The Hustler's Digest StaffRecently, I sat down with Alexa Fischer – founder of Wishbeads, to uncover her story, and find out more about how her idea for Wishbeads came about. Wishbeads is beautiful jewelry that helps you stay focused on your wishes, dreams, and goals – everyday.
How did Wishbeads come about?
Alexa Fischer: I’ve always considered myself a “people person” and delighted in connecting with others from the time I was a little girl. Acting was a natural extension of this curiosity, and I had the good fortune of studying acting at both Northwestern University and at the Yale School of Drama. By investigating a character’s intentions and obstacles, I honed my skills and honed my understanding of what drives people to go after their deepest desires. In hindsight, I see that it was the perfect training for my life as a teacher, speaker and creator of inspirational jewelry. As Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players”. The question is what role have we cast ourselves in and what story are we creating? If we are the authors of our own destiny, our future is really in our hands!
Life has a funny way of opening new doors for you…The idea for Wishbeads came to me one morning in the shower, but the seed was planted months prior at a busy craft fair in Lucca, Italy.
I was on a family trip to Italy and happened upon an artist at a craft fair making beaded bracelets out of rolled up paper and fabric. I was mesmerized. After returning home, I mentioned these beaded bracelets to a friend who encouraged me to try making them on my own.
A few weeks later, I was speaking at a local homeless shelter about the power of positive thinking and guided participants in visualizing their future home and the security they so deserved.
The next day, in the shower, the two ideas came together. I realized that people could use the jewelry-making method I’d seen in Italy to wear their positive thoughts on their wrists. They could literally wear their wishes every day and be reminded of what they were working towards.
Are there any entrepreneurs that you look up to, if so, who, and how have they impacted what you do?
Alexa Fischer: A few weeks after my Kickstarter campaign for Wishbeads had been successfully funded, I saw a tweet from someone asking when Wishbeads would be available for purchase. Much to my delight, it was from Victoria Lynden, an award winning female entrepreneur, and CEO of Alliance Abroad and Kohana Coffee. Delighted by her interest, I reached out to her via LinkedIn and asked if I could connect with her for a phone call. She agreed and after a very spirited conversation, our mutual admiration sealed our new friendship. Not only did she become a trusted advisor, but she shared some of her best resources, including the name of the trusted manufacturer she worked with for many of her businesses. Her generosity has had a profound impact on my company, and I’m so grateful for her continued guidance and support.
Were there any moments in your journey that you’d consider the ‘turning points’ and if so could you outline them?
Alexa Fischer: I suppose I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart. My first career was as a professional actress and I adored learning more about the human spirit in acting school. Turning that desire into a career quickly led me to making commercials, television shows, and movies when I moved to Los Angeles from New York.
Once I was working regularly, it surprised me that people outside the entertainment industry looked up to celebrities while simultaneously putting themselves down. They didn’t think that they were pretty enough, rich enough, or relevant enough to warrant attention. You see, since I worked with celebrities, I knew firsthand that they are no different than you or I, they simply have a team of people making them look glamorous!
The more time I spent on sets, waiting around – waiting for the lights, waiting for the director to say action, and waiting for the other actors to arrive, the more I realized that my deep desire to help people was not best served as an actress. Everything came to a head one day on the set of the TV show Bones. I was playing a lawyer and something bad happened to my character, leaving me lying on the floor with fake blood coming out of my mouth. There I laid quietly panicking about the career choice I had made! At that moment, I asked the Universe, “I have no idea what I’m doing with my life. Please give me a sign!”
Two days later, a dear friend contacted me out of the blue and asked if I wanted to do some public speaking training for a high profile client of hers. That one invitation began the second chapter of my life as a coach, online instructor, and speaker, teaching people to unlock their light, something I call their 1000 Watt Presence.
While life was swimming along beautifully, an idea came to me one day in the shower. I heard the name Wishbeads and envisioned a jewelry line where you could write your wish and wear it daily to inspire you to take action toward your deepest desires.
My acting career, my teaching platform, and my speaking skills all gave me the perfect background to embrace a new type of entrepreneurial journey, one as a product creator, one that combined jewelry and teaching all as one experience.
What are some of the best books you’ve ever read?
Alexa Fischer: Since being home, I’ve really turned to re-reading The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle. I found such grace and clarity the first time I read it years ago and with so much happening in the world right now, the encouragement to examine one’s thoughts and become really present to the MOMENT has been very centering for me.
Inevitably as we sit at home, working virtually, managing our kids new online learning lives and doing our best to stay healthy, I can feel my heart race from time to time. The realization that so many people are suffering, can hit you hard. It’s in those moments that I pause, reconnect to my breath, and really SEE what’s in front of me. This shift to the present moment, immediately snaps me out of my racing mind and places me back into the grace of the now. Suddenly I see the beauty of the sunlight on the plant on my dresser, the sweetness of my dog resting comfortably on the couch, and the still on the street. This awareness makes me feel that all is well… NOW.
Where do you see yourself and your business in a couple years? What’s your dream?
Alexa Fischer: Oh, I’m delighted you asked! I have a really big wish: To have over one million people wish at once. In this dream scenario, I imagine hosting a live and virtual event where together we can wish for peace.
Imagine the power of our collective energy…
Imagine the shift in consciousness…
Imagine the feeling of connection when we focus on that single goal… all at one time.
I believe our thoughts, our actions, and our intentions create our experience, so if enough of us wish for peace, peace will be present. Everyone wins.
Alexa Fischer is the creator of the goal-setting, wish-granting jewelry company Wishbeads and author of the book Wishwork. She’s also an online educator, coach, and speaker whose work shares the common goal of helping people go after their dreams, build their confidence, and break free from fear.
