Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra De Cespedes-Silva.
Hi Alexandra, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Alex and I’m the Creator in Chief of Made Happy Studio, a branding & social media agency based in Winter Garden, Florida.
I’m a Brand Designer, Photographer, Social Media Content Creator & Strategist. This studio was created to empower entrepreneurs, big or small, to craft their brand visions and social media presence with bespoke design & content creation strategy. Some of my clients include HubSpot, Canva, Greystar, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Mood Lash Beauty, Belle Complexions and Linkedin.
A bit about me, I’m a first-generation Cuban Mexican American. I was born in 1994 in Miami, Florida. Raised in the colorful and vibrant culture of Miami, I was surrounded by the Latin soul of the city. My mornings weren’t filled with pancake and eggs like most Americans, but with croquetas, pastelitos and the strong smell of Cuban coffee. Safe to say, I grew up in a completely different America than the rest of my peers.
You see, my family is the definition of the American Dream. Fleeing from the communist Castro regime in Cuba, my parents never made excuses for their situation. Their lack of education and knowledge in business didn’t stop their determination to find solutions and provide for our family. Through them, I have learned that with hard work, determination, and confidence, I can achieve the impossible. They have taught me the only way to live my kind of happy, is to create it.
My parents, like most immigrants to this country, are incredibly hardworking people. In fact, neither of my parents went to college. I was the first in my family to attend, but that never stopped them from making things happen for their business and family. My father, started his window tinting business, Professional Window Tinters Miami, in the trunk of his car at 18 years old. Growing up, my two brothers and I spent a lot of time in the back of my father’s work van. Covered in bright ads detailing the latest advancements in window tinting technology, I was always in constant awe of my father’s ability to make things happen regardless of circumstance.
Normally, when you ask a child what they want to be when they grow up, many of them will answer: actress, teacher, doctor or lawyer. But me? I was different. My answer was always the same; I wanted to be a Professional Window Tinter like my dad. Fast forward 20 years, I have realized I never really wanted to be a professional window tinter, I just wanted to be like my parents.
After graduating High School, I received a full scholarship to the Honors College at Miami Dade College. This scholarship program was a stepping stone for students before they attend University. It was rigorous in its curriculum, but had a proven track record of success if you were able to complete the program.
After MDC, I was accepted to the University of Central Florida where I studied Advertising-Public Relations with a concentration in Graphic Design. While I was in college and was interning at local advertising agencies, I found that a lot of the most talented designers worked to help the big businesses get larger and stronger, while the smaller local businesses, were falling behind due to the lack of knowledge and budget for marketing.
As I have grown my business and worked with many clients. both big and small, I saw firsthand how design can elevate a business and increase profits. Made Happy Studio was created to help the dreamers and the passionate business owners pursue and create what makes them happy. Our goal is to inspire people like me, like my parents, to make their own happy, and design their own futures.
My parents never once told me there was something I couldn’t do because of where we came from. As Cuban Mexican Americans, we view this country as a new beginning, a new opportunity, and that’s what I was going to create for my family. They inspire me every day.
This is my American dream and this is for them.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
With most start-up businesses, the answer is understandably, no, it has not been a smooth road.
My biggest obstacles in my business have been money and time.
The only investor in my business has been myself and every penny I make goes back into making the business stronger.
Just a few years ago, I started with a laptop on a couch because I couldn’t afford to buy a desk. Nor did I have the room in my studio apartment. Today, I work from my home office near Historic Downtown Winter Garden.
My goal this year is to scale my business, hire more designers so I can have more time to help more businesses achieve their goals.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a Brand Designer, Photographer, Social Media Content Creator & Strategist. Made Happy Studio was created to help businesses, big or small, create their dream branding to help elevate and grow their business.
Understandably, some businesses don’t have the budget to hire an advertising agency to revamp their look. With Made Happy, we give small businesses the design & social media tools they need to up-level their online presence and reposition themselves in the mind of consumers.
Our mission at Made Happy Studio is to design good creative for even better people. To collaborate with those who are both bold & passionate. We believe success can be built on our own terms, there is such thing as work life balance, and there is nothing that a good cup of Cuban Coffee can’t fix. We believe that you don’t have to have a good education to have big dreams and there is something inherently good about doing good.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
*TikTok: @madehappystudio
Instagram:
@alexmadehappy & @madehappystudio
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MadeHappyStudio
Pinterest Page:
https://pin.it/6qnIGiE
Contact Info:
- Email: alex@madehappystudio.com
- Website: MadeHappyStudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexmadehappy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadeHappyStudio
- Other: https://pin.it/6qnIGiE
Image Credits
All images belong to Alexandra De Cespedes-Silva
