Even in her high school days, it was clear Alison Belilty was destined to go into a creative industry. Her self-produced annual fashion shows, which raised money for social impact organizations, gave her the opportunity to flex her creative skills, learning about partnerships with local companies, styling, and working in logistics.

Today, twenty-six year old Alison Belilty is exercising those same creative passions as the founder of YEAR-ROUND, a full-service brand consulting agency based in NYC. Belilty practices what she preaches in all aspects of her life. It is her authenticity, poise, and passion for community building that I admire most and what allows her to live her life “year-round”. 

Who were you at twenty?

I was in my junior year at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) studying Advertising and Marketing Communication, in addition to interning at Topshop and working on freelance projects as I’d find them. I was so hungry for experience, interning everywhere I could, meeting as many people as possible, and taking in everything New York City had to offer — socially, culturally, and professionally. It was super intense and wonderfully exciting. I was very career driven. Simultaneously though, I was insecure and trying to find myself and figure out who I should surround myself with, what were healthy environments for me, and learning to understand how my path could differ from others around me. 

How have you evolved since?

I’m not as quick to react. I feel more confident about which questions to ask myself when new opportunities arise and I can appreciate several sides to something or someone. With life experience, I’m not as naive and understand that we all have different purposes, avoiding any form of comparison. I think that removed the pressure of unrealistic expectations for myself.

On founding YEAR-ROUND 

YEAR-ROUND is a full-service marketing agency driven by cultural experience. We work with mission driven brands in a variety of industries - e.g. food, wellness, lifestyle, travel, social impact, fashion, beauty. We always take an in-house approach to all the brands we have the pleasure to collaborate with and are continuously concepting innovative strategies that are relevant to the brand ethos of our clients. We aim to create intentional buzz and moments that will live beyond just an experience, a launch, a campaign, etc. 

The name, YEAR-ROUND, came to me when I thought about the global footprint I wanted my new agency to have, how I wanted my agency to be perceived “year-round” and how I wanted to live my life “year-round”.

On the excitement of a solo venture

I’m looking forward to building a business and environment on my own terms, with my ever-evolving vision and to collaborate with other creatives in this space. I’m excited to continue to build a team that can learn from one another and build each other up. 

My past roles all had a tremendous impact on where I stand today. I always felt like I had an entrepreneurial footprint in every single one of my jobs. I carried a lot of responsibility and managerial opportunity, which lead me to start my own business. By treating every opportunity as if it were my own project, I learned so much and gained the confidence to branch off on my own. 

On managing a work/life balance

In all honesty, this is a constant battle, especially as a new business owner. I think it takes a lot of discipline to create daily routine and boundaries. For women entering the workforce, start those habits early. When you are beginning a new job, set those boundaries in your first week. People will actually respect you more and you will, very organically, build a healthier lifestyle for yourself.

What advice would you give to yourself at twenty?

Be patient. Embrace this special time. Travel, explore new places, meet new people, don’t feel pressured to fit into a box that is not right for you. Try different experiences, work really hard, and don’t overthink things. Life is supposed to be fun, enjoy it! 

What would you say to a twenty-something year-old girl about finding her place in the world?

Take the time to work on yourself. This also stems from the people you choose to surround yourself with. Choose wisely and remember quality over quantity.

Learn more about Alison Belilty and her work here

Photo by Elena Mudd