Alejandra Deras shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Alejandra, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Sure thing!
Lately, joining a run club and going to the gym daily has been something that has been bringing lots of joy into my life.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! My name is Alejandra. I’m a Latina entrepreneur from Houston, TX proudly running Adigital Creative Marketing Agency and The 9PM Club.
To be quite honest, if anyone would’ve told me years ago that my path would lead from reporting on sports to building brands and creating a gym movement from late-night gym sessions, I probably wouldn’t have believed it, but here we are!
My story started in the media sidelines.
I began my career as a sports writer, telling stories about passion, teamwork, and play-by-plays with a Spanish sports podcast, Mente Futbolera. Eventually, my path led me to the Houston Dynamo’s marketing department, where I discovered the power of creativity beyond the field; how strategy, emotion, and culture can move people. From there, I also transitioned into the agency world, becoming a marketing executive for a marketing agency in Houston, helping businesses find their voice and presence in their competitive market.
Deep down, I always knew I wanted to create something of my own; something that merged creativity, culture, and purpose. That’s how Adgital was born. Adigital is a creative marketing agency built to help brands, especially Latino-owned ones, develop an authentic identity that stands out. We focus on storytelling, design, and strategy that connect emotionally because a strong brand isn’t just seen, it’s felt.
In 2024, a new chapter began… one that I didn’t plan but needed. I started hitting the gym every night at 9PM as part of my own fitness journey. It became a form of therapy. That’s when I started noticing other people of all ages showing up at the same time, quietly chasing their goals.
One night, I decided to gift a +60 year old man a shirt that said “9PM” on the front and “no one wants it harder than those who want it for a lifetime” on the back because he was my inspiration all throughout my journey. That small gesture turned into something bigger than us: a movement.
The 9PM Club is more than gym Merch; it’s a reminder that transformation doesn’t have a schedule. It’s for the ones who show up after work, after life’s chaos, and still put in the work for themselves. It’s about consistency, discipline, and the unseen inspiration we give and receive in those quiet hours.
Today, I’m balancing both worlds… building brands by day and building a movement by night.
Through Adigital, I help businesses bring their vision to life, and through The 9PM Club, I remind people that it’s never too late to start showing up for yourself. Each drop is dedicated and inspired by somebody I’ve met at the gym at 9PM.
Both brands represent pieces of me; the creative, the storyteller, the athlete, the Latina entrepreneur.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before I became a business owner or found my rhythm at the gym, I was just a recent college grad from Houston Baptist University; a girl with a camera, a mic, and a dream to make her mark in the sports world.
Back then, I believed the only way to stand out was to blend in first, to follow the path everyone around me seemed to be taking. I worked my way into the sports media bubble, surrounded by reporters, influencers, and storytellers who all seemed to have it figured out.
But my real story started long before that. I grew up on the soccer field; the girl who lived and breathed the sport. I was MVP two years in a row in high school, a four-year letterman, and the one who was always expected to go far. Soccer was my identity. It was how I defined success, discipline, and belonging. Until one day, at the age of 27, a torn hamstring forced me to stop.
That injury was my wake-up call; a painful but necessary pause that made me realize I had to pivot. For the first time, I wasn’t the athlete chasing a ball. I had to learn how to move differently, to train for myself, not for a game. That shift led me to discover the gym; not as a place to compete, but as a space to rebuild.
What started as recovery turned into rebirth. I lost over 30 pounds naturally, and along the way, I found a new version of discipline… one rooted in consistency, creativity, and self-respect.
Today, I’m the founder of Adigital, and I’m also the creator of The 9PM Club, a movement born from my late-night gym sessions. What began as a simple gesture, gifting a shirt to someone who showed up at 9PM just like me, became a symbol of dedication, resilience, and silent inspiration.
Before the world told me who I was, I was just a girl chasing a ball, not realizing she was training for something much bigger; a life built on creativity, purpose, and the kind of strength you can only find when you start showing up for yourself.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me how to start over and more importantly, how to be okay with starting over.
When I tore my hamstring, it felt like the world hit pause on everything I thought I was. I wasn’t just losing a season, I was losing an identity. Soccer had been my life since I was a kid. I was the girl everyone expected to keep winning, but when the game stopped, so did I.
For the first time, I didn’t know who I was without it.
Then, later in life, I made a choice that scared me just as much as that injury; I walked away from everything I thought I wanted. I quit my roles as a sports reporter, as a marketing associate for the Houston Dynamo, and even as an executive at a marketing agency.
On paper, it looked like I was throwing away everything I had worked for. In reality, I was finally making space to find myself.
Suffering taught me patience; the kind that success never does. It taught me to listen to silence, to rebuild from uncertainty, and to stop chasing titles that looked good but didn’t feel right.
It reminded me that identity isn’t tied to a career, a sport, or an achievement, it’s tied to purpose.
That pain came clarity. I learned that success without alignment feels empty, but growth born from struggle was the kind of growth that lasts.
Suffering stripped me of who I thought I had to be, so I could finally become who I was meant to be.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
In the creative marketing world, one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves is that money equals success. That if you throw enough dollars at ads, or invest in a flashy pre-made logo, your brand will automatically thrive, but I’ve learned that without strategy and purpose, it’s just noise.
At Adigital, I’ve seen too many businesses believe that branding is about colors, fonts, or paid campaigns, when in reality, it’s about connection and emotion. It’s about converting clients to advocates. A brand only becomes powerful when it’s rooted in a story people can feel. That’s why everything we build starts with intention. Marketing that lacks purpose might catch attention, but it will never keep it.
In the fitness and social space, the same illusion exists; the belief that perfection equals credibility.
The internet has convinced people that transformation has to look flawless, filtered, and effortless.
The truth is, real transformation is raw. It’s consistent. It’s imperfect.
That’s exactly why The 9PM Club exists: to bring authenticity back to the fitness space. Every drop tells a real story of discipline and resilience. Drop 2 honors AP, a 60-year-old man who shows up every night, proving that dedication has no age.
Drop 3 will share Chris’s story — a young man who was once addicted to something that could’ve cost him his life and instead, found gym as his new addiction at 9PM. These stories remind us that success, whether in business or fitness, isn’t about appearances. It’s about consistency, intention, and heart.
In both worlds, the truth always outlasts the illusion.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you think people will most misunderstand about your legacy?
I think what people may misunderstand about my legacy is my intention. From the outside, it’s easy to assume confidence means perfection, that building two brands and sharing my journey comes from a place of wanting to be seen, but the truth is, everything I do comes from a place of becoming.
There have been seasons where I’ve had to let people go; not out of pride, but out of peace. I’ve realized that many of those people were simply in a place I once was: lost, unfulfilled, or still trying to figure out who they are. When someone hasn’t found their own purpose yet, it’s easy for them to misunderstand yours.
Some may see my drive as showing off or think I live a life without struggle, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I struggle every day: physically, emotionally, financially. Running two businesses while staying true to myself isn’t easy. There are moments of doubt, exhaustion, and fear.
But I’ve also accepted that I wasn’t meant to live a “comfortable” life. My path was meant to be uncomfortable; to challenge me, to expand me, and to help others see what’s possible when you don’t give up.
So, if there’s one thing people might misunderstand about my legacy, it’s that it was never about being perfect. It’s about being real. It’s about showing that even through pain, discipline, and starting over, you can still build something that matters.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: alejandra_deras
- Other: IG: Adigitalcreate
IG: 9.pmclub
Image Credits
Alejandra Deras
