Not A Real Job: The Ultimate Creator Playbook for Building a Life You Actually Want

by Alexandra Hallman

Overview

Taking pretty pictures, filming content, editing videos, traveling around the world, and somehow calling it "work"-none of it fit their idea of what a career was supposed to look like. I heard it all:

"Get a real job."
"You can't seriously get paid to travel."
"Nobody's going to pay for your cute Instagram photos."

Here's what they didn't realize:

Every single brand, hotel, Airbnb, coffee shop-even luxury private jets-depends on beautiful visuals to market their businesses. They pay real money-often thousands of dollars-to creators who deliver content that actually sells.

You don't need to be famous. You don't need followers. You definitely don't need permission.

When I started, I had no roadmap, no connections, and no one telling me what to do. I was working three jobs just to pay rent, editing photos on my phone at 3 a.m., and pitching my work to any brand or hotel that would listen. Eventually, something clicked.

Companies like Netflix, L'Oréal, Ritz-Carlton, T-Mobile, and countless boutique hotels began paying me thousands of dollars per shoot-not because of a follower count, but because I learned exactly how to shoot and edit the kind of content that brands desperately need to grow their business.

I turned my camera roll into a full-time income. I built a dream career entirely from scratch. And now I'm handing you every secret, tool, and strategy that took me years of mistakes, late nights, and burnout to figure out alone-so that you don't have to.

It's safer now to chase your dreams than it is to spend your life building someone else's.

If you're tired of waiting for permission, tired of trading your time for someone else's dream, and tired of settling for less than the life you know you're capable of-this book is for you.

I already paved the path. Now I'm giving you the map.

Welcome to the new era of work.
Welcome to the life they said wasn't real.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798317648862
Publisher:	Barnes & Noble Press
Publication date:	04/17/2025
Series:	The Sleepy Millionaire , #2
Pages:	116
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.31(d)

About the Author

Alexandra started small, taking photos with her iPhone and perfecting them with her signature editing skills. From those humble beginnings, she became one of the most sought-after travel photographers and content producers in the world. With clients ranging from boutique hotels and airbnbs, to global brands like L’Oréal Paris, Ritz Carlton, T-Mobile— she’s proved that passion and hard work can lead to extraordinary opportunities.

Beyond her career, Alexandra has a deep passion for giving back. From building schools and orphanages as a child to mentoring aspiring creators today, her life’s work is about empowering others. She believes that authenticity matters more than perfection, and in an era dominated by artificial content, real stories and genuine connections are what truly stand out.

With over 40 million organic engagements, hundreds of thousands of social media followers, and a six-figure business built from scratch— and yet still the small town girl next door.

She is living proof that dreams can become a reality, no matter where you start.
Originally from Santa Barbara, California, Alexandra has kitesurfed across the world and built a life centered around adventure, creativity, and helping others. But her journey wasn’t always filled with beautiful destinations and luxury hotels.

Growing up, Alexandra faced challenges that led her to question her worth and future. At just 13 years old, she hit rock bottom, but from that pain grew a fire to carve out her own path. She worked tirelessly after University (studying across four countries) working three jobs to pay rent— to producing the content for some of the world’s most prominent brands. Despite the odds, she built her success entirely on her own, learning every lesson the hard way.

Her breakthrough came when she realized that the authentic photos she loved to create could help businesses use as marketing content —and that her passion for travel could become a career. Alexandra Hallman is more than an entrepreneur—she’s a storyteller, an artist, and a champion for dreamers everywhere. She wrote this book for anyone who has ever wanted more out of life, and she hopes it inspires you to start creating the life you’ve always imagined.