“If all you get is a paycheck, then we failed.” 
- Chris Troupe 

Over the years, you’ve probably met some pretty awesome people behind the counter. They’ve helped you find the right boots, high-fived your kids, remembered your story — because that’s the kind of people they are. 

The Boot Life® has always been more than boots. It’s about people. The ones walking through the door after a long shift — and the ones standing on the other side of the counter trying to help.  

We caught up with a few former TeamBootLife® members to see where life’s taken them since they left TBL®. They’ve gone on to do some really cool things— and honestly, we’re grateful to have been a part of their story. 

So if you’ve ever shared a laugh, swapped a story, or just remember a friendly face — this one’s for you. 

Ariel 

Ariel served with us for 3 years. If you’ve ever been helped by Ariel, you know she’s the one who remembers your name, your boot size, and probably your dog’s birthday — all while being laser-focused on getting you taken care of.

Favorite memory: The Boot Life® Block Party at Mansfield Speedway— an amazing example of leadership, teamwork, and community spirit. 
Lasting impact: Learned how to set targets and build systems that drive success, whether personal or professional. 
Skills I still use: Communication and leadership skills that help me coach coworkers and manage patient scheduling seamlessly. 
Next step: Working at Brown Family Eyecare and Texas Roadhouse — juggling leadership and service roles. 
Recent achievements: Helped implement electronic health records at Brown Family Eyecare — a big team success! Passed Property Casuality Exam 

Ashley  

Ashley served with us for 10 years. If you’ve ever stopped to admire the store's window art, that was her handiwork. Ashley cares about the details, because she knows you notice them too. 

Favorite memory: Moving the store to Park Ave in 24 hours, even while contractors were still working late! 
Lasting impact: Helped me discover what I’m good at and how to really listen to customers. 
Skills I still use: Listening to customers and clearly communicating how I’m helping them. 
Next step: Joined Mechanics Bank as a Customer Service Specialist. 
How TBL® prepared me: It gave me the confidence and skills to deliver top-notch customer service. 
Recent achievements: Promoted within my first 90 days at the bank. 

Mindy 

Mindy served with us for 7 years. — making sure every sale added up and was accounted for properly. She would jump in where needed – from sewing our first newsboy bags to taking care of all the food for the artists at The Boot Life Block Party. Her goal? Keeping things running smoothly, so you could get what you needed without a hitch. 

Favorite memories: Sharing the office with Garrett & Ash during early days, tackling problems with “no” not being an option, and our legendary Christmas parties. 
Lasting impact: Reinforced my commitment to excellent customer service, teamwork, and doing the right thing. 
Skills I still use: Celebrating wins, listening, encouraging others, documenting processes, and problem solving. 
Next step: Became an Account Manager at a local CPA firm. 
How TBL® prepared me: Got a behind-the-scenes look at small business challenges and deepened my accounting expertise. 
Recent achievements: Celebrating 16 years of preparing income tax returns — still loving every minute! 

Natalie 

Natalie served with us for 1.5 years. Natalie quickly became the creator — doodling, creating top reels, and merchandising the store. She was known for her smile and always making sure you felt like the real MVP of The Boot Life®. 

Favorite memory: Teaching G, Ariel, and Sam my reverse worm dance move or winning the Benchmade knife! 
Lasting impact: Having a cheerleader in my corner gave me confidence to say yes to new challenges — and what I learned here prepped me for what’s next. 
Skills I still use: Listening to the bigger picture, saying yes to make things happen, and knowing when to ask the right person for answers. 
Next step: Communications Coordinator at Destination Mansfield-Richland County & growing my photography business. 
Recent achievements: Graduated from Leadership Unlimited and Ohio Tourism Leadership Academy — both prestigious leadership programs. 

Rylei 

Rylei served with us for 1.5 years. Rylei made it her personal mission to make you feel heard and taken care of — and she was seriously great at it. 

Favorite memory: Scaring Ariel with Ashley — outscaring the scare master was priceless! 
Lasting impact: Pushed me to chase my dream of becoming a cosmetologist. 
Skills I still use: Smiling while talking on the phone — people can hear it when you’re not! 
Next step: Working as a bank teller at Main Street Bank while attending cosmetology school nights. 
Recent achievements: Managing a busy schedule at school with double and triple bookings of new and returning clients. 

These stories remind us that TeamBootLife® is about relationships, growth, and community. Thanks for doing life with us!