Meet Dr. Amanda Allard-Schuster | Owner of Allard Advising LLC.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Amanda Allard-Schuster and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Amanda, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I went to college I was like many students and didn’t know what I was interested in. It wasn’t until I took my first intro to interpersonal communication course that I fell in love with the realization that there was a science behind how we communicate to build relationships. That we can literally analyze the messages that we send and measure how it impacts our friendships, marriages, and other various relationships.

At that moment I made the decision that I was going to be a professor so I could share my love of communication with others. This was the plan as I worked through my masters and the beginning of my doctorate, but then the pandemic hit and I realized that I wanted to take a break from academia and start working with companies.

That is when I started Allard Advising LLC. When I started the company I was still in graduate school and I was doing consulting work for various marketing roles (i.e., copywriting, project management, digital marketing, market research etc.).

While working with various companies I noticed a trend. They all needed, or sought out, leadership and communication training. That is when I pivoted Allard Advising from focusing on marketing consultation to a corporate training and consulting boutique firm.

Today, Allard Advising LLC. is on a mission to help individuals in corporations connect and communicate more effectively so they can achieve greater levels of employee satisfaction, retention, production, and growth. This is done through corporate trainings related to leadership development, group dynamics, and developing effective communication strategies. We also work with companies to implement strategic communication actions internally to assist their team.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
There are a few things that set Allard Advising LLC. apart from other boutique consulting firms. One is my background in understanding from a theoretical standpoint how individuals connect, cope, and collaborate. I then mix it with real-life practical applications so it resonates with others. The second thing that is unique about Allard Advising LLC. is that we have the tools to measure success of our trainings with pre/post test analysis and reporting. Finally, we work at the intersection of human behavior and process efficiency when others may only specialize in one or the other.

What gets me the most excited about Allard Advising LLC. is that our vision is to create an organization that helps individuals become better communicators so they connect more effectively with others in their personal and professional lives. Allard Advising LLC. is committed to adapting through technological advancements, such as AI, to accomplish this goal so individuals can continue to develop soft skills.

Oh no! I am where I am today due to many sacrifices that I made. I sacrificed a lot of my twenties to pursue an education. I pushed back starting a family, getting married, and financial success for this endeavor. I honestly overcome all of these challenges because of my faith in God. He was my strength when I thought I couldn’t go on or continue helping others with their professional development.

Here are a few lessons I have learned a long the way. When it comes to business I have learned that just like the saying goes “you are never not communicating” the same hold true for marketing. You are never not marketing yourself. I also have learned networks are vital, and that you should always aim to help others before yourself. Now, for more of a life lesson, I would say I have learned that my nurturing and cultivating my relationship with my husband and child (and hopefully more children to come) are the most important thing I will ever accomplish in my life.

I want the world to know that I want people to feel seen and heard. Many of us are dying to connect with others but just don’t know the most effective way to do so. I care deeply about this problem and want to help as many people as I can overcome this.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh what fun! There are a few staple places we would have to make a priority of going to. For coffee we would hit up Brass Tacks. Then for the dinners we would have to go to Le Colonial Restaurant in Houston for some yummy Vietnamese food and Credence.

Activity wise, we would probably go hiking, attend a Houston Symphony show, wander around a local bookstore, and attend a spa at some point.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are many people who have supported me along my journey to discovering Allard Advising LLC. However, there are two individuals that made it all possible.

The first, is my mentor and friend Dr. Abigail Pfiester Rue. She was my first interpersonal communication instructor at Concordia University of Texas. She sparked a love for teaching and communication in me that influenced the trajectory of my life today.

The second, is of course my husband, Dylan Schuster, without his support and willingness to take a risk on me starting this business I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what I have.

Website: https://www.allardadvising.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaallardphd/

Twitter: https://x.com/amandaallard15?s=21&t=VBJeSEr5zRWbjWNjeWaESQ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Allard-Advising/61551943820751/