We were lucky to catch up with Nicole Alexander recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nicole, appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

I started Ivy Alexander during the pandemic after I noted that strangers would approach me while dining al fresco and ask me about the bag hook I was using. I thought that now more than ever, people wanted to keep their bags off the ground and germ free. But the purse hooks I was using weren’t made well. So I endeavored to make a better, more elegant version. That was a risk for me. But I took the risk in honor of my parents who had recently passed away. While preparing for an estate sale, I found a box with my father’s handwriting on it. The black marker scrawled “Nick’s Box of Broken Dreams.” The box was filled with manuscripts that hadn’t been published, architectural drawing of buildings that had not been erected and inventions that had not been patented. It broke my heart to find this box but it also inspired me to follow my dreams and to take risks in my life. I don’t want my own box of broken dreams.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Well, I am a lawyer by trade and have spent much of my career in the business and professional development realm. Ivy Alexander is a luxury accessories brand starting first with opulent purse hook products designed to keep your beloved handbags safe from theft and damage. We hope this will be the first of many products that we will offer – all manifesting our tag line, “Luxury with a Purpose.”

The meaning behind “Luxury with a Purpose” is two-fold. First, we hope to create smart, functional and luxurious accessories and products for sophisticated clientele. Second, a percentage of our proceeds shall go to the Ivy Alexander Foundation, a foundation dedicated to helping non-profit organizations that advance equity for women.

Founding this company has been a truly joyful experience because throughout the process, from inception to launch, I have had the opportunity to work with an amazing group of talented, creative and strong women professionals all seeking to raise each other to new heights. I hope that this company and the Ivy Alexander Foundation will be able to give back and provide others with opportunities to flourish and find joy.

This brand is named after my grandmother Ivy. Despite a royal pedigree, she emigrated to the states from England in the 1950’s. She was a seamstress, a corporate assistant, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

My grandmother worked full time and raised children during an era when women were expected to identify primarily as wives and to eschew work from outside of the home. Ivy was nurturing, smart and quick witted. She had a flirtatious way about her, made a mean cup of tea and wore pink lipstick until the day she died.

This brand is to be the embodiment of her: independent, elegant, and kind.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

A strong social media presence is critical to a business’ success particularly when your primary platform for sales is your website. Ivy Alexander has launched several media campaigns on Instagram and Facebook. Most recently, we put a spotlight on one fabulous woman a day during Women’s History Month. It was such a rewarding experience because we were able to write a profile for each person and raise them up. Those profiled then shared our posts and it increased Ivy Alexander’s exposure and more traffic to the website. Other successful campaign included a “Where in the world is Ivy Alexander.” We encouraged our customers to post pics of the Ivy Alexander hooks being used all over the world.

When starting your company’s social media presence, have fun, post often and be mindful of scheduling posts in time with relevant holidays.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

The Creator’s Code: The Six Essential Skills of Extraordinary Entrepreneurs Paperback – by Amy Wilkinson. The book is based on in-depth interviews with more than 200 leading entrepreneurs. The book was recommended to me by an entrepreneur I had met at a Women’s Golf Outing. (Mind you, my golf skills are seriously lacking but by networking skills are not,)

The main premise of the book is that each of us has the capacity to spot opportunities, invent products, and build businesses. Creators are not necessarily born with an innate ability to conceive and build enterprises. They work at it. It was a quick read and I pick it up every now and then for words of wisdom.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ivy-alexander.com
• Instagram: ivyalexander_newyork
• Facebook: IvyAlexanderNewYork

Image Credits
Wendy Moynihan and KATHRYN SUELLENTROP