Founder & Digital Growth Architect
Alex Franco
Built to show up. Wired to think across technical and creative. Always working with you, not just for you.
01 — Origin
Origin Story
Born and raised in Youngstown, OH, the youngest of four, with three older sisters, to Peruvian immigrant parents who built everything from scratch. His mother took him to practices and early morning swim meets all around Ohio, spent entire weekends poolside, and raised four kids with unconditional love and a genuine joy for life. His father, a well-known cardiothoracic surgeon, had no business having a free afternoon. He’d show up anyway. At the pool. In the driveway with a basketball. On the soccer sideline. At the wrestling mat. Always when it mattered. From both parents came a refusal to let tired be an excuse. That foundation hasn’t left him.
02 — Home Base
Where Life Is
Alex lives in Austintown, OH with his wife — married six years, together for thirteen — their two kids, Alton and Noemi, and two dogs, Gus Gus and Chewie. Family isn’t a fun fact. It’s the reason. Whether it’s chasing each other around the house, kitchen dance sessions, coaching their sports, or mini weekend getaways, this is what everything gets built around. Both their families are close by, but with siblings and extended family spread out, they make a real effort to close that distance as often as they can. A handful of visits a year is never enough.
03 — The Path
How Alex Got Here
Before Alpacta
The chapter that built the instinct
Started in hospitality as a Guest Service Supervisor. He learned fast that listening, truly listening, is the difference between a problem and a recovery. Co-founded a marketing agency in Youngstown. Then went back to school for eBusiness because he wanted to understand how technology actually moves businesses forward, not just in theory.
Every role put him at the bridge between technical and creative. Reducing friction. Making things cohesive. Spent years at agencies doing exactly that — until it was time to build something of his own.
Why Alpacta
The reason for the next chapter
Alex doesn’t work for businesses. He works with them. Facing the challenge together, finding the innovative path forward, thinking across technical and creative at the same time. Too many businesses have the effort but lack the clarity and connected systems to turn it into measurable results. Alpacta exists to close that gap.
04 — Fun Facts
Off the Clock
A few things that have nothing to do with strategy decks.
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01
Coaches high school and youth wrestling and his son’s youth soccer team. Competed in swimming, soccer, and wrestling growing up.
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02
Held an Ohio state record in the 100m freestyle.
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03
Sci-fi fanatic. Will watch anything, any Rotten Tomatoes rating. His precious Gibson guitar resurrection is this year’s mission.
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04
Takes on home projects that cause anxiety, then walks away with a new skill every time and pride in his work.
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05
Picked up rugby and powerlifting in his 30s. No quarterlife crisis here — just refused to peak early.
05 —Alex’s People
The Ones That Made This Possible
None of this exists without the people who believed in it before he did. His wife, his best friend, and biggest cheerleader, is the one who finally pushed him out of the freelance zone and into building something real. She took on extra weight at home without complaint through his late nights and 4am sessions. To his kids, Alton and Noemi — you’re who he’s building toward.
I love you my true love. You’re doing amazing and this will all be worth it. You’ve got 3 people and 2 pups who believe in you more than you know. We love you!
— From his wife, BriannaTo family and friends who’ve encouraged this for years: this one’s for all of you. As one of them put it: “I love you dude. Let it rip.”