We recently had the chance to connect with Dotty Mayle and have shared our conversation below.
Dotty, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
As an elementary educator for over twenty five years, I think it’s sometimes hard to see the impact that you make on your students. I am fortunate to still have many relationships with my former students. Every email, DM, and random spotting in the community from my MayLEaders is so important to me. Seeing the core values and lessons that you’ve taught your kids put into motion in various aspects of life makes me so proud. I have students that are now adults contributing to our society as athletes, lawyers, skilled trades workers, soldiers, law enforcement officers, and educators. To hear them thank me for bring a part of their upbringing and sharing fond memories of my teachings means the world to me but it is an honor to teach the next generation.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I have been running Oh Goodie!, a custom goodie bag and gift basket business for over thirteen years. I really enjoy featuring my small business vendors in my orders because they create unique items that most people can’t find all together in one place. I also take great pride in using my business platform to partner with amazing local nonprofits by spreading their mission to gain support. Merging my small business and nonprofit worlds has created some wonderful friendships and collaborations that I am really proud of! I am a single Mom to Samson and Grace, my teenagers.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
My parents played a huge part in teaching me about work. As Vietnamese refugees, my parents both worked relentlessly to create a better life for our family in America. My Dad, a former South Vietnamese helicopter pilot, learned a skilled trade, working as a die sinker with General Motors while my Mom created a successful alteration business. Their daily grind taught me the importance of a strong work ethic and how if you worked hard, you could achieve success. Juggling a full time teaching career while running a small business and a family takes a lot of effort and hard work that my parents instilled in me. My older sister, Anh, has been my inspiration and role model my entire life. She has always been a successful and driven individual but takes the time to slow down and find the joys in life. I’m still working on that part!
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
As someone who discovered their ADHD as an adult, I realized how my inability to focus was a detriment in my education and how it affected my relationships. Being scattered and unorganized would become a source of stress and it was hard to come out of at times. Once I identified my ADHD, I became more strategic and used tools to help organize and prioritize the important things in my life. Acknowledging I had a problem and being transparent about my ADHD made me an unofficial role model for my students and peers who also struggled with the affliction. They were able to see that they weren’t alone and that people can be extremely successful with ADHD, breaking the stigma. I now call ADHD my super power because it provides the energy and drive that I need to build my business while juggling a full time teaching career and raising a family.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My closest friends know that my family and friends mean the most to me. I am always there for my kids and if my friends need anything I jump at the chance to help them. But, I think that my friends also see how much I value the power in our community. Small acts of kindness add up and teaming up with others does so much good in our local area. It brings me so much joy to see the impact that we make when we work together to support one another.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
I am a complete Nightowl. I teach all day, run to my kids sporting events, make meals, and handle my business on the go. But when everyone in my house settles down for bedtime, that’s when I punch in for my third shift. Everything is quiet around me and I reflect on my day and set my goals for the night. I take joy in working on my Oh Goodie projects and am in my element in my workspace. Creating is my outlet and provides a lovely peace inside of me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ohgoodiebagsny.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohgoodiebags/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dotty-mayle-575b0558/
- Twitter: https://x.com/OhGoodiebagsny
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohgoodiebagsandbaskets
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/oh-goodie-buffalo
Image Credits
Lovern Photography, Chrissy Newman Photography, Amanda Clifford, and Blue Image Photos
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