Entrepreneurial Journey
Meet Alyssa McKay, a 24-year-old content creator and actress whose creative flair has blossomed into a successful entrepreneurial venture.
In December 2021, McKay, alongside her management team, launched Beyond Lost, an eye-catching streetwear brand.
Beginning with a vision for limited edition fashion, McKay’s hands-on approach to production has her brand on track to surpass $1 million in gross revenue by the close of 2024.
In this edition of Side Hustle Spotlight, we explore her entrepreneurial path and the unique offerings of Beyond Lost, particularly its standout sweat sets featuring custom embroidery and rhinestone embellishments.
Here, she shares her insights, with her thoughts distilled for clarity.
Launching Beyond Lost
Alyssa’s journey began in Portland, where she balanced a job at a local yogurt shop while pursuing her degree in communications at Portland State University.
For the past five years, she has immersed herself in content creation and acting, transforming that passion into a burgeoning business.
Around three years ago, while collaborating at The Network Effect, McKay and her team felt inspired to launch Beyond Lost.
Their mutual passion for streetwear uncovered a gap in the market craving fresh ideas.
The mission became clear: to create a brand that offered high-quality, accessible clothing while engaging her audience in the creative process.
Before even debuting their first collection, McKay tapped into her Snapchat audience for insights on colors, designs, and fit preferences.
This interactive approach allowed her team to validate their ideas, ensuring they were on the right path before diving into production.
McKay shares daily behind-the-scenes content, inviting her community to experience the brand’s evolution firsthand.
Overcoming Challenges
A pivotal component of their success lies in what McKay calls “owning the process.” By maintaining control over all aspects of the brand—from design to financial analysis—they navigated challenges effectively.
Although establishing this comprehensive framework was no small feat, it equipped them with valuable insights essential for running a modern, creator-driven business.
From the outset, Beyond Lost made an impressive impact; their first collection sold out within hours.
Looking ahead to the end of 2024, McKay is thrilled to report that the brand is projected to achieve over $1 million in sales—all accomplished without spending on paid advertising.
To bolster revenue further, McKay is considering increasing the frequency of product releases.
She is committed to maintaining high standards, with multiple samples reviewed before production.
The vision for 2025 includes doubling their offerings while prioritizing authentic connections with their audience, ensuring the brand continues to resonate.
The experience of managing Beyond Lost has been deeply rewarding for McKay.
Positive customer feedback stands out, and the brand enjoys a monthly repeat purchase rate of 40% to 70%.
This statistic brings her immense satisfaction, confirming that the brand strikes a chord with its audience.
For those considering their own entrepreneurial journey, McKay underscores the value of collaboration.
Her five-year partnership with The Network Effect has built a strong foundation of trust and teamwork.
She encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to celebrate each step of their journey, no matter how small, and to remember that ideas only hold value when they are brought to life.
Source: Entrepreneur