We recently connected with Alexis Pickens and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexis, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I offer 3D/4D non-diagnostic ultrasounds to all expecting mothers as well as 8-week DNA gender blood testing. Most doctor offices allow up to 2 ultrasound appointments during a mother’s pregnancy that are covered by insurance unless you are having unforeseen problems during your pregnancy. I am private pay, and I started this business because I wanted mothers to have the opportunity to share this precious time with Family and Friends. In my studio you can bring your entire family to see your baby in 3D or 4D. My studio has a more intimate setting along with a fun area for the kids. Bringing families together and putting smiles on their faces is the mission.

Alexis, 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 offer 3D/4D non-Diagnostic ultrasounds to all pregnant mothers. I am also a clinical site for the Early DNA Gender Company, Sneak Peek. Being an entrepreneur has always been a lifetime dream of mine and I am blessed to be fulfilling my destiny and fulfilling this mission.

When I was only 26 weeks pregnant, I was diagnosed with Preeclampsia and had to have an emergency C-Section. During those first 3 days of being in the hospital I was confronted via ultrasound as they monitored my baby’s vitals. By the end of that third day my kidneys failed and that triggered the emergency C-section. Removing the baby allowed me to be able to go on dialysis because my kidneys stopped functioning properly which started to affect other organs. After two weeks of dialysis, they decided to give my kidneys a trial period and see if my kidneys would function on their own and they did. The following week the dialysis port was removed from my chest but only to puncture my lung which caused another emergency Surgery. My Right lung collapsed from filling up with blood and chest tubs had to be placed. I had my daughter on 8/11/2005 but I didn’t get to see her for the first time in person until Mid-September. I began to believe she didn’t make the delivery, but they didn’t want to tell me because I had so much other stuff going on. The Nurses at the hospital decided to take some pictures of her for me and got them developed so I could have them in the ICU with me. I got out of the hospital at the end of September, and she got out the 2nd week of November.

Ultrasound is my way of giving back to expecting mothers. I was able to be put at ease watching my baby on the ultrasound monitor. Even though so much was happening to me, I found a sense of peace and comfort watching her jump and float inside of me. I have not had dialysis since, and my daughter just graduated High School this past May. I went to Ultrasound school in 2011 and finished in 2013. I have worked as a Diagnostic Sonographer for over 10 years and now with the Lord’s guidance the time has come for me to give back to all expecting mothers.

Elective Ultrasounds gives mothers the opportunity to come see their baby as often as the like since there are no known bio effects to the unborn baby or to mom. Ultrasound has been around for over 30 years and has a variety of functions. Opening an Ultrasound Studio will allow me to provide entire families to come in and experience one of the happiest times in a mother’s life. Ultrasound also provides peace of mind to mothers who have had complications (like me) in the past.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster written by Darren Hardy, is the first book I read to get me into the right headspace. This book took me through his challenges and how he overcame them. In this book he warns of failures and successes and how to handle both. He gave several examples of his personal experiences and how he either capitalized from it or how he had to revamp his mind set to execute a different plan. The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster is a must read for all who are going into business or if you already have a business and need motivation to get through a tough time. I knew the start-up for my business was going to be challenging because I was going into the “unknown”, but I must say I didn’t know how challenging. Remembering some quotes from this very book allowed me to push through and see this process to the end. Mr. Hardy did an amazing job with this one!

I also like to listen to Sarah Jakes Roberts on YouTube for inspirational words and how to change your mindset. She is a great Motivational speaker, and her delivery is always heartfelt. I appreciate her for sharing her personal stories as well. I appreciate her being open about her personal life and how it looked one way, but God used it for her good. He used her to be a powerhouse for other women and he also used her to be a blessing to all who will take the time to listen to her message.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

When I decided to really do this business and I mean really take the steps needed to be successful, I went through several different scenarios. Do I buy a building? Do I rent a space? Do I rent or buy an ultrasound machine? Which website platform to use to schedule my appointments? Do I hire someone to provide me with a business plan or do I do the research myself? Do I rent furniture, or do I buy furniture? Do I apply for a business loan or a personal loan? What are the current rates for loans? What is the rate for business credit cards? Do I need an LLC or just wing it? I had so many questions starting out with this business venture. So, I decided to pull the money out of the equity of my home and finance my dream. I decided to go with the least amount of debt as possible with the best rate possible. I decided that owning a business versus renting would allow me to get the best return for my money by investing back into myself. After much consideration and research, that was the best decision I could have made.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mybumpstudio.as.me
• Instagram: @mybumpstudio
• Facebook: My Bump Studio
• Yelp: My Bump Studio in Hueytown, AL 35023

Image Credits
Sneak Peek deserves credit for Sneak Peak images only.