say, no, I want you to go out, start your own business. And because that was not on my radar, I was enjoying being in management with, you know, the airlines. But to to leave that and to start. And that's why, once again, that's why this Hustle award is important to me, because I stepped out on faith and I had to hustle to start a business and to be an entrepreneur. And so I had no idea where I was going to get my next paycheck and see 22 years ago, the Google and the Internet wasn't the way it is. So I had to physically go to the library, check out books. I mean, people don't even do that anymore. Most people don't even know where their nearest library is. Everything is at their cell phone so they can Google everything. So I had to literally go to the airport. I mean, go to the library, research books, take out books and learn how to start a business. And so what became my friend was the dummy series for me, like dumb grant writing for Dummies, Gardening for Dummies, Cooking for Dummies. So I checked those books out, and so I checked out how to start a business, how to do grant writing. I took out
those books, and so that's how I started my business, going to the library and researching all of that. And then getting my first grant and then. We partnered with TJ, Maxx called me and they we formed a partnership to be able to provide more clothing for job seekers.
Lily Chen [00:10:10] Yeah, that's. I mean, that's amazing.
Alison Vaughn [00:10:13] Thank you.
Lily Chen [00:10:14] So, I mean, a lot of almost everybody that comes through here kind of identifies that it was not easy in the beginning. And it's really cool to hear that kind of journey because everyone is experiencing so much success today and it kind of brings inspiration for young business owners to say, Hey, no matter how hard it is, there is kind of light at the end of the tunnel. So tell us about, you know, some of those challenges that you faced in the beginning and then what it took to overcome them?
Alison Vaughn [00:10:45] Well, my challenge in the beginning was just getting started, even though I had a college degree and I knew about business. But when you're actually doing it, you know, it's one thing to see something written in books, you know, books, books, information. But when you're actually out there hustling to actually make it, you know, become a reality. So, you know, just doing the research, trying to find funding and then, you know, wanting a brick and mortar location, trying to scout that out, trying to have other people see your vision because everybody doesn't see your vision. You know, if you say you want to do this, you want to have a bakery or you want to have a child care center or whatever your dream is, everybody doesn't see your vision. So you either have to find somebody that's on board with what you're talking about or see the vision like you do. So I was telling people my mission is to clothe the poor jacket's for jobs, mission is to clothe the poor and to help them overcome obstacles so they can find employment. And so I wanted other people to embrace that. And because my mission is easy to understand, it was not hard to get other people on board. So when I received that phone call one day and a gentleman from TJ Maxx says, Hi, my name is Jerome, I'm from TJ Maxx and we're interested in partnering with you. And I'm like, wow, how did you find, you know, our organization? Because TJ Max is headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts, which is right outside of Boston. So. So if you think Boston, Massachusetts to Detroit, Michigan, there's so many cities and so many organizations in between. How did you find us? And so they flew in. They said, we like what you're doing. We don't want to change your program. What we want to help you supply clothes so you can make sure that people get on their feet in job development. So I said, Well, how did you hear about us? You know, give me, you know, and listen at this. They said they found out about Jackets for Jobs, through Rosa Parks niece. And I said, you mean Rosa Parks? Civil rights icon Rosa Parks and her niece told them about jackets for jobs. And so I always tell people the moral of that story as you never know who's watching you. Because I did not know Rosa Parks niece, but she had heard about our organization, all the wonderful things that we were doing in the city of Detroit, how we were helping people get on their feet, how we were helping them overcome barriers to employment. And she told this gentleman about us. And so he came, saw what we were doing and Jackets for Jobs and TJ Maxx we've been partners for over 12 years. And so and I tell my daughter and anyone else, you never know who's watching you. And so this woman's wonderful, like angel of a lady was watching us and helped form that. So I'm always so whenever people talk about Rosa Parks, I'm like, yes, I have a connection to Rosa Parks.
Lily Chen [00:13:25] No, I mean, so how did the how did your business organization change over time? Like, tell us about what it what it looks like now and what the day to day operations look like now and then, what it was in the beginning?
Alison Vaughn [00:13:43] Well, the easy thing that I can say is our mission has always stayed true. Our mission has always been true to help jobseekers overcome barriers so they can find employment. When our business changed was during the pandemic. Because we are
in-person operation, people come in, they get clothes just like a department store. They come in, they get clothes. We make sure that they look nice so they can go out for a job interview. And we always say their success is our success. When they get a job, they're able to come back, get another set of clothes, what we call working wardrobe. And so they
have something. So because we were in person and when the pandemic hit, everybody had to stay away from people. They had to stay six feet away. People were not coming out of the house. So we had to learn to pivot pretty quickly to figure out how are we going to continue our business since we are in-person operation and people are afraid. So that was a really a challenging moment for us, you know, two years ago at the beginning of the pandemic. And what we decided to do, come up with a campaign is we'll meet you where you are. And we use the work where will meet you, where you are. So we'll bring the clothes to you. So almost like Amazon will drop the clothes off to you, so to speak. So if you say you have a job interview on Friday, but you can't come to us and your interview is via. Zoom because still people were not going out. They were doing interviews via Zoom. So if they didn't have any clothes, we said, well, at least we can give you a blouse or a shirt and tie something where people can see you from waist up while you're doing your Zoom meetings. So if you're afraid to come to us, we'll drop the things off to you. So that really helped us. So that was never part of our motto as delivering clothes to people. But, you know, we wanted to maintain true to our mission and still be able to help people because we knew people still needed assistance. So we tried that and that was successful. Then now people are slowly coming back in person and coming back to us. And so we're back to our original model of people coming in and getting clothes one on one, face to face.
Lily Chen [00:15:39] Yeah. So your first location was on the east side? Alison Vaughn [00:15:42] Yes. Which it still is in the Samaritan Center.
Lily Chen [00:15:45] Okay. And that's the original.
Alison Vaughn [00:15:46] That's our original place. And that's where we've been for 20 years. And then probably. 2007, seven years into the business. That's when we moved to Fort Street, still maintaining the the East Side office, but we wanted to have another office. And so that's when we moved and that's when we partnered with TJ Maxx and we moved to Fort Street and then the city when they were going through all of their bankruptcy and so forth, they closed that office. But we moved to where we are, our second office at 7800 west Outer drive inside of the Henry Ford Medical Building. And so we still have that. And then that office, we're going to be moving eventually to Northwest Activities Center, because the city of Detroit has nine different Detroit at work locations. And to maintain our presence on the west side of Detroit, we're going to go to Northwest Activities Center, because that's one of the sites for the city of Detroit's workforce.
Lily Chen [00:16:41] Okay. So in the beginning, can you describe like physically what it looked like? I mean, what? Yeah.
Alison Vaughn [00:16:47] Oh, before. So like I said, we've been in business 22 years, so year one to year two, I was inside of Little Rock Baptist Church, which is on Woodward, and it's the historic Little Rock Baptist Church. And so I think, you know, earlier when I mentioned I was with United Airlines, so I'm sitting on the flight talking to one of my flight attendant friends. And I said, you know, I'm starting this business jackets for jobs, but I don't have a physical brick and mortar location. And I need to be able to help people, you know, with clothes. So she said, Oh, my pastor is so nice, you should meet him. And you know, he's well connected and he's very community oriented and everyone in the city of Detroit knows him. And I said, okay, what's his name? She said, Reverend Jim Holley. He's the pastor at historic Little Rock Baptist Church on Woodward. And everybody, you know, knows who he is. So I went to talk with him and he says, Well, I've got some space on the second floor of the church and you can have it, you know, utilize that space for free. And I went up there and it was just like a large utility room, like a large closet or almost just like a, you know, a room, almost like the size of the room that we're in now. And so I brought some clothing racks in. And what store was it? I think it was Winkellman’s or one of the stores way back when they were going out of business. And so I bought their clothing racks and so I brought them over to Little Rock. And so I'm always grateful and forever indebted to Reverend Jim Holley at Little Rock Baptist Church because he helped us get our start with a location. And then from there, I went over to the east side inside of the Samaritan Center, which was another minister, which was a priest, Brother Francis, and he's now doing missionary work over in Africa. But so when I went over to the Samaritan Center, that priest says, Oh, yes, Holy Cross Services owns this building. And we have some space because Mercy Hospital had just closed down and then Holy Cross opened the up, bought it from them. So really two ministers. So this was all God inspired because priests helped me on both locations.
Lily Chen [00:18:47] Yeah. So in the beginning, you're the one that's going to the stores, picking out the clothes, buying clothing racks. Is that right?
Alison Vaughn [00:18:54] That's me. Yes. And then bless my mother. My mother's always been my help. My mother retired from General Motors. My stepdad, both my mother and my stepfather work for General Motors. And then before, when my father was alive, he worked for Chrysler. So we're truly like Detroiters, truly automotive, you know, in our family. So Chrysler and General Motors is all that I know as far as like my family working. So we're Detroiters working in, you know, in the auto industry. So, yeah, my mother, when she retired from General Motors, she came aboard to help me out and says and so she started doing the employment etiquette classes because if anyone knows my mother, she's just really classy and such a lady. And so with a lot of our clients, a lot of them didn't have, you know, role models or didn't have mother figures. So they look to my mother as a mother figure to help them, you know, with their job search.
Lily Chen [00:19:50] Yeah. And clients can seek those services for free.
Alison Vaughn [00:19:54] Oh, yes. Everything is for free. Yes. So we are part of we're like up under the umbrella of the city of Detroit's workforce development. And so all of our services to people are free, everything. So when they come to us, they're clothes from head to toe, whatever they need and whatever we have, we provide it to them for free.
Lily Chen [00:20:13] That's awesome. And that's always been the case. Alison Vaughn [00:20:14] Always been the case.
Lily Chen [00:20:15] Yes, that's amazing. So in the beginning, you're like super involved. You're the one picking out the clothes, you're the one seeing clients. How many people would you be seeing in those beginning years?
Alison Vaughn [00:20:25] Oh, my goodness. Oh, and we still see a lot. But due to the pandemic, you know, our things have shifted a lot, but we're seeing like a thousand a month. We were cranking them out, you know, they were coming left and right. And so that's the thing. There is a definite need for what we do because people are always going to need a job, you know, and then people are always going to need something to wear for a job interview. You know, I was going to need something to wear when they go to work. So. The need is always there and we're there because people have so many barriers to employment. Either they have childcare barriers where they don't have a babysitter, so therefore they don't go to work or they can't make it to a job interview. They have transportation barriers, they don't have a car or they don't have the money for public transportation. They have health care issues, they have clothing issues. So there's so many different barriers. And so we're a supportive service to help overcome a lot of the barriers that people have for employment.
Lily Chen [00:21:17] Yeah. And when did you get connected to the city of Detroit?
Alison Vaughn [00:21:22] In 2002. So we've been supported and a partner with the city of Detroit for 20 of our 22 years.
Lily Chen [00:21:28] Wow.
Alison Vaughn [00:21:29] Yes, 20 of our 22. So I've seen so many different mayors and they each mayor, each administration has truly supported and embraced what we do.
Lily Chen [00:21:39] I mean, they connected with your mission right away.
Alison Vaughn [00:21:43] Oh, yes. And it's really, really nice because every single mayor of the city of Detroit has embraced Jackets for jobs. Every mayor has donated clothes. And so there's some men there's some men out here that's wearing Dennis Archer's clothes. There's some man out here that's wearing Dave Bing's clothes. There's some man out there that's wearing a tie from Mike Duggan. So there's men out here wearing clothes from each of our former our current or former mayor. Yeah. So that's really cool. Yeah, I like that.
Lily Chen [00:22:13] Do you have, um, is it mostly donation based.
Alison Vaughn [00:22:16] Donation based and our partnership with TJ Maxx. So when you come our, our store, it looks like a miniature TJ Maxx. Okay, so when people come by like, oh wow, this is really nice. So yes, and that's what I love about the city of Detroit and the people in Detroit. So many people donate to our organization. They're like, I'm cleaning out my clothes, I'm doing spring cleaning, I'm doing fall cleaning. Or, you know, sadly enough, you know, they're lost or gain weight and they can't fit their clothes anymore. And especially after the pandemic, we received so many calls. People like, I've gained this weight, I can't fit my clothes anymore. So I said, I can relate. Everybody had that pandemic weight of being home, you know, so much so. Yes, we actually right now, we're experiencing a good problem. All of our racks were full and we don't even really have room to receive any more clothes at this time. So we're telling people, wait a month and call us back. So yeah, everyone, Detroiters have a heart. I love being a Detroit and I love the spirit
of Detroiters because they come through when you need them to come through and they donate to jackets for jobs. And I absolutely love that.
Lily Chen [00:23:16] Yeah. And do you have so at the beginning it was obviously just, you know, your team has probably grown.
Alison Vaughn [00:23:23] So two offices, ten employee, ten employees. We have a lot of volunteers. Before the pandemic we had oh my goodness, tons and tons of volunteers and then the pandemic hit and then we weren't able to take any volunteers. Now that we're getting out of the pandemic, people are calling and asking, can they volunteer again? And then what's really nice, a lot of our participants, a lot of our clients will come back and say, oh, you know what? You helped me out so much. Whenever I have an opportunity, I would love to volunteer and I love that because that really speaks volumes that really let you know that they were touched by what we did and they want to be able to give back because we gave to them and now they're on their feet, they're working, they're supporting their family. And so when they come back to volunteer, that just warms my heart.
Lily Chen [00:24:03] Yeah, and how, how is the process of recruiting your team and your staff?
Alison Vaughn [00:24:11] Well, let's see. Actually, the people that work for me were actually clients of jackets for jobs. And so now they're full time employees. So that's really nice. And so they know the ins and outs. They know what it's like to be on the other side of that, you know, as a client, and then now to be on the other side as an employee. So it makes it really easy. Yeah, you know, makes it really easy. And then my employee that that runs the East Side office, she's a east sider. So born and raised on the east side. So when the clients come from the east side, you know, either she's seen them before or she can really relate to them. And then my employees on the West Side, they are born and raised on the West Side because everybody is a Detroiter that that and so they are familiar with it. So it just works out so well. It's just a good, good thing.
Lily Chen [00:25:03] Jackets for Dreams is is a nonprofit.
Alison Vaughn [00:25:05] Yeah. Jackets for Jobs is a nonprofit. 501c3 nonprofit organization. It's a nonprofit organization and it's been a blessing.
Lily Chen [00:25:14] Yeah. One of the most important markers of a nonprofit is that it can employ the people that it's serving, because it means that you're actually putting people that you you don't believe in into the jobs that you have, because you never want that barrier between people who are serving and who are being served. Right. You want them to be the same, same people. So it's amazing to hear that that that that is your workforce.
Alison Vaughn [00:25:43] Yes. That is that is my workforce. And I love it because they are so dedicated, you know, because in order to work at Jackets for jobs, I want somebody that's a dedicated. And that's compassionate. And they can empathize because everyone that walks through the doors of Jackass for Jobs has a story to tell as to why they're, you know, unemployed or what kind of they have so many different barriers and obstacles. So I really want everyone that comes through to know that we're loving, we're compassionate. We understand that, you know, you have things that are you that you're going through, and we're here to help you.
Lily Chen [00:26:13] Yeah. Something I want to I do want to call out, you know, among the 36 honorees, some of some of the honorees are non-profits. And that makes me so proud to see. And so tell tell us about kind of what sets a nonprofit apart and what it means to, you know, to open an organization that is mission driven?
Alison Vaughn [00:26:40] Yes, it's totally mission driven. So I tell people when they say nonprofit, do you get paid or how did that work? You know, there's a lot of people really don't know. And so, yes, there's a salary. And we work just like as if it were for profit. The only difference in nonprofit and for profit is basically paperwork. I mean, that's basically a nonprofit is just saying that the government recognizes that you have a charitable… you have a mission to help people and you can't put the money back in to make a profit. So you can do your bottom line. You know, it's just the paperwork, really, but you're just not making a profit. Like if I were to sell for profit and I had this shirt, I can make money. I'm like, okay, this shirt is $20. I take it in and I've made $20 profit. But for nonprofit, I have a shirt, I give it to you, and I'm not making money off of it. So it's really just paperwork, but and it's just mission driven. I look at it as the difference.
Lily Chen [00:27:38] Yeah.
Alison Vaughn [00:27:38] You know.
Lily Chen [00:27:40] But it's a good thing. Yeah.
Alison Vaughn [00:27:42] I don't know if that answered the question or if that was the direction that you were going in. But it's it's just different. It's just different because it's just more mission driven and not looking for a profit. You're looking to make a difference more so.
Lily Chen [00:27:56] Absolutely.
Alison Vaughn [00:27:57] So we're looking to make a difference in a person's life for profit. They're looking to make a difference with the money. Yeah, maybe that's a good way of putting it, right?
Lily Chen [00:28:04] Yeah, absolutely. I mean, one of the biggest indications of the amazing work that you're doing is that clients can seek your services for free. Correct. So, um, you are not putting up those barriers. You're trying to eliminate those barriers, correct. For people getting employment. Have you had clients that you have that have like personally touched you or that?
Alison Vaughn [00:28:25] Oh, my goodness. All the time. All the time. We actually keep a box of Kleenex. And when we were on the Today Show, Al Roker and the whole crew came to Detroit and spent a whole day with Jackets for Jobs. And we were live on TV the entire day. And Al Roker, I like what he said. He said, Jackets for Jobs gives a Cinderella effect. And because we transform lives and we always keep a box of tissues because everybody has a story and it's so emotional. And so I just remember Al Roker saying, yeah, you have the Cinderella effect in these people's lives that you're changing is so touching. Yeah.
Lily Chen [00:29:03] And you get to, do you get to see the other side of the journey where people are experiencing success or they've you know, aced that job interview.
Alison Vaughn [00:29:13] Oh yeah. So what it is a lot of times when people come inside of jackets for jobs, they come in with their head down, their posture down, and they just come
in and like, okay, I'm here to get a suit because I have a job interview. By the time they leave, their posture is straight. They have a smile on their face, like Al Roker from the Today Show is like a Cinderella effect. Their energy, their smile, their posture, everything about them changes when they leave, because we have sort of just magically transformed the way they feel. And therefore, that's the confidence that they need. So when they leave us and they go for that job interview, they have so much more self-confidence. And that's what you need. You know, you just need that self-confidence. You just need somebody kind of as your cheerleader, like, you can do this, you can get that job because many of them do not have a cheerleader or a coach or somebody saying, you can do it. You have on that suit, you look good. And especially the men. My gosh, when a man puts on a suit, especially if he's never worn a suit, because we work with a lot of veterans and they are used to having on a, you know, their uniform, so to speak, or just not a suit and tie. They are transformed and they can I wear the suit out? I want to wear it. You know, I don't need to bag up my clothes that I had on. I just want to wear the suit when I leave out of here. And so, oh, sure, you can wear your suit out, but they just feel so different. And so to see, yes, we feel touched and we have Kleenex and we cry because we know that we're making a difference. And they hug us and they say thank you. And then, like I said, after their job interview, if they get the job, they're eligible to come back and receive more free clothing, what we call a working wardrobe, to help them along the way.
Lily Chen [00:30:56] That's awesome. So you get to see I mean, you get to see so many people experience success in that way. So there's a part of you that obviously loves fashion.
Alison Vaughn [00:31:04] Oh, yes. Yes.
Lily Chen [00:31:06] Because you are using fashion to change people's lives.
Alison Vaughn [00:31:10] I'm using fashion. And a year ago, a friend of mine encouraged me to apply to be a contestant in Ms. Fashion Global and in the pageant was held in Florida. And I was like, Oh, I don't know if I want to do it because I'm not comfortable wearing a swimsuit. And I know all pageants. They want you to wear a swimsuit and then an evening gown. And so I said, you know what? I'm going to go for it while I did it and I won. And so I'm Ms.. Fashion Global from Michigan. And so that's what that is right there, that flier that you have that I gave you. So, yes, I am Ms. fashion Global Michigan, because fashion is very important to me, which is really weird because growing up I went to a Catholic school, so I wore uniform. Then when I went up to Michigan State, I just wore blue jeans and a sweatshirt. Then when I worked for United Airlines, I wore a uniform. So I was and I think that's why I like fashion now, because most of my life I had to wear uniforms. I wear uniforms for so many years that now I'm like, okay, I can come out and wear all these wonderful pieces of clothes and get into fashion and ball gowns and high heels and so forth. So yeah, so I enjoy clothes and makeup and, you know, just getting all dressed up and down up. And so I think that's what makes my job fun is to sing, you know, to help people put on a nice suit or a nice pair of slacks and a blouse, or seeing a man with a shirt and tie and just putting everything all together. And then the staff jackets for jobs. Our staff are wonderful. Image consultants because that's basically what they are an image consultant to helping your image look good for that job interview.
Lily Chen [00:32:44] Yeah. So they kind of help to curate the whole look.
Alison Vaughn [00:32:49] Oh, yes, exactly. From head to toe. So when a lady or man comes in, everything from head to toe, from outercoat to the suit, shoes, briefcase, if we have
briefcases on how we give them that. But if they take the bus, they need an umbrella. We have that available. So anything that helps them look professional, anything they need from their journey, getting to the office.
Lily Chen [00:33:13] Amazing. Um, so. Okay, so you have two offices now. Would you say there is any differences or any special like. Tell me the thing that you love about each.
Alison Vaughn [00:33:24] Well, I love and I would hate for the my east side office to hear this but I partial to. Well, they're both different. Okay. I'm partial to the west side. And let me tell you why I'm partial to the west side is because, T.J., Maxx did the whole build out. So it actually looks like a miniature T.J. Maxx. The dressing rooms looks like a T.J. Maxx. The red bench that's in the dressing room is from T.J. Max. The racks, the posters, the fixtures, everything looks like a T.J. Maxx at the West Side office. I mean, when we did the ribbon cutting, T.J., Maxx, district managers and everything were there because they actually physically did the construction work. Now, my East Side office, I'm partial to because that was my first and the original and that's our main office and that's where the mail goes and so forth. So I'm always partial to that one because that's home and that's my main office and that's where my actual office is. I don't have an actual office on the West Side, whereas I do on the East Side, so I'm always partial to that. So for those reasons, I love the East Side because my actual office is there. That was the first and then the west side because of the TJ Maxx look.
Lily Chen [00:34:33] Yeah.
Alison Vaughn [00:34:34] So it's almost like that question's almost like you have two children. Which child do you like the best? I mean, that's kind of how I'm feeling, like, okay, what do I like the best? I love both of them. But this one has that talent and this one has that talent.
Lily Chen [00:34:50] What do you envision for the future?
Alison Vaughn [00:34:53] Oh, that's a really good question. Everything I do, I'm guided by God. I have a such a spiritual background and I'm not afraid to say it. Everything I do is guided in that direction. So however the Lord leads me, I know my mission is to help the poor. I know my mission is to be rooted and grounded in the city of Detroit and to help my fellow Detroiters become employed and to do the best that I can. So that's why I was so happy to have the spotlight on Jackets for Jobs in the city of Detroit and Forbes magazine, a national magazine. And I'm also going to be in an entrepreneur magazine. So to be featured in national global magazines put the spotlight on Jackets for jobs in the city of Detroit, I think is really huge because he's saying such a positive thing about an organization doing positive things in their city and for, you know, nationally to be recognized nationally. Yeah. So I guess to answer the question, I'll just continue being led by the Lord to be led to empower men and women so they can continue to find employment.
Lily Chen [00:35:55] Yeah. So we're joined by your daughter today. Alison Vaughn [00:35:58] Yes.
Lily Chen [00:36:00] All right. And has your …have your children been part of your journey?
Alison Vaughn [00:36:07] Oh, yes. My daughter is my mini me. I love her so much. And so I want to be a good role model for her. So Sunday we just got back from London and I was in London for the 100th successful businesswoman and it was a conference and I was happy that she was able to attend the gala with me to see me receive an award on stage in London. So she didn't like the plane ride. She thought it was too long. It was an eight hour flight. But for her to travel to London to see me receive an award as one of the 100 successful women. I thought that was that was so heartwarming for me, for her to see me as her role model.
Lily Chen [00:36:47] Yeah, absolutely, well, is there anything that comes to mind that you want to share in terms of your journey, that whether that's like guiding advice for future business people, whether that's, you know. How like reflections on your journey. Looking back. Anything that you'd want to share.
Alison Vaughn [00:37:13] You know, if you want to be an entrepreneur, if you want to step out and hustle, you know, because a lot of people ask that question like they have a 9 to 5 job, but they have this idea of opening up a daycare, opening up a bakery, opening up a cleaners, whatever, just being that entrepreneur. But they have this other job, but they're afraid to leave that to start something else because of the unknown, you know. And that's where I was. And I said, you know, if you really you know, if you hear your inner voice or whatever that higher power or that inner voice is to you, everybody has their own. But for me, when I heard that inner voice say, you know, go ahead, leave, you know, you name it, and I want you to start this. I stepped out on faith not knowing where my next paycheck is going to come from. And like 22 years later, I'm loving what I do and God has sustained me. So my advice, if you have that burning desire to do something, step out on faith and do it. Yeah. You know, don't be afraid to take chances. Don't be afraid to be adventurous and do it because I did it and it has worked. And I don't look back whenever I see a plane in the sky, I don't say, oh, my God, I wish I wouldn't have, you know, done what I'm doing now. And I stay on the friendly skies. But it's all worked out and God has guided my footsteps every step of the way. And I'm just so happy about that. And I know that God will continue to guide my path. So my advice is, especially for Detroiters, we are hustlers, we we work hard. And I love that about Detroit. And I'm proud to be a Detroiter and I'm proud to be a part of the Detroit Historical Museum, to be able to say that I've helped out the Detroiters and I am a Detroiter, born and raised here. So it's a good feeling.
Lily Chen [00:38:47] Yeah, okay. So what does Hustle and Hustler, what do those two words mean to you?
Alison Vaughn [00:38:56] Well, for me, hustle means just working hard. Yeah, and that's what I've done. Because when you are an entrepreneur, you actually work harder than if you work a 9 to 5. Because if you work a 9 to 5, you go in at nine, you get off at five, you're done. If you're an entrepreneur, you are working 24 seven. There is no you know, when you're in the bed, you're thinking, okay, did I do this? I've got payroll to meet. I have this report to do. I have that to do. So as a hustler, it's not 9 to 5, it's 24 seven. And you're always out there grinding and making sure that things go right because the pressure is all on you. You can't say, okay, well, I've got a coworker, I've got ten other people in this department that can, you know, fill in if I don't do what I'm supposed to do or if I, you know, fall short or something, there's other people to catch my back. But as an entrepreneur, you're you're it, you know, you might have, you know, staff or other people, but you are really it. Yeah. So if something happens to me, I'm it, you know what I mean? So as a hustler, it just means really working hard. And you're working 24 seven not 9 to 5.
Lily Chen [00:39:55] Yeah. Okay. And like Hustle and Hustler are intertwined.
Alison Vaughn [00:40:01] Yes. For me, I think they're kind of intertwined.
Lily Chen [00:40:03] Yeah, absolutely. All right. Well, um, it was really lovely to speak with you, and we're. We're just proud of the work that you're doing, it's important, you know, and it's important that, um, people, I think, don't realize, like, it's so easy to say go out and get a job. And I think people don't realize all the minutia and all the different things that have to go into that come into play in order to get that job right. And, and so for you to take on this mission and to be part of that someone's journey, you know, to that next stage of their life is is incredible to see.
Alison Vaughn [00:40:45] It is. And when people come in to our East Side office, we had what we call a wall of fame. We still do a wall of fame. And we've have different celebrities and prominent people have donated their suits. And like, this was my first suit. And and so it's
really, really nice. And I would love for the museum here to do something like that, you know, Jackets for Jobs presents, you know, prominent Detroiters first attire. And so like and we've even had celebrities like Queen Latifah, Mariah Carey and then prominent Detroiters like Sean Robinson. That's a producer now that's in Los Angeles. But anyway, they've donated suits. And so, in other words, when clients come in and they it's like, oh, my God, there's congresswoman such and such suit or there's, you know, Queen Latifah. So and that gives them inspiration. Like, you know what? This was their first suit and look where they are now. And now we're going to give you a suit. So hopefully one day you will have your suit on the wall. And so it's really nice because everybody remembers that first job or that important job or that important interview, what what suit they wore, you know. And so it's really it's really nice and it's inspirational. And so if you guys ever have any room, extra room here in the museum, I would love to have an exhibit showing people's first, you know, their suit that was important to them. Like this is a suit I wore when I closed the deal to get the waterfront here in Detroit. This is a suit that such and such that's in prominent here I wore when we did, you know. Entertain such and such. So it gives people inspiration, like, wow, look how they look when they did that, close that deal. Look how they look when they got that, you know. Yeah. So I think that would be really cool.
Lily Chen [00:42:24] Yeah, absolutely. All right. I'm going to stop the recording.
Alison Vaughn [00:42:27] Okay.