Meet Alexis Williams | Retired Air Force, Founder & CEO Aloha Glamour

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

Hi Alexis, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When my daughter Lauren Taylor was born while I was stationed in Hawaii, she died shortly after birth and my children and I were left alone in paradise without our baby girl.

I soon created a boutique called Aloha Glamour, Slogan-ed as the Afro-Waiian Boutique TM for help with my mental health. I felt as if I had no one to talk to but I knew I needed to turn this pain into purpose before it killed me.
I took what would have been her culture, African and Hawaiian to provide consumer with the opportunity to enjoy a unique blend of African and Hawaiian inspired fashions, alongside an unyielding positivity and an energetic online community, we want individuals to live their best life through the use of cultural prints in their everyday wardrobes.

We are the only US company that has African Printed Teddy bears hand-made made in Cote D’Ivorie.

Each item is designed and/or hand picked by Alexis from different countries in Africa and India where her God brother and director of operations Danny. Together, they have led mission teams to Ghana.

The profits made are used to make a direct international economic impact on the men and women who support the makings of our brand and a local free school— The Ebenezer KCC, Ghana.

Using the Afrowaiian lifestyle as a movement to provide employment, social impact, and an outlet for furthering colour, community, and culture.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
What I believe sets me apart from others is I didn’t wake up one day and say, “I think I want to start selling African clothing because it’s popular now, it was life or death for me. I was actively grieving while also actively serving in The Air Force at the time… My Air Force Leadership wasn’t really empathetic to my loss at the time as I had my commander blatantly tell me, “that my baby was supposed to die!” I felt like I had no one and my mental health took a huge hit. Aloha Glamour was IT!
I re-directed my energy and focus to growing my brand so that others would know my daughters name and the impact she had in my life.
I am most proud of being a change agent in the way we wear mask. I was one of the first brands to go viral during the beginning of the pandemic by selling African Print Mask. We were featured internationally and nationally in publications such as Forbes.com, GQ.com, Travel Noire, Allure.com, Oprah.com as a southern business to know, and On Beyoncé s Black Parade, as well as given a grant by her. I’m also a proud graduate of Goldman Sach’s 10,000 Small Business Program and Mississippi’s 1st VillageUnited Cohort 1.
The lessons I’ve learned are to:
1. Trust your vision. It was given to you for a reason and you don’t need anyone to sign off on your vision. However, there are resources like SBA, and The Small Business Development Center who can help you organize your vision.
2. Write the vision and make it plan, but also do the work. Have a business plan.
3. Celebrate all wins, big or small. You’d be surprised how little your community, city will celebrate you. So pat your own back and keep doing you.
4. Know who you are marketing to…and no it’s not everyone. If you try to sell to everyone, you’ll sell to no one.
5. Speak life over yourself and your business. Words are powerful so be careful as to what you put out into the universe.
6. Find a way to make a positive impact locally. To get blessings, you have to be a blessing…make sure you bless with a pure heart and right intentions though.

I would want everyone to know that when you purchase from Aloha Glamour, you are making a direct international impact on the 9 families we support by collaborating with and commissioning to hand create our products. You’re putting their kids through school, you’re helping pay their bills. The average worker in Ghana makes less than $60 USD/month. I pride myself on being able to provide a livable wage to our artisans.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend were visiting, I would take them to my favorite black owned businesses in the area.

We would eat at Nourish and Bloom, Slutty Vegan, and The Busy Bee.

We would hit up Black Wall Street Market EVERYDAY for our shopping needs.

I don’t drink but my best friends do (can you tell I’m the responsible one) we would go to The Parlor or Pin and Proper for drinks and fun.

Civil Rights Tours, The Culture Experience, The Trap Museum, ATL Cruzers, The Black Hair Experience would be an absolute MUST all while wearing God is Dope, Atlanta Influences Everything, and Aloha Glamour of course.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shout out my village; Ebony Howell , Lakisha White- De Gracia, and Shalanda Schroeder for helping me get navigate during my time of bereavement. They became my family away from home while in Hawaii. My now ex husband had since moved out prior to losing Lauren and I had no one.

All of them had small children when I suffered my loss in 2015 and they came together to ensure my kids were taken care of during my 10 day hospitalisation at Tripler Army Medical Center. I would NOT have been able to endure such loss without them.

I would also like to thank the 200+ women who have been brave enough to write, call, or meet me at various events just to tell me because of my story they were able to get through whatever hell they were going through. It is because of women like that, that I continue to share my mess of just going through the motions of life to living in colour again which has now become my message.

Website: http://alohaglamour.shop

Instagram: Www.instagram.com/alohaglamour

Linkedin: Www.LinkedIn.com/alohaglamour

Twitter: Www.twitter.com/alohaglamour1

Facebook: Www.facebook.com/alohaglamour

Other: Www.TikTok.com/@alohaglamour

Image Credits
T. Morosko Photography TS_Photography_Mobile_Al (IG)