Meet Allison! A contributor to Belong ISSUE 03, read on to learn more about this smart, creative woman!

WHO ARE YOU? / Astrology-wise, a Virgo. Food-wise, a vegetarian. Overall, I'm a crepe-loving entrepreneur passionate about writing, practicing yoga and hosting tea parties. I was born in the Bay Area & moved to San Diego in 2009. The start up mentality and diversity I experienced growing up truly helped define who I've become. After moving south, the creativity, laid back environment and fit outdoorsy vibes of San Diego taught me to think outside the box and push my limits. As my 2 passports confirm, I'm a citizen of both Ireland and the United States. With much family abroad, I'm also a traveller; the most recent places crossed off my bucket list have been Peru, New Zealand, Sweden and Denmark.

WHERE DO YOU BELONG? / I feel belonging is far more about people than places. For example, when I'm with people who love to think on the bright side, set goals and get excited over tea sets, there's a quick sense of belonging.

WHAT IS YOUR WHY? / My passions drive my purpose. Writing, PR & blogging are what I think about outside of 9 - 5 hours, what I doodle about on airplane rides. They aren't simply a job I show up to for 8 hours each weekday; they're ingrained in my everyday thinking and are the tasks I lose track of time over.

HOW DID YOU GET HERE? / It all started when I was born on September 13th to Joan and Stefan Gower. After learning some of the ropes to being a human, I began school. Even from a young age I loved writing and storytelling. It was in 5th grade I wrote and staged my first commercial, including full product design and a company jingle. It took much self-exploration and time to figure out what I wanted to do (and hey, I'm still figuring out!) but a degree in English and minor in Marketing from San Diego State University was a big step. It was at my first full-time job out of college at a production company that taught me the many sides of business and variety of niche careers. There, I discovered that creating the pitches, brainstorming with clients and writing content were the tasks that flew by. I would never believe 3 hours had flown by when I had crafted a pitch deck! That was the main thing. With each internship and job I had, I took a hard look at my roles, then wrote about what parts I didn't enjoy and the areas I did. It's been a lot of trial, error and, let's be honest, really hard work.

IF WE WALKED INTO YOUR LIFE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, WHAT WOULD WE SEE? / You'd see me typing away at a standing desk in my coworking space, a shared office space full of creatives, freelancers and small business owners. I'd have just finished hopping off the phone with a reporter, discussing a PR item I've pitched them, or gearing up for an afternoon meeting re website content for a client. When it hits around 1:30 pm, I'm stepping outside for lunch in the sunshine with coworking friends and taking a stroll around the block before coming back inside to work.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE OR WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT? / When something goes wrong in your life, just yell "PLOT TWIST!" and move on!

FAVORITE SOCAIL MEDIA TOOL? / Instagram

FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? / Cake Batter

FAVORITE READ? / Magazine wise? TIME. Book wise? 19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult.

WHAT IS YOUR UNIFORM? / Wildly patterned leggings + a Solid Color Sweater. Paired with gold rings, a necklace (boldness depending on how crazy the leggings are). When working? Hair pulled into an up-do.

IN THE INFINITE RAINBOW OF COLORS, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU BE AND WHAT WOULD YOU NAME IT? / Marvelous Mint Green

TELL US A SECRET! / In elementary school, I sometimes asked my mom to assign me essays and writing assignments over summer holidays. Writing (for both pleasure and the goal of high grades) was such a joy for me, I didn't want it to stop for a full 3 months.

UMBRELLA OR SUNGLASSES? / Sunglasses

INTROVERT OR EXTROERT? / Extrovert

COFFEE OR TEA? / Coffee

DIGITAL OR PRINT? / Print

SANDALS OR SNOW BOOTS? / Sandals

HOME OR AWAY? / Away

EARLY BIRD OR NIGHT OWL? / Early Bird

WHAT'S ONE THING THAT YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR? / A headstand

LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? / The Big Short

WHAT DO YOU DO TO STAY INSPIRED? / Meet up with people who inspire me (usually over coffee). Attend creative & entrepreneurial events. It lets me hear stories from amazing speakers and connects me with incredible people who are pushing industries forward, pursuing their dreams and changing our communities. (Oh and watch movies like The Intern. As soon as those credits roll I feel ready to take on the world!)

FAVORITE SONG RIGHT NOW? / Boyce Avenue's piano cover of Teenage Dream

BIGGES QUIRK? / The way I eat yogurt. With splendidly small spoons & rather tiny bites.

GUILTY PLEASURE? / Watching youtube videos of hedge hogs swimming. (The way they float on their backs is beyond adorable.)