We recently connected with Alexzenia Davis and have shared our conversation below.
Alexzenia , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.
Alexzenia , 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?
The Poet’s List is a brand dedicated to “making the poet popular again.” At our core, we are a poetry-news site. We spotlight poets via original print interviews, curated news articles and spoken word videos. We have a robust community on Instagram, which spans the globe. And, we recently launched two exciting projects: First, our debut poetry prompt card game, WordPit. Second, our virtual writing retreat, available in app form on Apple and Google Play.
I started The Poet’s List in 2014 while looking for news sites to promote one of my spoken word films. The piece – which was a collaboration between myself and a filmmaker – traveled the world on a short film festival circuit. At the time, the people most interested in sharing information on our project were fellow poets who had their own personal blogs. Every so often, they might spotlight someone else’s work. I’m still *so* grateful for those poets.
Outside of that, there weren’t many outlets for poets to promote their own self-produced poetry. Poetry-news was largely relegated to the Arts sections of major publications or poetry print magazines. God truly led me to create The Poet’s List. He showed me how to combine my gift for poetry with my professional background in both journalism and publicity.
What makes The Poet’s List special – in my opinion – is that it is pure. It is not salacious. It is both sophisticated and warm. And, because I ran it anonymously for so long, it truly isn’t about me. What you experience when you visit The Poet’s List is a diverse community. People who are trying to exercise their purpose – and navigate their healing – through words.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
God has really convicted me lately that, if an idea is truly inspired, than the seed-version is enough. It doesn’t mean that you don’t remain creative or that expansion is bad. It simply means that the seed-version is enough.
I am so grateful for all of the ways in which The Poet’s List has expanded. The virtual writing retreat app is beautiful and exciting. The WordPit game is so fun and is great for self-care, therapy, game nights and the classroom. Our Instagram is a great source for connecting with other poets. We have a podcast!
But the The Poet’s List, in seed-form, is a news-blog.
And when you interview a poet who has been active in the community for 20+ years, and you realize that they are beaming with joy because they are finally able to tell their story from top to bottom for the very first time… that deposit is immeasurable.
When you are concerned with purpose – and when you give attention to what matters most – you will always see it thrive, in due time. Stats-wise, ThePoetsList.com remains the most sought after vertical of all that we’ve created to date; with its readership rising every year.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I have two quick pieces of advice for newly-formed ventures!
One: Authenticity and creativity go hand-in-hand.
In your personal life, your interests are probably very diverse. That diversity is what makes you unique and cool. It’s what lends to your personality. Usually, that same level of diversity can lend itself to your venture to make it stand out.
For instance: The Poet’s List is centered around poetry. But the look and feel of the brand is influenced by a lot of my outside interests: I love music, so I pay attention to what attracts me to certain music-based sites.
I like intellectually-stimulating conversations that are presented in a captivating way. I also like humor and anecdotal stories. I appreciate randomness within the confines of structure. So the *format* of The Poet’s List’s podcast is a mix of three different non-poetry related podcasts that I love.
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, but I’ve spent most of my adult life in the south. So, naturally our site gives off a bit of edge mixed with the warmth of southern hospitality.
Poetry is a creative endeavor, so there may be a bit more leeway to experiment with style. Yet, even if your brand calls for an extreme level of formality, it still does not have to be a carbon copy of everything that exists in your industry.
Two: Networking does not have to mean collaboration.
Interpersonal relationships will always be important. You don’t have to be in need of collaboration or capital in order to open the gate to communication. Never underestimate the power of a quick note via email or social media. And, if both parties have the bandwidth, there is great value in meeting in-person for lunch or coffee, jumping on a phone call, or connecting virtually via Zoom.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thepoetslist.com/
- Instagram: @ThePoetsList
- Other: Please download our app by searching “The Poet’s List” on iOS and Google Play OR visit thepoetslist.com/app for quick links!