Photograph by Audra Melton
Alyssa Fagien moved to Atlanta on a hunch. After college in her home state of Florida, she visited the city and picnicked in Piedmont Park, immediately falling in love with the lush greenery and tall buildings. “I just had this weird feeling about Atlanta,” says Fagien, now 27. Without a job, she packed up and settled here in 2014, determined to explore her new home and every new opportunity. “Moving to a new city, you have to put yourself out there,” she says.
Interested in photography, Fagien started posting on Instagram about the places she visited. Her account quickly took off. Chronicling the best of the city’s dining and events, @atl_bucketlist has attracted some 200,000 followers so far. As her followers started to skyrocket and others reached out to ask about the secrets to her success, Fagien decided to turn her love of social media into a business, starting her own marketing agency—Atlys Media—to build communities for some of the same restaurants and business she grew to love through @atl_bucketlist.
Even though she has fun with @atl_bucketlist, Fagien knows that it can serve a larger purpose. As the city’s population booms, her account draws attention to local businesses and helps newcomers get to know Atlanta. Fagien has had followers reach out and tell her that @atl_bucketlist has made them excited to be here and more comfortable about their move. “I felt so amazing when I got here, but making that first step to leave Florida was kind of scary,” Fagien says. “Knowing that I can make that transition for people a little bit better is really incredible.”
