Day: October 4, 2021

Confidence is a woman’s crowning glory, and much of that confidence can be expressed through how she carries herself, whether it be through her fashion choices or other style choices such as her hair and makeup. Fortunately, New Jersey’s top entrepreneur is an expert in hair and makeup, and she is using her expertise in her craft to help other empowered women to become their most beautiful selves. That woman is none other than Alexis Green.

Alexis Green is currently one of the biggest names in New Jersey at the moment. The top entrepreneur was born in Newark, New Jersey. Growing up, Alexis taught herself how to do hair and makeup at a young age. “Hairstyling and makeup was the gateway to help me feel alive and beautiful,” shared Alexis. 

As she was going through her teenage years, she battled with severe acne, obesity, and bullying. “I struggled with social outings due to my lack of self-esteem. So, I found comfort in doing my own hair and transformed in the best way possible,” she recounted. It was at that very moment that Alexis Green knew that she could make other people feel the exact same way that she felt. 

Coming from a city where everyone has talent but allows their fears to consume them, Alexis Green truly wanted to show her community that fear has no power over us. She hopes to inspire other individuals to believe that we are all capable of chasing our own dreams despite the lack of support that they get from those that do not want them to succeed. 

Alexis Green is channeling the power of her own beauty and confidence to inspire others and set an example for other people. “I do this all from the bottom of my heart. I do this to set an example for others that anything is possible. I wake up with the intent to make people happy and to change their lives for the better,” she eloquently expressed. 

She firmly believes that this current generation is slowly losing their genuine passion for hair and makeup. As it is a genuine form of art to Alexis, she hopes to rejuvenate the art form and make it known as its own brand of expression to the entire world.

“Another great form to express your emotions is through a makeup brush or specific style. I tell people all the time that we are human canvases. We have the ability to transform into almost anything, we can imagine and be and feel whoever we want to be. Hair and makeup are deeper than the physical. It’s mental and even spiritual for some. I sleep, think, and breathe hair and makeup,” passionately expressed Alexis. 

In the near future, Alexis Green hopes to channel her success to even bigger ventures. She hopes to open her own beauty salon called Fix Your Crown. The salon will aim to be a safe space for all women and men to come and feel like complete royalty, as the name implies. Her brand will offer proper hair care, skin care and make-up with complimentary food as well.

Alexis also hopes to open up a center where teens and adults can rent out a space, so they have an escape to focus on their goals and passions without any distractions. There are a lot of things in the cards for the successful entrepreneur, and only time will tell before she can truly get there. 

Follow Alexis Green on her Instagram to learn more.

Carmine Di Giovanni is an American Restaurateur and the Chief Operating Officer of David Burke Hospitality Management. Having cooked for some of the finest restaurants in New York, including two Michelin starred restaurants Carmine has established extensive experience in Hospitality. Not only does he have a fantastic track record cooking, but Carmine is also a part of the Executive Management team with David Burke. Di Giovanni, who is known for his passion, creativity, and ability to deliver results, heads up all kitchen operations.

Building a Name 

Di Giovanni has worked every job in a restaurant throughout his career, which has given him a unique executive perspective by having had an experience inside the restaurant and in customer service.  In addition to his experience in the kitchen, Chef Carmine holds a culinary degree from the New York Restaurant School. Being able to understand business and see things from multiple perspectives has allowed Chef Carmine to provide an excellent working experience for his employees. The ability to operate as a corporate executive and a top of the line chef is rare and allows Di Giovanni to set himself apart from the competition as a top chef in the industry, even appearing on multiple television shows. 

Overcoming Adversity 

Breaking into the restaurant industry and building a reputation can be extremely difficult. Carmine had to capitalize on his competitive edge and passion to become a top chef and executive. One widespread struggle in the industry is the current staffing crisis. Carmine went on to say: “It has been hard to find enough staff as it is, but it’s been even more difficult to find consistent staff that share your vision.” Handling training at David Burke Hospitality Management is one of the many functions Chef Carmine performs. Another challenge for new and old restaurateurs alike is the rising real estate costs that have potential to hurt many restaurants. Carmine expressed that it is too expensive to get a first floor restaurant in many cities, therefore guests will see more second floor restaurants in the future. 

What Does the Future of Dining Look Like 

Chef Carmine mentioned the guest experience across the country is a rising issue. This is due to the fact that most restaurants have yet to adapt to better food and experience for the customers, unknowing of the consumer changes about what food and experiences they desire. In the future Chef David Burke and Chef Carmine want to start expanding and creating projects beyond the tri-state area to reach new clientele. Carmine also spends a lot of time with his friends and family, and is excited about his future at David Burke Hospitality.

Learn More 

To learn more about Chef Carmine or inquire about David Burke Hospitality Management, click here.

It’s no secret that pursuing brand ownership is a demanding endeavor. Still, the challenges people see can often spark a hesitance in others, especially when building from the ground up. However, their fear tends to cloud over the success and heights that persistence rewards. For Trappa Express, his strong belief helped propel him towards his goal of building a business. While it may have taken him some time, he has been rewarded with the success of his brand Trapreligiousco.

Founded in 2015, Trapreligiousco is a clothing brand with the moniker “The Real Alway$ Profi+ daily.” The brand was founded to share stories that founder Trappa Express endured through life, projecting those events through clothing designs and videos. In its early days, Trapreligiousco only sold t-shirts, sweaters, and hoodies, but the brand expanded its inventory as time went on. 

While the global pandemic last year made a significant impact on the economy, Trappa found his business thriving, selling 1,625 shirts in three months, a feat that is often difficult for a brand to achieve in a year. The success he generated prompted the founder to expand his inventory. Trapreligiousco has been producing outfits, hats, jerseys, and accessories, with the latter available for release in 2022. In addition, Trappa has revealed that the brand will be launching a children’s line before Christmas this year, releasing them at affordable prices.

“We have ambassadors and up to 16k followers on Instagram,” shared founder Trappa Express, “We plan to have two fashion shows next year — spring and fall.”

What makes Trapreligiousco so unique is the quality of its products at an affordable price. The brand also takes pride in the allure of its designs. Trappa Express and his family work together on the workload, sending clothes to victims who have lost everything, the homeless, and incarcerated individuals who come home to their communities as a black-owned family business. “We give them an outfit or two,” said Trappa, “I know it’s not a lot, but anything helps.”

Trappa Express has always had a penchant for founding and running his own business for as long as he can remember. Hailing from the town of Windsor in eastern North Carolina, he grew up watching his friends whose family owned businesses and properties, motivating him to change the status quo as his family owned nothing. Trappa also sought to prove something to himself. “To show that I could do it, honestly,” he explained, “I knew I could build a brand and make it a powerhouse. My level of thinking is comparable to that of a CEO before I was actually a CEO.” Trappa further explained that he created Trapreligiousco for his community to bring job opportunities for others.

Although he already has a handful of plans for the next year, Trappa Express is enthusiastic about taking his brand even further. He foresees Trapreligiousco owning a brick and mortar building with solid relationships within the communities, paving the way for his products in their storefront. Trappa also plans to purchase or rent a warehouse where they can manufacture their products. 

“I plan to help and encourage up-and-coming designers and brands along the way because we have been in business for six years, and it’s been a long rocky road. Nobody helped, shared information or resources, but I didn’t expect anyone to do so. So when it’s my turn, and I’m line leader, I will make sure anyone I know doing what we do in the brand, building and clothing industries—- we can help them get to the next level.”

Learn more about Trapreligiousco by visiting their official website.