Meet Asa Dugger, M.A. | Content Creator & Brand Strategist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Asa Dugger, M.A. and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Asa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Honestly, I was scared, excited, and uncertain. As a Content Creator who’s a full-time entrepreneur working with brands, selling merch, and teaching courses for other Influencers/Creators there’s a lot of pressure and expectation. Quite frankly, you are your business. You’re responsible for the marketing, the accounting, the logistics, the photography, social media, and everything else in between. You’re also your own biggest competition and critic. There was a ton of doubt, insecurity, and inconsistency I had to push past to operate at my full potential. Every day, I’m still learning to push past the deficit thought process and continue to create with faith.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m a Creative but to clarify I identify as a Content Creator and Brand Strategist, but I selected “business” because I believe more Creators should identify and acknowledge themselves as a business. Our art and creativity are a service that we should absolutely be compensated for. My business ASA DUGGER LLC has multiple streams of income however my most primary ones consist of me as an Influencer working with brands for paid brand campaigns, teaching other influencers how to brand, pitch, and price themselves to do the same via courses and selling seasonal merch.

I got where I am today by studying the people who aspire me, networking digitally and in-person (commenting emojis on your favorite Influencer’s photo isn’t enough.) Asking for help to make my goals come to fruition and by disciplining myself to actually execute my goals rather than to romanticize over them. It definitely wasn’t easy. Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster of trial and error, pivots, excitement, eureka moments, and frustration. I’ve overcome most of my challenges through prayer, asking for advice and putting it into action, and learning how to be okay with starting over multiple times.

I want the world to know that not everything that glitters is gold. There’s a lot of sacrifice and work that goes beyond the Instagram aesthetics. It also takes money to make money so sometimes as an Entrepreneur you have to do the work in the pasture to afford to create at the capacity you know you’re capable of doing. My advice to anyone stuck in the in-between, keep pushing, ask for help where it’s needed, ask people to sponsor your ideas even if it’s only $20, and don’t let pride and the Instagram hype keep you from doing whatever it takes to operate at your full potential.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
OMGGGG, I love this because my best friend just left from visiting me and we had the time of our lives! I sometimes forget I live in a city with so much fun and attraction. I loveee the beach, I personally found a few small beaches that aren’t very crowded and are clean to visit. I would share the names but I’m afraid people will find out about them LOL. I’ll just say keep driving past the Santa Monica Pier and you’ll find it.

I always take my friends to Dave’s Hot Chicken! The best places to visit in LA are the Observatory, Castaway Burbank (amazing food with a beautiful view and a reason to get dressed up!), Salsa and Beer in NoHo have THE BEST Mexican food and frozen margaritas! If you’d like to really see a beautiful view, take a ride to Malibu and eat at Malibu Farms on the pier. The water is so blue and you might even see some dolphins! Tag me on Instagram if you visit any of these places and thank me later!!! <3

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Whewww yes! First, shout out to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who holds me down and believes in me even when I don’t believe in myself. Shout to my Dad who’s my #1 fan and always is gonna rock, when I roll. If I ever told my Dad that I wanted to go to the moon, he’d ask ” yoooo, can we stop to see Mars on the way?” lol. Shout out to my friends Sammie, Kyrah, Giovanna, Kim, and Aminah who are friends turned family- they’re my sisters, for real. We all live thousands of miles apart and never miss a beat. I don’t come from a big family with a lot of money and resources but I do have an amazing support system of friends, mentors, followers, and loved ones who hold me down.

Website: https://thealistacademy.co/

Instagram: @iamasadugger

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/thealistacademy/

Image Credits
photographer: @katrinaamantephotography @onyecreativestudios