“The most important thing in life is to help others. It really just isn’t about you.”
Meet Desiree Alexander
?
Ms. Desiree Alexander, Ed.S. is an award-winning, multi-degreed educator who has been in the educational field since 2002. She is currently the Regional Director of North Louisiana for the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana. She is the Founder CEO of Educator Alexander Consulting, LLC. She consults with members of several schools/businesses and presents at conferences nationwide.
Ms. Alexander is lifetime certified in Louisiana in Secondary English Education, as a Reading Specialist, as a School Librarian, as an Educational Technology Facilitator, as an Educational Technology Leader and in Educational Leadership 1. She is certified in Texas as a Principal, in English Language Arts and Reading for grades 4-8 and grades 8-12, as a Reading Specialist for grades EC-12, and as a School Librarian. She holds multiple technology certifications, including, but not limited to, IC3 certification, Google Certified Trainer, Google Innovator, Apple Teacher 2016, and a Microsoft Innovative Educator Master Trainer.
She holds a Bachelor, a Master + 30, and an Education Specialist Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Louisiana State University. She holds a Master of Library Science from Texas Woman?s University. She holds a Master of Educational Leadership with a concentration in Educational Technology Leadership from Nicholls State University. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education with a concentration in Educational Leadership from Lamar University.
She is one of the 2017 Young Professional Initiative 40 Under 40 Awards Honoree, 2017 Center for Digital Education Top 30 Technologists, Transformers & Trailblazers, 2017 PBS Learning Media Digital Innovator for Louisiana, 2016 A+PEL Member of the Year, 2015 Librarian of the Year for Louisiana Librarian Association, 2014 Leader of the Year for Region 2 Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators, and her recent campus’s 2015 Teacher of the Year in the Zachary Community School District.
Learn more at www.educatoralexander.com.
Email:?educatoralexander@gmail.com
Web:?https://www.educatoralexander.com/
Facebook:?https://www.facebook.com/EducatorAlexander
Twitter: https://twitter.com/educatoralex
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/educatoralexander
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/educatoralexander/
How long have you been an Entrepreneur?
3
Did you leave a job to become an Entrepreneur?
Yes
What is the name of your current project / company?
Educator Alexander Consulting, LLC
Please describe for us in 1 sentence your current project.
Educator Alexander Consulting, LLC empowers educators to discover and amplify the intrinsic desire to become innovators in education.
Where did the idea of your current project come from?
I have always loved to help teachers. That love became a passion and I found myself happiest when I was teaching and mentoring educators! That passion became Educator Alexander Consulting.
Why do you do what you do?
Our vision is to create a worldwide network of educators focused on the constant and consistent improvement of education for our students. And that is why I do what I do! Being able to help educators fulfill their dreams and the dreams of their students is an honor!
What’s the one thing you wish you could go back and tell your younger self?
I would love to tell my younger self to continue to be your own person. Don’t let anyone in your life make you feel as if you need to change. Keep being yourself…it all works out well in the end!
What’s the most important piece of advice would you give to someone just starting?
Go slow, enjoy the ride, and do not compare yourself to others. All of this is easier said than done; however, when you are just getting started, understand that you may not be rock star successful right off the bat. Take your time, work hard, and enjoy the ride because you are at the beginning…enjoy all of your firsts and have fun! And do not compare yourself to what others are doing. You are you and you are on your own path.
What is the hardest thing you have had to do regarding your business?
The hardest thing I have to do is say no. When someone asks for help, I want to challenge time and space to help them. But, I am only one person and sometimes, I simply have to say no. It is very hard because I try to treat people how I would want to be treated and I don’t want to be told no, so I don’t want to tell others no. But sometimes, I have no other choice. And even though I know there is no other choice, it is still hard every time I have to say it.
What does your typical day look like?
I honestly do not have a typical day! It all depends on what I am scheduled to do. I can wake up in Miami to do a training and go to bed in Chicago. Or I can be at home checking emails all day. It just really depends! However, one thing I love to do each day is meet and train educators. It really does bring me joy!
If you were to start again, and could change one thing, what would it be?
Wow! What a good question! I hate to be “that person,” but I honestly would not change a thing. Everything that I have done and been through led me to this moment and there is no other place I would rather be!
What is the most important thing in life?
The most important thing in life is to help others. It really just isn’t about you…it is about how we can all help each other become the best that we can be. That does not mean that you have to be the most selfless person in the world. It just means that if we think of how our actions affect others more than how they affect ourselves, the world would be a better place.
What is one problem you encountered as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
One problem I encountered was not having enough time to do what I was truly passionate about doing. When you follow your passion, you may have those around you who either do not understand your path or are downright against it for their own reasons. And if those people control certain aspects of your life, then you may run into major issues, such as not having enough time to do what you really love. So, I knew I had some tough decisions to make and I prayed really hard about them. In the end, God led me to the exact place I needed to be that not only enhanced my passion, but set it blazing! Now I have support and time to follow my dreams!
Tell us something unique about yourself.
I was born with a cleft lip and cleft palate on Pearl Harbor Day (December 7)in Belgium, Europe (Army Brats Rule) .
Email: educatoralexander@gmail.com
Web: https://www.educatoralexander.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EducatorAlexander
Twitter: https://twitter.com/educatoralex
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/educatoralexander
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/educatoralexander/
