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

Alright, Sandra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights 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?

I am really fortunate that I have an entrepreneurial spirit, and have always been able to monetize my work. When I was struggling financially to get through college, I started approaching small shops I saw advertising in my local newspaper. My first real freelance job was for a small clothing store. The owner let me redesign her print ad. I gave them way too many options, but that very first check, even though it was small, felt pretty rewarding. After college, I worked for a magazine and a few creative agencies, but I always supplemented my income with freelance work on the side. A lot of my projects came to me through friends, and quite frankly, still do. Relationships are everything!

Sandra, 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?

My name is Sandra Alexander and I am a Connecticut-based designer. I love to take a 360-degree approach with my clients, one in which I can impact all aspects of the brand — logo, print, web design, advertising, content marketing, and experiences. I also take on a small number of interior design projects during the course of a year.

I started in publishing, and I have worked for advertising agencies and fortune 500 companies. I spent a good part of my career as the Creative Director at Comcast, a national cable and telecommunications company, where I led a team of writers, designers, and production staff. In that role, I provided tactical creative direction and production supervision for employee and customer touchpoints, facilitating creative services for all departments and divisions of the company. My department became so large that we eventually transitioned into an external agency.

During that time, I had an idea for a product that I wanted to bring to market so I made the leap and left corporate America behind. I spent the next year on my business plan, perfecting the prototype, and planning the launch. Beyond inventing and designing the product, I handled all aspects of the product’s startup including legal, manufacturing, sales, marketing, and distribution. It was an incredible learning experience and really showed me the business side of design. I expanded the product line and added jewelry, selling wholesale and through an e-commerce website. Eventually, the economy turned and I realized I didn’t want to be in sales so I returned to design.

I especially love to work with small businesses and tend to gravitate toward businesses owned or run by women. I find that small businesses usually have someone at the helm who is trying to do it all with a small budget, and I know that feeling well. I love to know that I can provide all the creative tools my clients need to launch and market their businesses and that my work is contributing to an entrepreneur’s dream, a family’s livelihood, and the community as a whole.

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

Shortly after I launched the Bucklette, the economy went into a downward spiral. My product was a fashion accessory, and more of a luxury than a necessity — not something people were spending money on at the time. Fortunately, I had started small, manufacturing a limited number, and was able to sell most of them by the time the economy tanked. I actually broke even, but the next couple of years were tough. I felt like I had been out of the design loop for a while and technology was quickly passing me by. I wanted to ramp up my design business but realized I had to spend some time re-educating myself and getting up-to-speed on the latest software. Soon, I was able to confidently start working with agencies again, and slowly built my client base into a thriving business. When my son came along, I scaled back to spend as much time as I could with him. My business ebbed again and the cycle seemed to repeat itself.

When my husband and I decided to move to New England in 2015 to be closer to his family, I had to start all over again. Slowly but surely, I put myself out there and took on a few pro bono projects to make some connections. It worked! Last year was the busiest year I’ve had since I started freelancing. I’ve added new clients and even had to turn down a number of projects. It really is a marathon, not a sprint.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think creatives tend to be motivated by things other than money. Usually, it’s the type of work they do, what their working space is like, and how much time off they have. Of course, we all have bills to pay, but personally, I couldn’t be happy for long in a job that I didn’t love. I couldn’t spend a significant amount of time doing something that wasn’t fulfilling to me. I’d rather eat Ramen noodles every day (which I’ve done). Life is way too short. Smell the roses. Eat the cake. Take the trip. Love your work!

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.dessaleaproductions.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dessaleaproductions/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dessaleaproductions/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandyalexander/

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