Meet Alex Blaise Shadrow, Entrepreneur & Climate Leader

@sustainabae

Where were you born and where do you live now?
I was born in Los Angeles, and after moving around a lot, I am happy to say I'm finally back in my city.

How would you describe yourself in two sentences?
I would say I'm an entrepreneur at heart. I'm always looking for innovative solutions that impact our lives and our planet for the better. 

Tell us about your Moroccan heritage and how that connects you to FRÉ and FRÉ's social mission.
I am a first-generation American on my Mom's side. She was born in Marrakech, Morocco before immigrating to the United States with her family. My entire family that I love so deeply and so dearly was born in Morocco as well. My grandma is one of ten children, so there are quite a bit of Moroccan relatives to love! When I first learned about FRÉ, I was immediately connected to its clear commitment to sustainability. Then, I had the joy of discovering FRÉ's roots in Morocco! It is so important that FRÉ’s main ingredient, argan oil, is sourced from the main place on Earth where it naturally grows, the Argan Valley. FRÉ's social projects supporting women and providing local jobs, and also how FRÉ plants one tree in southwestern Morocco for every bottle sold really make positive changes. I am definitely not the type to promote a brand "just because," and with FRÉ it doesn't feel like promoting. I genuinely LOVE the product, love the impact, and feel deeply connected to the story and roots.

"It is so important that FRÉ’s main ingredient, argan oil, is sourced from the main place on Earth where it naturally grows, the Argan Valley."

Briefly tell us about your entrepreneurial journey with UNItiques, Relovv and  Trailblaze Consulting.
To be honest, I never intended to start my own businesses. Fast-forward to today and Trailblaze Consulting is my third successful business venture. At Trailblaze (tblazeconsulting.com), we help companies "ignite their path to success" with services centering in Marketing, Fundraising / Venture Capital, Technology, Operations, Public Relations, and more. My clients include The Los Angeles Clippers (NBA), MR Augmented and PILLAR (Augmented Reality / Web3), DAG Tech (IT), Jamble (marketplace), and more. I love being able to work on diverse projects simultaneously and overdeliver on my clients' goals.  My entrepreneurial journey started at age 16 as a “reseller” of vintage clothing on Poshmark and eBay. Little did I know that reselling would provide the inspiration and (some of) the capital I needed to start my first and second ventures “UNItiques” and “Relovv.” Both ventures were fashion marketplaces (like Poshmark or eBay) with different ways of approaching some of the problems other platforms were not addressing. UNItiques was specifically for college students, and I grew it to 100 campuses. Relovv used AI to match buyers and sellers with a swipe left and right interface similar to a dating app—think tinder for your closet. I launched Relovv in the prestigious Techstars accelerator, and went on to raise ~$1,000,000 in venture funding and grow Relovv to 100,000 users in just 1 year. After exiting Relovv, you could say Trailblaze consulting found me. With everything I accomplished at Relovv, my friends and colleagues were always asking me to consult or referring me to friends who needed my specific expertises. And with that, Trailblaze was born. 

Tell me about being an Al Gore climate leader.
I am absolutely honored to have been certified by Al Gore as a Climate Leader. I earned this certificate after completing an in-person, immersive program in Los Angeles called "Climate Reality." Here we learned about each industries' respective impact on the climate, the responsibility of corporations vs. individuals, important legislation, and overall where we stand in the climate crisis (how bad is it), and what we can do about it. Good news, there is hope, but we must act now. For more information and how you can get involved:  https://www.climaterealityproject.org/

As individuals, what else can we do to protect our planet?
There are two very important things we can do as individuals. First, we must de-fund corporations that directly damage the planet and support organizations that are helping the environment. Buying from transparent brands like FRÉ is a great start. By buying an electric vehicle, we support a growing green industry. But it doesn't stop there—how do you power that vehicle? Are you using carbon at home to charge with electricity? Switching to solar at home is the next best step; I love how Inspire Clean Energy makes it so easy to switch whether you have a home or are renting an apartment. You can also donate to the Carbon Fund to offset your footprint. Second, we have the power to help the planet by voting with the ballot. Participating in local and federal elections is key. You'd be surprised how many great folks there are trying to make a difference, but they need your vote to do so.

 "We have the power to help the planet by voting with the ballot."

Skincare

-Let’s talk skincare! What’s your skin type? 
I have dry skin! But not anymore, thanks to FRÉ! 

-What is your daily routine?
I use the  123FRÉ Set religiously. In the morning, I use  PURIFY ME cleanser and  PROTECT ME SPF30.  At night, I use  PURIFY ME again and  REVIVE ME. I've also added some more products into the mix, but this is definitely my core routine, I'd recommend for anyone.

-What are your favorite products?
Obviously, I love the  123FRÉ Set, but my favorite product has got to be  DETOX ME mask. As someone who works out almost every day, that mask has made such an impact reducing breakouts and clearing my skin! 

- How has FRÉ changed your skin?
FRÉ has been insanely amazing for my skin. I think the biggest impact has been being able to quit topical prescription medicine for my acne! That stuff was filled with tons of harsh chemicals, and I was still breaking out while it was also drying my skin out. FRÉ healed my skin and it has never been this clear, bright, and hydrated! 

"FRÉ healed my skin and it has never been this clear, bright, and hydrated!" 

Rapid Fire:

• Favorite exercise?  Weighted Lunges! 
• What does sweat mean to you?  That I went hard! 
• What comes to mind when you think of FRÉ?  CLEAN!
• What are you most excited about in life right now?  Helping companies with Trailblaze Consulting.
• What’s something you’d still love to learn?  French! 
• If you were a hashtag, what would you be? #Sustainabae 
• What is your mantra?  You don't lose—you win or you learn.
• What’s the best advice that you’ve ever received in your life?  Worrying doesn't change the outcome.
• What is an issue that you wish we spoke about more often?   Corporations impact on climate. 100 companies are responsible for 70% of carbon emissions. They should be outlawed.
• What does women’s empowerment mean in 2022?  OUR BODY OUR CHOICE.

Anything else you’d like to add?  Thank you very much for this opportunity to talk about sustainability.