In this episode of Black Women Will Save Black Women, Kamika opens the Fail Forward File by introducing the E.V.O.L.V.E. framework: a reminder that resetting doesn't work if you don't address the reason a reset feels necessary. She challenges the urge to start over without reflection and invites listeners to choose evolution instead.
Kamika is joined in the sanctuary by Alexis Watts, founder and CEO of A Watts Collective, who shares her journey through a high‑risk pregnancy, a NICU stay, and the emotional fallout of being let go from corporate America. Alexis reflects on grief, misplaced loyalty, and the moment she realized corporate is not family, before stepping into the pivot that led her to entrepreneurship. She walks us through stopping the job search, accepting support, working for free to build systems, and leaning on years of networking to launch her agency with zero funding and a newborn—showing how consistency, kindness, and vision can turn disruption into direction.
The episode closes with this week's S.A.V.E. Strategy: Support & Amplify—a reminder to support yourself by telling your story and letting your evolution be seen.
Alexis Watts is the Founder & CEO of A.Watts Collective, a Colorado-based marketing and PR agency known for its boots-on-the-ground approach and powerhouse brand strategy. After returning from maternity leave following a high-risk pregnancy, Alexis was unexpectedly let go — a moment that changed everything. Instead of breaking her, it became the catalyst for her greatest transformation. Within months, she launched A.Watts Collective with zero funding and a newborn at home. Today, her agency has grown into a fast-scaling firm serving franchises, hospitality brands, business districts, and attractions across the region. Known by many as the "Kris Jenner of Marketing," Alexis is celebrated for her ability to elevate businesses and create opportunity wherever she goes.
Connect with Alexis:
https://www.instagram.com/alexisinthe_city/
https://www.instagram.com/a.wattscollective/
www.facebook.com/awattscollective
Subscribe to Black Women Will Save Black Women on YouTube and Instagram. Share this episode with a sister who needs it, and join the movement to amplify our stories.
Interested in sharing your story, email info@blackwomenwillsaveblackwomen
You can find Kamika at:
Linked In- Kamika Dillard | LinkedIn
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/kamikatdillard/
Substack- https://substack.com/@kamikadillard
TikTok- www.tiktok.com/@missktdillard
Threads- @kamikatdillard
National & Regional Chambers of Commerce
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC)
Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC)
https://www.usblackchambers.org
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
