“Invest in yourself. Bet on yourself. Trust yourself,” with Alyssa Hoffman — Fem Founder™
By: Kristin Marquet
Tags: Female Entrepreneurs, Founder Stories, Founders, Female Founders

Alyssa Hoffman is the “fearlyss” manager of the rock and roll band, Wayland. Fear-”lyss” like Alyssa, she embodies that mentality in her business in the male-dominated music industry. Being Fearlyss is a testament to being in your integrity and in your zero points to make the best decision in the present moment for the highest and best harmony of all. www.fearlyssentertainment.com

Can you tell our readers about your background?

I grew up the oldest of six children on the Jersey Shore. We had one bathroom and two sets of bunk beds in our bedroom that the girls shared. There were six of us, so we didn’t go to a lot of places or travel much at all and truly leaned on each other and our family.

What inspired you to start your business?

I didn’t choose my business. My business chose me. I was working at a Fortune 500 job setting the intention to climb the traditional corporate ladder when a rock band would steal the hearts of my family and then mine. Within six months I quit my job, sold my possessions, and moved onto a tour bus to manage a rock and roll band with no experience and only intuition guiding me.

Where is your business based?

My business is currently based in Joshua Tree, CA, but I travel full time with the band as music management.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

I started my business literally from the back of a tour bus. I started working for the band in merchandise and social media and when I started living with them and seeing what their management, promoters, and team were currently doing, I knew it was something I could do and could do better. I dove in headfirst and bet completely on myself. I spent my savings, invested in myself, and worked around the clock every day that I could. I looked at people around us that we’re doing the same thing and emulated what I could. I didn’t even get a business license for about a year afterward.

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Word of mouth has always been the biggest awareness. Shaking hands, saying thank you, and making sure to engage with everyone in the room has created a reputation that I hold sacred.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

There are always challenges in everyday working in music and especially as a woman in music. Being taken seriously for who I was and what I could bring to the table was major resistance in the beginning. It was up to me to not listen to what people were saying about me, but focus on what I was saying to people. My response is my power.

How do you stay focused?

I focus like a laser and not like a lightbulb. I zone in on what I want to accomplish. I am naturally obsessive and it helps me in an industry like this one.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

I don’t believe in competition. I believe in collaboration. I believe there is room for everyone and when you are truly standing in your authenticity, there is nothing to differentiate. No one can do it as you do, and that is your power.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Authenticity. I don’t have a physical product, I have a band and musical artists, and especially in marketing, everyone can see right through anything that does not connect. Being truthful to the art and the artist’s take is always of primal importance.

What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Invest in yourself. Bet on yourself. Trust yourself. Your gut feelings are always right, so are your goosebumps. Take it as confirmation. No one will know the answer more than your body does. Listen to your body.

What’s your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favorite app is the WWE Network. Number one, I’m a massive fan of wrestling, and number two, every piece of content that comes out of that office is ingenious. It’s a monster piece of inspiration for me. My favorite blog is the one I write for Fearlyss Entertainment. You have to always be your biggest fan. I am an avid reader and get frequently put on “book bans” by the band and my boyfriend since you can only keep so many on a tour bus. I read so fast I go through a book a day so favorites are constantly changing. At this moment, The Four Agreements tops the list.

What’s your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

My favorite business resource is the fans. Listening to them, trusting their opinion, and understanding what they’re asking for offers me more than any business article.

Who is your business role model? Why?

Rick Rubin. Rick built Def Jam out of his dorm room and has single-handedly rearranged the music industry more than once. He also works barefoot, loves wrestling, and has a library I would kill for. We’re business soulmates.

How do you balance work and life?

When you look at a scale, the pendulum in the middle is always moving, it’s never still. You will never obtain the “perfect” balance because it is always going to move. It is up to me in the present moment, in every present moment, to observe from a neutral point which way the pendulum needs to swing. That decision changes in every moment what is requiring more attention or focus, and it’s up to me to stay grounded to make that decision.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

I love to walk with my boyfriend and our dog Charlie. We walk the beaches, the deserts, the busy city streets outside venues, and the tour bus. We’re always walking and sometimes that’s all I need.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

With touring being on hold with the state of the world, we’re working on WaylandTV which is seven days a week of content that we host on the band’s YouTube channel. Each week on Friday’s we will have a brand new musical release, video, or podcast as we work towards creating The Desert Demos, a collection of songs the band is recording and producing themselves in their home studio.

How can our readers connect with you?

I am AlyssaHopeHoffman on Instagram and Facebook, AlyssaHHoffman on Twitter and for all of my blogs and videos, it’s www.fearlyssentertainment.com