We were lucky to catch up with Rita Avellar recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rita , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The idea for Avellar LLC really came from a combination of my own life experiences and a deep desire to blend creativity into business. After years working in various industries—fashion, content creation, and health coaching—I realized that my heart was in storytelling, creativity, and helping others use these tools to thrive, both personally and professionally.

Site For Your Biz Agency was born out of a practical need I encountered: many small businesses struggle with creating an online presence that truly reflects their unique value. I wanted to solve this problem by providing affordable, creative website solutions that bring these businesses to life online.

Avellar Productions came from my passion for content creation and filmmaking. I’ve always been a storyteller at heart, and video is one of the most powerful mediums for that. After surviving breast cancer in 2022, I felt an even stronger push to create meaningful content that resonates, especially with underrepresented voices.

Finally, RitaAvellar.com is the culmination of all my passions. This platform is designed specifically for creative female entrepreneurs who want to balance both their personal and professional lives while embracing their true selves. It includes my writings, resources, and an upcoming summit dedicated to helping these women thrive. The FREE ebook “10 Tips to Get Back on Track, Girl” is a part of this mission, offering actionable steps for women who may feel lost or overwhelmed.

I knew this business concept would work because it addresses real problems I’ve faced and witnessed: from small businesses needing visibility, to creators needing a platform, to women like me needing tools for growth. What excites me most is the holistic approach—whether through websites, videos, or storytelling resources, I’m helping people and businesses grow creatively.

The combination of these three divisions allows me to pursue my own creative passions while helping others thrive, making it a truly fulfilling endeavor.

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’m Rita Avellar, a creative at heart with over 20 years of experience in branding, content creation, and storytelling. My journey began in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where I studied Fashion Design, worked in fashion journalism, and later opened my own content marketing agency, MULTI, specializing in the fashion and wellness industries. After moving to Indianapolis in 2014, I expanded my horizons by studying health coaching at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in 2015, which led to the creation of my health coaching business, Healthy Busy Bee. This business was focused on promoting a healthy lifestyle for busy women. In the midst of my breast cancer treatment in 2022, I decided to sell Healthy Busy Bee to focus on other ventures. Around the end of 2020, I founded Avellar LLC, marking the next step in my journey as a creative entrepreneur.

Avellar LLC has three main branches that reflect my passion for creativity, entrepreneurship, and storytelling. Site For Your Biz Agency focuses on creating websites for small businesses, helping entrepreneurs establish their digital presence with functional, visually appealing sites. Avellar Productions allows me to channel my passion for filmmaking and content creation, developing video projects, short films, and other creative content. Finally, RitaAvellar.com is where I share my writings and provide resources for creative female entrepreneurs, offering tools and insights that empower them to thrive in both their professional and personal lives.

One of the driving forces behind all my work is the belief in the power of storytelling. I help my clients, whether through web design or creative content, tell their authentic stories in ways that connect deeply with their audience. What sets me apart is my holistic approach, where I bring my life experiences into the work I do, from overcoming personal challenges like breast cancer to following my passion for writing and filmmaking. I know what it’s like to start over, rebuild, and pivot in life and business, and that experience allows me to guide others through their own creative or business journeys.

What I’m most proud of is my resilience and the fact that I’ve been able to stay true to my creativity while helping others find their voice and tell their stories. I want potential clients and followers to know that when they work with me, they’re not just getting a service; they’re getting someone who is deeply invested in their success, someone who will walk with them through the creative process and help them build something meaningful, whether it’s a website, a piece of content, or their personal narrative.

In everything I do, I strive to foster creativity, authenticity, and empowerment, whether it’s helping a small business owner create their first website or working with a female entrepreneur to unlock the potential of her personal story.

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

Of course! One of the most defining moments of my journey, and a true testament to my resilience, came in 2022 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had just opened Avellar LLC and was about to film my first short film. Life was moving forward when, out of nowhere, the diagnosis hit me.

As an immigrant living in the U.S., far from my hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the experience was doubly challenging. I was away from my larger family network, battling a life-threatening disease in a foreign country, and navigating a health system that was still unfamiliar to me. Luckily my mom was about to come and stay with me. The emotional toll was immense, but it also became a catalyst for growth. I had to dig deep to find strength—not just for myself, but also for my husband and loved ones who were on this journey with me.

In the midst of this challenge, I refused to let cancer define my story. Instead, it became a chapter where I learned to embrace my vulnerability, ask for help, and still keep my creative spark alive. Even during my treatment, I continued working on my projects, including my first short film, “The Fat Lady – She Just Wanted to Be Called by Her Name,” based on a short story I wrote during my time studying Creative Writing at UCSD, San Diego in 2013.

This period reinforced my belief in the power of storytelling. It gave me the strength to stay connected to my passions and the resilience to face each day with hope. If I could survive and thrive through an aggressive case of cancer, I could face any challenge life throws at me. And now, through my work, I’m committed to helping others unlock their own resilience by sharing their stories and transforming their challenges into power.

We’d appreciate any insights you can share with us about selling a business.

Yes, I sold my health coaching business, Healthy Busy Bee, at the end of 2022 while I was in the middle of my breast cancer treatment. The business was primarily focused on helping busy women live a healthier lifestyle, but what made it particularly valuable was the large volume of content I had created over the years. The website was packed with blog posts, programs, and resources—content that I truly enjoyed developing and that contributed greatly to its success and appeal.

One of the biggest lessons I learned from this experience is the importance of building something that has long-term value beyond just the services you provide. In my case, the content was the heart of the business. It was not just a health coaching service, but a robust platform filled with useful information that others could easily take over and continue to grow.

For entrepreneurs looking to sell their businesses one day, I would emphasize the need to create a strong foundation that doesn’t solely depend on you as the individual. Build processes, create valuable content, and design your business in a way that makes it attractive to potential buyers. When someone buys your business, they’re not just buying your service—they’re buying the ecosystem you’ve built, and that’s what makes it a worthwhile investment.

Another lesson: Don’t be afraid to let go. Selling my business wasn’t easy, but it allowed me to focus on other passions and life priorities, like my recovery and creative work. It’s important to know when the time is right to step back, let go, and move forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ritaavellar.com, avellar.co, www.siteforyourbiz.com, www.thefatladyfilm.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ritaavellar/, https://www.instagram.com/siteforyourbiz/, https://www.instagram.com/avellar_productions/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rita.avellar/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rita-avellar/

Image Credits

Pictures by Nicole Hernandez.