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

Hi Alexa , thanks for joining us today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

I first started brainstorming for my business Orion Sky in 2020 when I finally started to pursue my dream of being an artist/jewelry designer. Looking back on it now it’s interesting how all of the pieces fell into place exactly as they did. The changes that have occurred since then have been monumental to the growth of my business. I always knew that I wanted to pursue art and growing up I fell in love with painting, photography and just making anything whether it was jewelry, clothes or random DIY’s. When I originally came up with my business idea I had just switched majors in college and was a little unsure of what direction I was going in life. I wasn’t quite sure if a career in art was something that could be sustainable for me. A lot of artists can probably relate to the feeling of instability and not knowing if their passion is something they could turn into a full-time job. Overall I was in a place of being unsure how to make it all happen. I think for that reason I am very happy with the timing of how everything came to fruition because if I had started sooner I wouldn’t have believed in myself the way that I do now. I also had just started a degree in Fashion Business Management at FIT which helped to give me so much relevant experience in running my business. Once I had the foundation and idea for where I was going I knew that I had to just take the chance and bet on myself. If I had started any later than I did I truly believe I would’ve ended up choosing the “safe” option and not followed through with the business. I fully believe in divine timing and this whole journey with Orion Sky has helped with my confidence and truly showed me this was a dream I could make my reality.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have loved creating art my whole life and like I previously stated I grew up trying out many different mediums to see what my main passions are. I’ve always been the person who just likes to make things with my hands and bringing new ideas to life is very therapeutic to me. Getting into this industry and starting my business was really an outlet for me to be able to forget about the world and just create magic that inspires others. I found my calling in making jewelry which has been my main focus at Orion Sky. What we wear and how we feel in it can influence so much in our lives and I really wanted to be able to create art that makes people feel confident and truly magical like they’re living in a fantasy. We’re all dreamers at the core and I love being able to create something that is a little whimsical and makes my clients feel like royalty. I have always loved finding really unique jewelry that tells a story or can transport me to a different reality in a way. The same way that I love to get lost in books and cherish the feelings that those worlds can create. It was hard for me to find jewelry that reminded me of what I was looking for which ended up being a big inspiration for the designs that I create today. I would say when it comes to making my jewelry I am really proud of the community I have built and the effect that my pieces have had on others to live out their dreams too. When I finally stopped thinking about all of these outside factors or opinions and just truly created art that came from my soul, it allowed me to align with so many other beautiful creatives who are also authentically being themselves.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

The biggest lesson I have had to unlearn is to be realistic. Obviously in context there are certain situations where it is important to be able to plan things in small steps or be able to have a tangible goal that is “realistic” but growing up I heard that word used as a way to keep me inside a box to stop me from chasing my dreams. A lot of people are used to what they know is normal or a safe option and can project their own disbelief onto others. It has taken a lot of unlearning for me to get to a point where I realize it is okay to dream and be optimistic. I have always had so many ambitions and ideas that I felt in my soul were meant for me and I knew deep down I could achieve them. Realizing that the things I dream about are possible if I believe in myself has truly changed my entire life. For anyone who just *feels* it and knows you are meant for something truly magical, just follow that gut feeling and be a little unrealistic while your dreams come true.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

This is such an interesting question I’m so glad to share about the wonders of social media for small businesses. I first started my social media accounts in 2020 before I really had any idea the direction I was going in or how I wanted to market my jewelry. After a little rebranding I decided to start fresh and build up from 0 on new accounts about a year ago and the journey has been incredible. I first did a lot of research to see what my “why” was and put myself in the mindset of the consumer to see what kind of content they would want to interact with. Anyone can just sell something online and social media is filled with ads and posts so I knew I wanted to have a different approach. I started making videos on TikTok about the process making my jewelry, how I’d style it and interactive videos to build connections rather than just sell something. The videos started to gain traction and before I knew it I was building an amazing community of individuals who had the same dreams and ideas. I would 100% say that the quality of those connections matters way more than the quantity. I was starting to interact with and get to know people who ended up becoming repeat customers which was an amazing feeling to have. I would say to anyone who is looking to build an audience don’t be scared to start. When I first started I wouldn’t get any views or likes but kept going consistently and it paid off. Everyone starts at 0 and was a beginner at some point so just keep putting out content you are passionate about and the customers/followers who are meant to see your work will find you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.orionsky.co
• Instagram: @orionsky.llc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanatale
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@alexanatale
• Other: Tiktok: @orionsky Personal Instagram: @alexanatale Personal Tiktok: @alexa.natale

Image Credits
Alexa Natale