Alexis Nelson has embraced entrepreneurship with her local boutique BLK Luxe.
At 24, Nelson did something that most her age couldn’t imagine accomplishing at this early age. When asked what inspired her to become an entrepreneur, the Florida State University alumna said that she wanted to be her own boss.
She didn’t see herself in the future working for someone else. Nelson said she plans to build a legacy with BLK Luxe, a local shop.
Lately, this new generation of young adults has stepped and they are breaking generational curses and creating financial wealth, she says.
“We inspire and remind the Black community that a luxurious lifestyle is a part of who we are and whom we can become,” Nelson, CEO of BLK Luxe, said. “As a community, we need to inspire one another.” Many women love her clothes and accessories and recommend them for others to shop with her.
“I’m a big fan of Alexis’ boutique,” Ciera Colburn, a local customer, said.
Nelson’s mission is to help build her customers’ confidence while looking good in their own bodies. Body positivity is a big part of self-care and self-confidence nowadays.
“There’s so much controversy when it comes to women’s bodies,” Nelson says. You have people who believe you should look skinny in a coke bottle shape and then you have those who say you must be curvy and that brings a lot of hurt and low self-esteem for some women.”
That is why Nelson wants to bring positivity to all shapes and sizes with her clothes. She wants every woman to feel like a luxury when they put on something from BLK Luxe.
Many believe that when you look good, you feel good.
“I really love how her dresses fit my body,” Aziah Johnson, a local customer, said. “I can’t wait to shop for homecoming.”
When it came to getting started, Nelson did not have much funding. She invested her time, money and energy into her business herself. One of her biggest challenges was when her home caught fire and she had to figure out how to run her business through a hotel room.
“House burnt down shortly after I started my business,” Nelson said. “Trying to make sales out of a hotel room.”
Some of the things Nelson would have done differently as a first-time business owner would have been not to let up or relax because she could’ve accomplished much more, she says.
Nelson loves that her business is booming and that women are feeling confident in her clothes.