We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alexandra Callen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alexandra below.

Alexandra, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

I truly believe we all have something special deep within us that wants to be brought to life.

I started my social media marketing company after spending years studying business/marketing in school, sharing my art online, making websites, building my social media and selling my upcycled jackets.

I am a creative at heart and have always LOVED to hear others passion for why they do what they do. When they get the little twinkle in their eye or start talking about what they love doing, you can FEEL that.

What drove me to start Creative Callen after seeing many artists share that they couldn’t make sales due to the ‘algorithm’ and that it wasn’t reaching the right people. It really struck a nerve in me because there are so many ways to sell your work online and it’s not just through sharing JUST the product but pieces of you AND your work. You are a big part of the end product and the journey to get there. People want to make a connection to your product or service before actually buying from you. When we just share the product there is a lack of connection which drives people away from buying.

It is important to me to build a connection to my community and the people I am serving before selling to them which is what I am here to teach to others in the online space.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Growing up, I spent a lot of my time and money on creating jewelry or t-shirts to sell. I wound up tie dying t-shirts and selling them through social media and facebook in my hometown of Derry, NH in 2015. They said “Start Your Journey” on them. I sold each shirt for $15-20 and wound up saving up over $800 towards a road trip around the country. I hand made every single one with tie dye, fabric markers and a stencil.

Then in college, I started drawing to help with my anxiety. I had used one of the drawings I made to put on the back of a t-shirt with all my money I got from my taxes. I built my website, my friend and I took the photos for the products, I shared on social media and I built my website. This endeavor was not a successful one but it taught me a lot in the process about building a brand online and what it takes.

Shortly after school I moved to California where my creative journey continued. I made custom one of a kind upcycled jackets that I sold online for $200 each and $400 for a custom. Again, I built up my social media page sharing trends with my jackets, behind the scenes, launching new lines of jackets and really learning the process of building a strong social presence. My story and mission of using thrifted items to create jackets built a strong connection to my audience as thrifting is such a beautiful way of helping our environment and avoiding fast fashion.

All through this time I was working freelance as a digital director for a start up and one of my close friends in the Orange County area. I also was working at Whole Foods while building up my personal experience in digital marketing and social media marketing.

Leading up to Creative Callen, I always found myself a creative. I have loved to create videos, content and share my world online as much as I can. It is fun and a creative outlet for me. The part that I love in my business is knowing I get the chance to help others build their presence online, share their passion with the world and get their products/services seen by the right audience.

On social media you can connect with people all over the world and it really can change your life (in real life) not just online. There really is so much opportunity out there when you start sharing on social media. I have found in my own journey that sharing online has changed my life. I haven’t had a close knit group of friends since college, but sharing content online allowed me to build new connections no matter where I went. It gave me opportunities that I may have never had in person. Just two to give you an example are 1) I got to public speak for the first time when I lived in Maine in 2023 which was one of my biggest goals. 2) I got to paint a sign for an air bnb that I made through a mutual connection online. I was able to build local connections and create friendships by sharing my content, and what I do on social media.

When you put time in to building a community on socials, it can help build your company long term. Many focus on the ‘virality’ of a post but when you show up to serve the people who are there, you wind up building a community that then refers you, shares your page, your posts, talks about your content and supports your business. It is not just ‘advertising’ it is building a true connection to your audience through your content and the way that you share.

Keeping people engaged in your story, in your mission, in your day to day life, the behind the scenes all contributes to building connections to your audience. People want to know *who* is behind a brand not just *why they should buy the product*. It is important now a days more than ever to share who your team is, the face of the company and the personality of your team online. This makes users feel connected to you before even booking or purchasing anything from you!

If you are not yet online, sharing content or keeping up with social media…I will say, Start Your Journey, there is truly no better time to get started than now!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

This last year I moved back to California after being on the east coast for about a year and a half.

When I originally left the east coast, I sold my car and left my favorite apartment that I lived in. I came back to California to stay with my dad while I built my business and pay off some debt.

This last summer I was in the midst of moving back and adjusting again. I took on call after call after call. I did not book anything to be honest. But I wasn’t taking no for an answer or letting it stop me. I was so down on myself because I moved back to California am living with my dad, working two jobs, but not being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I was not ‘proud’ of myself.

I’m sure you’re wondering, so how did this change?

In September of this year, my 97 year old grandma passed away and it changed my life. She said to me at 97 before she passed that ‘she lived an amazing life’. There is something grief does to you that makes you realize how valuable life is. It made me want to do more with my life every single day. I can only hope to be 97 and look back on my life and say ‘I lived an amazing life.’ It relit my fire and my light to continue going after my dreams. I have not given up but chosen to put my energy into learning more about my industry, upgrading my skills, my services and investing in other creatives to help my business grow.

Since this event I have picked up another part time job at a local spot, signed on a new client and paid off a credit card. I went from letting my circumstances effect my day to day, to creating my day to day and how that can serve my future. I couldn’t thank my grandma enough for what she left me with that day.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

After working in the customer service industry throughout college and even the years following it taught me about customer relationships.

I truly work towards building a relationship to my clients and to the people I have worked with even past our time working together. I believe that your reputation especially in the beginning of building a business is so important. Building a strong network and relationship to your clients can help you so much in the future. It is who will refer you, who will be there to support you and also write you amazing reviews.

The last thing you want in the beginning of building your business is a bad review or a bad reputation. This can make all the difference. I like to say that I am a ‘yes man’ because a lot of the times I am the kind of person to just serve, serve, serve. Especially to the clients who have stayed with me from the beginning. I will find a way to help them. I couldn’t be more grateful for them investing in me and my services so keeping them happy is of the utmost importance to me!!

If your looking for a way to be a member of your community while also being in the forefront of someones mind, send those birthday texts! Send the Happy Holidays messages, be that person in your community who doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to keeping relationships close and showing up for your people!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.creativecallen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativecallen

Image Credits

Joshua Navarro