Meet Alejandra Viana | Ideating creative ideas and business solutions for over 10 years

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alejandra Viana and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alejandra, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Failure is so key to growth, that is why I have always viewed risk taking as a positive adventure. It feels exhilarating not knowing the outcome of something and also learning from each experience.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In 2010, at the ripe age of 19, I launched my first business, Leg Candy Apparel. It was a women’s clothing line, proudly manufactured right here in Los Angeles. Being a young entrepreneur wasn’t a walk in the park. There were challenges galore, but I tackled them head-on, learning everything I could through hands-on experience. Despite the hurdles, Leg Candy Apparel surprised everyone, even me, by pulling in a cool $100k in its first year!

Owning my own business was a real eye-opener. It helped me discover my natural talents and what truly sparked my interest. This newfound self-awareness fueled my decision to go back to school. In 2017, I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Marketing from Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics.

Leg Candy was just the beginning. Since then, I’ve been busy building my network and branching out into different industries. I launched a meal prep business, which was a fun learning experience. But my true passion lies in marketing. That’s why I started AV Marketing Solutions, a company that offers personalized, custom marketing strategies. What I love most is being able to empower other small businesses, especially those owned by BIPOC folks. AV Marketing Solutions helps them not only with marketing, but also with getting organized in the digital world.

Giving back to the community is important to me, so I got involved with continuing education initiatives. I became a career coach at Santiago Canyon College, guiding high school students in the Orange Unified School District. In 2019, I had the amazing opportunity to be part of the redevelopment and rebranding of the Digital Media Center in Santa Ana. This incredible space houses the Orange County Small Business Development Center, Santa Ana College’s Digital Media and Film/TV classes, a business incubator, and co-working offices.

Networking and exploring new ventures have always been my jam. In 2021, I landed an account executive position at an Omnicom Global agency, diving headfirst into the world of advertising. Working with clients like AT&T and American Express has been an incredible learning experience.

But my entrepreneurial spirit hasn’t dimmed. I’m currently working on my newest venture, The V Collective. It’s going to be a co-working and community space specifically for professional women of color. The V Collective will provide a nurturing environment where women can grow both professionally and personally, with access to mental health support and the power of female camaraderie. I can’t wait to see it come to life!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am a true Californian. I give the best tours. I would start by sharing that California has the beach, the city skylines, the deserts and the mountains with snow all in within a 2 hour drive from one another. The perfect first LA day begins with exploring Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive then head to The Grove’s farmers market for lunch. A drive to Venice beach and cruise it all on a bike chariot all the way to Santa Monica where you can play some arcade games on the pier. End the evening watching the sunset and sipping a cocktail at The Bungalow.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother was my first inspirational person in my life. An immigrant single mom went from cleaning homes to top 100 account executives nationwide for FedEx. She has always been so charismatic and beautiful that people always remember her. I wanted to have the same effect on people I met. Shoutout to my entire network of women in my life, each one of them adds so much value even if we only have conversations once a year. Each grain of wisdom rice fills up my pot!

Website: http://alejandraviana.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevcollectiveworkspace/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandraviana/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/VRzoEKtlIwU