Trailblazing Creator: Alexis Nikole Nelson

What happens when your weird little hobby turns into a James Beard Award, an Emmy, a Smithsonian feature, a university lecture circuit, a global following, and a debut book that hit number one on Amazon before it even came out? You get Alexis Nikole Nelson, also known as the Black Forager, and one of the most joyful, grounded, and trailblazing voices on the internet today.

In this episode of Mode to Joy, host Monica Lyles sits down with her cousin Alexis for a warm, funny, and deeply honest conversation about foraging, content creation, the business of being an influencer, and what it really looks like to build a career out of something that genuinely lights you up. This one will make you want to go outside and eat something off the ground.

Listen below, or via your favorite podcast player.

In This Episode, You'll Hear:

  • What foraging actually is, and why Alexis describes herself as a forager, content creator, and storyteller rather than an influencer

  • A day in the life of the Black Forager, from editing morning videos to afternoon plant walks and neighborhood picnic.

  • How her mother unknowingly primed her brain for plants the same way early language exposure shapes a child's mind

  • The pandemic TikTok post that started it all, and how she treated every video like a scientific hypothesis to test

  • The New York Times interview that made her realize she could not keep living a double life at Bark and as Black Forager

  • Why authenticity was her strategy before everyone was talking about authenticity

  • The hard business reality of refusing fast fashion deals and brand partnerships that don't align with her values, and how she built a different income model around education and YouTube

  • Her advice for aspiring content creators: lead with joy, lead with curiosity, and know your "influencer of what?"

Key Takeaways

→ Lead with what makes you joyful. Alexis's entire career grew from a genuine love of plants and being outside. She did not set out to build a brand. She set out to share something she loved, and the audience found her.

→ Authenticity is a long game. Sanding off your edges to appeal to everyone is a short-term strategy. Alexis built a loyal community by being genuinely herself, including on the topics that make some people leave.

→ Not everyone is your audience, and that's okay. Knowing who you are not for is just as valuable as knowing who you are for. Trying to appeal to everyone is how you end up resonating with no one.

→ Values are not negotiable. Alexis told her agency from day one which brands were a hard no. It has made monetization harder and more creative, but it has also meant she has never had to look her audience in the eye and recommend something she doesn't believe in.

→ Joy is sustainable. Performance is not. Whether you're a content creator or a business owner, the thing that keeps you going through the hard days has to be something real. Foraging was real for Alexis long before anyone was watching.

About Alexis Nikole Nelson

Alexis Nicole Nelson, known online as Black Forager, is a forager, content creator, storyteller, historian, and citizen scientist based in Ohio. She holds a James Beard Award and an Emmy, has appeared at the Smithsonian, lectures at universities across the country, and leads plant walks from Martha's Vineyard to Finland. Her debut book Happy Snacking, Don't Die is a seasonal foraging guide available now. She is repped by UTA and is currently on book tour. Follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube as @BlackForager. 

About the Book: Happy Snacking, Don't Die

Alexis's debut book is organized by season rather than alphabet, so readers always know what is actually findable right now. It features food photography by her friend and fellow forager JB, recipes for forageable ingredients, and plants selected to be findable no matter where in the world you live. The book covers widespread species, both native and invasive, so readers across the globe can get outside and start foraging right away.

Pre-order and purchase links available wherever books are sold.

About Mode To Joy

Mode to Joy is hosted by Monica Lyle, and explores the intersection of passion and profession. After 30 years as an executive coach, Monica is on a mission to help more people do what they love and love what they do. Each episode features a guest who has found a way to make their life's work feel like their life's calling. May their stories inspire you to find your own way to bring more life to your work and joy to your life.

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