Hi, Alexa! Please share a brief introduction about yourself and your business:
My name is Alexa! I am the visionary entrepreneur behind The Shoe Fairy, where style meets comfort in the world of high heels. I am a shoe designer, e-commerce expert, a trailblazer in the bodybuilding industry, and above all, a mother. I founded The Shoe Fairy in 2015 in the bodybuilding industry when I realized in a world of social media, there was no one to tag for bodybuilding heels. My passion for e-comm, shoes, and business led me to address a common dilemma faced by women worldwide – the quest for stylish heels that don't sacrifice comfort. I began to design and manufacture my own heels to help expand this mission outside of just a single industry. My mission is simple yet powerful: to empower women to step confidently into their lives, both personally and professionally, without compromising on comfort.
Such an innovative idea! What excites you about being an Entreprenista League member?
Having so much VALUE in one place! I love to learn and am always a student. I am so excited about all of the webinars and action items that are available.
What made you take the leap to start your own business?
I just knew that I wanted to create my own destiny. At the time, I was into bodybuilding competitions and realized I wanted to take the passion and make a business out of it. That led me to start a company selling bodybuilding heels which since, has turned into something so much larger.
Take us back to when you first launched your business, what was your marketing strategy to get the word out and did it go as planned?
OMG. I was 23 years old and there was zero "real" strategy. I launched a website (a really crappy one) and made an Instagram. Instagram was my sole source of marketing. I would simply search my relevant hashtags and follow, like, and comment on people's posts for hours a day. I then started to send free product to authorities in the industry and slowly but surely, it started to grow and I began to learn.
What is the biggest challenge you have encountered along the way and what did you learn from it?
DELEGATION. My biggest challenge has been learning how to properly delegate and to trust my team. Becoming pregnant and a first-time mom forced me to learn to let go and pass things off. I learned the most valuable lesson which was that my team and the business didn't need me as much as I thought they/it did.
Do you believe in work/life balance? What are some of your best tips?
Not always, to be honest. I feel that in order to make something successful you have to become out of balance. However, in order to sustain that success, you need to find your balance.
What's a piece of advice you can share that you wish you'd known when you first started your Entreprenista journey?
This is very micro but to use Shopify. I wish I took control of my site and used Shopify from the beginning.
What have you achieved recently that you'd like to celebrate with our community?
An article in Entrepreneur.com!
Congrats, Alexa! What's next for your business? What can we expect to see over the next few years?
This year is focused on internal growth. Last year I was pregnant and had a baby and launched a new brand within my company and four new heels. It was chaotic! This year I want to work on my internal team and strategy and make sure everything is running efficiently.
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