Today we’d like to introduce you to Allanna Cuellar.
Hi Allanna, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story starts with the 13-year-old girl who watched YouTubers all day long once she got done with school and wanted so badly to be just like them: having a creative outlet to film fun things, capture life, and let her creative ideas flow and share knowledge with others. Of course, I begged and begged for a camera of my own. For the time being, all I had was a really old iPad, so I started filming really cringy bracelet-making tutorial videos, and voila… that was my first ever YouTube video!
It was soon after that that my parents got me my first ever camera that year for my birthday. Next thing you know, I was looking up how to use it (because no one reads the manuals), taking pictures of any and everything, and looking up how to take better pictures. I vividly remember often times my dad would spend the day with me driving me around San Antonio to find cool hidden spots or interesting-looking buildings for me to take photos of. We would walk around aimlessly and just stop at whatever we thought looked cool and should have its picture taken.
Fast forward a couple of years, and a whole lot of skill development later and I started to get into freelance photography. I was taking everyone’s family photos, and portraits, and soon enough I had lots of people reaching out to me if I could do some sort of photoshoot for them and I created a business out of it. Eventually, once I got into high school, I took every commercial photography and Audio/ Video Production course my school offered. It was here that I found a true passion for videography and everything that was involved in it. My classmates and I were even responsible for filming content for the school’s YouTube channel and broadcasting the school news!
Once high school graduation came, I really took to creating content through Instagram and creating an audience there. It was through this that I found so much inspiration from fashion bloggers and this is what made me really get into my style. I loved trying different styled clothing pieces and how different ones made me feel different ways and ultimately made me feel like I could express my true self. Clothing became a way to express myself through pieces that caught my eye, or how I was feeling that day. It boosted my confidence since I truly had an outlet to express myself. I fell in love with the idea that I could inspire others to also embrace their true selves through their own style, by sharing ways to do so on my Instagram page. It was no doubt that I was ecstatic at the idea of combining all my passions of photography, videography, and clothes, to create a community of people. Soon enough, the ball started to roll a bit with my page and I really wanted to get into modeling.
I was honored to have the opportunity to go through modeling and acting training, sign with a modeling agency, travel to walk a runway show, and meet some amazing individuals. This opportunity really gave me so much insight and background on how to apply the skills I learned from the modeling industry to my own personal work of being a content creator.
In case you didn’t guess it, yup, I jumped around once again as far as the line of work I did. Soon enough I got a job as a Social Media Marketing Director for a local film production studio. At this time, I was also starting my sophomore year of college studying to earn my degree in Business Marketing. Working at the Film Studio also included filming behind the scenes footage for commercial shoots we would go on, assisting with set production for films, editing photos and videos, reaching out to and working with clients, and even work so detailed as doing hashtag research to use to grow their business through social media. Meanwhile, all this time I still maintained my own personal Instagram page, filmed and edited for my own channel, and worked a second job as well.
Fast forward to the present day. I am in my junior year of college as a full-time student, I work a part-time job, I have my side hustle of managing my Instagram to expand our fashion family, I negotiate contracts to work with brands through creating marketing campaigns to promote them to my page, and I film and edit content for my YouTube Channel. Not only does this include scouting locations to do photoshoots to create my content, but also the time it takes to edit my own content once it is finished, research the hashtags to efficiently market myself and grow my audience, and post it all to have the end satisfaction of creating a family that is happy to express themselves through fashion. I am also very much so into health and fitness so I make time to work out almost daily, and of course, I have fun and maintain a social life as well.
This sounds like a mouth full, or a word vomit of things that I am into and that I do, but that truly is how I have been able to gain so much experience in a number of industries and realms. I’ve always had the habit since I was little of starting something and then jumping to the next thing that I wanted to learn and master. But one thing is for sure, and that is my end goal is to one day have a fashion clothing line of my own. I plan to build it from the ground up, from the designs to the production process to the financial managing of it too (because anyone can have a good idea, but if you don’t know how to manage the money, the business is doomed to fail). Fashion is my passion and the feelings, emotions, or ideas that can be expressed through it without even having to say a single word is a masterpiece in itself.
The one thing that I hope someone can take away from my message is that all of these things CAN be done. Making the decision to wake up at 6:30 A.M. each morning, creating routines, making schedules and sticking to them, and pushing myself to points and places that were uncomfortable were all necessary for the growth. Of course, I couldn’t have done it alone, and I definitely do not take credit for doing it all alone. This is the story of how I got through my creative all over the place journey, and I hope to meet you again someday and reach you in the San Antonio area, or perhaps somewhere bigger if you find yourself inspired to embrace your true self through your style. Maybe my future clothing brand can do that for you one day. You too can accomplish those goals and make your dreams a reality.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not always been a smooth road. The biggest struggle has always been finding the balance in life. I have always had older friends since that is the realm of individuals I always related to more. Of course, this gave me a lot of great guidance, but it was also a fault of mine that I would look at my older friends starting or having their careers or amazing jobs and “making it” in life and I would feel like I was behind because if they can be doing that right now, then I should be too. The benefit of this was that it fueled my drive and motivation even more so I would continue to make myself busier and busier and do anything it took to reach the goal I had. Then there was always the opposite side of the spectrum where I felt like I was rushing to grow up, or missing out on certain “childhood” parts of my life. I mean I am only 21 as this is being written. Finding the balance is always a never-ending thing. But one thing that I have learned is that it is okay to be at the point in your journey that you are in. Look to others for inspiration and motivation, not comparison. Pursue every opportunity that comes your way because you never know where it will lead. And if you find yourself lacking sleep and on your third coffee of the day because you’re on the grind, I feel your struggle too because I am probably there right at this moment.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
A typical day in my life involves a little bit of all those things I previously mentioned that I do. I wake up early, I make my healthy breakfast smoothie, I check and respond to/ send emails, I’ll go shoot content, edit and post it. I’ll do several hours of school work, then I hit the gym and usually leave my evenings open to spending with friends, family, or loved ones. Other days involve a slower pace when I go in to work my part-time job. Saturday’s I leave for fun and Sunday is for the Lord so I try my best to keep some balance in there. I am always on the go and most days I am only home to make food in the morning and go to sleep at night!
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I multi-task and procrastinate… a lot. Of course, I wish I could have fun all the time, or only worry about the fun of creating content and building my brand, but at the end of the day school comes first and I am determined on getting my degree! Motivation is not always there either so that is where discipline has to come into play!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: msha.ke/allannacuellar
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allanna_cuellar/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/allannacuellar
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/AllannaCuellar/_created/
