We recently had the chance to connect with Alyssa Gervacio and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Alyssa, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Outside of work, I’ve been finding so much joy in creating! Whether I’m baking something for family, taking photos for others, creating new pieces to send out for my small business, or even creating a new lifestyle for myself, I’ve enjoyed the process of creating anything and everything.
There’s so much beauty in knowing that we have the potential to create so many things, both physical and non-tangible, that can impact our lives!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello! My name is Alyssa and I’m a small business owner and creative from Orange County, California!
Professionally, I focus on taking photos of anything and everything, from client shoots to covering sports, I have been fortunate enough to broaden my expertise in tons of different applications and environments. I also do social media marketing on the side, with an emphasis on sports coverage.
As a passion project, I run CreationsByAlyssaKG, which is my small jewelry business run out of my own home. I launched it in 2021 during lockdown, and haven’t stopped since!
Since I’ve graduated college in 2024 with my Public Relations degree, I’ve been struggling to find my place in the world in terms of where I fit into the traditional workforce. Through tons of application processes and interviews, I found myself facing self-doubt and insecurity with the industry I chose to study, and how I see myself fitting into our giant world, full of media in tons of different formats. While I have trust that everything will fall into place just as it’s meant to be, I can’t help but feel that post-grad existentialism.
I have decided to temporarily take a step back from the pressure and am focusing on nurturing my creative passions in the meantime, while I have the time!
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
2024 is a year that introduced me to a lot of loss as an adult. Whether it be emotional, relational or physical, I was forced into a corner where I had to face a lot of confrontation with myself, which I’ve never been good with.
This is the first year where I really felt a loss of self. I was a fresh college graduate who was struggling to find a job to pay off the degree I spent years dedicating my life to, and that was one of the biggest bumps that I had to crawl over. Additionally, I found myself going through multiple hiccups in my relationships with different people, which was rough at the time as I was more co-dependent than ever.
Ultimately, I had to learn how to be comfortable with myself over time, and boy did it take some time! I learned that at the end of the day, my biggest critic was, and always will be myself. I had to learn to be kinder to myself and love people a little harder, because you have no idea what they’re going through.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear of looking stupid.
I see this everywhere, so I know it’s not just me! When I first started getting serious with my small business, I felt this all too well. I was scared to put my face and my work out there. I was scared that people would make fun of me and judge what I had to create and present to people.
After almost four years, I’ve learned to NOT CARE! Being prideful and proud of my work has been huge for my small business endeavors, whether it’s with my photography or my small jewelry business, I’ve learned that relentlessly and shamelessly showing off my work has proven to be nothing but beneficial for my own branding.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Without a doubt, it’s been my small business. Through four years, I’ve experienced days with 20 orders, and I’ve experienced months where I’ve gotten four total.
There are slow months, even slow years, but through it all, the high that I’ve gotten in launching my own brand and small business has far surpassed the moments of self doubt with my creations.
I love that through the years, my small business has grown with me. I started it when I was 18, and I was such a different person back then! Now, I find myself branching out to creating new items that I genuinely love and work so hard on!
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
Stressing over everything!
Easier said than done for everyone, I know. With working multiple jobs while also trying to run two creative endeavors, I find myself constantly stressing over planning every hour of my day. While it’s helpful when bouncing from shift to shift, and also setting aside time for shoots, small business markets, leg day and time for family and friends, it’s not helpful when rushing through tasks just to check something off my calendar.
I’ve learned that slowly is the fastest way to get somewhere, and if that means that I dedicate just a few moments a day to work towards a bigger goal in different ventures, then so be it! Don’t sweat it and live in the moment, everything will be just fine!
