Business Building with Aylen De Aranza of IT’S THE NOW

Discovering and connecting with new businesses is kind of our thing.  So when we stumbled upon the IT’S THE NOW Instagram page, we were instantly like ‘um, are you serious rn!?.’  Aylen’s effortless branding, approachable tone of voice stylings and all-around girl gang celebrations meant it was love at first sight.  Fasttrack past over a year of sending heart-eye emojis to our screens and we decided to reach out.

Well, aren’t we glad we did!  It’s full steam ahead for IT’S THE NOW, and now you get the scoop – make that a double!

Tell us the story of IT’S THE NOW

“I was freelancing in PR and marketing, navigating the world of running your own business and spending a lot of time alone working from my laptop.

When I was looking for websites that could help me, everything I found felt really outdated and unrelatable, were poorly designed (I’m big on branding) and didn’t seem to be the right fit for me.

I dreamt of a platform that was really beautifully designed, that had incredible actionable content with no fluff and a way to connect and meet likeminded women and so the idea for IT’S THE NOW was born.

IT’S THE NOW is a platform to inspire, connect and help ambitious women who are wanting to monetise their passion and turn it into a thriving business. Whether you’re a creative, entrepreneur or influencer, IT’S THE NOW aims to provide the tools and resources you need to help you identify your zone of genius, create a flourishing business and connect you with other incredible women.

I started IT’S THE NOW in May 2016 and almost two years on IT’S THE NOW continues to steadily grow. We have now expanded to add a small business directory to the website, a growing online community of amazing women, we launched our first pop up mixer in 2017 in London, we have more incredible events across the globe to come in 2018 and an online store with tee’s and caps coming soon.”Where did the idea and drive come from to start your own business adventure?

“I’ve always known I wanted to start a business since I was little. There were a lot of clues looking back, I was always starting clubs, coming up with ideas to make, sell and promote things so that entrepreneurial spirit has always been there. I guess I never thought I was really ‘ready’ though. One day I quite impulsively quit my full-time job, I was overworked, stressed and not in a great place. Quitting that job really pushed me to freelance and dedicate myself to IT’S THE NOW.”

Who is a business superstar you admire and why?

“Eleanor Pendleton from Gritty Pretty. She’s done an amazing job at creating a digital empire, her aesthetic, creative direction and eye for detail is something to really admire.”

Your number one tip for women setting out to start their own thang?

“Oooh, I don’t know if I can give just one, I’ll have to give a few! First, just start even if you don’t think you’re ready, you are – I absolutely wish I had started earlier and there will be no perfect time. Two, persevere.  This life is a rollercoaster but never lose sight of your dreams. Third, be consistent. This is a mistake I see regularly. Consistency equals regular progress.”

What should we keep our eyes out for?

“I’m incredibly excited to announce we are adding to our online store with tees and caps. Think boyfriend tees with empowering slogans. We will also be donating a portion of proceeds to women’s charity.”