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

Ariel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?

There’s a misconception in business that in order to have success, you have to work non-stop and hustle yourself into the ground. I believe that real success comes from protecting your peace, healing your nervous system, and being diligent without burning yourself out. In almost every industry, there’s a glorified “hustle culture” mentality that praises overworking, sleepless nights, and constant grind, but I’ve lived firsthand how destructive that is. When you’re constantly in fight-or-flight mode, your body fights back with inflammation, burnout, and long-term damage to both your mental and physical health.

Before I co-founded my own media agency, I worked in a toxic environment under a narcissistic boss. I was conditioned to say “how high?” every time they asked me to jump, constantly overextending myself, sacrificing my wellbeing, and accepting disrespect; especially as a woman in a male-dominated space where people tried to lowball me, manipulate me, or assume I was naive so they could take advantage of my skills, kindness, anything really. Around the same time, I was also navigating my own personal trauma from a difficult home life, so my nervous system was already in overdrive.

The turning point came when I started unlearning those toxic work patterns and instead focused on being intentional, grounded, and kind to myself. I immersed myself in books like Crucial Conversations to communicate effectively without letting anxiety lead the meeting topics, and I gave myself permission to rest, recover, and create from a place of clarity instead of chaos.

That shift is a huge part of why my best friend and I started Say Fired Up, our creative agency for content creation, photography, merch & social media management. The name is twofold: it’s about staying passionate, but also about saying “FU” to bad bosses, toxic dynamics, and manipulative work environments. So yeah, you can grow something incredible by valuing your peace just as much as your productivity.

Ariel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi there! I’m Ariel Villapiano, the co-founder of Say Fired Up, a creative agency I built with my best friend, Tori. We specialize in content creation, photography, merch design, social media management, branding & marketing strategy for businesses that want to stand out in bold, authentic ways. Our work spans everything from launching high-energy campaigns for hospitality brands to producing sleek visuals for luxury services; but the bottom line is always about creating work that sparks connection.

I got into this industry after graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology and landing what felt like the job of a lifetime – becoming Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran’s Social Media Manager. It was truly a dream role, but when the pandemic hit, I had to pivot and take on other social media management positions. Even then, I still felt a pull toward something bigger and more creatively fulfilling. That led me to launch my first solo business, a dropshipping Etsy shop called Innosinns, where I designed graphic tees, sweatpant sets, and other pieces like candles and canvas art. It became a cathartic outlet for me to share my creativity with the world. While I loved running it, I eventually had to step back for financial reasons to focus on my full-time work.

Unfortunately, 1 job that followed came with their own set of challenges – from falling victim to a phishing scam, and most notably, working under a narcissistic boss who taught me everything I didn’t want my career to look like. I was overworked, undervalued, and constantly being manipulated. That experience was my breaking point. I became fed up with pouring my energy into building someone else’s dream at the expense of my own wellbeing. It reignited my determination to be my own boss, on my own terms.

So this past year, I revisited that creative passion I had with Innosinns… except this time with my best friend, and together we built Say Fired Up, the media and marketing agency we run today. Like so many women in male-dominated spaces, I dealt with being lowballed, disrespected, and underestimated. Those experiences, combined with my own personal journey of healing from a difficult home life, lit a fire under me to build something different – a business that values creativity and collaboration without sacrificing mental health or boundaries.

Say Fired Up is named with purpose. It’s about staying inspired and motivated, but it’s also about saying “FU” to bad bosses, manipulative work dynamics, and anything that dims your spark. We solve a big problem for our clients: bridging the gap between what they want to say and how to say it in a way that actually connects with their audience. Many businesses struggle to translate their story, product, or service into a visual and strategic presence that feels authentic and converts – and that’s where we come in. We don’t just “post pretty pictures.” We dig deep into your brand voice, your market, and your goals, and then create content, campaigns, and strategies that actually spark the flame.

What sets us apart is our personalities and style to be quite honest. We’re not just a vendor you check in with once a month. We immerse ourselves in the staff, their dreams, their brand and treat their success as our own. That approach has not only built long-term client relationships but has also allowed us to create some of our proudest work (and have a blast while doing); projects where we’ve redefined a brand’s image, grown their reach, and helped them connect with audiences they never thought they could. What I want people to know about us is that Say Fired Up was born from grit, resilience, and the belief that creativity thrives when people are treated well. We’re proof that you can succeed without burning yourself out, and that passion paired with strategy can create incredible results. At the end of the day, we’re here to help brands tell their story in a way that gets people fired up about them too.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When we first started Say Fired Up, we had no website, no business phone, not even business cards; just our skills, ideas, and a brand vision. We were determined to get ourselves out there, so we spent weeks sending cold outreach emails and Instagram DMs to at least 50 businesses a week. But for the first 3 months, almost no one said yes and every maybe fell through. We were able to land one client during that time, and financially, it was tough. I couldn’t pay my rent and had to dip into my savings just to stay afloat.

Still, we knew what we were capable of in terms of passion, creative direction, photo/video production, graphic design, and storytelling. So we kept going, which is the reason why I believe I was lead to discovering an opportunity randomly. One day, I was driving through my neighborhood and noticed a brand-new building. At the time, our strategy was to pitch to new businesses opening in the area, so I made a note to reach out. Honestly, I expected the same silence or “no thanks” we’d been getting. But this time was different. Turns out, the store was partially owned by the rapper Ice-T. Not only did we get to shoot for the business’ grand opening, but we also got to collaborate directly with him and feature him in our work. That one “yes” after so many rejections felt like a sign from God and the universe – proof that persistence pays off. That job led to more doors opening and more opportunities, and it reminded me that resilience is really about showing up, over and over again, even when it feels like nothing is working… because one day, something will.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

Tori and I first met in college, before I transferred to finish my bachelor’s degree at the Fashion Institute of Technology. I was getting my associate’s at Kean University when a mutual friend introduced us right before we walked into a frat party together. The party was… absolutely dead on arrival. No vibe, barely anyone there except a few frat brothers that seemed to be nonverbal. Then we spotted this massive beer bong running from the second-floor railing down to the first floor. We made eye contact, pointed at it at the same time, and said, “Do you wanna?” That was the moment we clicked.

From there, we became inseparable; dorm sleepovers, double dates with different guys, late nights out, even music festivals. And at one point, we manifested becoming a DJ duo called The Auxperience. We produced 2 songs together, played a gig in NYC, and performed at frat parties and restaurants. Eventually, juggling that passion with school and work became too much, and we had to put it aside. Looking back, I’m grateful we found a new passion years later that aligns even more with the skills we’d been honing in on all along. That’s how Say Fired Up was born, and honestly, the same energy that made us say “yes” to that beer bong is the same energy that pushes us to take bold leaps together in business today.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.sayfiredup.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arie1rae/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571198615206
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariel-villapiano/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sayfiredup

Image Credits
Ariel Villapiano, Tori Brango, Say Fired Up LLC