We recently connected with Sophia Visanji and have shared our conversation below.
Sophia, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
In many ways I have gone against the grain of what it is to be a “typical” Optometrist. About one year after graduating from Optometry school, I began creating content under the alias “The Monocle Muse”. Over time I began working for various lifestyle and fashion brands from Bloomingdales to Armani Beauty. Over the years, I was able to pursue a second career as a creator. Parallel to working as an Optometrist and the East Coast Director of Clinical Care at Zak Eyes in New York City.
In 2022, I married my two professions. I launched my own eyewear line: Aliana Rose Eyewear. Having been in the optical industry for 15+ years, I wanted to create frames with a new take on eyewear. My designs have been influenced by my patients over the years. The line was named after my sisters and mother, combining all of their names. Each model is inspired by places around the world and the charm of eras past. Beyond starting the eyewear line, I now am also a consultant and speaker for Johnson and Johnson Vision. Over the years, with grit, passion and the ability to pivot when I deemed it was necessary, I have truly been able to design the career of my dreams.
Sophia, 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?
Originally Canadian, I moved to New York City 10 years ago after graduating from The New England College of Optometry in Boston, MA. While professionally I am an Optometrist, I have always had a passion for design, fashion and entrepreneurship. After working as a full time Optometrist for about a year, I realized I wasn’t entirely fulfilled. I needed something else – a hobby, a passion project – to exercise my creative muscles. From a young age, I always had a fascination with photography. I began shooting photographs around NYC on the weekends. I would shoot the architecture, my latte, the outfit I was wearing and always included a pair of glasses in the images. I wanted to integrate my profession as an Optometrist. I began sharing the images on social media under the alias “The Monocle Muse” and over time built an audience and a second career for myself as a content creator. In 2022, after years of pursuing two different careers, my worlds collided with the launch of my own eyewear line – Aliana Rose Eyewear.
Aliana Rose is an independent luxury eyewear brand inspired by places around the world and the charm of eras past. I feel so grateful I have been able to turn my passions into my profession. I am so excited to continue to grow my businesses.
How did you build your audience on social media?
My best piece of advice for growing a social media presence is to collaborate with others in your industry. When I first started out, I would cold email or DM other creators in the industry and ask to meet them for coffee. It was an amazing opportunity for me to learn more about a platform of which I had little experience. Oftentimes I would join forces with a fellow creator to work on a project which would expand both of our audiences. There is room for all of us to win. Sharing quality content that is authentic will help you build a community that is aligned with your mission.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
When it came to building The Monocle Muse, I think the quality of my content set me apart early. I was always more focused on quality over quantity. I invested money in equipment (e.g. cameras, tripods, editing software, etc) that would help me create the best content. I invested my time learning about editing techniques, photography, videography, etc. I truly believe this is what helped me land paid brand deals early on in my content creator efforts. Although I had a small audience, brands knew they could rely on me to produce high quality content which they could later repurpose for their own marketing campaigns.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alianaroseeyewear.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themonoclemuse/?hl=en