Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandria Musgrove.
Hi Alexandria, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My path to law school and business ownership probably looks a little different from most, but it’s proof that you can break out of the mold cast by those who came before you, break cycles, and break records.
A lot of early experiences in my family and personal life drew me toward the law. Ironically, when my mom wanted to name me Lexy, my uncle told her I needed a more professional name—something like Alexandria, in case I ever became a doctor or a lawyer. As a young girl, however, my dream job was being a “dog food inventor.” After a few days of mashing kibble with Italian seasoning, I realized innovation might not be my strength just yet.
I headed to the University of Tennessee thinking I’d go into psychiatry, but after one A- in chemistry, I talked myself out of medical school and settled into psychology instead. By the time I graduated, I had finished two years early with a 3.9 GPA—but life had other plans. My grandmother, who helped me pay for school, passed away, and with her went my plans for graduate school. I moved back home and worked in my dad’s machine shop, covered in grease and coolant, wondering how I ended up there.
Eventually, I took inventory of what I was actually good at—and “arguing” made the list. My uncle, a dang good criminal defense attorney, had attended Nashville School of Law, a part-time night program with affordable tuition. I decided to take a shot. I sent out dozens of applications to law firms, and to my surprise, landed several interviews before being hired as a paralegal in Clarksville. I started with zero experience, which was trial by fire to say the least, but I caught on fast and fell in love with the work.
While studying for the LSAT, I asked my boss if I could start handling some of our process serving in-house. “Why pay someone else,” I joked, “when you could just pay me? I’m about to be a broke law student anyway.” Soon I was serving after hours, contracting with other firms, and eventually brought on my best friend to help. That side hustle became ANJ Service of Process, which I grew into a registered business with a website, Google listing, and membership in the National Association of Professional Process Servers.
Today, I’m midway through my second year of law school, working full-time as a paralegal, and running my business with nearly 50 five-star Google reviews. I’m also the clinic coordinator for the Legal Aid Society at Nashville School of Law, helping organize pro bono events like expungement clinics, which is my favorite part of the work. To see someone blossom on the other side of an expungement is a beautiful thing, and I can’t wait to continue that partnership as an attorney when I make it to the other side of this law school journey.
It’s been a long, exhausting, and often lonely road, but every step has reminded me that the hardest experiences are sometimes the best training ground for perseverance.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all—it’s been anything but smooth. But I think the rough roads have been the most defining parts of my journey. My life has felt like a constant tug-of-war between chaos and determination. Addiction has touched my family deeply, and I’ve lost several people I love because of it. Stability didn’t come easily, and I didn’t have many of the resources most people assume you need to stay in school or build something on your own. But I learned how to keep going anyway—how to make something out of what I had, even when it didn’t feel like enough.
Right before and after starting law school, I was diagnosed with ADHD and autism, and that added another rope to the tug-of-war. It explained a lot, but it also forced me to relearn how to study, focus, and function in environments not built for minds like mine. Balancing those challenges while working full-time, running a business, and sitting in class until 10 p.m. was a lot to carry. Around that same time, my dad was battling heart failure, I got married, and became a stepmom—all while trying to hold everything else together. It hasn’t been easy, but the chaos has taught me endurance, empathy, and how to stay grounded when life refuses to slow down.
If anything, the struggles have given me direction. They pushed me to turn pain into passion, to meet people where they are, and to build a life that reflects the resilience it took to get here.
The biggest thing I’ve realized is that “smooth” doesn’t always mean successful. Sometimes it’s the detours, the trial runs, and the self-doubt that make you the kind of person who can handle whatever comes next.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about ANJ Service of Process?
ANJ Service of Process started as a small side hustle while I was working full-time as a paralegal and going to law school at night. I realized early on how much of the legal world depends on the people who work quietly behind the scenes — the ones who make sure the process actually moves. What began as me helping my firm with a few serves here and there has grown into a trusted, five-star-rated local business that helps law firms, individuals, and businesses across Tennessee.
We handle everything from process serving and court filings to skip tracing, notary work, stakeouts, and even marriages — no two days ever look the same. Because I come from the legal field myself, I understand how crucial deadlines, documentation, and clear communication are. Every serve we make reflects directly on the attorney or firm that hired us, so accuracy and professionalism aren’t negotiable.
What truly sets ANJ apart is our approach. We recognize that the law touches people’s daily lives in deeply personal ways, and we never forget that there’s a person on the other side of every document. To us, it’s not just about paperwork — it’s about people, dignity, and doing the job right. We take pride in being reliable, responsive, and compassionate in a field that’s often seen as purely procedural.
We’re not a faceless national company — we’re local, invested, and built on relationships. Most of our work comes from repeat clients and word-of-mouth referrals, which I think speaks volumes. My goal has always been to build a brand people trust — one that brings integrity and compassion to a part of the legal process that often gets overlooked. At the end of the day, ANJ Service of Process stands for more than just service; it’s about showing up for people when it matters most.
What does success mean to you?
For me, success isn’t about fancy titles or big salaries. It’s about peace, about waking up and feeling grounded in the life you’ve built even when it’s chaotic. I define success as happiness and survival existing side by side, finding a way to handle what life throws at you without losing yourself along the way.
There were times when success meant simply staying afloat: paying tuition, keeping the lights on, and showing up to class after a ten-hour workday. Other times, it’s been about building something bigger — a business, a reputation, a purpose. But through it all, what’s mattered most are the people who keep me centered. The free time I do have, I get to spend with my husband and step-son, my nephews, my golden retriever, and the rest of our crazy family. Moments with them make everything worth it. My husband and I make a point to live a little, it’s almost essential to me making it through the semesters sane. We love concerts, festivals, cruises, anything with live music, rollercoasters, water, or good energy. We actually bought our first $1,000 Drake tickets just two weeks after meeting, for a show months away. We figured if we were both crazy enough to do that, it must be meant to be.
Real success, to me, is building a life that’s both stable and meaningful, even when it’s messy. It’s being proud of who you are when no one’s watching, helping others when you can, and finding joy in the small, quiet wins. At the end of the day, success is having a life that feels like mine — one that reflects the grit, love, and peace it took to get here.
Pricing:
- Routine Service of Process in Clarksville, TN: $50
- Routine Service of Process in Nashville, TN: $100
Contact Info:
- Website: https://anjsop.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anjserviceofprocess/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandriajames/
