Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Valerie Aiello. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Valerie, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
Twenty years ago I decided that, if I had to have a job, then I wanted to move to Los Angeles, roller skate around and design album covers like the guy in Xanadu. Once I had a Bachelor’s degree in my hand, I loaded up a small trailer full of stuff to make the move from Austin to LA. With $200 bucks saved in my pocket, a pipe dream, and one month’s rent paid in advance for a room in a house with roommates I found online, I started my job hunt.
Jumping in a car and moving to a new city probably does sound a little risky for most people. Not that I would recommend this exact process to anyone. You certainly do not have to move to a bigger city than you live in right now to find success, but just as an example, this is how it worked out for me. Focusing on a dream job for me meant being on the inside of a record label, watching the magic happen, and just trying to find out how I could find a position for myself there.
As luck would have it, I did get a part-time position at that record label in the art department for $10 an hour. Then, two weeks later, that part-time position became a $10 an hour full-time position. Then, a raise. Then, a salaried position. Ultimately working my way up to become Art Director of the department, and living on my own in my dream Silver Lake bungalow right in the middle of everything I found cool about Los Angeles. Passion and exhilaration does not even begin to explain the excitement that being at my desk working gave me. That was the paycheck revenue stage of my life.
Next, I was going to learn about being a freelance Art Director. There was just a nudge inside me that I needed to learn something more about money than just getting a paycheck every month. There was not much of a plan. I quit the record label, and every month I knew I needed to make enough money to pay my bills. Figuring out the client work game was my new assignment. There was a list of professional level skills under my belt, and I was ready to be hired. To make a long story short, I figured it out. Every month there seemed to be work, and someone that wanted to hire me for design gigs. I was able to pay my bills. I was still alive. I was not living under a bridge. Although it was fun being able to be a digital nomad working from anywhere in the world in my pajamas, it was not always easy. I had moments of wanting to take breaks from constantly needing new gigs. There were times when the idea of getting a corporate job again sounded so relaxing, but that never happened for me. I knew how to live with a salary, and survive as a freelancer without a consistent paycheck. That was great, but I knew I needed to learn something more.
Now, I am in the next phase of my career development to learn how to make money creating products while building a company. Things are finally starting to get interesting, but there is not a straight line from starting point to success. Projects that I have been slowly working on for years are just now starting to show glimmers of success. I cannot say I’m fully financially free just yet. However, I do have some big wins, and see epic possibilities unfolding in my path. I guess you could officially call me a “risk-tasker!”
Valerie, 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 main focus right now is to use my design skills to build a “goal-setting” brand that creates helpful products which inspire people to focus on accomplishing dreams, organizing ideas, and becoming who they are. My company is named, Goal Party. Being the official “Idea Person” of the company, I have a million product ideas that I would love to roll out as fast as possible, but I try to keep it manageable. Being the only graphic designer on staff, I currently do all the product development and design work on my own.
My target product line that I am laser focused on cultivating presently are books and guided diaries. The Goal Party Diaries are a variety of bright multi-colored hardcover journals that keep ideas chronicled and archived as a gorgeous book decor organizational system. Each diary focuses on a unique subject matter. There are prompted journal pages for an overview of how to strategize and implement thoughts and goals. The diaries also have tons of wide open spaces to draw, brainstorm, collage, mindmap, visualize, daydream, think, doodle or simply write whatever is on the mind to make memorable notes.
Along with the books, I am also building on offering motivational framed art, coffee mugs, and giant pillows to create perfect book nook spaces for idea development sessions.
As I build the brand, I share with everyone my thoughts along my journey with a business lifestyle podcast named, “Idea Diary.”
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
The ups and downs of trying to become successful doing exactly what you want to do can be painful. Do not get paranoid, but it can feel like people are judging you. It hurts to want something that isn’t happening. It can hurt to not be able to buy nice gifts for loved ones, go out with everyone to fancy dinners, or just simply do something at the professional level you crave and feel ready for.
The truth is: failure is necessary to the learning process. On the brightside, feeling like crap is there to help you. Your feelings become your goals. I know, that sounds ambiguous. What I mean is, when you experience something painful it’s an indicator that you need to make a shift. On the flipside when you experience something exciting, that’s an indicator your goals are unfolding as you hoped. Maybe a shift comes from within your mind. Maybe a shift comes from learning a valuable lesson the hard way, and maybe a shift comes from gaining a new skill. You may need to cut things from your life, evaluate relationships, current jobs, or forgo something that is really hard to live without at the moment. Your feelings are going to spark your brain to create a new solution for you that will bring you closer to your goals. No one knows the outcome of failure when it happens. But, the one thing I can say with 100% certainty is that failure is a gift. It’s just a part of the process. However, there is something that happens when you are building something and focusing on the long game: Failure fatigue, a term I use to describe not reaching your desired success for years. Dare I say, decades. I know that sounds like bad news, but dreams do come true. Try not to give up.
: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I think my main mission driving my creative journey is simply that I love doing exactly what I want to be doing everyday. Daily drudgery is not my thing. There are a million ways to solve the problem of having security, happiness, and freedom. Whatever my goals are, I give myself permission to execute the plans, and just be proud of myself today. If I get the nudge that it is time for a pivot, I realign my efforts, and keep building my own unique path.
An unconventional idea only seems crazy and weird until one day it is epic. Enjoy the process, and watch it unfold.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.valerieaiello.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valerieaiello/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valerieaiello/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerieaiello/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/valerieaiello
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/valerieaiello
- Other: https://www.goalparty.com
Image Credits
Images By Valerie Aiello