Meet Alexa Carlin | Founder & CEO, A.Rose Media

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexa Carlin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always believed that if I could make a difference in just one person’s life a day, I’d be living with purpose. That belief has guided everything I’ve done—and entrepreneurship became my vehicle to bring that mission to life.

I started my first business at 17 years old, designing jewelry to inspire confidence in young women. From that moment on, I was hooked—not just on business, but on the power it had to create meaningful impact.

Years later, after surviving a near-death experience in college, that mission became even more personal. I realized how fragile life is, and how important it is to use your voice and take action on your dreams. That led to building Women Empower X and eventually, A.Rose Media—my current agency, where I now help other business owners tell their story, grow their impact, and stand out in a noisy digital world.

With A.Rose Media, I’ve merged my passion for marketing, storytelling, and innovation—especially using AI—with my lifelong mission of making a difference, one person/business at a time. It’s more than a business. It’s a way to help others grow while staying true to what matters most.

What should our readers know about your business?
A.Rose Media was born out of both a pivot and a purpose.

After spending years on the road as a speaker and running large-scale events through Women Empower X, everything changed when I became a mom to twins. I knew I didn’t want to travel as much, but I also wasn’t ready to quiet my ambition or stop creating. I’ve always had a million ideas and a deep desire to make a difference—and I realized I could channel that passion into something even bigger: helping other businesses grow.

That’s where A.Rose Media came in. We’re a modern marketing agency built at the intersection of storytelling, strategy, and innovation. What sets us apart is that we don’t believe in generic content or cookie-cutter strategies. We go deep into the heart of a brand—what they stand for, who they serve, and what makes them different—and then we craft smart, creative, and human-centered marketing that cuts through the noise.

What I’m most proud of is how we’ve blended our creative roots with cutting-edge AI and forward-thinking systems to help our clients grow faster, more efficiently, and more authentically. We’re not here to just post on social media. We’re here to help people build brands that truly matter—brands that connect, convert, and create impact.

Has it been easy? Definitely not. Building a business while raising twins is chaos at times. But it’s also the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you can do business your way. You don’t have to follow a traditional path to be successful—you just have to be aligned with your values, your vision, and the people you serve.

If there’s one thing I want the world to know, it’s this: your story matters. And when it’s told well, it can change everything. That’s what we do at A.Rose Media—we help business owners share their story, grow their influence, and reach the people who need what they offer most.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Coffee Spots:
• Chanticleer Café in Cary (my go-to for a cozy local vibe)
• Heirloom Brewshop for the aesthetic
• Sola Coffee Café for a laid-back hangout

Restaurants + Drinks:
• Brewery Bhavana for dinner (can’t go wrong—amazing vibe + food)
• Watts & Ward for speakeasy-style cocktails
• Second Empire if we’re feeling fancy

Outdoor & Kid-Friendly Spots:
• Fenton – perfect for shopping, walking around, and letting the kids run around the big field
• Lake Johnson or Umstead Park for a scenic walk
• North Hills for an afternoon of outdoor shopping and people-watching
• Natural Sciences Museum downtown for a fun (and free!) activity with the kids

Recharge Mode:
• Umstead Spa – if we’re doing massages, this is the spot.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There’s no doubt in my mind—my parents deserve the biggest shoutout.

They’ve been my biggest supporters since day one. From the moment I started my first business at 17, they believed in me—even when my ideas felt risky, uncertain, or completely out of the box. They didn’t just encourage me to follow my dreams; they gave me the space, confidence, and foundation to pursue them fully.

Through the highs and lows—whether it was building my first company, recovering from a near-death health crisis, launching Women Empower X, or now running A.Rose Media while raising twins—they’ve been my steady, unconditional support system.

They taught me resilience. They modeled hard work. And most importantly, they reminded me that my voice, ideas, and purpose matter.

So much of who I am as a business owner, speaker, and mom is because of the love and example they’ve given me. I’m forever grateful.

Website: https://www.arosemedia.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexarosecarlin

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexarosecarlin

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlexaRoseCarlin

Other: Book: Adaptable – https://amzn.to/41RJdnN