Dawn Lizzul has always been passionate about entrepreneurship, marketing, advertising, and everything creative. My professional career began in the competitive pharmaceutical and healthcare field, holding various roles in marketing, advertising, and media planning & buying. I always say in life, you have to be able to pivot and be flexible, and in 2012, when we relocated to the LA area due to my husband’s job, I had to pivot and figure out what I would do next. I had two young children but always loved real estate and designing and staging properties. Hence, I decided to establish a vacation rental business with properties in Naples, Florida, and Southampton, NY. I called my company Allegra Ventures, LLC because I knew that down the road, I was going to do something else other than just real estate and vacation rentals.
“The greatest risk of all is not taking one. And You can do anything at any age. Innovation is inspired by desperation.” – Dawn Lizzul
Takeaways:
Sometimes, opportunities are presented in the most unique and interesting ways, and you just need to go for them. It might not be easy, but everything in life is a learning opportunity. There are no failures, only opportunities.
Networking and collaboration have played a crucial role in Dawn’s career, leading to award-winning projects like “Who’s Watching Who?” and the feature film “Saint Nick.”
Dawn’s entrepreneurial journey is intertwined with her family life, as she manages her son’s acting career while running her own business, Allegra Ventures, LLC
Dawn draws inspiration from successful female leaders like Oprah Winfrey, admiring her fearlessness, empowerment, and ability to build a media empire while giving back to the community.
Her motto, “Innovation is inspired by desperation,” reflects her belief in turning challenges into opportunities for growth and creativity.
Tell us your story. We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
My name is Dawn Lizzul. I am an entrepreneur, marketer, mother, wife, sister, and friend, and my newest title is Executive producer of the Saint Nick movie. I have always loved movies, Broadway plays, music, and acting. I am a native of New Jersey. I have had the opportunity to live in various places in the US, including New Jersey, Boston, Massachusetts, and the Los Angeles suburbs. Along the way, I have met many interesting and inspiring people. I spent many years doing pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing, advertising, media planning, and buying. I am also a real estate entrepreneur. I am the founder and president of my own company, Allegra Ventures, LLC. More than two years ago, I met actor/writer/producer Chris Levine, and we collaborated on two projects, one being a short film, Who’s Watching Who? That won a Percy Award from the American Academy of Independent Motion Picture. The other is the independent feature film Saint Nick. The inspiration behind my movie-making is that my youngest son, Alex Lizzul, is an aspiring child actor. I love that Alex and I are learning and trying to do business together.
What made you decide to go into business for yourself?
What is a typical day like for you? I think for most people, there is no such thing as a typical day. My day starts early with checking emails, texts, and a cup of coffee. I always try to take time to take my youngest son to school. My day consists of managing my real estate/ vacation rental calls, emails, and texts. Research for various movie projects. Work on marketing the Saint Nick movie. Meetings at various locations. I love to check out new restaurants and new places for meetings. Sometimes travel. I also manage my youngest son, who is an aspiring actor. I also try to work out daily, even if it is late at night. I also try to spend time with my family and friends, which is hard when we all have such busy schedules.
What are the three most important habits for being a successful entrepreneur?
Creative thinking / thinking outside the box
Time management
Networking
I am going to add a fourth habit: grit and determination. I believe you can get knocked down, but it is important to always get back up.
If you had one piece of advice for someone just starting out, what would it be?
Network. Think outside the box. And if you get knocked down, get back up and just keep following your dream.
What would you consider your biggest accomplishment and why?
I feel like I have so many accomplishments. One of my most significant accomplishments is starting my own business, Allegra Ventures, LLC, and Executive Producing Saint Nick. It’s always a great sense of accomplishment to turn a vision into a reality
We all face challenges. Looking back, what have been some of the biggest challenges and obstacles you’ve had to navigate?
One of the biggest challenges to navigate is trying to juggle it all and do it all, especially when you are also trying to raise a family. Additionally, I had to relocate across the country. When you relocate, it is always hard at first to adjust to a new place and new surroundings and meet new people. Still, I realize now that innovation is inspired by desperation, and when we are asked to make a change, there is always some reason for it, and we might not know that reason until much later.
What are the three most important habits for being a successful high performer or leader?
Which female leader do you admire, and why? I have always admired Oprah Winfrey. I feel like she has almost done it all. She is fearless, empowering, uplifting, and encouraging. She has built a media empire with her own network and also gives back to the community through her initiatives of setting up schools.
Do you have a favorite quote or motto that inspires you?
I have several. I believe in working hard and playing hard. I also believe that no matter how young or old you are, you can do anything at any age. Innovation is inspired by desperation.
Conclusion:
I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to be the founder and president of Allegra Ventures LLC. I love that I am able to blend my passions for real estate, creative storytelling, and movie production. I look forward to continuing to develop more movie and creative projects in the future. For more information, please visit my Instagram @allegraventuresllc.
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