Meet AJ The Alchemist

We had the good fortune of connecting with AJ The Alchemist and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi AJ, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
To be completely honest, I’ve been throwing my skills at the wall and seeing what sticks, lol. I’m big on “just trying”. Over time, I think I’ve been able to bridge the gap and not be so all over the place. At the end of the day, I wanted to do my best to make a living on things I’m genuinely passionate about and it’s led me to this space.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m a creative director and artist manager with a deep focus on music artists and streetwear brands. I started managing and stepping into the world of production in 2021, and since then, my work has centered around helping brands shape their visual identity through digital marketing, music videos, and editorial-style photoshoots. I think what truly sets my business apart is the spiritual element I bring to the process. The goal is to build worlds.

For me, it’s about more than just aesthetic and strategy. I work closely with my clients to understand their personal goals and unique paths, guiding them in creating careers that align with who they are, not just what the industry is expecting. I see my role as a bridge between a client’s vision and how it lives in the world—visually and energetically.

What I’m most excited about right now is expanding beyond the phone screen. I’ve been pouring my creative direction into digital mediums for a while, but now I feel ready to bring that energy into physical spaces—through events, activations, and workshops. I want my art and ideas to be experienced in real life.

It definitely hasn’t been easy. In the beginning, I don’t think people fully understood the concept of what I was doing. But as the industry has shifted and artists are now expected to be their own content creators, storytellers, and brand managers, the value of my role has become more clear. I’ve learned that staying true to my vision, even when it wasn’t fully understood, was the right call—and that patience, persistence, and purpose go a long way.

I’ve learned a lot of hard lessons around work-life balance. My role calls for me to kind of enmesh myself in my clients lives and the lines tend to be blurred. I don’t mind what’s required, but at the end of the day I still have to value my time.

Above all, I want people to know that I genuinely love music and culture. I really want to continue to use music as a form of storytelling and connection, and I’m honored to play whatever role I need to in order to help artists and brands bring their vision to life. It’s a blessing to be immersed in art every day. I don’t take that for granted.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m earthy and nature focused, so the first stop would definitely be the Dallas Arboretum. I love shooting there but I also love getting the chance to walk around and vibe. I’d also take them to White Rock Lake for the same energy. As far as food, there are a lot of overwhelming options but you can’t go wrong in Bishop Arts or even Deep Ellum during the day. I love a lot of local staples like Hall’s, Mike’s, Ichigoh Ramen and Taqueria Taxco. As far as places to hang out, there are a lot of cool artsy spaces. I like Hyphen Space, Soiree Coffee, The Wild Detectives or Inclusion Coffee in Arlington. For a night out, I’d definitely say Double D’s. A lot of my homies are curating cool events. Shoutout to SZNs Change, Family & Friends and Black Girls in Art Spaces.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate this to my family: my late mother, my Dad and my brothers. Their genuine support and words of encouragement echo in my head every time I’m ready to quit. I’d also like to shoutout my clients. Without them and their belief in me, I literally don’t have a business. So I’m always grateful to them.

Website: https://beacons.ai/ajthealchemist

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajthealchemist_/?igsh=MTJ5NXRlZHZ2ZGY0cA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

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

Image Credits
@staybryght, @qualitylenz, @jaredamoody, @coreyvhs