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

Hi Angel, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process behind starting my own business was that I wanted to create something for us by us. Be Your Own Boss Babe is an online beauty bar created by a black woman for everyday working women, men, and students. BYOBossBabe provides people with the opportunity to look chic and trendy without breaking the bank. I wanted people to know that they could have a career/work a “9-5″/be a student and still chase their dreams because society is constantly telling people what they “should” be doing. You should never let other people’s limitations limit you. You can do it all! The sky is the limit!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
So I moved to Georgia in 2014 after graduating from UIUC, to teach. I teach Pre-k/Kindergarten and I’m also an after school director. I loveeeeee kids and I love watching them grow into these amazing little human beings. Since I’ve moved to Georgia, I have definitely met my fair share of adversity. From teaching in predominantly white schools and always feeling singled out or that I didn’t belong, to meeting people that were opportunist or just didn’t have my best interests at heart. I have learned so many lessons in dealing with unprofessional people, racists, and just mean spirited people that it has honestly just reinforced in me the kind of person that I DON’T want to grow up to be. It definitely hasn’t been an easy journey but it has taught me to be patient with myself and to be patient with other people. It has taught me to be more understanding of people and to realize that everyone is dealing with something and not to take everything so personal. I learn something new every day, especially as a new business owner. I’ve learned that having a “good product” is not the only thing you need to push your brand. Marketing is everything! Packaging, great customer service, and being consistent is soooo important when it comes to your brand. You have to put in work every day and show up for yourself and your brand EVERY SINGLE DAY. No excuses. When your sales are high, stay consistent. When your sales are low, stay consistent, It’s so easy to give up when things aren’t moving at the pace you think they should be moving at & I think that’s why a lot of people end up getting discouraged and throwing the towel in. I think the most important thing to remember when running a business is to always remind yourself why you started in the first place.

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?
When my friends from Chicago come to visit, we like to go on adventures that involve lots of liquor ha. Our favorite bar to go to is The Hole in the Wall in Buckhead because they have really good music, cheap drinks, and great vibes. Our favorite brunch spot is Hobnob (the Brookhaven or Sandy Springs location) because they have really strong bottomless mimosas and so many fun board games to play while you eat, drink, and chill. Their breakfast is amazing too! We also love going to the Trap Museum, The Painted Duck/The Painted Pin, and Punch Bowl Social just to name a few. Our favorite place to just walk around, bar hop, people watch, and just have a good time is definitely in the area around the Braves Stadium. There’s just so much to do over there and you really can’t go wrong with a good drink and great friends to enjoy the vibes.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to send a special shoutout to my family and friends. They have been so supportive since the launch of BYOBossBabe and I am honestly so thankful to have such a strong support system because I know not a lot of people have that. I’m so grateful for each of their contributions to the success of BYOBossBabe.

Website: www.byobbbeautybar.com
Instagram: BYOBossBabe
Twitter: BYOBossBabe
Facebook: BYOBossBabe-BYOBB

Image Credits
All photos taken by me or customers from @BYOBossBabe

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