Actress & Director Kendall Alexandria Shares her Biggest Lessons in Success

You have seen her on on popular television shows such as Dear White People, Tosh.o, General Hospital, BET’s hit film Chocolate City, and her feature film “Rising Within” alongside Emmy winner Kim Estes. When Kendall Alexandria is off screen, you will discover she is also an artist, director, and author. I had the pleasure of chatting with Kendall about her rise in directing and producing, the hardest thing about being your own boss, and what it takes to discover your purpose.

Kendall Alexandria, Artist, Director, Author

What did you want to be as a child?

KA: “As a child I wanted to be an entertainer. I would sing with my hairbrush in the mirror to the top of my lungs. I would beg my mom to enter me into talent show competitions and I had so much fun entertaining an audience at church, family functions and anywhere that I could sing! When I began to do plays, it awakened something inside and I knew this was my calling!”

What motivated you to start a career in writing and directing?

KA: “I was in LA going to auditions for 10 years and had a realization that I wasn’t complete in my career. I booked shows like ABC’s General hospital, Comedy Central’s Tosh.0, Chocolate city, music videos, countless indie projects and even produced/ starred in & wrote a short film. But I wasn’t attracting the roles that I knew I was destined to do and I knew that if I wanted to get better opportunities, I would have to create them! I was tired of getting overlooked and decided to cast myself! I also loved the idea of discovering new talent that may be overlooked like I was. When I discover a new actor, it makes my heart smile because I want to be the director that I wish I met when I arrived in LA. We all need a shot in life and I’m excited to be able to bless the rising talent & let them shine. My struggle gave me the experience to guide & nurture upcoming talent & now I have a vehicle that allows them to shine!”

What is your go-to when you’re feeling uninspired or in a creative rut?

KA: “I love, love the SPA! Honey, I can sit in the spa all day and I literally do stay there all day! I get a facial or body scrub, eat & bring my goals! I go to Hugh spa in Korea Town where the food is on point and it’s extremely relaxing. My girl Angela needs an award for how hard she works in that kitchen! And all their treatments are extremely thorough & have aided to the glow of this chocolate 😊. I also like to listen to positive audio that teaches me about bettering myself. One of my favorite self-development speakers is the late Jim Rohn. His logic gives me a clear view of what I need to do in order to better myself & elevate to the next level! Oh, I can’t forget music being a healer. I love Afrobeats Davido, Wiz Kid & this new artist Joeboy. Old school R&b makes my soul smile when there is a frown!”

Name the biggest lesson you’re learned in running a personal brand.

KA: “The biggest thing I’ve learned is to not take things so personal. This industry can be brutal, and cutthroat & people say the nastiest things in order to break you! You must be strong and not let others negativity bring you to their level. Sometimes the trolls online are so miserable, and we all know the saying “misery loves company”. We have to be extremely careful on what we allow in our space online & in person. We are responsible for our energy and the energy that we allow around us in all aspects. I really learned to look deeper into things & the reason why people do what they do. That helped me understand their reasoning & things didn’t affect me as much.”

What does the world need more of? Less of?

The world needs more meaningful leaders and less trends. This world is shifting to a very superficial place. So many people are being glorified for the wrong things and it is affecting the younger generation. A little girl looking to social media to raise her is in serious trouble. We need more people showing kids how to think and not what to think! We need more schools teaching kids about finance/ goal setting & wealth so we can have less adults in poverty. It all starts with the younger generation because they mirror what they see. And they need to see less trends and more tools that can help them break generational curses & not repeat the poverty cycle. “

What’s the best advice you have for someone who hasn’t discovered their purpose yet?

KA: “I would advise them to try different things and see what truly resonates with them. Here is a true story that will give u an example of what I’m talking about. My good friend Renee Barnett starting out acting. She wasn’t getting the opportunities that she knew she deserved and decided to go in a different direction. The beauty of entertainment is that it’s not just one area, there are plenty of areas that you can explore. She decided to go in the direction of being a makeup artist and that was cool for her. But then she dug even deeper and now she SLAYS eyebrows ( Microblading & Shading). She love, loves her business and is GREAT at what she does. What if she didn’t take action on her new plan? There would be no Beauty Grove. Shout out to her brand Beauty Rove, keep killing it mama! Www.BeautyRove.Com

What would you tell yourself ten to twenty years ago that you wish you knew then?

KA: “I would tell myself to truly believe in yourself and not let the world cloud my inner worth. I was so so free as a child and didn’t have the insecurities that grew into my teenage years. I would tell myself to study finance and get a wealthy/ happy mentor that had what I wanted in life. I would tell myself to be nicer to my mom and not give her such a hard time & stress her out. And I would tell her to enjoy childhood because when its gone, its gone! I would tell her to study success and indulge in being my best self & having friends who were focused on betterment too! I would also tell myself to be aware of the energy that I put out and also be protective of my peace. To this day I talk to the little girl inside and tell her that she is beautiful & worthy! We all have a little kid inside that we should still nurture.”

What’s the hardest thing about being your own boss that isn’t obvious?

KA: “Not letting a bad day affect your work. When family issues & personal issues arise, you must keep going and have meetings like you are doing just fine. It’s challenging to separate personal issues from your energy & continue with business. Chile, is is sooooo hard to do, but it is mandatory to not let personal issues mess up the business you are building.”

What is your biggest goal this year?

KA: “My biggest goal is to complete “Rising Within”, a feature film that I’m starring in & directing! It’s a lot of work but it’s worth it & I can’t wait for the world to see it & help others break generational curses & go after their dreams!

What are some personal mottos that get you through days where you feel like giving up?

Here are some affirmations in my book “ My LA Story” that will help you when you feel down.

I am powerful
I am worthy of all greatness attracted to me!
I am a vessel
I change lives for the better
I love myself
I treat others how I wish to be treated
I am adventurous
I am confident
I love people
I love my life
I live a peaceful life
I live a healthy life
No one can stop me except me
I take full responsibility of all the great and bad things that have happened to me!
I love hard
I am a lifetime student
I can never stop growing
My legacy is precious to me
I have supportive friends
I am wealthy in mind, body, spirit and in my pockets!
I live life to the absolute fullest
I am the hardest and smartest worker in the room.
God created me for a purpose – I am a unique work of art!
Negative people are not affecting the quality of my life.
I am a wealth and success magnet!

About Kendall Alexandria

While focusing on her acting career, Kendall Alexandria is also a rising director and executive producer. She is the CEO/Founder of Kendall Alexandria Entertainment, a Los Angeles based film & television production company. She is the first female director in history to direct their first film starring an Emmy award winning actor. Kendall’s goal is to create film & TV projects that inspire the world to go after their dreams and never give up.

IG: @kendallalexandria, @kendallAlexandriaEnt

http://www.KendallAlexandria.com