Tell The Texture Lounge readers which salon they can find you in?
Blush Life Salon, located in Marietta, Georgia.

How did you become a MIZANI Artist?
This has been a long, growing process for me, because I started using MIZANI as a teenager. Using these products was what got me into the industry. In 2012, I had the opportunity to meet James Kemp and Nailah Copeland (one of our amazing MIZANI Artists) in a class in Savannah, Georgia, and James looked at me and said "You're going to be one of our Artists one day." I was taken aback but I received it. Later that year, I showed him my portfolio and two years later MIZANI was expanding and put out an Artist call via Instagram. I went through all the rounds of cuts from 400 submissions to 100-and-something people in the interviews to about 60-70 people being chosen and I was grateful to be a part of the group and I've been a part of them ever since.

Describe what you do in one sentence.
Healthy hair management

How do you show up 110% those days you feel less than?
I love what I do. I genuinely love what I do. No matter how frustrated I might feel, I know that once I deliver what my clients need, they feel better about themselves - and that is infectious. I also have specific music that I go to for those times like Rihanna, Kanye, Jay-Z. Those are my go-tos 'cuz they pump me up, give me my confidence, you know; and I get me a cup-of-tea (TL: Can't tell if Alexis is poking fun at my British-ness here, hmm...), cool my spirits, I walk in [to the salon] and make it work! You gotta figure out a way to push through. Everybody has a different strategy and this is mine.

What does success mean to Alexis?
Success for me is the freedom to be sustainable. I've been an independent contractor, I've lived in multiple cities and I have put myself through college; all off of being a hairstylist. Success for me is being able to take the things I learned at school, immediately apply it to my salon business and see my salon constantly growing. In 5 years, I have grown from being just a digital platform, to having my third salon suite; so success is about growth and progress for me.

If you could wipe the slate clean and start over, what is the one things you would change?
That is a great question. To be fair, I wouldn't change any of it. I wouldn't. I would not be half the woman I am without all of it. The good, the bad, the ugly, the ugliest. If I tried to go back and redo it or cut corners, I would miss all the lessons that I needed to learn and that I didn't want to have to learn.

OK, so let's rephrase. If you could speak to your younger self, what would you tell her?
Believe in yourself. That's it.

What was your dream job as a child?
I had a lot of them. A singer, a meteorologist, a writer.

A meteorologist? Where did that come from?
[Laughs] I'm a cloud starer! Such a star gazer.

What is the legacy you want to leave?
My authenticity.

What advice do you have for the aspiring stylists out there?
I don't want to say this the wrong way but get over yourself. You are amazing as you are, but if you get out of your own head, try it a few different ways, be open to feedback and are willing to work extremely hard; it will work out.

What are the three products or tools you cannot travel without?
My 25 Miracle Milk - that goes every where with me. I love a good Denman brush and my flat iron.

 Finish this sentence. If in doubt...
...do it anyway!  The first step is always going to be the most difficult. It's the one where you have to create a foundation, get your foot in, get stable but do it anyway because after the first step, the second, the fifth and the 500th one is even easier. When you are the most scared, do it anyway.