When Alanna Singleton launched A. Fierce Marketing Co. in 2020, it wasn’t with a formal degree in design or years of agency experience under her belt. Instead, it was grit, an instinct for aesthetics and a love for Long Beach that carried her into the digital marketing world.
Her journey began with a leadership role in Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., where she was tasked with creating flyers and managing social media for her Long Beach alumnae chapter nearly a decade ago.
“I’d never done anything like that before,” she recalls.
“But I taught myself. Flyers came first, and then people started asking me to design theirs, and this time for pay.”
Soon after, someone asked if she could build a website.
“I had never done a website before, but I figured since I was designing flyers, websites would be the next step.”
One request led to another, and soon Singleton was building websites, teaching herself through trial and error.
By 2020, Singleton decided to turn her side work into a real business.
“I wanted to create my business to help coaches and service providers be proud of their websites and have a powerful digital presence.”
Design Meets Data
For Singleton, artistry is nothing without strategy.
“Numbers always tell the truth.”
That’s why it’s important for Singleton to stay up to date on marketing stats, design statistics and trends. She follows HubSpot reports closely, dabbles in Pinterest for inspiration and pays attention to what her peers are doing.
“I know that most users are on their phones so it’s important for me to make sure that a client’s website also looks great on mobile view.”
That balance of creativity and analytics is built into what she calls her Fierce Presence Framework, a three-part system that emphasizes magnetic messaging, a bold brand and strategic conversion. Each pillar builds on the next to ensure clients walk away with not just a beautiful site, but a complete, cohesive digital presence.
One client that stands out in her memory was a coaching company for women in leadership. Their old website, with its dark, masculine color scheme, looked more like it belonged to a security or HVAC company. Singleton redesigned their digital presence to reflect their brand’s personality and audience.
“The difference was night and day,” she says.
Singleton’s roots in creativity go back further than her sorority days. As a middle schooler in Sacramento, she loved to draw, often replicating VHS cover art by hand.
“I don't know how I picked it up, or where I picked it up from. I just started drawing. I always had this notepad I carried around,” she recalled. “I wish I still had that.”
That same eye for detail and composition now shapes her digital work.
“I've never taken a marketing class or anything like that, but I've always been creative,” she said. “I've always loved designing and just creating beautiful things.”
Looking Ahead
Living in Long Beach for more than 20 years, Singleton has built her life in a city she loves. She envisions A. Fierce Marketing Co. growing into a full-fledged agency, with a team of designers offering everything from social media strategy to branded event materials. Beyond business, she hopes to partner with nonprofits to provide free websites for entrepreneurs who can’t afford them and even establish a scholarship fund for students pursuing creative fields.
Singleton doesn't just build websites — she architects digital narratives. In her dual role as both designer and certified StoryBrand guide, Singleton leverages Donald Miller’s messaging framework to position customers as the heroes of their own stories. It’s this blend of storytelling and strategy that allows her to deliver not just beautiful websites, but ones that truly connect.
“I believe you don’t have to choose between function and beauty,” Singleton says. “You can have both — and that’s what I deliver.”
“I believe you don’t have to choose between function and beauty. You can have both — and that’s what I deliver.”