We had the good fortune of connecting with Elexia Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elexia, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, even from a young age when I started my own dog walking business in 7th grade. After college, I thought climbing the corporate ladder would bring success, but getting laid off during COVID opened my eyes to problems in that world and in the marketing industry. As I took a moment to breathe and transition, I realized I was treated poorly as a woman of color in the corporate space and just pumping out creative work without making anything meaningful. The corporate space felt soul-draining.

Luckily, with my connections I bounced back quickly by starting my own freelance design and marketing business. I jumped in headfirst, building my reputation through hard work. My corporate experience now allows me to intentionally support small businesses and help them compete. I’ve found my niche in supporting minority-owned businesses, helping amplify their voice and connect with their audience. I love building these one-on-one partnerships where we can thrive together. Supporting other people of color feels far more rewarding, like I’m making a real difference and lifting up my community.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I like to intertwine art and design, which can be a delicate balance as they are often seen as separate practices. But I believe there is overlap. I’ve experienced this in my design work for clients like El Sueñito Brewery, where I incorporated my art into their brand and beer label designs.

Most recently, I partnered with Tacoma’s Grit City Magazine to feature my art in their publication. Being published in their Hard Copy 20 issue was a major 2023 highlight as an artist. I never imagined having my art so publicly displayed, but now that I’ve had a taste, I want to see where else it can take me.

I’ve faced imposter syndrome, artist’s block, and comparisons which can steal joy. But I’ve learned focusing inward on my work and staying in my creative lane works best. To overcome imposter syndrome, I’ve realized the importance of taking opportunities when they arise. Just say yes and do your best, rather than questioning if you’re good enough.

Some chances I’ve gotten were lucky, but pushing myself even when I doubt my abilities is crucial. I’m self-taught as an artist and proud of that. My art often explores portraits and expressions as a way to release emotions. In the future, I aspire to do character design, create my own anime, or have a gallery show.

Most of all, I want my art to resonate with viewers and evoke a feeling or message they connect with. I’m still learning and growing, but I trust the parts of myself that won’t let me down. Staying persistent matters most to me as an artist. “Progress over Perfection” empowers me to stay resilient and keep going.

Here is a link to Tacoma Grit City Mag: https://gritcitymag.com/product/hard-copy-20/

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As a bit of a digital nomad, I’ve been fortunate to live in different countries over the years. Most recently I lived in London for my master’s degree and had a blast in Rome. So if a friend came to visit me, we could go on an adventure anywhere!

Though currently I’m based in Seattle, with an eye on Lisbon or Barcelona next. Wherever we are, exploring somewhere new together is always the most fun. But for a week in Seattle, I’d start by taking them to visit some of my clients like Saanj Winery and El Sueñito Brewery. The wine at Saanj is excellent, and El Sueñito has amazing Mexican lagers and sopas.

After eating and drinking well, we’d go party in Capitol Hill or bar hop in Tacoma. The nightlife options feel endless in both cities! Although nothing quite compares to partying in the streets of Clapham in London – so many great memories there.

Most of all, I love showing friends a good time wherever we are, discovering new places and making unforgettable memories together. Those special shared experiences are what it’s all about for me.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a shoutout to the design and marketing team at Pacific Lutheran University, specifically Simon Sung and Hans Fleurimont. They helped me get my start in design and gave me the foundational skills to become a successful designer and marketer. Their mentorship reinforced that a creative career was viable for me. Simon and Hans made my university experience better by investing in me as an intern. I’m grateful that they even featured us in the PLU alumni magazine about the value of mentorship. Their guidance and encouragement set me on the path to where I am today. You can check out the article here: https://www.plu.edu/resolute/fall-2020/mentorship-by-design/

Website: https://www.elexiajohnson.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elexia96/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elexiajohnson/

Other: My client El Sueñito Brewing: https://www.instagram.com/elsuenitobrewing/ My client Saanj Winery: https://www.instagram.com/saanj_winery My Behance page: https://www.behance.net/misslexijohnson My recent artist feature: https://gritcitymag.com/product/hard-copy-20/

Image Credits
The picture of me with the blue background can credit the Tacoma Art Museum and the picture of the DnD story preview is my art but could credit Rotator Creative and Grit City Magazine Then anything of beer should credit my client El Sueñito Brewery

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.