Meet Alexzandria Dr. Slay” | Hair Stylist: Business Owner”
We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexzandria “Dr. Slay” and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Alexzandria “Dr., we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My thought process for starting my own business came about because I have always wanted to serve others. Most importantly the small amount of friend’s hair I would do and the smile I put on their face was worth it all. In 2017 I decided to launch my business, taking on clients at a lower cost until I perfected my craft. It is important to always be your best self and I wanted to be part of something that puts the final touch of joy on women daily. I know that there is a difference in how we all feel when our hair is on “Bad hair day ” or “This look is everything day”. I created looks for women to go from one look to another within minutes and why not have the products to help them along the way. I must have spent thousands in store because I would have hair but needed supplies to upkeep and by this time, I had serviced over 200 customers. You could say I was striving, but everyone knows the best way to get things done is to work smarter not harder.
That was when I decided to add products and accessories to my store. It wouldn’t sit well with me if a client needed something, and I didn’t have it or if they only wanted one type of product used in their hair. I also would share tips with clients on some products I feel make their installs flawless. Doing this served my clients and brought more customers to my local supply store. I learned from all those experiences in which I envisioned myself bigger. Everything from flat irons, lace wig glue, eyelashes, weft extensions, tape-in, lace wigs, and ready-to-wear wigs. The Slay Depot is every girl’s fantasy and as products are added quarterly my focus is to have my brand be one of the biggest in the industry. Some may say having a business makes you an entrepreneur, but I believe having a great vision that includes serving the world before yourself will make way for success. The more your ser others the universe will always reward you back! People begin to ask me for one-on-one classes, and I was traveling for bookings. In 2021 I decided to walk away from my corporate job to be able to serve my client and others around the world. I was a coach for six years in corporate, but my vision was beyond the cubical. I now offer mentoring and business coaching now as an add-on to the retail side of my business. I admired the way I could serve others in corporate. What I learned in some fields there is a lack of support for mental health, and we can quickly get caught up in so much work we forget to stop and enjoy life. I utilized my skills and training from those years and added courses as an additional service for my clients and anyone who needed a coach. If I can push myself this far and accomplish this much, I could imagine what someone else life would be if they too had the same drive and ambitions.
My business will always start with people and continue with people behind every process there is a why and my why is; “To teach many generations how to turn their PASSION into their PURPOSE, their PURPOSE into their PROFESSION, while using pain as fuel to generate the life they deserve”
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
In September, it will make it a full year I have been operating my business 100% alone. I have learned how to make my money work for me and I’m grateful to have not needed to return back. I walked away from a salary of over 65k, and the risk was worth the ride. It appears I was making a great income, but I was very undervalued, and my mental health was being impacted tremendously during the final two years in corporate.
What sets me apart from others is that I’m able to adapt to all environments, I find that things that may be uncomfortable to others I find settle and enjoy the challenges. I’m the person who is willing to take more risks to find out the truth faster, to get results faster, and sacrifice up front for a great reward later.
Quitting my job was one of the best decisions I had ever made. What also makes me unique is that I was able to leverage the skills and training I had in my leadership roles which allowed me to have great relationships with all my customers and private business clients. I got to where I today because I have a servanthood mindset, I calculate my risk and no matter the results of today I’m always searching for ways to be the best version of myself.
I like to say it was my lessons that got me to where I’m today! I have learned to trust myself first so that I try first, but then if I fail, I humbly ask for help. I have seen where people ask for help without trying. Here are some personal quotes I wrote I live by daily.
“Too many rich minds, put affordable dreams on credit”
“If we do not learn from history, we will repeat its mistakes”
“Show me your pain and I’ll show you the opportunity”
“Anyone can be successful by following, passion! purpose! profit! profession!
I want the world to know me as the Artist who used everything, she was blessed with to serve others, I want to bring more awareness to human tracking and the importance of self-care and mental health. I want to be the role model I needed when I was growing up so that other young women will continue to look up to me. I plan to be the next motivational speaker in the world while mentoring and coaching others on how to do the same.
I truly want to make a change and more peace in our world. I also have many clients with alopecia and the wigs I make could be used for easy installs for those who would like to have hair. I discount all services for alopecia, cancer, and hair loss customers.
Overall, I would like to have a successful business and give myself the life I never had as a south-central teenager, from living in shelters on skid row to owning my own home. In doing so share the trials and tribulations with those seeking my coaching one day we can all experience abundance at its highest.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When it comes to enjoying a great day in the city, I would first put the beach anywhere on the agenda. I love going to the beach the sound of the ocean just refreshes me. I love Manhattan the most and all the cool shops around it.
My day would start with breakfast at the beach, but for sure Dulan’s in Inglewood I eat on any day! I love going downtown near LA Live and the fashion districts. I honestly plan my day based off if it’s business, personal, or who my audience is that day.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to say growing up I did not have much guidance outside of my grandmothers who both, unfortunately, passed away in 2020. My childhood caused me to make choices that impacted me as I tried to take care of myself, but it’s not the choices you make that really impact you, it is the decisions. I would give special thanks to my college professor Michael Wallace (Antelope Valley College) and my Pastor Matthew Barnet of the LA Dream Center. I also have listened to Eric Thomas, Michael Todd, T.D Jakes, Les Brown, Steve Harvey Tony Robbins daily. It was all their testimonies that allows me to leverage my very own and become who Iam today.
Website: www.theslaydepotcom.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.slayoffical/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DRSLAYOFFICAL/
Other: lintr.ee/Drslayoffical Other Instagram https://www.instagram.com/slay.depot/ How to book me: Arizona, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Houston, and Vegas drslayoffical.booksy.com TikTok @drslayoffical
Image Credits
Photographer: Matt Conrads Clients: I took myself
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