Franziska Pugh of Los Angeles, CA on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with Franziska Pugh and have shared our conversation below.

Franziska, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
Emotional stability. It’s not the glamorous part of entrepreneurship, but it’s the foundation of everything I’ve built. Behind every launch, client win, or creative idea was a version of me learning to stay grounded through chaos – to lead with clarity instead of reaction. People see the results — the agency, the books, the partnerships — but they don’t see the hours spent regulating my energy, rebuilding my confidence, or choosing peace over proving myself. That’s the real work. And ironically, it’s what keeps everything else growing.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Franziska. I’m a writer, marketer, and founder of ADDICTED, a boutique brand partnerships agency built at the intersection of culture, creativity, and commerce.

I started my career in traditional advertising, working with global brands, before realizing I wanted to build something more human and intertwined the art and strategy behind influence. Today, my work bridges creators, brands, and meaningful storytelling through partnerships that actually convert.

What makes my brand unique is that it’s built on intuition and intention. We don’t chase trends. We help shape them. Beyond the agency, I’m a published poet and the voice behind Fundamentally Feminine, a writing platform exploring womanhood, emotion, and self-understanding. Every project I take on – whether it’s business, writing, or art – comes back to the same mission: helping people and brands move with purpose.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was curious, creative, and endlessly observant. I was always trying to make sense of people and emotions before I even had the language for it. I asked questions that made adults uncomfortable and noticed everything others tried to ignore. Before the world told me to be smaller, quieter, more palatable, I was expressive and full of wonder. I think that version of me never fully left…. She just learned to survive. Now, as a woman and creator, I’m finally giving her permission to take up space again and to lead, to write, to build, without apologizing for the depth that’s always been there.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me how to see myself clearly. Success can build confidence, but pain builds character and clarity. It stripped away the illusions of who I thought I needed to be to be loved, respected, or accepted. It forced me to develop a relationship with myself that wasn’t based on validation or performance. Through it, I learned emotional endurance. The quiet power of knowing I can rebuild, again and again, without losing myself. Success feels good, but suffering gave me depth, empathy, and discernment. It made me real.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That visibility equals value. The marketing and creator industries often glorify metrics — views, followers, impressions — as proof of success. But impact isn’t always quantifiable and influence isn’t always loud. I’ve seen brilliant ideas dismissed because they didn’t ‘perform’ on a platform, and hollow campaigns celebrated because they looked good on paper. The truth is, connection moves slower than data. The brands and creators who win long term are the ones who prioritize meaning over metrics, because authenticity compounds in ways algorithms can’t.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say I made them heal something. That I reminded them of their own power, softness, and complexity. That I built things with heart, and that everything I touched, whether a brand, a book, or a conversation and carried intention. I don’t need to be remembered as the loudest or the most successful; I want to be remembered as someone who turned pain into purpose and showed others they could do the same. My legacy, I hope, isn’t about achievement, it’s about being a mirror and awakening something in all of us.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
POP Media, Anna Azarov

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?

Coffee? Workouts? Hitting the snooze button 14 times? Everyone has their morning ritual and we

Highlighter Series
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?

Our deepest wounds often shape us as much as our greatest joys. The pain we

Highlighter Series
Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?

Culture, economic circumstances, family traditions, local customs and more can often influence us more than