Setting Alarms & Showing Empathy: The Backstory Behind Two Thirty-Five Designs
Allison Fannin’s calendar is filled with important dates. But one stands out above the rest. It’s the due date of her first grandchild – a baby girl expected to arrive in the middle of August.
As she reflects on her intertwining paths of motherhood and entrepreneurship, Allison is struck by how swiftly time has flown.
She admits: the balancing act hasn’t always been easy, but after 25 years of being a mom and businesswoman, it’s obvious to Allison how each role has enriched the other.
From growing her family to expanding her business, she treasures how her experiences have shaped her story, right down to the naming of her interior design firm, Two Thirty-Five Designs.
“When I was just starting out, I had my second child enrolled in a Parents Day Out program. This gave me a little window of time to focus on my work. And every day, I would set an alarm for 2:35 PM to ensure I picked him up on time,” Allison recounts.
“I didn’t have a lot of money, and being hit with a $20 late fee just wasn’t an option. And that’s how the name came to be. The phrase ‘Two Thirty-Five’ represents a time I couldn’t afford to forget.”
Over the next 15 years, Allison would grow her specialty painting business into a full-service interior design firm. All the while, being a devoted mom to her three children – Skylar, Kolby, and Cambelle – and never forgetting where it all began.
Years later, Allison would add a second venture: a brick-and-mortar retail store in downtown Lubbock called The Flatland Collection. Today, between Two Thirty-Five Designs and The Flatland Collection, Allison leads a team of five women, all of whom she considers family, too.
When asked what she hopes her children have learned from her example, Allison is quick to answer: empathy.
“I used to be so hesitant to tell people on the job that my kids needed me. But over time, I’ve grown more confident in finding priority, and I’m not afraid to say, ‘Hey, my kid needs me – I have to go.”
“On the flip side, I also hope my children have learned the value of hard work and persistence. Like everything in life, it’s a balance, and I hope they see the beauty in having healthy boundaries around what matters most.”
Allison Fannin is the owner of Two-Thirty Five Designs, a full-service interior design firm, and The Flatland Collection, a brick-and-mortar retail shop located in downtown Lubbock at 1702 Buddy Holly. She is a mom of three children and is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her first grandchild.
