Exclusive: 'RHOM' Star Alexia Nepola Reveals Secret Behind the Continued Success of Alexia + Frankie's Beauty Bar

Alexia Nepola knows how to hustle.

The Real Housewives of Miami star spent years as the executive director of Venue magazine, all while making her mark in the reality TV world. In recent years, she's continued to expand her empire with her extremely successful Surfside establishment, Alexia + Frankie's Beauty Bar.

Nepola chats exclusively with Morning Honey about how she started her salon with her son Frankie Rosello, how she's kept the business booming and her partnership with the beauty subscription brand Ipsy.

"I was actually a customer there when it was just a nail bar," the blonde beauty says of life before buying the entity. "When I used to go weekly, I never imagined that I would own it. But when Herman [Echevarria, her ex-husband] passed away, his children decided to close the magazine. So, Frankie and I needed to have a purpose and reason to wake up every morning and go somewhere and do something for ourselves."

In that moment, Nepola knew it was time to embark on her next venture. "When I heard the owner was selling it, I said, 'Frankie, do you like this? Do you think we could buy this and do this?' He was like, 'Yes!' So, we decided to buy it," she recalls.

The mother-of-two began to envision how she could evolve the salon for years to come. "I always wanted to leave it open-ended. More like a beauty bar because I love everything and anything that has to do with beauty," Nepola says. "At the time, it was only nails. But I can do so many other things that have to do with beauty, like lashes, facials, spray tans, waxing and maybe even a quick blowout. Luckily for me, I had that opportunity."

The former educator's hard work paid off, especially with her loyal clientele. "I love my customers. I love people. I love connecting with them," she adds. "My biggest thing is when Frankie's there with me, maybe somebody comes in in the morning and they're not having such a great day. Frankie opens the door, and he can read it. He's like, 'Good morning! What color would you like?' or 'Do you want some water?' He really brings a smile to everybody's face."

"The fact that this person came in not having such a great day, but they walked out with a smile on their face and now they're happy," the television star adds. "He made such a difference in their world. That's everything to me."

While the businesswoman continues to keep people coming into her salon, she's also teamed up with the beauty subscription brand Ipsy. "When I partnered with them, we were celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, so that meant a lot to me," Nepola says.

"To my surprise, I learned about so many new Latino companies from founders that were Latinas and entrepreneurs," she adds. "That really touched me. They're getting the recognition they deserve. I love their concept. They offer and carry such good brands across the board. It was exciting."