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Lakeida Alexander

Background​

  • Wife of entrepreneur and inventor Lael Alexander.
  • Mother to 8 children.
  • Supports Lael's numerous business ventures and innovation projects.

Interests and Concerns​

  • Deeply invested in children's education and development.
  • Concerned about declining quality of education in traditional school systems.
  • Interested in alternative education approaches that better engage children.
  • Helps manage family priorities alongside Lael's demanding business schedule.

Current Activities​

  • Manages family life while supporting Lael's entrepreneurial endeavors.
  • Advocates for better educational opportunities for children.
  • Helps coordinate Lael's schedule and commitments.

Personal Insights​

  • Has observed first-hand how specific teaching styles can better engage children, noting her 15-year-old son's positive response to his Chinese language teacher's approach despite struggling in other subjects.
  • Navigates the challenges of balancing family needs with the demands of supporting an intensely driven entrepreneur.

Connection Points​

  • Primary connection is through Lael Alexander.
  • Shares interest in innovative education approaches.
  • Gary Sheng Nickname: Refers to Gary as "The 9th Child" / "009" (along with Lael) - acknowledging Gary's integration into the Alexander family as an honorary family member

Interactions​

  • 2025-04-15: Met during visit to Lael's facility in Tulsa. Shared perspectives on education and the challenges of raising children in today's educational environment.
  • 2025-04-16: Briefly present during the extended conversation/podcast, handling logistical matters.
  • 2025-06-02: Hosted Gary Sheng for extensive family dinner and business discussion at Alexander home in Jenks, Oklahoma. Managed household logistics while participating in conversations about education, business development, and family dynamics. Demonstrated seamless integration of family hospitality with business operations.
  • 2025-06-04: Gary Sheng connected with daughter Aleah Alexander about educational opportunities and potential Austin relocation, expanding family's involvement in educational innovation initiatives.
  • 2025-06-04: Intimate conversation with Gary Sheng covering deeply personal family challenges, business history, and life philosophy. Discussed mental health struggles with son Isaac, lost business opportunities in China, family dynamics, and approach to maintaining normalcy despite extraordinary circumstances.
  • 2025-06-05: Discussed affordable housing challenges, developer ethics, and assessment of Mayor Monroe Nichols with Gary Sheng during mayor's office visit preparations.

Role in Alexander Family Business (June 2, 2025 Update)​

  • Core Team Member: Listed by Josh as part of core team "Me. Joe. Lil. Lakita. Coleman" for business operations
  • Schedule Management: Helps coordinate Lael's demanding schedule and commitments
  • Family Operations: Manages complex household logistics for family of 8 children plus business activities

Hosting and Hospitality (June 2, 2025)​

  • Guest Management: Welcoming host during Gary's visit, ensuring comfort and refreshments
  • Family Coordination: Managed dinner preparations and family interactions during business discussions
  • Cultural Bridge: Appreciates and supports children's diverse cultural interests (Ashleigh's Asian cuisine)

Family Dynamics and Parenting Insights​

  • Educational Support: Observed her approach to balancing individual children's interests with practical considerations
  • Talent Recognition: Supports children's artistic development (Andre's music, Ashleigh's culinary arts, Aleah's post-graduation exploration)
  • Practical Management: Handles day-to-day logistics while supporting Lael's intensive work schedule
  • Decision Making: Involved in family business and educational decisions

Personal Observations (June 2, 2025)​

  • Technology Use: Helped Lael with patent application process during visit, showing involvement in business operations
  • Family Integration: Seamlessly balanced hosting Gary while managing family dinner and children's activities
  • Supportive Partnership: Demonstrates strong partnership with Lael in managing both family and business responsibilities

Educational Philosophy Alignment​

  • Alternative Education Support: Continues to advocate for educational approaches that better engage children
  • Individual Learning Styles: Supports children's self-directed learning and artistic development
  • Practical Application: Manages household that serves as working model of alternative educational approaches

Family Challenges and Resilience (June 4, 2025 Update)​

Mental Health Crisis Management​

  • Isaac's Situation: Navigating severe mental health challenges with 25-year-old son Isaac, who left home in January 2025 and has minimal contact with family
  • Protective Parenting: Previously opposed Isaac's decision to join Marines: "I don't think you should go to Marines... Something that's less traumatizing"
  • Systemic Understanding: Recognizes broader pattern affecting multiple families including Joe Liemandt's son (Lante)
  • Root Cause Analysis: Believes contaminated cannabis contributed to mental health deterioration: "if you buy it from someone who's cutting it with other chemicals, then it can alter your DNA structurally, in your brain"

Parenting Philosophy Under Pressure​

  • No Artificial Pressure: "We don't really do that, like pressure on my kids. Yeah, we do expect them to do well morally, well to do well in school"
  • Maintaining Normalcy: "We always tried to be normal people. Always tried to be normal"
  • Recognition of Genius: Acknowledges children's awareness of Lael's uniqueness: "they didn't know their dad is special for sure. For sure. I 100%"

Business History and Lost Opportunities (June 4, 2025 Insights)​

Early Business Development Witness​

  • Chemical Plant Era: Supported Lael during Amstead period in Shreveport, Louisiana
  • Software Development: Witnessed creation of "Premark" (Planning, Resource, Execution, Monitoring) software
  • Revolutionary Impact: Understood Lael's ability to complete turnaround projects in half the typical time

China Experience and Losses​

  • Forced Exit: "The United States came... was following him in China and before you know it, they had him come inside the... American consult over there. And threaten a whole lot... we have to give off our part"
  • Scale of Loss: Recognized the magnitude: "They went... IPO... in China. Oh, my God, there was so much money, but we had to..."
  • Lesson Learned: "We would have asked for our royalty. Give me a dollar per thing that you sell"
  • Regret and Acceptance: "We didn't think it was wrong. We didn't think what we was doing was wrong"

Travel and Family Balance​

  • China Experience: "I liked China, but at the same time, I hated being so far from home"
  • Single Parenting Challenges: "It's not easy raise in six kids... making sure they go to catechism, making sure of church in the house, get the bro, get into the doctor"
  • Adaptation: "But when you get into the rhythm, then it's okay"

Personal Health and Well-being (June 4, 2025)​

  • Hearing Issues: Experiencing hearing loss in right ear for approximately one month
  • Self-Care: Attempted various remedies including olive oil treatment
  • Adaptation: Managing daily activities despite hearing challenges

Media and Privacy Wisdom​

  • Reality TV Decline: Turned down reality show opportunity: "They wanted to make as a into a reality show... I wasn't not ready for that"
  • Protective Instincts: "it ruin, it just makes you weirdly competitive and stuff"
  • Relationship Preservation: "if you're having the art or a fight, usually a couple can work that out... you get a chance to fix it ourselves"

Individual Children Insights (June 4, 2025)​

Asher (15 years old)​

  • Personality Development: "He didn't talk that much before... Not until maybe last year, maybe"
  • High Intelligence: "For the most part, he thinks people are dumb... He's like, where did he get that from, right?"
  • Approaching Independence: Excited for him to get driver's license and independence

Ashley's Challenges​

  • Driving Anxiety: Supporting Ashley through driving anxiety and fear of highways

Global Perspective on Lael's Capabilities​

  • Universal Advisory Potential: "Even if there was a world government, he would be able to help the world government. Easy"
  • Solutions Focus: "he's more of a solutions person. He can go into almost any business and help them figure out what they need"

Post-COVID Family Dynamics​

  • Lael's Depression: Witnessed and supported Lael through significant depression after being forced to stay home
  • Schedule Adjustment: Adapted to having Lael home constantly after years of travel schedule
  • Relationship Dynamics: Compared to previous relationship experience with consultant who traveled Monday-Thursday

Affordable Housing Business Ethics (June 5, 2025)​

Developer Profit Motivations Analysis​

Lakeida identified core systemic problems in affordable housing development: "One of the issues with housing, if you're relating to that, is not so much that it is expensive, it's that a lot of these developers want to capitalize on earning more money per square foot, rather than focusing on doing it affordable"

Ethical Business Standards and Vetting Process​

Question-Based Approach: She developed a systematic approach to developer evaluation: "you came to us because you said in your opening statement that you want to do affordable housing. Affordable housing, you have to ask them, what does that mean to you?"

Rejecting Exploitative Partnerships: Clear ethical boundaries on collaboration: "It defeats the purpose. Like, why am I going through this trouble? Why am I giving you the rock bottom price from me? Because I want you to sell it affordable, but if I'm cutting myself by 50 percent just so that you can up it by 300 percent, it makes no sense"

Government Funding Abuse Recognition​

Pattern Identification: Recognizes systematic abuse of public funding: "a lot of these companies, they come to us with fundings that they've gotten from the government, because they said they could give affordable housing, and so I'm morally, I'm not, I just can't see eye to eye with them"

Moral Framework: "If you're getting the money for free, right, why aren't you doing what you're supposed to do with it?"

Deceptive Practices: Understanding of how developers manipulate government reporting: "they get our quote, and then they give that quote to the government, saying this is what they're, you're lying, this is what you're getting it from us for, that you haven't given them what you're gonna price it at in the market"

True Affordability Standards​

Realistic Pricing Framework: "we gotta have houses under 300,000, even under 200,000 to give people a pride, you know, even if, even if they can only get a job that's $20 an hour, you can't get a house over 300,000 with that"

Income-Based Housing Philosophy: Understanding of wage-to-housing cost ratios and realistic affordability for working families

Business Ethics Integration​

Values-Based Decision Making: "come back when you have a different model to give me. And I guess it's crazy because we could just give in. Me and in your heart, you know that it's wrong"

Long-term vs. Short-term Thinking: Willingness to reject profitable but unethical partnerships in favor of mission alignment

Political Assessment and Leadership (June 5, 2025)​

Mayor Monroe Nichols IV Evaluation​

Cautious Optimism: "I believe that he wants to. Now, how much pushback he's going to get is another thing, but he wants to"

Systemic Change Challenges: "He wants to make all these changes, but I mean, how long do a mayor stay a mayor? Is it four years, five years?"

Implementation Realism: "by the time you get to implement change, then you have to go through that pushback, and then is it actually going to get done before you leave office? That's the other thing, and I think that's a lot of times what the issue is"

Electoral Recognition: Acknowledged affordable housing as part of mayor's campaign platform but recognized it as one component of broader change agenda

Business Partnership Philosophy​

  • Mission Alignment: Prioritizes shared values and goals over profit maximization
  • Due Diligence: Thorough vetting of potential partners' true intentions and business models
  • Ethical Boundaries: Clear standards for acceptable business practices
  • Community Impact: Focus on genuine community benefit rather than exploitation

Notes​

The June 2, 2025 home visit revealed Lakeida as the operational backbone of the Alexander family, managing complex logistics while supporting both Lael's business operations and children's diverse development. Her ability to maintain family cohesion while participating in business operations demonstrates exceptional organizational and interpersonal skills.

The June 4, 2025 intimate conversation revealed profound depth of character, wisdom, and resilience. Lakeida demonstrates remarkable ability to process and articulate complex family challenges, business losses, and personal growth while maintaining perspective and hope. Her insights into mental health challenges, business history, and family dynamics show both vulnerability and strength.

The June 5, 2025 affordable housing discussion revealed sophisticated understanding of business ethics, government funding abuse, and community development challenges. Her systematic approach to vetting developers and insistence on genuine affordability demonstrates both business acumen and moral leadership.

Her continued focus on educational quality and alternatives, combined with practical experience managing a large family with diverse talents, provides valuable insights for educational initiatives. Her role in business operations suggests deeper involvement in strategic decisions than initially apparent. The family's approach to privacy, normalcy, and protective parenting demonstrates sophisticated understanding of public life's challenges and the importance of maintaining authentic relationships.

  • 2025-06-20: CHINA TRAVEL PLANNING AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT - Extended strategic conversation with Gary Sheng covering practical China travel logistics, family perspectives on international opportunities, and business partnership frameworks.

China Travel Logistics and Family Perspective​

Quarterly Travel Model Development: Engaged in detailed planning for sustainable China education partnership: "Once a quarter... And then the rest will be what? By Zoom call or..." Demonstrated practical understanding of balancing international opportunities with health and family considerations.

Family Nostalgia and Desire: Expressed comprehensive family interest in China return: "I miss it there too. My son-in-law was asking for me going back... My other kids too." Provided context for family's emotional connection to China experience and readiness for international re-engagement.

Health and Travel Constraints: Realistic assessment of Dr. Alexander's travel capacity: "That flying for long periods of time, and he's not a young buck anymore... He can go probably like once a month, maybe even once every two months. But he can't go like he used to go... If he goes, he needs to go for a couple weeks at a time."

COVID-19 Historical Context: Provided detailed account of near-miss with border closures: "Richard was not feeling well... And he left. Thank God he left when he did. Because the day after he arrived in China, the borders were shut down. And Leo was supposed to be on that flight with him." Demonstrated understanding of how timing and health decisions prevented major business disruption.

International Recognition vs. Local Reception​

Overseas Appreciation Pattern: Observed consistent international recognition: "Overseas is where they really see this potential. It's always been like that... It's happening twice already." Provided historical context for Dr. Alexander's global recognition patterns.

Local Media Misrepresentation: Identified concerning pattern of local news manipulation: "It was on the news... it says that he was a former North Tulsan. He's like, everybody knows I'm not from Tulsa at all... They did it on purpose because they're not so open to outsiders. So they put us as former North Tulsans." Demonstrated awareness of local resistance to outsider leadership and media narrative control.

Business Strategy and Opportunity Assessment​

Project Prioritization Philosophy: Engaged in strategic discussion about focusing on fewer, larger projects rather than numerous smaller opportunities. Supported Gary's observation about need for "billion dollars, trillion dollars" scale projects rather than scattered smaller initiatives.

Local vs. International Balance: Contributed to conversation about balancing Tulsa community development with international opportunities, recognizing both the slower growth domestically and the importance of maintaining global relationships.

Visa and Documentation Management​

Practical International Business Support: Provided detailed guidance on China visa renewal process: "I think it's time to get those renewed... Houston is the best place to go. It's really... Fairly quickly. Like, in three days you can get it." Demonstrated continued role in managing international business logistics.

Family Documentation Coordination: Indicated readiness to coordinate family travel documentation for potential international opportunities.

U.S.-China Relations Understanding​

Realistic Political Assessment: Engaged in conversation about bilateral relationship challenges while maintaining optimism for educational bridge-building opportunities during tense political periods.

Strategic Patience: Supported Gary's approach of building relationships patiently through education rather than rushing into potentially problematic business arrangements.

Key Themes from June 5 Conversation: Sophisticated business ethics framework, systemic analysis of affordable housing challenges, realistic political assessment, values-based decision making, and integration of community impact considerations with business operations.

Key Themes from June 20 Conversation: International business logistics management, family coordination for global opportunities, realistic assessment of health and travel constraints, media narrative awareness, strategic project prioritization, and continued role as practical operations coordinator for complex international business development.

Overall Assessment: Lakeida emerges as a sophisticated business partner, ethical decision-maker, and strategic thinker who provides essential balance and grounding to Lael's visionary capabilities while managing complex family and business operations with exceptional skill and integrity. Her role extends beyond family management to include critical international business logistics, strategic assessment of opportunities, and practical coordination of complex multi-jurisdictional operations.

Transcripts​

Transcript IDDateSummary
2025-06-20-morning-strategic-planning-alexander-estate2025-06-20Comprehensive partnership structure and project planning session
2025-06-04-gary-sheng-lakeida-alexander-family-dynamics-summary2025-06-04Conversation Summary: Gary Sheng & Lakeida Alexander - Family Dynamics and Life Insights
2025-04-16-lael-alexander-gary-sheng-beef-jones-russ-ballard-podcast2025-04-16Brief participation in impromptu podcast conversation about Lael's philosophy and technology vision
2025-04-15-lael-alexander-facility-visit2025-04-15Facility visit with educational philosophy discussions and technology demonstrations