What was your time at UNH like? What did it teach you?:
UNH was certainly a phase of discovery for me. Prior to UNH, I was dedicated to sports (field hockey & track and field) and academics, including after school programs such as DECA and FBLA. Albeit I had a great group of friends, I didn’t have a lot of time for a strong social life. Settling into life at UNH was a bit challenging for the first 2 years. I had to learn discipline, focus and organizational skills amidst a lot of social pressures, because… it’s UNH, and there’s always opportunity for a good time. Finding that balance was key, and it was something I was always working hard to try and establish. UNH taught me that hard work pays off. You get out of it what you put in. Even though I didn’t realize it at the time, looking back now I can see how my Junior and Senior year gave me a reality check. I imagined myself climbing the corporate ladder in a trendy suit and briefcase, and soon realized by graduation what it was going to take to get there. At UNH you’re given an incredible opportunity to learn from inspiring educators and grow professionally, but it’s up to you whether or not you maximize the opportunity.
What was your favorite class at UNH and why?:
I genuinely loved any class related to marketing. Although I understood economic concepts, I felt enlightened and excited when sitting through any class related to marketing strategy or creative marketing applications. I wasn’t as excited or motivated when going to any other classes. It was clear when we had projects, exams or homework. Marketing was the only subject that I felt confident about at the time. I have to give a shout out to “Making Babies” and “Germs,” as these were great classes to have in the mix to balance out the business mindset and tap into a completely different topic. I’m sure “Germs” class today would have a slightly different curriculum…
How did you get from your major to your current career?:
During the last month of my senior year, I landed a job in Boston at a BioMed company, as Administrative Assistant. I knew it would take time to apply my Economics degree and earn a prestige career, so I was excited about this starter opportunity. About 8 months into working with this company, I hit a cross roads. My boyfriend (now husband) signed a contract to play pro-hockey with the New York Islanders, and was living in Connecticut with the AHL team. Anyone who has successfully coasted through a long-distance relationship, kudos! It’s hard. I had to choose between following love, or sticking to a career in the city and working my way up. It was a hard decision, as I had always dreamt of establishing a highly successful career for myself. Becoming a boss with a classy matching suit and briefcase, and confidently strutting into my penthouse office in the big city. I had the vision and ambition, but I was also in love. I chose love. As I was packing to move to Connecticut, I was simultaneously researching jobs in the area. Within 6 months of living in CT with my boyfriend, I landed a job at a Hedge Fund company in Greenwich, CT. Despite the nomad lifestyle of a pro-hockey wife, I was determined to find a way to build my career whenever we lived. In fact, I was so determined that I ended up staying in CT by myself during the off-season to keep my role with the Hedge Fund, while my boyfriend returned home to Vancouver. It felt incredibly uncomfortable.
What ended up happening over the next few years was this: he signed a new contract, we moved, and I would twist the truth about my resume: “Why are you moving so often. How do we know you will stick around after the hockey season?” I would tell them that I had every intention of living there during the off-season and I was dedicated for the long-haul. That wasn’t true, and it didn’t feel good. I had a pit in my stomach everyday knowing my resignation was coming in a matter of months as we moved to the next city or small town. By 2012, we were engaged, but my career path felt very sporadic and inconsistent. My roles over the course of 6 years included: Marketing Assistant, Finance Creative Director, Barista, Graphic Designer, Marketing Consultant, and almost Event Planner. I eventually felt I was losing my sense of self.
What happened next? Well, I went on an impromptu 4-week Intensive Yoga Teacher Training at Sonic Yoga in NYC to explore that avenue, as I enjoyed doing yoga on my “off time.” Why not? What happened during those 4-weeks didn’t lead me to become a passionate Yoga teacher, it helped me to rediscover my purpose. I flew back to my fiancé’ feeling alive again. I remember feeling so clear-minded. I knew exactly what I wanted to do and pursue, which was learning into my creative brain and applying my abundance of skills and experience to a virtual Marketing profession. That’s exactly what I did. I started taking numerous online courses to extend my knowledge base, and read books upon books to stimulate my mind and steer me in the right direction. I began working for over 4 marketing agencies on a contract virtual basis. Overtime this evolved into landing my own clients on a consulting basis. In 2014, I started my own Marketing & Branding agency, which I grew up until 2019. During that time, I also became CMO of an Organic Cosmetics line, and Head of Marketing at a sports media company. My experiences in all of these roles in tandem with self-teaching through courses, books, conferences and podcasts gave me the rock-solid foundation that I feel proud to stand on today. 23 zip codes in 12 years. To anyone reading this, there is nothing stopping you from pursuing whatever you set your mind and heart to.
Love, Lexxi you ask? I’m about to get really transparent, so here we go. I grew up with low self-confidence and body image issues. I was an A-B cup, and as an athlete (field hockey and track & field) I didn’t feel very feminine or beautiful. During that time, legacy brands were pushing false perceptions of what makes a woman “beautiful, sexy and feminine” which truly became engrained in my mind. In 2016, after having my second daughter, I decided to opt for breast implants, as many women in my social network had them, and it seemed like an easy solution to the problem I felt “needed fixing.” Within 3 months of getting implants, I started having bizarre vision issues, brain fog and slurred speech. This was alarming of course, but after numerous doctor appointments I was left with no answers. Over the course of 4 years, these symptoms evolved into debilitating on-and-off auto immune diseases, locked joints, memory loss, heart palpitations and more. I honestly felt like I was dying. All of my doctors were scratching their heads. I eventually learned about ‘Breast Implant Illness,’ which is in fact a very real thing. I had my implants removed in Fall 2020, and not a single symptom has returned. During that time, I was shopping for a bra that would make me feel feminine, sexy and beautiful again as an A-B cup. Hundreds of dollars later purchasing and returning ‘best sellers’ from nearly every brand, I became frustrated and discouraged…
September 14, 2020, my marketing side of the brain woke me up at 1am. I sat straight up in bed and thought to myself… I WILL CREATE THIS. I stumbled downstairs, brewed a coffee, and dove into weeks worth of intensive market research to truly understand the industry and my competitive landscape. What I learned was that there is TRULY a void in this market that is said to be “very saturated.” Validation after validation after validation. Fast forward. Today, we’re finalizing prototypes and about to enter bulk production. My team consists of myself and 30-year veterans of Victoria’s Secret, Aerie, Revolve, Savage Fenty and Gilly Hicks. Love, Lexxi™ provides ‘sexy comfort’ garments for AA-C cup women, with band sizes ranging from 30-44, making it the most inclusive range among direct competitors. Love, Lexxi is on a mission to inspire positive body image and confidence among women, continuing to push false perceptions of beauty standards out the door. Love, Lexxi is an undergarments line marrying comfort and sexy design, inspiring women to feel confident, limitless, beautiful and celebrated through our garments and community. With meticulous engineering, an intensive fit sample process and exclusive fabrications, Love, Lexxi is providing an extraordinary blend of “what women want” to the doorstep of every deserving customer.
What exactly do you do day-to-day?
Wake up, coffee, get the kids off to school, then dive into Love, Lexxi. Everyday is a little different, from product development, packaging, and planning for our upcoming content production to running social, public relations and pre-launch strategy. Then, the kids come home from school and I go offline for a bit to give them my undivided. Once they’re in bed, the laptop is often back open and I’m grinding on the rest of my to-dos.
What are some of the things you like most about your job?:
Our purpose. Aside from a genuinely game-changing product line, our community and mission touches my heart and often doesn’t “feel” like work. It’s also pretty cool to be your own boss and call the shots. Of course, with that, comes another slew of stress — but it’s all part of the journey!
What are some of the difficult things about your job?:
Juggling motherhood and career. Managing people (not my favorite thing to do when it’s not my children). Building a startup — PERIOD.
What are some skills that have served you well in your career?:
Marketing strategy and execution. Branding. E-commerce. Networking, communication and “people skills.” My drive to continually learn and self-educate.
How’d you get your first job?:
Through word of mouth and a well polished resume with cover letter.
What has your time in the “real world” taught you as it pertains to your specific career?:
There is a lot of BS out there, excuse my acronyms. To build a successful company as a Founder seemed impossible in my earlier years. Society often labels brands who have a chance to succeed as those who are led by “Insta-famous” influencers or celebrities, 25-year veterans working at the most prestigious companies, or entrepreneurs who have over $500K in their savings. It can be discouraging, especially for small town women who don’t have a massive bank account. What I’ve learned is that none of that really matters. It doesn’t matter what your background is - you can self-educate. It doesn’t matter if you have 50 followers or 5M - believe in what you’re doing and eventually the right people will notice. Network like it’s your job. It doesn’t matter if you have a small savings account - look for support from local startup organizations or bank institutions. There are a lot of options out there to give you an initial boost. If need be, work to save money for your dream career, and learn how to efficiently and effectively grow your savings. Everyone is capable of pursuing their dreams. Years ago I used to think, “I wish I could do that”…. and here we are.
What are some life lessons you’d like to share with the students here?:
No one is going to care as much as you do. If you don’t have confidence and you don’t believe in your ability to achieve great things… then your chances of making it happen are slim. There will always be someone trying to bring you down, and you will hear a lot of “No’s” — but never let them deter your focus. Follow your intuition. If you have big career dreams, chase them. Never stop learning, never stop growing, and be OKAY with baby steps (as well as a step back sometimes). Believe in you. Be your biggest cheerleader. Follow those that inspire you, not that make you feel inadequate.
If you don’t have a big career dream and just want to focus on building a family instead, do that. Give it your all. If you’re happy, you’re living a successful life.
If you don’t have a big career dream, don’t want to start a family, and just want to find yourself, do that. Go find you. When you do, it will be one of the most fulfilling accomplishments yet, and your vision will be clear as day. Have fun and enjoy the journey. Trust the process.
Any advice on how to transition from college life to “real” life?:
Network and connect with others. Find mentors. There is so much value and power in learning from others, and merely having conversations. Self-Educate, and simply take initiative to learn “Adulting 101” (which you can google, the resources are there - and some of it is as funny as it is resourceful).
Anything else you’d like to say to current students that I haven’t asked but you feel is important?:
You don’t have to “know” what your dream career is yet. You don’t have to know what you want to do yet. Actually, most don’t figure that out for a while. Even if you think you do, trust the process and the journey, because serendipitously there may be a plot twist and you’ll end up doing something you never dreamed (and love it). I’m the Founder of an Undergarments line. If 5 years ago you told me I would land here, I wouldn’t have believed you!
