We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alexis Raquel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alexis, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear from you about what you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry and why it matters.

That we’re not essential. We keep the world looking good through our services- for tv, for work, for school etc. When the pandemic hit, you saw so many people cutting their hair off or just doing nothing because they didn’t know how to. People were even sacrificing their health to get services done still. We’re very essential.

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 am Alexis Raquel, a driven Leo woman who balances roles as a mother, friend, and seasoned entrepreneur. My diverse skill set includes expertise as a hairstylist, brand and marketing strategist for beauty entrepreneurs, beauty educator, model, and event curator.

Originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina, I established roots in Columbia in 2010 during my teenage years. After graduating from the Kenneth Shuler Schools of Cosmetology in 2018, I pursued further education to become a licensed cosmetologist instructor.

Fusing my passions for beauty and business, I founded the AR Experience, where every client is treated as a VIP, allowing them to relax while I handle every aspect, ensuring optimal results whether it’s an event, marketing strategy, or hairstyling.

Additionally, I have recently launched a podcast tailored for beauty industry professionals called BEAUTY R US, providing a supportive and nurturing environment for laughter, dialogue, and professional growth. As someone who believes that true passion blurs the lines between work and pleasure, I find immense fulfillment in every aspect of my career journey.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I’m in a time of pivot currently actually, I am weighing the pros and cons of being a fulltime instructor versus a fulltime independent contractor.

I am so used to being behind the chair , working on my own time and making my own schedule. The major difference that I am excited about is the routine end consistency with being an instructor,

I am nervous about the transition of my clients because they’re family now and I have them so spoiled. I’m nervous other stylists won’t love on them like me, but I have faith they’ll be fine.

This is a new thing for me and my journey and I have to follow my heart and trust God.
It’s not easy not knowing your next step or next move but I do feel that this is exactly what I need to be doing and where I need to be,

Cheers to the future intstructor me !

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media was definitely a task in the beginning . I didn’t know what I was doing or where I was going wrong.

Sometimes I would post 3 times, some days 1 some days none. The main thing is consistency. I know I know you hear that word so much , but it’s true. Stay consistent. I don’t care if it’s one time every day or 3 times every 3 days – create a routine and stick to it.

Also be yourself . Yeah you hear that a lot too. It’s easy to fall into imposter syndrome in the world we’re in but remember there’s nobody like you. You get to bring your own flavor to social media and have people patronize your business or network with you ebacsue of who you are.

People buy from people who they feel like they know and who they trust. So show up, show your face, get personal and watch your tribe create itself.

Contact Info:

• Website: The-arexperience.org
• Instagram: Thearexperience
• Facebook: MILLIONDOLLAR Raquel
• Youtube: Beauty r us
• Other: Ig: iamalexisraquel_ Ig: beautyrus

Image Credits
Cmetro Jones Apollo wonex