Welcome back to another episode of The Haute Guide! Can y'all already believe it's been 5 years since I got fired?! That moment is what pivoted my journey in fashion into the brand you know today - so I'm using that as the catalyst for the 2025 version on how to get your start in fashion!

✨ Mentioned in This Episode:

• 🇨🇳 How China’s tariffs and luxury factory tea are shaking up the entire fashion game (and what that means for small brands and consumers)

• 💰 Why it’s time to lock your spending down, find your community, and prepare for the financial storms ahead

• 👜 The real deal behind buying dupes and sourcing overseas — and why it ain’t as easy (or drama-free) as TikTok makes it seem

• 🎭 The behind-the-scenes of the Met Gala, why most people ain’t invited, and why Wisdom Kaye deserves a damn seat at the table

• 🛣️ My 4 non-negotiables for starting your career in fashion in 2025:

  • Research your market BEFORE you move

  • Build a strong personal brand — yes, even for corporate life

  • Get serious about networking online and in-person

  • Give yourself grace, space, and TIME — real growth ain’t overnight

Shoutouts + Special Mentions:

• Carlos and Milwaukee Fashion Week 🔥

• Black Fashion STL and my student Kendal 💖

• Shelby Ivey Christie — fashion historian GOAT, go follow her

🔗 Stay Connected:

• Subscribe to my YouTube! 🎥 https://www.youtube.com/@akbrownstl

• Milwaukee Fashion Week Details: https://www.mkefw.com/

• Grab The Intro Into Fashion Workbook: https://www.akbrownstl.com/product/intro-into-fashion-pr-workbook/

• Wanna be a guest on the show? Apply here: https://www.akbrownstl.com/be-a-gusest/

• Want to be a 2025 client or mentee? Apply here: https://www.akbrownstl.com/2025-client-applications/

• Follow me everywhere: @akbrownstl

• Website: www.akbrownstl.com

• Read Advisor. Magazine: www.advisormag.co

💬 Love the episode? Leave a review and tag me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway!

Welcome back to another episode of The Haute Guide! Today we’re diving deep into financial literacy for fashionpreneurs—a topic we often avoid but need to master. In this episode, I break down the financial struggles of running a fashion business, share my own experiences from starting out as a blogger to building multiple brands, and discuss the biggest financial mistakes fashion entrepreneurs make.

PLUS, I have a special guest—Michael Rangel, Founder & CEO of Novo Bank, which is my business bank of choice. We discuss how fintech is changing the game for small business owners and how you can take control of your business finances.

💻 Novo Bank – My go-to for small business banking. Sign up here: https://onboarding.novo.co/signup?referral_code=AlexandriaBrown1&first_name=Alexandria
🛍 Jance Chartae – E-commerce & boutique expert. Follow her for fashion biz tips!
💡 ChatGPT & AI – How I use AI to optimize business strategy

📌 Audit your finances: Are you separating personal & business expenses?
📌 Research business banking options: If you don’t have a business bank, start with Novo
📌 Check your pricing strategy: Are you actually making a profit?
📌 Plan for the future: Look at your cash flow, taxes, and funding option

📲 Follow me on Instagram: @akbrownstl
🌐 Website: www.akbrownstl.com
📖 Read Advisor. Magazine: www.advisormag.co

💬 Love the episode? Leave a review and tag me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway!

Welcome back to another episode of The Haute Guide! After a brief hiatus (sorry yall!), I’m back with an insightful episode about branding, social media strategy, and how to refine your brand for success. I break down my own brand refresh process, how I’m reworking my content strategy, and how you can do the same for your fashion business, whether you're an entrepreneur, creative, or industry professional.

• Why I took a break and what I’ve been working on
• My personal branding overhaul and why it’s necessary for 2025
• The role of social media in business growth and how I’m approaching my strategy
• How to use ChatGPT and AI for branding and content planning
• Breaking down audience personas and why knowing your audience is key
• My content pillars and how they shape my strategy
• Homework: Steps to analyze your brand, define your audience, and track your content strategy

✅ A deep dive into branding and refining your social media strategy
✅ The importance of visuals and working with a branding expert (shoutout to Joan Fisher!)
✅ Using ChatGPT for content creation and branding insights
✅ Creating an audience persona to tailor your content and engagement strategies
✅ A step-by-step approach to developing a strong brand and content strategy

• Follow Joan Fisher (Saint Louis) – An absolute visual powerhouse! If you're in St. Louis or beyond, I highly recommend working with her for branding & editorial photography. You can book her whether you’re local or willing to fly her out! Follow Joan & connect: https://www.instagram.com/joan_fisher/
• Identify your brand pillars
• Define your audience personas and where they show up online
• Analyze your social media stats (followers, engagement, CTRs, etc.)
• Start building out your content strategy

🔜 Special guest interview with Michael Rangel, CEO of Novo Bank! We’ll be discussing financial strategies for fashion entrepreneurs—don’t miss it! (If you want to go ahead and apply for an account, you can do so here!: https://onboarding.novo.co/signup?referral_code=AlexandriaBrown1&first_name=Alexandria)

📲 Follow me on Instagram: @akbrownstl
🌐 Website: www.akbrownstl.com
📖 Read Advisor. Magazine: www.advisormag.co

💬 Love the episode? Leave a review and tag me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway!