"I would say to be patient. Success doesn’t happen instantly and that’s okay" with Alexandra Fasulo

Alexandra Fasulo is a New York-based serial entrepreneur and full-time freelance writer and editor on Fiverr.com. Offering blogs, press releases, e-books, and website content on Fiverr, Fasulo has also recently launched a trending photo spot mobile app, EyePop, that enables users to bookmark pins for upcoming trips. When she’s not working, launching apps, or helping people work-from-home, Fasulo is an avid traveler, earning her the classification of “digital nomad.”

Can you tell our readers about your background?

My name is Alex Fasulo and I am a full-time freelance writer and editor on Fiverr.com. I grew up in Albany, New York, attending SUNY Geneseo to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. From there, I went to work in the NYS Assembly, quitting to pursue a PR job in NYC. After just one-month in NYC, I quit my PR job with no plan or idea. I just knew I couldn’t work there. The night I quit, I opened Fiverr.com on my laptop and decided to give it a try. The rest was history!

What inspired you to start your business?

I have always had a pull to be an entrepreneur. I don’t do well with bosses or people telling me what to do. As someone with a penchant for writing, I decided to pair writing blogs and press releases with my very own business.

Where is your business based?

I am what you call a digital nomad. I travel the world monitoring my businesses. But, for most of my time, you can find me in Brooklyn, NY or Albany, NY.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I started my business with nothing but my laptop, a Fiverr.com account, and WiFi. I began working 7-8 hour days that turned into 12-13 hour days. I didn’t care. I loved every minute of it and I still do! I began to open more gigs on Fiverr.com to expand my service offering, which propelled the income I was making forward.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Since I work from home, and I work alone, social media has been very important to me. I share my stories, struggles, and photography on Instagram and TikTok nearly every day. This has also been an effective way of raising awareness for my copywriting business, and my newly launched app: EyePop.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge of what I do is that I am alone all day. I am an extrovert by nature, so this is very hard for me. I use social media to feel connected during the day and I stack social activities at night so I don’t go crazy!

How do you stay focused?

I am a very disciplined person. I keep social media apps off of my laptop, I wake up early every day, I exercise during lunchtime to get my endorphins going, and I do something I love. Since I am so passionate about what I do, it never feels like work to me!

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

I was quick to plaster my image and video all over my Fiverr gigs when I got on the platform. This separated me from the anonymous providers or the spammers that can clog the site. People felt they could trust me from my imagery and my writing. I also started to develop a photography hobby, which I still pursue today.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

My most effective marketing strategy has been public relations outreach. I work hard to secure news exposure, as well as send out press releases monthly to keep my SEO relevant online. The big CNBC article I secured years ago still drives monthly traffic to my business.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

I would say to be patient. Success doesn’t happen instantly and that’s ok. Don’t let the imposter syndrome whispers in your ear stop you while you are waiting for your success. If you put in time and dedication, it WILL pay off.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

I would say my favorite app is Spotify. Music is so important to me, and making special playlists that I can write to has become part of my sanity. As for books, I love reading spiritual books, as well as any books penned by millionaires/billionaires and how they did it.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

My favorite business tool is Slack. I use Slack to communicate with the other independent contractors I use to run my businesses, as well as develop my app. Slack makes it easy to categorize conversations so important documents and information never slip through the cracks.

Who is your business role model? Why?

I would have to say Suze Orman! I used to watch her on my aunt’s TV when I was very little – too little to understand finance – and I remember thinking to myself: I want to be an expert like her on TV. It’s not always easy being a woman in the entrepreneurial world, so I look up to any women who have made it happen.

What is your beauty routine? What are some of your favorite products?

I swear by plain Aveeno Lotion! I don’t like scented beauty products – my nose is sensitive to them. So anything unscented, natural, and using aloe vera is for me.

How do you balance work and life?

I cut my day in half at about 6 PM. I devote 8 AM-6 PM to work, and then I allow myself to unplug from 6-11 PM. I don’t have Fiverr notifications sent to my phone so I can actually detach and enjoy conversation and dinner. I also travel a ton to nourish my soul while I work (probably) too much.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

My favorite way to decompress is to make Spotify playlists, exercise, or travel. I love planning travel excursions, which is what inspired me to create my app. I can add pins to the app for places I want to see. Nothing is more satisfying to me!

What do you have planned for the next six months?

Before coronavirus, I had trips to Miami, Washington DC, and Coachella planned! Now, I’m not sure. I will be going to Coachella in October (unless they move it again). I am just hoping our country can get back on track so I can continue to support the tourist industry. They are in dire need right now. From a professional standpoint, my #1 goal in the next 6-months is to get a blue checkmark on either Instagram or TikTok.

How can our readers connect with you?

Readers can connect with me in the following ways: they can find me on Instagram, TikTok, or directly through Fiverr.com if they want to place an order.