Today we’d like to introduce you to Onyia Ali.
Hi Onyia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was raised in a family full of entrepreneurs and grew up seeing firsthand what business ownership was really about – the good and the ugly.
Although entrepreneurship seemed intimidating, I always knew I was meant to be my own boss (I was definitely the one with “issues with authority” on my report cards).
I bounced in and out of college, changing schools, changing majors, always feeling like something was off, but not quite knowing what.
After being laid off as a flight attendant in 2016, I thought my life was over. I still had dreams to start my own business, but I had no idea what to do or how to start. All I knew was that I couldn’t change my major again or get stuck in another job I hated.
I needed to crack the code. So I put my pride to the side, got a temporary receptionist position to pay the bills, and used every single minute of free time I had to learn everything I could about business.
At the time I was still in school for alternative health, had just completed my wellness coaching certification, and was passionate about helping others become the best versions of themselves.
I grew up with formal fine arts education, but I didn’t have any experience in web design. My first time building a website was for the wellness coaching business I was sure I was destined to start. After building that site with ease, I felt a creative spark inside me.
The launch was a flop, but the website was a hit. I had so many friends and family ask me to build them websites that I realized I had uncovered something special.
So I continued to build websites and dove headfirst into the digital marketing world. I fell in love. I realized that I could use my creative talent and business mindset to help people go from idea to reality in a really impactful and fulfilling way.
6 years later, I’ve been able to build a business that gives me the freedom-filled lifestyle I had always craved and now as a mom, entrepreneurship has become invaluable.
What I’ve learned is that anyone can start a business, but it takes the right knowledge and tools to succeed. Through my own wins and failures, I was able to develop a step-by-step method to build and launch brands so the freedom I’ve found through entrepreneurship can be attainable for everyone.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
If life has taught me anything, it’s that the path to success is never smooth.
The first business I ever launched failed, miserably in 2017. I was confident in the service I was selling, but I was woefully underprepared for running a real business.
What I realized later was that failure was actually a win. It exposed my love for digital design and sparked a new vision for me. But I didn’t go from that bump in the road straight to success, that was just the first obstacle.
In 2018, I became pregnant unexpectedly and again struggled with understanding how I was going to take on motherhood AND come back from a failed business launch.
After moving from LA to ATL with my newborn, I was able to really focus on practicing my design skills and learning more about business. I stayed at home with my daughter for two years building my design portfolio and prepared to launch Align at the beginning of 2020.
The Covid hit. At the beginning of the pandemic, I was mad. I was scared. I felt paralyzed. I thought there was NO way I could still launch and be successful. After seven months of doubting myself, and despite everything going on in my life, I decided to just do it. At this point, the world was on lockdown without an end in sight, I figured I literally had nothing to lose.
When I launched, I was broke, hadn’t finished my degree, had no formal education in web design, had already experienced one failed business, and was battling depression. But I did it anyway and it was the best decision I’ve made in my life.
It still hasn’t been an easy road, but I don’t expect it to. Every mistake, failure, and mess up teaches me something new or opens my eyes to a better way. I’m thankful for the bumps in the road that have led me here.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Align Digital Design?
I help women design aligned businesses so that they can show up confidently online and earn what they’re worth. I do this through strategic branding, effective website design, and optimized business organization.
For me, design isn’t just making cute websites. It’s about so much more than just aesthetics. It’s something that transforms a vision into reality. That’s why I design from a holistic perspective ensuring that all of your business components (customer-facing and back-office) are aligned in a way that makes the most sense for you and your clients.
YOU should be running your business, not the other way around. Without total brand and business alignment, it can be hard to experience success or actually enjoy entrepreneurship.
Unlike other designers, I don’t just build you a website and send you on your way. I am an experienced Wix Partner who has helped dozens of both small and large businesses align their branding, marketing, and back-office organization. I dig deep to understand your business from the inside out so that we can leverage your online presence to make meaningful connections with your clients and generate profit.
I start by strategizing with my clients about where they are, where they’d like to be, and what their business is all about. Then I develop the brand elements and guidelines based on their unique audience & goals.
I then design and build a beautiful, easy-to-update, fully custom website that delivers the specific results they’re after + trains them on how to use Wix on the backend.
Next, I take a look at their onboarding and service processes to identify areas for better organization and automation so they can free up some time and focus on working smarter not harder.
Lastly, we strategize and plan out the best ways to promote and market their amazing new brand to the world so that they can create the most noise about their launch as possible.
My specialties include:
– Brand Strategy
– Market Research
– Branding & Logo Design
– Website Strategy + Design
– Search Engine Optimization
– Email Marketing
– Social Media Marketing
– Business Organization & Automations
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
The best thing about Atlanta is the culture. Period. The food, the people, the music, the events, the history, everything. I think that Atlanta is a beautifully diverse city and I’m proud to say I live here!
The thing I enjoy the least about Atlanta is the traffic and gentrification. Although I’m not a native here, it’s frustrating to see so many historic neighborhoods being taken over and re-built with less than beneficial intentions. With so many people moving here and so many changes happening, it’s kind of scary to think how different the city will look and feel like in just a few years.
Contact Info:
- Email: onyia@aligndigitaldesign.com
- Website: https://www.aligndigitaldesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aligndigitaldesign
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aligndigitaldesign
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaHx_QwKu4s7UlmmRJDWHEw
Image Credits:
Barbara Yvonne Photography
