Reaching the coveted milestone of one million followers on social media is no minor feat. Lexi Vixi, an American model and fitness influencer of Vietnamese descent, can credit her natural charisma, undeniable allure, and dedication to embracing an active lifestyle with catapulting her to social media heights very few can claim. Her one million (and counting) followers on Instagram crown her as a “mega-influencer,” someone who has extensive reach, enviable engagement, and significant pull with major brands. Lexi has unlocked a world of opportunity by reaching one million followers, leveraging her personality and looks to gain enormous traction both online and off.
Most recently, Lexi’s getting flown out to Los Angeles, that land of dreamers, to shoot a new episode of her popular lifestyle series, Life with Lexi. It’s one of those pinch-me-I’m-dreaming scenarios, where a small-town girl (she’s from Lexington, Kentucky) single handedly manages to make her wildest dreams come true. By being herself, staying positive, and dedicating hours to honing her self image (and her fit physique), Lexi Vixi is now truly living her best life. Life with Lexi will focus on promoting health and wellness and showcasing Lexi’s fun and vivacious personality – the very aspect of herself that has gotten her so far in the world already. No doubt she will bring heaps of inspiration to millions of people who will watch her show. Whether viewers are inspired to live a healthier, more fitness-oriented lifestyle or simply want to take Lexi’s lead on building their dream life, the series will serve as a guide to bringing out the very best of yourself.
So what’s this young woman’s secret? Lexi’s Instagram feed is a beautifully curated mix of travel destinations, fitness videos, and modeling photos that showcase her dedication to living a healthy and active lifestyle. Lexi Vixi herself admits that consistency is key. “Be consistent and use all your platforms, whether it’s Reels or posting to Stories,” she says, adding that keeping up with social media changes is imperative and requires curiosity and creativity. “You gotta play around with it,” she explains. “I’m still learning [how to get better at] Reels and TikTok. You just gotta play around. Save your drafts, keep editing, and there’s always YouTube or Google [for tutorials.]” As Lexi has demonstrated, staying curious about updates and changes, being among the first to adopt any new social media platform, being creative with posts, and staying consistent can take anyone with dreams of social media success very, very far.
Lexi’s positive, empowering captions also play a part in engaging her followers and helping to foster a sense of community. Say what you will about social media (and there’s a lot to say about it), but one of its greatest assets is the ability to bring like-minded people together in a positive space. Lexi’s community appreciates her washboard abs, videos of her lifting weights in the gym (she is fully self taught, by the way), and the motivating images that inspire them to get off the couch and hit the gym themselves.
Fitness influencers continue to prosper on Instagram and other social media platforms, particularly post-pandemic, as so many people look to experts to guide them towards healthier lifestyles. Lexi’s been active on Instagram since 2015, and her success is truly a testament to how far hard work, dedication, and never giving up can take you. Lexi Vixi had a vision from the very beginning and didn’t waver from it. Even before Instagram influencers gained the status they enjoy now, Lexi’s instincts steered her in the right direction toward eventually reaching influencer fame. High-quality photos, short, witty captions, and a cohesive feed all contributed to building up Lexi’s reputation on Instagram and getting her such an enormous following.
In addition to killer instincts, Lexi’s climb up the social media ladder was aided in no small part by her tight-knit Vietnamese family. Her loved ones have always instilled in her the value of hard work and perseverance in the face of setbacks, self-doubt, and adversity. “Family is everything,” Lexi Vixi says. “I love my parents and they’ve made me super strong like them, always working hard like them. I got everything from my mom.”
With her family’s advice and support staying at the forefront of her mind, Lexi Vixi was able to keep her eye on the prize until she could grab it with both hands. “We have a very special bond,” Lexi explains. “They’re my biggest supporters, biggest fans. We’d be in Hawaii, and my sister would be recording my content, taking my pictures.”
This devotion to family and the strong bond between them has been one of the biggest reasons for Lexi’s success. “Seeing [my parents] work seven days a week with two jobs, taking care of me and my sister. That’s what motivates me and pushes me to be better,” she admits. “So my family doesn’t have to work so hard.” Additionally, her tenacity in the face of obstacles characterizes so many Vietnamese (whether in Vietnam or in the diaspora), and it will never stop being satisfying to see such people succeed. Success begets success, as experience has repeatedly shown.
Still, it’s an unfair truth that the achievements of social media influencers can sometimes be minimized or discounted. However, in a world that is increasingly ruled by social media platforms and trends, it is incredibly naive to dismiss influencers, the very people that drive these platforms, creating the content that keeps social media users engaged and the platforms themselves relevant. Only a few short years ago, influencing was still being dismissed as a fad, and now it’s a legitimate career option. And why not? When the Internet first launched, it was also dismissed as a passing fad by many. Now we cannot fathom a world without it. Thus, it’s no wonder we are fascinated by the very people who have conquered the World Wide Web with their charisma (or “rizz,” as the kids call it) and sheer force of will.
Lexi’s story of having big goals and going after them with single minded determination is universally appealing. She took full advantage of the solid work ethic and strong familial ties her Vietnamese heritage provided her, added her own singular magic, and manifested phenomenal success for her and her entire family.
Social media will continue to evolve as technology does. With the rise of AI, it’s anyone’s guess how much more influential social media will become or which direction it will go in. However, regardless of how social media changes, inspirational stories like Lexi Vixi’s will always be uplifting and motivating, inspiring others to go after their dreams with perseverance and courage. That will never go out of style.
Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam
