Meet Alyssa Simmons | Young Creative Entrepreneur & College Student

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alyssa Simmons and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alyssa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My thought process behind starting my own business initially came from the founding of my individual Non-profit “Reigns Charity Foundation” I initially created my Non-profit in an effort to inspire others going through adversity, with my motto, “It’s temporary…” My Non-profit was particularly created to support and inspire other individuals going through similar adversity as me, such as having a Chronic Illness and/or being a part of the Disability community. This being what birthed my motto, and the vision that brought about me launching “Reigns” as a business as well.

My motto, “It’s temporary…” was created out of having to support and encourage myself individually as I fought through my own struggles daily, in enduring the pain that comes with having a Chronic Illness. My motto spawned from me constantly having to remind myself that the pain I was enduring at the moment was temporary, and that I was much stronger than the physical pain my body was forcing me to endure. My brand name “Reigns” was birthed not only out of my middle name, but also out of the significance that I wanted it to have on those looking in on the outside. The name “Reigns” holds value to me because it, of course, 1. Individualizes my brand as it is a direct reflection of who I am personally, being that it is my middle name, but it also, 2. Empowers others to be their most authentic selves, and aims to inspire others to reach their fullest potential and claim the sense of “royalty” they have in their own lives. My brand consists of beauty products such as: lipgloss, body oil, lotion; and, also consists of clothing articles with the words of affirmation that I live by incorporated on them “It’s temporary…”. In all, my brand aims to inspire individuals to prioritize themselves and their self-care, by working towards developing into the best versions of their authentic selves, embodying that sense of royalty that reigns within them.

My thought process behind starting my own business, never really was from the business aspect of it. It was my goal to inspire individuals, give them a sense of comfort and understanding through words of love and affirmation, and make something for myself that I felt had true value and significance in helping others. My original goal was to create something individual, through which I was able to serve others in my community, particularly the Disability community, and give them a sense of comfort, support, and acknowledgment that they may not already have. Thankfully, in regard to advocacy, through doing something that came naturally to me and that I already had a passion for, I was able to further that vision by constructing a creative side of my brand that was further birthed into a business that I plan to continue to develop and better this year. It is my hope that when others looking inside look at “Reigns”, not only do they see a Young Black Woman developing her own business with hopes of success, but I hope that they too acknowledge the vision that I have of inspiring others with love and encouragement to continue to have strength in being their best selves and reigning over their own lives, despite the temporary difficult circumstances that they may currently be facing.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Since a very young age, I have always been very passionate about advocating for those who are misrepresented, mistreated, and overlooked. At the age of just five years old, I became the Spokesperson for the Sickle Cell Foundation of Orange County, being the voice of those with this Chronic Illness throughout my community. As I got older, my title augmented and I now serve as the Teen Spokesperson for the foundation. In holding this title, a lot of the community and service work I did was aimed at supporting those from underprivileged and minority communities, those that lack representation, and those seeking someone to advocate for them. Much of the work we did was to provide patients with materials for their schooling, Spanish translations, for patients and their families, and simply sharing knowledge regarding the accessibility patients have to certain resources that they may not be knowledgeable about. This service work is ultimately what empowered me to get more involved in Legal work, and supporting minorities/POC specifically. In enduring my own adversities of living with a Chronic Illness, I have been able to become a lot more understanding and empathetic of everyone’s different living experiences and difficulties. Being able to relate firsthand to being an African American woman with a disability, is what drives my passion for advocacy.

Today, not only do I serve as the “Teen Spokesperson” for the Sickle Cell Foundation of Orange County, but I also consider myself to be an Advocate & Entrepreneur, driven to acquire Social Change by directly impacting the lives of individuals that are in direct contact with facing hardships in their day-to-day lives. As I have had to endure daily challenges for the nineteen years of my life thus far, I consider myself to be very understanding and able to have a broadened perspective when dealing with others on the outside. I have been able to inspire and encourage myself to continue to move towards developing into a young successful Black woman, who is courageous and holds strength in every means, and it is my hope to be able to do the same for others, constantly reminding them to endure what they have to in order to become the best version of themselves, holding the optimistic mindset that “It’s temporary…”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Coming from Southern California, Orange County specifically, there are various spots in the city that I would have to say are some of my “Favorite Spots”. But if I am thinking about a specific day trip, and the itinerary I would build in order to have a joyful and enjoyable day, I would certainly have to spend it sightseeing at the beach, and going to some of my favorite Amusement Parks.

Some of the best spots I enjoy hanging out at in the city are Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier, and Universal Studios Hollywood.

Venice Beach is definitely a go-to spot to check out when you’re looking for a nice area to sightsee, buy some good “Fair Snacks”, and groove out to some funky music while watching individuals rollerskate. Santa Monica Pier is certainly another iconic spot to add to the list. when thinking about exciting places I enjoy going to hang out with friends. Not only do I love the views at the beach at Santa Monica Pier, but I also love the activities that there are to enjoy while you’re there. Riding a few rides, going to the arcade, or simply just walking down the pier and getting good views of the ocean are just a few reasons why I love going to Santa Monica Pier. Especially in the summer. Lastly, one of my last favorite places to go to in the city, is Universal Studios Hollywood. Universal Studios is one of my favorite amusement parks, because of the love that I have for Film and Movies. Whenever I go there, I’m able to have a sense of nostalgia by reflecting on some of the old movies and shows that I used to watch at a younger age, while also just enjoying the scenery and attractions that they have to offer there.

If I had to set up an itinerary to help someone plan out how a day in the city would go for them, I would certainly add these three locations to the list for a fun, exciting, and interesting day to spend out.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When it comes to my individual “success story” there would be no such thing or credibility, without acknowledging the impact that my family had on it. My successes would not have any sense of validity or existence if it were not for my Mother, Father, & Brother. When it comes to anything that has to do with me, I will never fail to give due credit to those three for helping shape me into the individual that I am today.

My family is the very reason I have ever had the courage and drive to be successful and become the individual that I see myself being in the future. My mother is my direct backbone and foundation when it comes to my story. Without my mother, I likely would not have many of the opportunities that I had today if I did not listen to her words of encouragement in leading me in the direction of becoming my own leader and working towards achieving my successes. Without my father, I likely would still be easy to tear down, and I would not have the strength individually to believe that I was capable of all that I wanted to do. Without the motivation and words of wisdom from my father, I likely would still catch on to the invalid opinions that others impose upon me regarding my life, which would cause me to be stuck in an idle cycle. Without my brother, I may not have ever had the inspiration, drive, and reason to be so driven towards success. My brother, being the strongest individual I have ever met mentally, emotionally, and physically, is truly my inspiration of what real strength and courage are. Without him, I might not have been able to endure the everyday struggles I do with a smile on my face, and the push to continue to wake up and do something that will better me individually.

Each of these three have had the most significant impact on my development, successes, and overall life. There would be no “Reigns” without these three, as the Alyssa that was creative enough to build it likely would not be in existence either. Whenever my story is shared, I want to ensure that my name and successes are not spoken of without acknowledging and giving the necessary recognition to these family members of mine that are the direct foundation for all that my personal story entails.

Instagram: @alyssareignn

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/alyssareignsimmons

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzBfuVjRdCaHiEeRdJmZl-Q