Maya Hairston
April 11, 2025
In February 2023, Maya Hairston launched LabeledLex with a clear vision – creating affordable, high-quality handbags for those who appreciate luxury but can’t always afford premium designer brands. Today, her business stands as a testament to passion, perseverance, and the right support.
“I’ve always loved handbags and owned many, but I wasn’t in a position to afford luxury brands like Gucci or Louis Vuitton,” Maya shares. This personal experience shaped her business model. After years of buying lower-quality bags that didn’t last, she envisioned something better: stylish, durable handbags at accessible prices.
Maya named her company by combining Labeled, a term that allows for growth beyond handbags, with Lex, derived from her middle name, Alexis. This thoughtful branding reflects her long-term vision.
Despite minoring in Business Administration, Maya quickly realized how much she didn’t know about finances, taxes, and operations. To build her expertise, she completed Dream Launch, a six-week program in Danville, Virginia that helped her develop a business plan. She also attended workshops through RISE Collaborative, gaining crucial insights into financial management and marketing.
Her connection with the Community Investment Collaborative (CIC) began during Dream Launch but deepened after the RISE Summit in Fall 2024. There, she learned about CIC’s Microloan Program through Carolina and Stephen’s presentation, which led her to apply.
The microloan allowed Maya to consolidate high-interest business debt, significantly reducing payments. With newfound financial breathing room, she reinvested in her business – funding her Blossom Flex spring collection. “Now, I’m paying less interest and saving money,” she explains, highlighting how this support enabled inventory expansion and seasonal growth that might have otherwise been out of reach.
Like many entrepreneurs, Maya faces challenges. Securing affordable retail space in high-traffic areas has been difficult, though she’s proud of her current location, where she plans to host community networking events and meetups. Staffing is another hurdle, as she currently manages everything herself. To ease this, she shares retail space with another Black-owned business. “When I’m not there, she promotes my handbags, and I do the same for her services. It’s a great example of small businesses supporting each other,” Maya explains.
She shared that her biggest challenge is balancing entrepreneurship with her 9-to-5 job and family life. She’s refining her time management skills and using marketing calendars to stay consistent, recognizing how directly this impacts sales.
Maya also dispels the myth of overnight success. “I’ve had my business for two years and haven’t paid myself yet,” she reveals. With about $6,000 in profit after expenses last year, she reminds aspiring entrepreneurs that many businesses take years to turn a significant profit.
Her advice is to Start small and think big. She initially envisioned a storefront in a prime location but began with what she could afford. Now, with CIC’s support, she’s building strategically, one step at a time.
With a solid foundation, Maya remains focused on customer service and high-quality products. Customers already ask when she’ll expand into wallets, apparel, and sandals – growth she sees as an exciting possibility.
As LabeledLex evolves, Maya carries forward lessons from CIC’s programs and the financial stability the microloan provided. Her journey proves how organizations like CIC can transform passion projects into sustainable businesses, strengthening local economies and empowering entrepreneurs. “Entrepreneurship is hard, but it’s possible,” Maya affirms. “If I can do it, so can you.”
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