Name: Allison Carmichael
Age: 40
Title: Elementary School Principal & Founder of the Second Arrow, a company providing mindfulness professional development to educators.
Married/Single: Married. Nick, my husband is a teacher in Mesa and is a very good teacher at that. He is also an entrepreneur and has a hat company called Iconic Arizona. The company celebrates Arizona by showcasing the landscape on patches on hats!
Kids: three amazing kids. Carter just turned 10 and is learning to play the flute. Mae is 7 and bounces continually like Tigger and is as emotional as Tigger too. Josie is 5 and has a boyfriend. Yep. I’m afraid. Very afraid.
City you live in: Gilbert
A typical day in my life includes…
work, attempts at a semblance of dinner, TV and bed (I may consider going to my workout, but lazy usually wins).
I was born…
in the suburbs of Chicago on the night of Disco Demolition held at Comisky Park during a White Sox game. I’ve been a southside fan ever since.
My favorite thing(s) about Arizona…
are the outdoor opportunities. The weather allows for us to be outdoors most of the year not to mention the abundance of activities of which to participate: hiking, camping, boating, swimming to name my favorites.
I’m listening to…
the Avett Brothers and Blanco Brown. We “Git Up” every weekend in our family room.
My family…
makes me happy and proud.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…
my late grandma Clary. She was my first grandparent I lost. I was a teenager when she passed, and I would have loved to have known her better, to have known her as an adult. She played all kinds of tricks on us kids when we would stay at her farm for the summer; once she was standing on a chair in the kitchen holding a broomstick in the air which precariously held a paper cup to the ceiling. She’d say, “Allison, quick, hold this stick and don’t let the cup of water fall!” Her voice had such urgency and conviction that I was going to be the best little soldier she could count on – so I hopped up and held that stick. It only took a few minutes of shoulder pain…ok, maybe more as I am so gullible, to realize this was a silly prank. She had an infectious sense of humor that was unique and appreciated.
One thing I cannot live without…
cheese.
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
a veterinarian. My grandfather was a dairy farmer so I had been around animals, even farm animals often even though I lived in the suburbs. I loved reading “All Creatures Great and Small” and idolized Jane Goodall. I thought she was so brave and I was envious that her friends were chimpanzees (maybe I have been an introvert my whole life). In high school for a class assignment we were tasked with spending time with a person doing the career in which we thought ideal. It was during that 3 hour observation of our local veterinarian that I changed career paths; veterinarians must treat ALL animals, including cats with claws. I was out.
I’m inspired by…
music, my husband, and the words of others.
The one person who motivates me is…
my husband. He has unwavering bold faith in me and he sees strength in me that I do not always see in myself.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be…
to not see girls suffer in this world.
The perfect day would be…
lounging, in my favorite sweat pants and old Blackhawks t-shirt watching movies while the rain hit the windows with a gentle tune.
My first job was…
I ran newspaper routes when I was just 9 or 10. But at 16 I earned a job at Bath and Body Works. I always lost the sales competitions because I refused to “upsale”. I figured, if they wanted it, they would have bought it.
My favorite escape…
camping. Two years ago my husband and I bought and renovated a 1975 Winnebago travel trailer that sleeps 5. It is our favorite thing to do as a family.
My life…
has been dedicated to caring for other people’s kids. I want the rest of it to show that I cared for my own too.
I’m currently working on…
this! My Second Arrow company. I have booked my first presentation gigs and have received positive feedback to go all in attempting to support leaders to do better for their employees and consumers.
Always…
work hard and be kind.
Never…
quit. Or say something when you have nothing nice to say.
Favorite Quote…
Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Biggest Dream…
to be independently wealthy! Duh! And of course do nice things for others…but only after I’m rich!
My Pet Peeve(s)…
complaining. I always think there is a solution and I find it a colossal waste of time to dwell on problems if it is not in a setting of problem solving.
