Meet Innovative Woman Gina Alexander, designer of a popular line of photo hand bags and accessories.
1. How/why did you begin your business?
I started my own business 15 years ago to help raise monies to adopt Katelyn Alexander.
2. What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge was growing pains, we grew so fast and needed capitol for new machinery and employees, we over came by developing a system for customers to prepay before the product was made – we have never needed a loan from the bank.
3. How do you define SUCCESS?
Relationships that you make along the way. A lot of our partners have been with us for all 15 years, to me its the people we were able to help and mentor, a lot of our employees now have their own business because we helped them get started. Seeing others succeed is success….
4. If there was one thing you wish you knew before you began your business, what would that be?
Mentoring – I would always find people who gave me advise but never was in the industry of handbags, so finding a mentor that had great results – I’m skeptical of people mentoring and they never owned a business with products, info marketing is different .
5. What makes you an innovative woman?
I’m resourceful and love outsourcing and delegating as a leader so I can focus on my business and not in my business. To me relationships are more important than making money, we are surrounded by people all day long and so to have the skill on how to meet their needs and give them what they want is truly innovative, challenging and rewarding at the same time.
My philanthropy Gina Alexander Philanthropy Project has allowed me to build a trust with customers and business associates, they know that I help many under served children worldwide. I started my business to raise monies to adopt my daughter Katelyn. and didn’t know the next year my business would do 1.4 million, I had no idea because I had just gone thru an ectopic pregnancy and also had 2 failed invitros and did surrogacy. It was a challenging time in my life but someone from above was encouraging me and building a platform for me that I can show women in the world that as Mom’s we can do it …..
Many women say they can’t raise a family and do a business at the same time, but you can incorporate the both, it has been a school for my 2 now adopted girls and they are watching me run a business out of my home and spending more time with them..
For more information about Gina Alexander visit www.ginaalexander.com or connect with her on Facebook.