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Both Alan and Rosie Wallner are longtime friends of mine. We met when Alan joined a peer mentoring group in the 1990s (W Creative) and was a client for several years. Rosie has edited several of my WeMentor Entrepreneurial Leadership and Mentoring Guidebooks.
They founded W Creative Branding in 2005. Over the years, the business has been a big part of their family culture. It’s not uncommon for the entire family to be involved with helping out on a project.
Alan and Rosie met in high school and dated through college. After college they married and together, they have three children: Lizzie (27) on the right, Alix (22) in the back, and Erin (13) between her parents — plus two dogs, Rance and Leo.
Just as their middle child, Alix, was wrapping up her senior year in high school, she came out as transgender. This is the first of eight conversations of how their family changed with this news and set out on a journey of self-discovery. They revolutionized their lives and their business. Each conversation will build on the other so by the end, you will understand how Alix’s announcement was a transformation that brought this family closer. Rosie, Alan, and Alix participate in all eight conversations.
Mentoring Tips
After listening to our conversation:
- Email me your feedback and questions, nancy@wementor.com.
- What do you think about how Alan and Rosie approached the transgender news from Alix?
- Think about your own life. If someone in your family announced they were transgender, how would this set of news have affected you? As a parent how would you have handled yourself and led your family through this transformative process?
- What was Rosie’s biggest concern?
Mentoring Help
- Join a WeMentor Entrepreneurial Leadership and Mentoring LAB! Take a leap forward in your business and in your life!
- Subscribe to this podcast.
The Wallners Journey to Acceptance, 1 of 8 Episode 166 W Creative Branding
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Meet The Wallners
Rosie Wallner.Rosie grew up in the Chicago area but has made Minnesota her home. As a college student, she met many different types of people and began her journey to be accepting and open-minded to all she meets. As she got older, she embraced a more spiritual lifestyle and has grown in her understanding of life, the Universe, and everything. Rosie works at W Creative and heads up the Copy Management Services; she spends her days doing what she loves, proofreading and editing copy for her clients.
Alan Wallner.Alan grew up with his family running their own landscaping business and has spent his life associated with some form of family business and is an entrepreneur at heart. Alan explains his life journey as one filled with many lessons and learnings that he applies not only to himself but also to their business. Alan believes that how you are on the inside reveals itself exponentially on the outside. This philosophy is a big part of how they run their business W Creative, a brand design agency that helps companies discover their brand life-force and how to leverage it to have a greater impact on the world.
Alixandria Wallner.Alixandria or Alix for short is a young all-around true Minnesotan gal. She has been living full-time as herself since 2015. She was born male but has always been a bit girly and has been figuring out and experiencing her gender since she was little. As she graduated from high school in 2015, she kicked her transition medically and socially into overdrive. Since then, she has seen herself and her life change for the better! The love for pursuing her favorite interests and education came back in full swing. Right now, she is working on her video production degree and is starting her third year of school this spring. Overall, she has become more outgoing and an all-around happier person.
