Meet Melissa Dos Prazeres Allard

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melissa Dos Prazeres Allard. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Melissa, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

I didn’t. Because I don’t believe in imposter syndrome.

I feel nervous, scared, and doubtful a lot, as I am always navigating new territory as the owner of a growing business, a mum of a growing child who I’ve never parented at this age or stage before. I felt the same uncertainty as a former competitive athlete, or when I moved solo across the world as an 18 year old to start a new life.

That said, I recognize and empathize with those who struggle with it. There are people who truly feel they don’t belong in certain rooms because somewhere along their journey, they were made to believe they were unfit, unworthy or undeserving. Any repetitive messaging, especially in our formative years, I believe quietly becomes part of our identity.

I’m grateful the term “imposter syndrome” wasn’t circulating during my identity-shaping years. Those were just normal human emotions I felt and had to work through.

I never “overcame” imposter syndrome because I never was made to believe there was something wrong to get over or fix.
I believe in preparation, perspective and proof. To me, “imposter syndrome” is confidence disguised as self-awareness that has been hijacked by comparison.

I’ve been playing tennis since the age of 5, and therefor my experience with competitive sports has been the primary lens through which I see and process everything. It was taught to me very early that how you plan and prepare for something will determine how you perform on game-day. And when those performances did not yield desirable results, you went back to practice, modified and refined until a new normal and baseline was set.
I’m grateful that I got those lessons without anyone planting seeds of doubt in my character: it was plainly about fixing a problem and not questioning who I am or my ability,

I am deeply repulsed by our society’s need to label everything and everyone. Sure, there are times it’s helpful to understand ourselves, but I’d argue more often than not labels are a way for others to categorize and define you.
Being a mum now, I see adults, usually unconsciously, ascribing labels to children… telling them who they are before they have even developed fully to decide for themselves. In many ways, I have had conversations with my 8 year old daughter about it: for her to grow into her own confidently and authentically, it’s so important she does not allow grown-ups, including us as her parents, shrink or name her experience just for us to understand.

I believe we need to stop naming normal human nerves as a “syndrome” and free ourselves to show up with conviction. Confidence isn’t the absence of doubt, it’s about the commitment to yourself to show up anyway, and trust the growth process.

I aim for this to also permeate through Desk to Dusk in any way women experience the brand, the clothing, community or our events: we don’t need to fix women, just remind them of who they are already.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m the founder of Desk to Dusk, a women’s suiting and workwear brand. The company’s tagline perfectly encompasses who I created this brand for: “women allergic to playing small and fitting-in”

What I do sits at the intersection of style, psychology and leadership. When how you see yourself aligns with your potential, confidence becomes effortless AND contagious. This is the one primary belief that I started Desk to Dusk with, and I wanted it women to experience in every part of the brand – the fashion, the events and our community.

Our collections are curated for women who are in the arena; women who are everything from entrepreneurs, executives, speakers, and mothers building something bigger than themselves.

I started this brand because I was tired of seeing women think they had to dim their presence to be taken seriously. The fashion industry gave us trends and the workplace gave us dress codes. I wanted to create something that reminded women we belong everywhere. And we can look as powerful, stylish and elegant without fitting a mold or compromising our professionalism.

Desk to Dusk started as an online store in 2018, and has since expanded to also having a Showroom located in Fresno California where women come from all over the country for their 1-2 private shopping and styling appointments. We also offer virtual appointments to allow the personalized experience to be accessible to women everywhere.

Since day 1, it was always intended to be more than about fashion. I know how much clothing influences our image and impressions, but the power of community is something I wanted to create for all of us through this as well. Our Events division hosts virtual and in-person events that bring a incredible group of like-minded women together to level up themselves and be a support system for each other.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

‘Self-Image’ is the foundation of everything, How you see yourself determines how you see yourself, where you see yourself and the rooms you choose to walk into. Most people start ( and arguably stay ) small because they believe they have to earn their way up from the bottom. Even though I believed in myself, I was guilty of this. But I realized there were many people further along, with less talent/skill/knowledge/proof, but they were ahead because it was just a decision to start ahead. They believed they belong in bigger rooms and just that belief alone shortened the distance to their goals. The rooms you show up in reflect the story you tell yourself about your worth.

Grit, the kind that is anchored in integrity, is what takes an idea from your mind and brings it to life and then your target market, over and over again. I don’t mean blind hustle grit or constant struggle, but staying vigilantly committed and consistent while being rooted in your values when things get uncomfortable.
Whenever I reach a new stage in the business, I know I overcame another level of resistance and hardship; but with that, I also realize the noise is always quieter. The problems haven’t gone away, in fact some times they feel bigger and harder to solve, but the voice that whispers (not always that softly) that it would be easier to quit, has gotten quieter and less distracting over time.
The commitment to customers and myself triumphs all right now.

Simplicity is not talked about as much as it should be when we are discussing important skills, but I believe it amplifies everything else. Of course, this isn’t about thinking small but being able to laser focus to identify, solve, and allocate resources to what actually matters. The real disciplined skill that I am constantly refining is knowing how to simplify without diluting my vision; how to take something complex and make it clear, actionable and aligned.

My advice to anyone just starting out: Before you start chasing strategy, build substance. Strengthen how you see yourself, lead yourself, and interpret the world around you. The moment your self-image aligns with your potential, your actions catch up. Things start to shift in your favor not because the world changed and it decided it would for you, it’s because you did the work.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

One of the biggest challenges I face is scaling something deeply personal in an industry built on mass production. Desk to Dusk was created to help women shop differently – with intention, confidence, and clarity, not just to sell them more. While larger competitors have reach and resources, they often lack connection. We’re building a model that personalizes style in a way that actually serves women, teaches them how to shop smarter, and sustains that care at scale.

My goal is to make Desk to Dusk a household name and the place women turn to when they need a boost, a reset, or a reminder of who they are and what they’re capable of.

The strategy behind it is bold, but it’s grounded in the same principles that built the brand: authenticity, innovation, and a refusal to blend in.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.desktodusk.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desktodusk
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/desktodusk
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/desktodusk
• Other: www.instagram.com/melissa.desktodusk
  https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadosprazeres

Image Credits

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