Guys, I’ve got a question for you: Do you remember that one day you came home from work and walked into your apartment to find a brand new, colorfully-decorated home office waiting to surprise you when you walked in?
No?
Well, I do.
My name is Alycia Yerves. I’m the founder of Alycia Yerves Creative, a boutique multimedia agency based in Asbury Park, NJ, that specializes in social media marketing, graphic design, and video. We launched in January 2017.
I am thrilled to say that my new freelance creative studio is thriving, but as a first-time entrepreneur trying to “figure it all out”, I have felt a bit baptized by fire. Reading countless business blogs, watching hours and hours of YouTube tutorials on foreign concepts like accounting and EIN’s (huh?!), and staying up way, WAY too late— all of this was becoming the norm. Not to mention, I also have an exciting and demanding full time job as multimedia manager in the marketing department for Two River Theater!
I like DOING THE THING.
Whatever “the thing” is: The art, the work, the thought. Right-side-of-the-brain. I have a print that reads, “I just want to drink coffee, and make cool stuff.”
Figuring out finances, procedures, what forms to sign to get up and running? Whole new world for me.
My best friend (and business manager in my freelance venture), Joey, noticed my stress levels had quickly risen to an all-time high as I tried to balance the consultation and design work with clients, with the backend of launching my young business. He had been helping me get settled in, and put some systems in place so I wouldn’t “accidentally hit the wrong button and blow up the earth,” as I liked to ever-so-delicately put it. #illogical #thatsnotathing
One day in mid-March, I came home from running errands and was ready to scarf down a bowl of cereal and get to work. As I unlocked my door, I was going through my mental checklist of ad campaigns and design projects to follow up on that evening with my clients.
But then, as I stepped inside, I was jarred from my to-do list haze as I stared at the room in front of me. For a moment, I actually thought I was in the wrong apartment.
My small (and basically unused) dining room had been completely transformed into the most extraordinarily colorful and cozy home office of my literal dreams! I stood there in disbelief, my eyes darting all over the space. New storage bins, colorful artwork, inspirational quotes, knickknacks and fresh flowers, a beautiful new desk and chair and on and on and on.
I think it was around this time that I started cursing (out of joy, of course!) and making sounds only animals could hear.
Joey slyly poked his head out from around my kitchen wall, with this smug look on his face— clearly proud of his caper. Unbeknownst to me, he had been planning and shopping in secret for weeks (thank you, Amazon Prime and HomeGoods) to put this whole thing together. He had arrived that afternoon to disassemble my dining room and build this whole space in just four hours!
“Hey,” he said, “I got you an office.”
I was (and am) stunned and beside myself. My best friend also happens to be the best PERSON. He captured my playful and quirky vibe perfectly— which I strive to inject into my business as well. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am drawn to pretty much anything multicolor and fun— so I love that he even included a rainbow unicorn tape dispenser! Alycia Yerves Creative was officially in business.
I love waking up in the morning and sipping coffee in this colorful and creative zone, and my productivity has shot through the roof! I look around and feel instantly inspired, and am able to focus and do my best work.
People always say, “find your happy place,” but my happy place came and found me.
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Alycia Yerves is the Founder of Alycia Yerves Creative, LLC, a boutique multimedia agency specializing in social media marketing, graphic design, and video. We assist companies of all sizes—from small mom-and-pop entrepreneurs, to large international firms—in breaking through the “noise” to get noticed, and build a following. We are less pastel— more rock & roll. The business is based in Ocean, NJ and was founded in January 2017. Learn more at www.alyciayerves.com Photos by Matthew Brys Yee Photography.