We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexis Litsch and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Alexis, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Risks are crucial to anyone who aspires to be an entrepreneur. Taking risks play a huge role in my success as an entrepreneur. To me, risks are thrilling. They’re vulnerable, they’re anxiety inducing, they’re lessons, and they’re rewarding. I take a risk every time I put a new product for Peace Alien into production. I have to analyze the market and make a decision of whether or not a product idea will sell. It feels vulnerable to put your creation or art out into the world and it not receive the feedback that you had hoped for. But on the flip side, this product could be all of the rave and the new best thing. No matter the outcome, I learn from the response and am mindful of it when moving forward with new products. Not to mention, taking risks can be expensive! This is an element that largely drives people away from risk taking. People often want the reward of taking risks without the monetary sacrifice and uncertainty that comes with it.
What should our readers know about your business?
Peace Alien is a tie dye t-shirt brand with original and fun designs. It is a brand that encourages each individual to embrace their true colors and inner weird and to be as bold as the colors they wear on their shirt. Peace Alien stands for equality among all races and sexual orientations. What sets Peace Alien apart from others is the community that has been built around the brand, also known as the #AlienArmy. We aspire to instill a sense of belonging in our followers and engage with the Alien Army directly. What has helped my business get to where it is today is exposure from word of mouth. People proudly wear their favorite tee and are excited to tell all about Peace Alien when asked about their shirt by a stranger. This is my favorite way to have grown my business because it is organic and authentic growth. It warms my heart that people voluntarily want to spread the word of this unique brand. Was it easy? No. Nothing worth having comes easy, as cliche as it sounds. As aforementioned, there were risks involved in which not all of them were successful. Failure is a part of the process and journey just as much as success is. There were moments where I felt overwhelmed or discouraged and the key for these times is just to persevere. I try to circle back to the foundations of this brand and the simple beginnings remembering what made me so passionate about it in the first place. This helps me redirect my thought process and move forward. What I have learned along the way is that it is important to ask for help when you need it. Asking for help doesn’t make you weak or inferior. Coming to terms with the fact that I can not do everything on my own has been a big lesson to me especially with how independent I am by nature. Something rewarding I have learned along the journey is just what I am capable of when I put my passion and time into something. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined before this brand was born that it would become what it is today. I encourage anyone who has a dream or idea to take a leap of faith and act on it as soon as possible. Stop focusing on what could go wrong and focus on what could go RIGHT.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
You can’t visit Atlanta without stopping by the Jackson Street Bridge to admire the city line view and snap a photo. That would be one of the first places I would take a friend visiting who is new to Atlanta. The High Museum of Art is also a must-go experience. I have been there dozens of times being an artist and art enthusiast myself. I would have to show my friend a piece that is a part of The High’s permanent collection by my favorite artist Jean Michel Basquiat. Afterward, getting delicious Fellini’s pizza for dinner only seems right. A different day if the weather permits, I would definitely spend the day in Midtown renting bikes or roller skates and cruising the beltline admiring all of the mural art along the way. A pit stop at Lady Bird for a nice day drink is the move. While in the area, Ponce City Market is also a must. I would try to time it to where we could go to the rooftop around sunset time. Depending on where this friend is from they may never have had the pleasure of having Shake Shack since they only have locations in 14 states. This is one of my favorite places to eat in Atlanta. My favorite thing about traveling or exploring cities are the little things that make them unique. I would have to take this friend to go see the rainbow crosswalk because I am a huge pride/ LGBTQ+ advocate. On a weekend night, I would want to go to a spontaneous show at either Terminal West or The Tabernacle.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Without hesitation, my dad, Tim Litsch. My dad has played a huge role in the success of Peace Alien by being super encouraging in the early stages of the company’s development. It motivated me to move forward with creation when someone else saw potential in what I was doing, especially when it was someone who I looked up to like my dad. He mentored me through the process being an entrepreneur himself. His leadership and exemplary work ethic has been something I have observed since a young age. So not only is he a mentor to me in business but also a role model.
Website: www.peacealien.com
Instagram: @peacealien
Twitter: @PeaceAlien_
Facebook: www.facebook.com/officialpeacealien
Image Credits
CJ Rees (Arcade Photo)