We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alex Louis-Jacques a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alex, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I started Lavender Blues because of an idea I had while working as a nanny. While I was working and living in London, England in someone else’s music class, under someone else’s parachute I told myself that this was something I could do. Not just well, I knew I could be one of the best.

After returning to my hometown, my Dyker Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY I knew it was time. I saw a really cute bookstore and asked the owner if I could try out an idea I had. She recognized me from the neighborhood and gave me a chance immediately!

One day (8/11/12 to be exact) I gathered all of my courage, some instruments, a parachute and a bubble machine and walked into the bookstore to try out my very first class.

The first group was easy. They had already been gathering for Story Time and were there waiting for me that first day. They loved me, I loved them, it was working out great. So great I thought I could easily do it again in another neighborhood. I was filled with confidence only to have it deflated quickly. My very first venture into a new location was in Gowanus and it didn’t have any people showing up. No ready made audience. I thought it would be as easy as the first. It wasn’t.

I didn’t let this dishearten me. I knew that what I wanted to do would be great. I knew the fact that I found something I love, I love the children, I love music, I love my neighborhood and I love inclusivity. I created something that brings all these elements together in harmony. It is a blessing and something I don’t want to let go of. Instead of giving up after a few empty classes I printed out some flyers and I got walking the neighborhood streets. Anyone I passed by with a stroller, a baby or a toddler I was walking right up to and telling them about my class. This was the hardest thing for me as I feel shy a lot of the time. An introvert who longed to be extraverted! This pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me that when I’m driven by love I can be relentless.

One person, one family, one child at a time I got that next circle going…. I was so proud that I could boast, once I had folks in my circle they stayed and came back again and again for more… I did this in neighborhood after neighborhood and it was only a few years before I was in 7 Brooklyn neighborhoods as well as lower Manhattan!

In less than 2 years I quit every side job I had taken to get my idea off the ground. I was all in for Lavender Blues. After 8 years of traveling from neighborhood to neighborhood and renting by the hour from other businesses it was time for a home of our own, I looked to Bedford Stuyvesant to fill a need. I asked my community for help and in less than 2 months we raised $10,000 to help me move into a commercial storefront to host Lavender Blues. A home of our own! This was 6 weeks before the pandemic hit!

By giving back to the community, the community was able to give back to me to help keep me going through the pandemic.

Now Lavender Blues is doing so much, hosting in person as well as virtual classes. In the 10 years I’ve been hosting Lavender Blues I made my class into a TV show shown on my YouTube channel. I’ve recorded an album and am currently on my second, set to release in early 2023. Lavender Blues does better every year, a constant and steady rise.

Alex, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a 42 year old former professional nanny who transitioned 10 years ago into a teaching artist. I was always good with kids and have always LOVED babies. From very young I was always helping out with the littlest ones. I started babysitting on my own at 12 years old. The Babysitters Club Books were a huge influence. It’s the same with music. singing is my favorite. I always say if I thought I had any kind of talent or if I had been encouraged in any way, it would have been the Broadway life for me! Music is part of me, I am always singing and listening to music.

I created an educational music and movement program designed especially for 0-3 year olds because I knew I’d be good at it. I had been a brilliant nanny and have lots of experience with this age group. I transitioned to a performer as I knew I would be better than your average “baby singer” because of all my early childhood knowledge. While at the time I didn’t have the training of a professional singer, my enthusiasm for performing was more than enough to get me started and keep me going.

At 31 years old I was starting my life again. I had just suffered a loss, a twin pregnancy at 22 weeks. I was completely devastated and was at a crossroads. It was through my grief that I got the courage to start.

There were 3 major obstacles in getting started. The first was the doubt and negative talk from others. Folks telling me it wasn’t a real thing, that I couldn’t support my life this way. To get a real job and do my idea for the fun of it. The second was getting through the fear of being the center of attention and the panic attacks that came from being around pregnant folks due to the trauma of my loss. Lastly, it was getting people to come. No one knew who I was or what I was capable of. I had to go out there and introduce myself individually to folks on the street. Then I had to convince them to try my class. I managed to get through all this by simply doing it. Over and over and over again. No matter who showed did or didn’t show up, I kept going. Through panic attacks I kept breathing. Giving up wasn’t an option. Focusing on the children helped a lot. It was the children that started the healing for me.

The hardest part in the beginning was hosting a class with only one or two students. Though it was really hard at first, I got really great at it. Now I have the ability to host class for 2 students to 35 students and beyond. Beyond my classroom, I also perform my recorded music! I’ve headlined at Central Park for the National Association of DownSyndrome’s Buddy Walk as well and introduced other performers at BAM Brooklyn. My music is available on all digital platforms so that everyone can access Lady B.

I provide community for my clients. Young families rarely have children at the same time as their friends. I provide a safe space for folks to get to know and learn and grow with each other. I am the support as well as provide the support for those who need some extra care in those early days of parenthood. I also teach parents and caregivers how to not just survive but to thrive with their little ones. Teaching them the tools to give their children the best start in life.

Our circle shows our families the ideal community. One of inclusion with folks from all walks of life. I want to provide a safe space for children to know they are loved no matter what. That there are no rules for how they should be. Lavender Blues is a judgement free zone and everyone knows it. Everyone has the freedom to be exactly who they are.

What sets me apart from others is that I am a ‘Baby person” turned musician rather than the other way around. I truly understand our Babies and Toddlers and have lots of Early Childhood education and experience to share with my clients and community. Music is also in my blood.

I am most proud of the community I built. The people who spent their early childhood years with Lavender Blues. When folks inevitably age out of my program , more often than not they stay connected to the families that were in their circle with them. I am proud of the way my circle is the ideal community, we show our little ones how to be. How to love, be kind, connect and care for each other as well as themselves.

I am proud that after you leave me I stay with you. I am part of your foundation for life. I am proud that when you leave me you enter your next chapter with a confidence that I help put there. In helping others it has helped to heal my heart as well.

I want every child to have the opportunity to start their life with Lavender Blues and Lady B (that’s me). My goal is to do this through Lavender Blues, Lavender Blues TV as well as the music I create. It is important to me that everyone has access to Lavender Blues, so much so that I never have and never will turn anyone away from my class for inability to pay. I also host free online classes for those who can’t get to me. There are so many ways to pay for Lavender Blues, I do my best to stay assessable while paying rent in NYC!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think my consistency as well as my energy helped build my reputation. My consistency because I showed my community that they could rely on me. That I would always be there. Whether they were there or not I was. The children could rely on my consistency to always be the same when they saw me. They could rely on me in this way and that help to build their confidence.

My energy because there is no one quite like me. The most feedback I receive is about my energy. How much of it I have. How I can bring it out of others. How I am able to change the temperature of any room that I am in. Always leaving you feeling good no matter how you joined us. I believe it to be my superpower.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

My most effective strategy is going directly to the people. To walk around with flyers. Go to parks, playgrounds, events where I know young families will be. The folks that tend to stay a long time with Lavender Blues are folks I met in person and invited to join us in class.

The next best way is advertising through mom boards on social media platforms. Facebook and Instagram ads. I create content for the children and the families who come to my class and in creating that content it gives folks who may not otherwise notice me a way to connected to Lady B.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.LavenderBluesMusic.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/lavenderbluesmusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LavenderBluesMusic/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lavenderbluesmusic/
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/lavender_blues
• Youtube: www.YouTube.com/LavenderBluesMusic
• Other: www.Patreon.com/LavenderBluesMusic

Image Credits
Lady B with the parachute and Lady B with the Bubble Machine, those two pictures are to be credited to Black Owned Brooklyn. The rest are from Lavender Blues