Today we’d like to introduce you to Sierra Scott.
Hi Sierra, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I used to dream about being interviewed as a kid, I think a lot of us probably did lol, but I was always VERY uncomfortable with too much personal attention. Irony is fun, right? Anyway, I got over it and realized no one is gonna create the life you want for yourself except you & that drove me to always create a space for myself and products/ services I wish I saw in the world. I started with a small Etsy shop called Punch Phoenix, which sells vintage and refurbished vintage pieces, and learned so much about customer service & product quality (the shop is still up for those curious minds who’d like to check it out). Then I modeled and learned about how to “sell” yourself (because as a 5’5″ model, it is IMPERATIVE that you know how to do this lol). Since then, I’ve gone back to school to specialize in Software Development and Project Management and started my own Software Development & Branding business under my YouTube channel, IT Girl, umbrella, and branched out into entrepreneurship. These days, I’m finding that all the things you feel make you “weird” or single you out growing up are the things that will help you succeed when you choose to embrace them. So, if you’ve got a dream product/ service/ business you’re trying to sell or build-up – work with someone who has been there, will listen to your plans & help you put them in place. Then always remember that even though you CAN do it by yourself, you’ll probably get there quicker with a great team behind you.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
“Has the road been smooth?” Is a question that I think has an ever-evolving answer lol You know, when you’re in it, it can seem bumpy. In reality, though, it all depends on perspective and depending on when or how you’re looking at it; those bumps could just be turns or elevations in the road. I’ll say it has definitely NOT been easy. I think a lot of people have the illusion that if you’re organized, show up prepared, and look put together, things are “easy” for you; & that’s just something people do to diminish the value of work you put in.
I went to school much later in life than other people because that’s when I decided I wanted to have the foundation to start a business. Going against the status quo in that respect alone isn’t easy, as society loves to perpetuate the myth that you need to be set to start living the only life you’ll live by 18. We tell kids to pick a career which they’ll get very little info on and then try to work in for the next 45yrs. How crazy is that?! Most of them have no idea of what most jobs are or do, and we expect them to make this huge life decision with basically 0-5% preparation info because maybe they went to a job fair at their school. To be fair, there are things like internships and part-time jobs that can help prepare kids for their ultimate futures, but let’s also be real and address that fact that adults do not give kids that much responsibility at real corporate jobs most times, & that can stunt their growth and knowledge in regards to how careers actually work. Then they can find out much later that maybe they don’t actually even like that job because they only got to do entry-level work for so long, and by the time they got to a higher level, they were much older.
That was one of the issues that I faced – just getting in the corporate world, being young and excited, seeing ways I could improve areas of our work, then doing it and finding my quota would be raised without an equal raise in pay to reflect the benefit I was giving to companies. Or I’d see a way to enhance something, and my ideas would be shot down due to office politics. Even in modeling, I’d be told how great I was & should be working more, but “looked too young” or basically not like the status quo…
So, it’s taken time for me, personally, to get to a place where I stopped letting people tell me “No” because of whatever reason they had and started telling myself “Yes.” Yes, there’s a place for me. Yes, I’m the right age. Yes, I look the part. Yes, I have the education, experience, and willpower to make this happen.
The biggest struggle I learned from was people giving me “reasons” for why I wasn’t “enough” for them or to have the things I wanted. The biggest thing I’ve overcome is letting that be the case anymore. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can have or what you can do.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Acline Creative Agency?
Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle. You have to be focused, goal-oriented, and, above all, able to pivot. It’s not always comfortable, and you need to always be willing to learn new things and make mistakes. The majority of people don’t like to see that there’s “work” involved in work lol so this is definitely not a career choice for anyone like that. There’s no manual, and you have to rely on instinct and logic at the same time, & that’s incredibly uncomfortable for a lot of people. Not everyone will like you either because you have to be willing to make unpopular decisions sometimes. However, for those few who love challenging themselves, being OBSESSED with learning new things, and going after what they want, there’s nothing better.
The thing that I am most proud of so far is our customer service & I think it really sets us apart. Clients don’t have to choose us, there are plenty of people/ companies who can do similar work (and cheaper). However, we take the time to truly listen to our clients and provide a premium experience catered completely to the needs of their company/ product/ service.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I think attention is most important. Attention to detail. Giving clients your attention. Paying attention to your business and staff. The amount of attention you give a thing determines how well it will thrive… or not. It also shows what your focus is, and ours is helping our clients succeed.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thesierrascott.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/sierrascottxoxo
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ssco/
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@ITGirlll
Image Credits
Leonidas Jaramillo
Molly Pan
