Once we lose the capacity to dream big, we have already been defeated in the race of life. Dreams must be thoughtful and tailored to our unique talents and giftings, but when you are as multifaceted as Alisa Ince, it’s only natural that dreams evolve. Embedded in the imprint of every Caribbean woman is the capacity to display unending resilience and determination, and Ince is no different in that regard. She was only eight years old when she started doing her first mock up photo-shoots in the comfort of her home, discovering that she was born to entertain.
Fast-forward to early 2020, and Ince is poised to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a supermodel. She had recently signed to BAME Model Agency in London and her booking calendar for the year was densely populated with shoots that could have changed the trajectory of her career forever; then Covid-19 came. Just like many of us, the pandemic severely inconvenienced Alisa and her dreams were put into disarray. Her family felt it was safer for her to be home in Barbados during this unprecedented time of crisis, and seeing that many of her shoots would have been cancelled, she obliged.
In the scurry of packing all her precious belongings to come back home, she forgot one quintessential island girl item – her waist beads! This thoughtless omission eventually led to the development of a new evolution in Alisa’s journey as a creative dreamer. During lockdown, she conceptualized and created a jewelry company called ‘MadeWithSoull’. She could have easily wallowed in her sorrow and disappointment, but instead she allowed her dream to evolve and that’s where resilience comes in. MadeWithSoull started out by just making waist beads because initially Ince just wanted to replace what she had left in London. Now, the brand has already expanded into the creation of earrings, neck pieces and other forms of jewelry.
CARIB VOXX: How did you come up with the name MadeWithSoull and what does it mean to be soulful, in your estimation?
Alisa: “When I started thinking about what I wanted to name my brand, I wanted it to be something that was personal and meaningful, something that represented me and what I was bringing to the brand. I started making a ‘list of options’ and the third name I came up with was ‘MadeWithSoull’. As I wrote it down, I knew that was going to be the name of my brand; MadeWithSoull resonated with me so much so, that I discontinued brainstorming more options because I knew there was no need to look any further. MadeWithSoull represented the passion I have for what I’m doing; it represented positive energy; it represented me and the creativity I want to express through my jewelry. When I think about what it means to be soulful, so many definitions come to mind. In my estimation, being soulful means being authentically passionate, expressing deep emotions towards something and in terms of my brand, it means making each piece of jewelry with lots of love, creativity and soul.”
CARIB VOXX: Waist beads, in particular, have a subtle touch of sensuality but are still so graceful and charming based on how you design them. How much of that duality defines you as a woman?
Alisa: “Waist beads do have a touch of sensuality and as stated, can be graceful and charming. However I wouldn’t say that either of the two define me as a woman, but it does play a part in how I construct my pieces. Any article of clothing or jewelry someone puts on makes them feel a certain way. School or work clothes may make you feel studious; jeans and a top may make you feel casual and comfortable; and so when someone puts on their MadeWithSoull jewelry, I want them to feel confident, sexy, elegant, and all the other good feelings out there.”
CARIB VOXX : You were born in Germany, then you moved to Barbados at the age of two. You then moved to New York to complete high school and then, of course, London. How does your multicultural upbringing shape your resolve towards your own creativity?
Alisa: “Due to my multicultural upbringing I have been able to witness, experience and learn various forms of the arts which have allowed my creativity to evolve in many ways. As my environment and culture around me changes, I am introduced to a lot of new and different ways people have used their creativity, with different art forms and techniques; allowing myself and my creativity to grow and expand. Creativity is expressed in almost everything around us. Everything invented or innovated is a form of someone’s creativity – therefore, the more I am able to see and experience, the more I get inspired to create something different and beautiful.“
CARIB VOXX: You are also a dancer, and you were a member of the National Gymnastics Team for Barbados. What are some of the non-artistic aspects of your character that these experiences developed, enabling you to run your business efficiently today?
Alisa: “Being a dancer and gymnast for many years, I have developed a certain amount of persistence, determination, patience, focus, drive and resilience and so I have channeled those same characteristics into running my business.”
