Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Levis.
Hi Alexandra, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I went to college thinking I was going to be a diplomat or ambassador….marketing was never on my radar. I took a random class in college where we spent one day on marketing—specifically how global beauty conglomerates tailor their marketing campaigns depending on the geographic region—and I was hooked.
My first job after graduation was as a receptionist for a Manhattan marketing agency. I loved the fast-paced environment and ability to work on a variety of client accounts. I transitioned over to a PR firm the following year—specifically focused on financial services—where I gained a new appreciation for an industry I didn’t know anything about. I hadn’t studied finance or economics, nor did I think I would ever end up in the field!
That experience taught me two valuable things: 1) you never know where life will take you in your personal and professional life and 2) that learning on the job, flying by the seat of my pants, was the best education I was ever going to get. I eventually went to go work for an investment firm as their in-house head of marketing before braving the world of entrepreneurship.
I left NYC, went backpacking for 4 months around Asia, Russia, and Europe, and moved back home to start my business—a financial marketing agency– in my childhood bedroom. Launching Arro Financial Communications taught me two things: 1) with the right skill set, a wifi connection, and a laptop can get you very far and 2) starting a business was the least glamourous thing in the world, but I loved every second of it.
Fast-forward to today, we are a rapidly growing marketing and PR firm specializing in financial services. We love helping our clients figure out how to harness proven marketing strategies to publicize their products and services. The best part is trying to guess what next year’s technologies will bring to the world of financial marketing and how we can make sure our clients thrive, regardless of market conditions.
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?
Of course not! I don’t think any entrepreneur can realistically say launching a business is a smooth road. Some days it’s all start-stop-traffic jams and others it’s we-are-merging-onto-the-highway-now-whether-we-like-it-or-not-so-keep-going!
Struggles can range anywhere from hiring the wrong people and managing clients’ unrealistic (and out-of-scope) expectations, to learning critical business management on the fly (ex: purchasing the correct insurance coverage) and managing cash flow. No two days are the same, so it stands to reason that as long as you keep growing, there will be struggles along the way to remind you to stay humble and hungry.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Arro Financial Communications?
Our agency is known in our industry as a premier marketing and public relations firm. We help asset management clients of all sizes with branding, messaging, strategy, web design, collateral, and more. Our proudest moment came at the end of last year when we were awarded the top communications firm by our clients and industry colleagues!
The reputations of financial services firms are always in flux. If the markets are up, Wall Street is good. If the markets are down, Wall Street is evil and taking everyone’s money. Our clients have a huge opportunity to change the narrative of what “being on Wall Street” means. With today’s technologies, connecting, engaging, and educating prospective clients about how to manage their wealth and investments is easier than ever before, and our agency can help them get there.
We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
There is no standard measurement for success, so for me, it is a combination of well-being, happiness, money, and continued curiosity. I think Maya Angelou said it best: “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
Contact Info:
- Website: arrocomm.com
- Instagram: @arrofincomm
- Twitter: @arrofincomm
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbEfSAQLqyQZnhQfysSsdtA
