Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Crane.
Alyssa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’d be lying if I said I am doing what I’ve always thought I wanted to do because what I’ve always wanted to do was design clothes. But I tried that. I even went to school for it, and I found out that life has a funny way of surprising you. Needless to say, I’ve jumped around from designing clothes, styling clothes, and even merchandising clothes, but nothing ever stuck. It wasn’t until I found my last full-time job, where I was working for a small jewelry company, that the lightbulb came on. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset and have always visualized myself owning my own business. I just thought it would be in the fashion industry, specifically owning my own clothing line. However, I never felt as fulfilled in my apparel gigs as I did while helping to run the jewelry business alongside the owner herself. I had gotten a taste of what being a business owner felt like, (without the financial responsibility) and I loved it! I knew I couldn’t go back to another corporate job after that, but I knew that whatever I did, I had to be passionate about it to be successful.
Fortunately, working at a jewelry company, I had to wear a lot of different hats. One of those being social media. At this time, the only experience I had was with my own personal IG account, which I posted to maybe twice a month. But how hard could it be, right? Well, I learned pretty quickly that it isn’t just about a beautifully curated feed (although that’s very important), but there is real science behind it. I became interested in this and started taking webinars and online courses to learn as much as I could. I started practicing a few things on my personal and on the jewelry company. It was fun, and I realized how crucial it is for businesses to have a social presence. It is the way of marketing in 2019.
Enter my business partner and co-founder of Pink Sand Social, Candace. She is a long time friend and has owned her own branding and graphic design company for several years. With her design expertise and my social knowledge, we started discussing launching a boutique social media agency. Neither of us really knew how serious the other one was, but we finally decided to take on some clients and see what would happen. It quickly became a full-time job! We are still new and very small, but we have some really amazing clients already. It’s a lot of work, late nights and weekends, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Bonus: I still enjoy fashion, creating, and styling. I practice this in my own time and have fun experimenting with clothing on my personal IG account. Sometimes, your passions are just as good, if not better, as a hobby. I am working on getting a blog up, but you know, work comes first. 😉
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, there’s been many potholes and detours on my road! I remember feeling disappointed when my “dream job” ended up feeling more like a nightmare. Feeling so confused on what to do next, and what my purpose was from a career standpoint. Having to look for other opportunities in different fields and being told “I didn’t have enough experience” or my “focus wasn’t clear enough” was hard to hear. I felt like I spent so much time defending myself and wondering if I was the only one who hadn’t figured out what I was supposed to do with my life yet.
Looking back, I would have told myself to enjoy each opportunity as much as I can and not to worry about the future so much. To be patient, and to trust that you will find the right path when the timing is right. It’s okay to try new things and career paths, even if it seems scary or you are told ‘no’ too many times to count. If you want something, go after it and eventually someone will see your drive and say ‘yes’. If I wouldn’t have changed careers a handful of times, then I wouldn’t be where I am right now. I certainly never imagined doing social media full time, let alone owning my own agency.
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
As two women founders, we are really interested in helping other women build their brands. Although we don’t exclude male business owners, we cater mostly to female-founded companies. I think it’s really exciting to be celebrating women and there is a real sense of unity as we boost each other on to success!
Our target is primarily on fashion, beauty, health-focused brands. We both have experience in these departments and have a lot to contribute. Plus, we are passionate about these things, so work is actually enjoyable.
Which women have inspired you in your life?
I am fortunate enough to have several friends that own their own businesses. I have always admired their hardwork and drive. I’ve also seen the fruits of their labor and that was really motivating and exciting to me. I know I am quite blessed to have a group of strong women around me as a constant source of inspiration and encouragement.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pinksandsocial.com/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @alyssajoycrane
- Other: @pinksandsocial
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