We recently connected with Andrea Alessandrini and have shared our conversation below.

Andrea, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Nothing in life is certain, but one thing I know for sure, is to never give up. In college, I studied retail entrepreneurship in hopes of becoming a stylist or a buyer in the fashion industry; however, that’s not how my life turned out. I started an Instagram account solely for fashion and styling; this turned into my career, and not in the way I thought it would. Creating this account made me realize that I truly enjoyed the creative side of social media, and now I am happy to say that I earn a full-time living from my creative work, whether it be from the agency that I work at now or from my freelance clients. This journey was not something that happened quickly; it was something that took time and is still taking time. My first job out of college was working at a boutique in Miami, Florida, where one of my duties was to run the social media. This is where I realized I could work in the social media industry, and as soon as I started to enjoy it, I got laid off. This journey has definitely been a struggle, but it is something that I truly am grateful for because I have grown.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Andrea, and I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. I went to Florida State University, where I studied retail entrepreneurship, and I’m currently a graduate student at the University of Florida, earning my master’s degree in marketing and social media. Growing up, I hoped to work in the fashion industry, but not everything went as planned. I now work in the social media/marketing world, where I have learned a tremendous amount. The experiences I have had within the industry, have helped me become the professional, leader, and team player I am today. Along the way, I made an account on Instagram that focuses on fashion and lifestyle, and when I created it, I realized I liked social media more than the average person. It wasn’t until my first job out of college that I was sure I really enjoyed it. I love being able to be creative. I currently work at a creative/influencer marketing agency in Miami, Florida, that solely focuses on the food and beverage industry, and I couldn’t be happier. This is not something I thought I would be doing. However, life surprises you, and again, I couldn’t be happier. At this job, I’ve learned more than I have in any job (and in school), especially when it comes to social media. The agency and the people around me have even helped me learn about my own personal brand, thealookk, which I hope to one day grow.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

This might be a little cliché, but it’s my truth. After graduating from Florida State University and working for about a year, the pandemic hit, and I was laid off. This was a blessing in disguise, and it is something I still am truly grateful for; however, I was laid off for about eight months, and this was definitely a difficult time for me. I was already used to making my own money and taking care of myself with the money that I earned, and all of a sudden, I had no income. During this time, I realized I always had to be doing something. I always knew that I was committed, persistent, and a hard worker, but in 2020 I realized I was extremely committed. I picked up my camera, started watching videos on photography, and asked a good friend to teach me about the basics of a camera. I, later on, became a photographer and truly loved it. Once I started getting the hang of it, my sister and I started making and selling jewelry, and for a while, our little business was doing well ( we still sell pieces, but now that I am in school full time and have a full-time job, things can get hectic). I also started working with brands through Instagram because my fashion account began to “grow” somewhat. Lastly, I became a social media coordinator/manager and took on freelance clients Throughout all of this, I realized that fashion is not my only passion. Working hard, social media, and finding myself became big parts of my life.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The one goal that I have driving my creative journey is to have fun and to be happy with whatever I am doing creatively.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thealookk.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thealookk/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thealookk
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-alessandrini–/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa5kPH-lxyvmw1X8tfevJBg
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thealookk

Image Credits
All images shared were taken by me.