We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alexis Davis . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alexis below.

Alexis , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

the cool thing about candles is that they have been around for centuries and are an ancient commodity!

i began this brand because i saw a lack of sustainability in the industry — candles are one of those products that are not regulated by the FDA and i began to notice the toxins that are in our everyday lives starts with an everyday candle.

lit by lex differs from the industry standard because i decided to take the risk and create an all natural product from the wax, to the wicks, to the dyes and scent.

the most noticeable difference in our candles is the way that they burn! i decided to choose a raw uncut wooden wick and when you burn the wood it makes a crackling sound like a mini fireplace!

this is the better alternative instead of a cotton wick (which is what you normally see in big brands) yes the cotton derives from the cotton plant — BUT in order for the wick to stand up straight it’s coated in metals such as zinc, tin, copper / when you burn that candle you are burning heavy metals directly into your space.

our wood wicks are also FSC certified — and everytime we spend 100 dollars they plant a tree

we also use a soy wax with 0 additives, clean essential oils, and plant dye ( :

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Lex Davis is a 26 year old  – synesthetic that experiences sound paired with color. During her time at Florida A&M University she began to experiment with candle making and founded lit by lex during the pandemic.

Lit by Lex is a handcrafted natural candle company created for the candle lovers who love the earth as well. I believe there are 3 components to a good vibe…Colors, Music, and Candles.  Each scent is dedicated to a song and Lex’s Color Series. The Color Series is based on the color of the album, where the song can be found

during my time creating this product – i kept envisioning a space where everyone’s needs were being met at the intersection of our senses.

with each light i want every individual to take that moment for themselves to just be— be present with the colors, be with the sound of the crackling wicks and music, and be engulfed in the natural aroma.

WE as humans have our own individual special capabilities.

I see the importance of having an inclusive brand that crosses off at least 3 out of “the five” senses.

Colors Music Candles: allow us to collectively relate in our own unique ways

Here’s my thought— we all experience personal deficits, and my brand is meant to cater to everyone.

If anyone is unable see the Colors in Lit by Lex, then my goal was to create a product that you can hear–based on the healing element of sound that is found in Crackling Wooden Wicks, and the Music

If anyone is unable to see, or hear the product; then my wish is that you’re able to smell the passionate plants in the Aroma of a Lit by Lex candle

This brand is for the groovy people

For the people who have always done things unconventionally like myself—

The folks that grew up with a big heart, which coincidently led to many lessons of heartbreak along the journey. (still learning by loving…btw)

All we can do as groovy people , is THANK our childhood selves for thinking freely—and do the work to discover our truest self.

Stay true!

Do you!

and lean into this space of sticking together to raise the vibration of the collective consciousness.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I have faced quite a few hiccups during my business journey. I actually formed my company as an LLC in July 2020 in the middle of the pandemic and officially launched for profit on September 3, 2020.

During this time I also was a junior in college that attended Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University studying journalism. This was the hardest time for me as I was finishing my degree while simultaneously building my business. My last year in school i was averaging 20 hours a semester while running LITBYLEX full time

I literally cleared my savings from working my service job at school and used the remainder of my pell grant to put 3,000 dollars of the last money I had to take a chance on myself.

As business started off really well with a lot of support from friends and family / that eventually died down in month 5 of my business and I had ZERO working capital with no loans or grants to my name. In this moment I knew that either I could go back to working a service job or dedicate my entire life and energy to my business without the doubt of what my bank account looked like.

I overcame this by creating a TIKTOK and my second video I posted went VIRAL— this one video generated me 8,000 dollars in one day and it gave me the funds to keep investing in my business and survive another day. TIKTOK created an avenue for me internationally as I shipped to Australia,Puerto Rico and even the United kingdom!!

This momentum gave me the strength I needed to preserve— I had over 200 orders in one week and this is what gave me the drive to step up my production and the confidence to apply to the Wicker Park Farmers Market!

I emailed the market manager mid way through the market season in July 2021 — and received a response IMMEDIATELY that I could come to the market that following Sunday.

After I attended my first local farmers market at Wicker Park— I became a consistent vendor and have been apart of this market ever since! Being able to generate a consistent revenue monthly through in person sales provided me the sense of community I was missing which led to being so consistent that in August 2022- I purchased my first brick and mortar in the Logan Square Community!

I officially opened the doors to my store on January 11, 2023 — and have felt a whole new sense of purpose to watch my community grow!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

currently i am still learning the lesson that in business there is no ONE way to do things. I know often times there is a lot of advice on how structurally you should set up your business or even guidelines to follow to build a successful business.

one of the main tips i always see is pushing the content creation narrative that you have to post a million times a day to become visible on social media— and this is true BUT when you are in the beginning stages of your business you will find yourself becoming overworked and burnt out trying to consistently show up for your business while also trying to be seen.

the biggest take away i have learned from this is that— the right people will see and hear me.

i don’t want to be that brand that posts 10 times a day – im big on quality over quantity. i want to build something organic with my community and that calls for me to show up as my most authentic self.

i think the best way to navigate all of “the rules” is to keep showing up as your best self but show up as YOURSELF.

the right people will gravitate towards you just for being you. and that is something i have created as my base model— authenticity!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://litbylexcandleco.com/
• Instagram: @litbylexco
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-davis-8b2aa5183
• Twitter: @litbylex1
• Other: TIKTOK- litbylex

Image Credits
shot by hannah teverbaugh