Lori Allen has built an incredible career as an entrepreneur, TV personality, author and speaker, all because of her ability to say yes to new opportunities that align with her goals. She’s the owner of Bridals by Lori and star of TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta and Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids. Lori started her store just two weeks after graduating from college, and in the last 40 years she’s built a reputation as one of the world’s leading experts on bridal couture. After growing Bridals By Lori into a thriving business, Lori and her shop went on to star in 11 seasons of Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta and four seasons of Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids. Lori’s shows have aired in more than 120 countries, and brides from all over the world travel to Atlanta to shop at her store. 

Most recently, Lori became an author with her book Say Yes to What’s Next: How to Age with Elegance and Class while Never Losing Your Beauty and Sass. Her openness about her experience as a breast cancer survivor has made her a sought-after speaker, as well as a voice for outlets like CNN, ABC’s Good Morning America and The Wall Street Journal. Lori’s 2012 TLC special “Say Yes to the Cure: Lori’s Fight” won the Realscreen Award for Best Health & Well-Being Programming. 

In This Episode:
Lori shares her inspiring story of starting Bridals by Lori in her twenties and gradually growing it into the globally recognized 

Lori allen

business it is today. She also explains how Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta came to be, and she opens up about some of the struggles she’s faced, like battling breast cancer and raising kids while running a business. 

Episode Highlights:
- Lori’s inspiration for writing Say Yes to What’s Next and her message of encouragement for women over 50
- The importance of building a business gradually, especially when you start at a young age
- Lori’s battle with breast cancer and the power of finding a team who will rally around you when you need to step away from your business
- The challenges of growing a business while raising children and how to overcome mom guilt
- The story behind Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta
Avoiding gray divorce and learning to prioritize your own health and happiness



say yes to the dress

her story of success

 “Success like I have now does not happen overnight… I’m so thankful that I started out small and grew slowly.”
- Lori Allen


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"one of the most memorable interviews i've ever had."

- Sherry Deutschmann, Founder & CEO of Braintrust