Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alejandra Valenzuela. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Alejandra, thanks for joining us today. So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?

I think one of the things I would change is not to wait for clients to contact me, but to look for them, research and find companies that align with the type of work you do and send emails to art directors. You never know what doors can open for you, by sending emails strategically.
It is also important to invest time in a good portfolio (not Instagram) it is the most important tool to attract clients, add your best work and make sure that aligns with the type of projects you want to get.

Alejandra, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a graphic designer/illustrator and co-owner of Mystic Heart, an illustration studio. I specialize in textile design, from t-shirt designs to patterns with an alternative touch, and I research the market to analyze the best trends in fashion. The style of my illustrations is monochromatic, with a mystical touch, mixing elements of botany, fantasy and horror.
My clients range from starting small businesses to large retail companies. I always look for the best tool to reach the target market of each brand, since each case is usually different and it is necessary to adapt to the needs of my clients.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

This is a story that I am proud of, since little by little I made my way on the path of illustration, what started as a dream became a reality. At the beginning of the pandemic I worked in a call center and in my free time I made illustrations of topics that I liked, these were mainly vectors about witches, potions and spooky stuff, it was something that kept me busy during the confinement period and helped me mentally. I used to publish my illustrations on Instagram and I started to see that people liked them and wanted to buy merchandise (which I didn’t have at the time). I started making pins, stickers and tote bags with my designs and surprisingly I did very well, most of the things were sold out products. One day a really big fashion company contacted me because they wanted to buy the license of some of my designs, for a moment I thought it was a scam but it turned out to be true, the rest is history, I have had the opportunity to work with different clothing brands and it has become my full time job.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I feel that one of the most rewarding aspects of my career is being able to see my designs printed in different apparel and people wanting to wear something I made, It’s one of the best feelings.
In addition, my career allows me to have creative freedom. I always try to improve my drawing technique and it’s amazing to see the progress from one year to another. Creatives are always looking to innovate, create, and improve. We are aware that our process is not linear and there is always room to learn something new.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mysticheart.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mystic.heart.artem/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Mystic-Heart-100063466754838/?locale=es_LA
• Other: https://www.threadless.com/@MysticHeart