Social media maven and entrepreneur, Alyssa Amoroso (she/her), has the digital chops to grow an audience (and keep one!) all thanks to a strong background in PR. Growing up in an Italian family in New Jersey, she knew that depending on good grades wasn’t the only secret to success. Although her first gig was at a local pizzeria, she was certain she’d make it well-beyond her small town roots—and putting on her PR hat  did just that. “I basically spoke my way into college (I was a publicist before I even knew what one was) and attended Sacred Heart University in Connecticut for four years.” After studying media studies, communications, and fashion marketing, she started her first job the Monday after she graduated. Today, she’s a full-time influencer, podcast host, and business owner for her new venture, Tea With Publyssity. Alyssa shares just how she left the nine-to-five life to be her very own boss.

Walk us through your career and where you are today.
During my four years in college, I had a total of eight internships in the fashion and public relations industries. I worked in PR for five years and during two of those years, I ran my social media pages under the name @publyssity at the same time. Once I had saved enough money and garnered enough followers, I quit my PR job to pursue social media, podcasting and selling merchandise full-time. Now, I continue to work on those things and have since launched my own tea business.

What were some of the challenges you faced when making the switch from a corporate job to pursue entrepreneurship?
I think the biggest change and challenge was balancing cash flow while maintaining a life in New York City. Partnerships were coming in, but some brand’s would have 90-day pay periods and the stress of not knowing when your next paycheck was coming in took a toll on me. I also had to learn how to self-motivate and create boundaries for myself.

You’ve fostered a strong community online. What are the key aspects for maintaining that and growing?
I constantly engage with people via DMs or comments. I also host a lot of events and have done live shows. I think it’s really important to keep the lines of communication open with your audience. I adore the Tea Tribe!

Tell us about your latest venture, Tea with Publyssity! What inspired you to take this next step?
I’ve always been a tea drinker! In fact, I was raised in a household of non-coffee drinkers. Then, when my Spill the Tea series became popular, I adopted it. I always knew I wanted to merge the two—tea drinking and tea spilling. So, when the time was right, I did it! My first flavor, Binge-Watch Black Tea with Notes of Lemon, is meant to be enjoyed while indulging in your favorite TV shows. Now, you can sip it while you spill it. Plus, our packaging doubles as home decor. You can rest your remote control on our book box and even store stuff inside once you’ve drank your tea! I wanted our packaging to be utilized and not just another thing you need to recycle or waste.

Is there anything exciting that you have in the works?
You can definitely expect new flavors from Tea with Publyssity, as well as merchandise. I’d love to eventually sell glassware as well. The sky’s the limit!