About Me

My parents once got me socks for Christmas that said "Ringmaster of the Shit Show" and that is truly representative of my life at this stage. And yes, I am at the phase where getting socks for Christmas is cool again (largely because I collect them...). Send me socks and I will love you forever.

If you made it to this page, you're either a friend who I forced to visit my website OR you are in the shit of building a business and want some straight talk. Either way, WELCOME and THANK YOU! I have toyed with the idea of writing about my experience as a young entrepreneur and so if you are reading this, I am grateful.

A little bit about me...my name is Claire, I am 27 and currently running my family business(es). The photo is me holding a delicious burger on my 24th birthday. The reason this is called "Claire d'Alene" is because this whole journey started with a big life shift. I moved from New York City, where I had a lovely apartment and career on Wall Street, to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho where I am living and working on building our family business. The lessons that I have learned about myself, business, leadership, and life in general have been fueled by this move and getting uncomfortable in a place that was once so comfortable.

I am truly an open book about the mistakes that I have made and lessons that I have learned. What has always frustrated me about older, successful people is that they seem to have forgotten what it was like to be in the throes of building and instead paint a rosy picture of how it all worked out seamlessly. The reality, as it turns out, of building a business, a brand, and a life you are excited about is that it is fucking hard (I promise I won't swear too much). So I hope to be a place where you can feel safe and seen when you are struggling through your own entrepreneurial or personal challenges. Welcome to the chaos!