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

Alright, Willie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

The first thoughts of starting my own business came to me while I was still in design school at The Art Institutes of Houston, 2010. I began creating concepts for my logo which has transformed many times over the years to what it is today. I designed my own business cards , brochures etc. Once I graduate and the job opportunities weren’t coming to me as I expected I took it as a sign to get going. My first designs came from concepts of ideas that I held until I found the means to make them become physical on paper. I worked at Floor&Decor as my first job out of design school. I have thousands of projects that I’ve never seen the results of from working there. The couple of clients that cared we enough to think of me are projects I’m so grateful for because those are the projects that started my portfolio of work. That was one of my biggest fears starting out. “How can I start with no work to show potential clients? My prayers were answered. Clients from Floor&Decor began asking me if I worked for myself and now I could confidently reply them, “Yes”. After a couple of years there I met a very successful contractor by the name of George Rodriquez. The first contractor to see my ability and believe in me enough to give me a chance to work with him. I always give him that credit. He gave me the boost I needed to move into AAiD. Shortly after meeting him I put in my two weeks notice in October of 2016. Afraid is an understated, understatement lol. I had a mortgage, three kids at the time, married , two vehicles but I didn’t allow that to stop me from jumping with no parachute. It was more like base jumping with a squirrel suit with no parachute. I saw many many bad days. Times that made me question whether I had done the right thing or not. Things that made me fear what I’d look like to my wife who believed in my work immensely. She loved me through it. This is why I’m here today. My wife. Keyanna Alexander who is a hair stylist in Missouri City, TX. My everything.

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?

Those that know me call me AL, and those that don’t, call me Willie Alexander Jr. Yeah it’s country. The owner of Alexander Aspects Interior Design. I was born and raised in Grenada, MS. My introduction into the industry was working steel construction at 19 years old before I enlisted in the US Navy. After spending 8 years in the Navy I went back to construction but under a different umbrella. Interior Design and Remodeling. Working on construction showed me strong work ethic. We worked in 100+ temperatures on a galvanized metal roof in the summers. It was such hard work but with some of the most talented hardworking coaches to guide me it became very interesting and fun to do.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

One of the first situations that I reference when speaking on resilience is my experience in design school. The first admissions counselor I met in design school took one look at me and immediately tried to talk me out of going after the interior design program. He asked me many times during enrollment “Are you sure this is what you want to do?” And I would answer every single time…”yes”. I didn’t suspect racism but I did suspect I was being profiled in a different manner. I’m this athletically built black guy with a family sitting in his office talking about getting into a field that was led by people who were either born into the field or had major connections that fueled their businesses and none that fit my description at all, which I didn’t find out until after I’d graduated design school. Have I faced discrimination? Yes. Did I allow it to stop me? I’m still here aren’t I? Lol

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The first lesson I had to unlearn was the contrast between the lack of racism in the military versus a field that didn’t see me the same as my US Navy comrades of all colors and backgrounds. Yeah that, there’s always going to be people who says racism doesn’t exist because saying that it does opens up how it does and forces them to address their own spirits that are the load bearing columns that supports the system through which it operates and it bothers me because it does down to the micro levels. Subatomic even. It absolutely does. I once worked for a boutique designer for a short time in Fort Bend County that fired me simply because “I didn’t fit”. I hammered the work and offered extra to show my willingness to work.
The employees that looked like
me warned me upon arrival there but I didn’t listen. I wanted this opportunity so badly that I was willing to chance it and I did and suffered greatly for it. While getting through design school I worked for The Department of Homeland Security. The pay was great , the benefits were as well and it worked great for my family. I quit that job to go work for this boutique designer and risked all of my benefits to work for what I thought was such a great opportunity for me to get my feet in the door of design and it ended with “You don’t fit”. Those words were embossed in my mind for years as I used them to fuel me through my journey. My people have been my support. The Affluent African American, Mexican community and I’m not ashamed to speak it in any space. It’s not an intentional effort on my behalf it just happened that way. I’ve carefully marketed my designs and ads to ensure I’ve included everyone and the market that has shown up for me has been my people. Sure I’d absolutely love to design for other nationalities and backgrounds but my bread and butter is proven to me that we can work together regardless of what the mainstream media carefully decides to show about us. I firmly believe it.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.alexanderaspectsinteriordesign.com
• Instagram: Yourfavoritedesignerandhost
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@alexanderaspectsinteriorde2969?si=BnEO36lvXECA_Igw

Image Credits
Willie Alexander Jr