Interview With An Entrepreneur

ALICIA SOUZA

Ashima Shafiq | CNNV | 201911007 | Section A

1. You started your career as an illustrator? Was it by default or design?
Alicia: I was trained as a graphic designer but the minute I finished university; I knew I wanted
to get into illustration. There were a lot of twisty turns before I actually landed up as a
freelancing illustrator and then an entrepreneur, something that I didn’t think was ever going to
happen.

2. How did you get the idea or concept for your business (Online Store)?
Alicia: I wanted to do it for quite a while. I never thought I would but when I did my first
exhibition, I had such a great response and a lot of post requests. It was then I realized it was
the best thing to do! I didn’t realise how much work it would be but it’s been insane! I have a
lovely partner who takes care of the merchandise and production while I try and keep the
pictures pretty and showcased. Because I still freelance and move about a lot more, it’s been a
bit overwhelming. I am a happy person who feels happy and enjoys her work and I wanted
other people to feel the same way even in the monotonous lives that is why I sell products that
make you happy and that is what is unique about it.

3. How difficult was it to start-off?

Alicia: Starting off was one of the biggest challenges I have faced till date. That was probably
one of the hardest times in my life but it taught me a whole lot and I cannot be more grateful
that it happened, no matter how much of a struggle it was. When I started as a freelancer, I was
nearly broke. A few months down the line that changed and after about a year I started making
my own range of products. I started off very small with things I could afford and that were easy
to manufacture. Now, I have a lot of people you are willing to invest but I prefer to go solo. I
want to keep everything in check and in small numbers, it just doesn’t make sense to get many
people onboard for that.

4. How has your life changed since starting your online store?

Alicia: Well, it has in a lot of ways, especially in how I structure time. I have a LOT more work
to do and actually have had to sacrifice a lot of time that I usually put into experimenting and
playing. But in turn, it has also given me a lot of knowledge into production, meet the most
wonderful people and see the opportunities come in in so many more ways than I thought
possible.

5. Your body of work comes across as ‘Happy’ even the tagline of your store says ‘The store
of Alicia Souza with happy products that make you smile wide’. Are there times when you
are sad, or unhappy and just want to shut the world out? How do you deal with sadness?
Alicia: Like any human, I have a wealth of emotions. When something bad happens in the
world, I tend to feel rage rather than melancholy.
And unlike some artists and writers who can create beautiful works from those emotions, I
don’t even remotely feel like drawing then. The few things I do when I get in this state:
  Do whatever I feel like doing- I would rarely feel like drawing but I truly enjoy just
inking pencil sketches and would scout out drawings that are yet to be inked. This is my
sort of ‘peace’ and ‘meditation’ that gets my brain almost still without thought.
 Play my favourite music- I ADORE country music, I listen to it both when I’m happy
and also when I’m sad.
 Confront the sadness- I don’t like leaving things in the air. If I had a tiff with someone,
I clear it up. With people, it’s easy to just take a deep breath and confront the source of
the sadness.
 Time- And then there are things you don’t have control over that just need time to get
better. Understand that things DO get better with time.
 A box of you- Another thing is knowing what you like and makes you happy. I
sometimes like cleaning or baking. Sometimes just getting away for a while.
 Let yourself be- Whether you need to shed a tear or two. Be nice to yourself and I think
the worst thing would be to beat yourself up about being a little down. When you know
it’s ok to be sad, you can let yourself be happy.
Oh! I forgot to mention, sometimes happiness is a sleep away. Literally, some days can just be
a drag and understand that when you go to bed at night; so when you wake up the next day, the
sun is shining brighter just for you!

6. How do you stay motivated? And what does success mean to you?

Alicia: I stay motivated with just doing. Also, by seeing all the bills to pay. (Haha! :D). See
one has to understand there is difference between a hobby and a job and all that which is in
between them is work. It is not all enjoyment. I did a lot of crappy work in the beginning but it
helped me develop. Over my 9 years in India I have had only 2 clients who did not pay me.
Success is doing what you love and going in the direction that makes you happy.

7. Was there any time when you wanted to quit Illustrations?

Alicia: Yes, when I just started. It’s hard making something you love, a job too. But I didn’t
have a choice and had to make it work and now I love it excessively.

8. How you deal with a situation when all your imagination has dried up and you’re left
staring at a blank canvas? Share an experience with us.

Alicia: I remember when I was in university, there were months where I would go through a
number of notebooks and then there were just months that flew by with me not drawing a single
thing. I remember not doing anything besides just waiting for a ‘feeling’. So, in the meantime,
I used to write or make things. I believe the key is to not stop using your hands and to quench
your inner thirst to create, regardless of what form it’s outcome.

9. Indian elements form a major part of your illustrations. Why do you think your work
has connected so well with the audience online?

Alicia: I feel like I post about my daily life, which is rather..well..normal, in a way. I think
that’s what people relate to. The normalness of it all. The cravings for food, the annoyance of
traffic and the worry that one will fart at yoga class.

10. Being creative is largely about having the courage to fail repeatedly. Could you give
an example from your own experiences of a project that failed? What went wrong, and
what did you learn/take away from that experience?

Alicia: I think chunks of my career tend to be a part of that ‘try-fail-learn’ experience. I can’t
think of a specific project that failed but I can totally tell you that the number of presentations
and pitches that didn’t make it to the real world is quite significant. The funny thing is that I
forget about it and hold the same passion for the next ‘possible’ collaboration that comes my
way. I think the fun bit is the creation and what I learnt is enjoying the process is a big part of
staying happy in my job and not only looking forward to positive outcomes.

11. What skills do you think every entrepreneur should have?

Alicia: Diligence, persistence and passion.

12. Any tips for the young & budding entrepreneurs who want to achieve a breakthrough
in their career via social media?
Alicia: Just be really really diligent about it. That’s about it! And try to genuinely share love
and people will appreciate it! Everyone’s path is different. Your work depends on your
responsibilities. One size doesn’t fit all. But still focus on what you are passionate about!

INSIGHTS:

Alicia Souza, a renowned illustrator with almost 127,000 followers on Instagram and Facebook.
This young entrepreneur sells products through her website aliciasouza.com and Amazon.
From scarves to stationery, and mugs to home decors, she offers a wide variety of exciting
products.
From my interaction with Alicia Souza, I learned that turning a hobby into a job is the most
lucrative aspect, but when it happens, you end up doing a lot of things that you hate and the
time you spent on the things you actually wanted to do, is miniscule. However, if you do the
right things, which you want to do and are passionate about and focus on things that you want
to be known for, you can be successful. Gaining experience in every part, be it big or small
helps you develop and learn. Keep your work time lined and all one needs to do is be patient
and diligent.