We were lucky to catch up with Alexia Dugger-Maye recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexia, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I feel that if you’re an entrepreneur you immediately know that you will be taking a lot of risks. Or you should know that in order to truly be successful there will be risks taken. I take risk often because I don’t sell a product so I have to put myself out there hoping that people like what I have to offer. This sometimes means not being paid or not being paid much. Trying new things can often be a risk as well.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Well, I went to college for 5 years and received my BA in Criminal Justice with a minor in Human Development and Family Studies. I graduated in December 2019, Covid hit a few months later and I was laid off of my first job out of college. I really love my degree so I was actually disappointed. I along with so many other people couldn’t find a job so I began to use what God had given me. I began to use my gifts. I began working from home and different opportunities began to come my way but I couldn’t accept some due to me having to work. This drove me crazy for months. I wasn’t living in my purpose. At one point, my job and I decided it was time for us to part ways. That is truly when my acting career started. I’ve danced my whole life, but I began performing when I worked at this work from home job. In the midst of acting, I began doing Indie films that needed an actress that could dance so not only was it perfect for me but completely opened my mind to a world I never thought of. I had been taking pictures for years but I truly took it more seriously once I stepped into this new world that I hadn’t envisioned for myself. Now I am Lexi The Brand, the dancer, model and actress.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

From November 2021-December 2022 every single week apart from maybe 2-3 total I drove back and forth from Birmingham to Atlanta for set or general bookings. I experienced tire blowouts, not always having gas money so I had to do instacart or doordash when I got to Atlanta so that I could make it back home. Sometimes I had to do instacart or doordash to feed myself when I was gone. Either way, I knew that I was doing what I loved to do && feeling alive while doing it. I’ve learned more than some do in years and progressed faster than some as well. If I would have gave up there is so much that I wouldn’t have seen, so many people that I wouldn’t have met, && so many big opportunities that would have never met me. But I didn’t let life get in the way, I knew at that moment that God had given me a snapshot of what my life could be like.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

As a creative I’ve learned that my vision will not always be understood and not even always meant to be understood. My family loves to push the “You need to get a job narrative” more than “follow your dreams” narrative because to them life isn’t about doing what you love to do but more of what you have to do to take care of yourself and in some cases your family. This is not to say having some form of income isn’t important, but do not give up on your dreams because people around you can’t see the vision. Your vision is for you, that’s why it’s yours.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lexithebrand.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/lexi_thebrand?r=nametag
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/uLvvVtEpVBfM2Uw7/?mibextid=hu50Ix

Image Credits
@marc Vikton @Jknox Photography @SilverfoxBoudoirStudio