Fall Back to Spring Forward

Fist of all,let me tell yall something .The  life of an entrepreneur is no joke! Its not all glamour
and nice pics like the ones you see here. As a matter of fact, I was freezing
my ass off in these pictures and I was just across the tracks from the hood.
Luckily the hood loves Tim cuz I married a real one, but I digress.
Shit is hard man! You have to constantly stay looking for new means of
income because nothing is promised. Today I’m gonna share a few tips on
how to stay grounded while being a creative or entrepreneur:

1.Success is relative-

To some having followers is success,while others consider making a
six -figure income as success.Neither are right or wrong.Your idea or definition of
‘success’ is not the only one so no need to question others and their path to
achievement.Our goals are just that,our ‘own’.

2.Over night success is a myth-

As much as social media would have you to
believe this is realistic, it’s not. Most of the people who seem to “blow up”
fast may have worked for years behind the scenes building connections, studying
their craft, and utilizing their resources to be seen by the right people

3.Going viral doesn’t gurantee success-

Its lazy to think “If I can go viral I know I can be famous”.
How many people that went viral by being seen on The Shade Room have something
to show for it? I rest my case. Even if they do gain fame it’s often short lived. Not even a whole 15
minutes worth. Longevity is a key that many should  strive to maintain. In order to achieve this you have to constantly study your audience and how they change and also how you can expand your business.

4.Don’t look for sympathy, gain support-

Its easy to talk  about what’s going wrong in our lives,
but a success story beats a sob story hands down!
People feeling sorry for your doesn’t make your business boom.
People who believe in your product and are willing to share and
promote your business while having great products makes a booming
business.

5.Mind your business-

Don’t worry about how others are where they are and become a low-key
hater. If you see them killing it, let that be inspiration to you to get on your grind. Reach out and try to connect with them. Start conversations and allow yourself to learn. You never know what they may be willing to help with. Set goals daily, weekly, and monthly goals to keep yourself and business on target. If you are doing this you don’t have time to worry about what anyone else is doing to get ahead.

6.Acknowledge your advantage and use it-

Whether its a degree in fashion, knowing those ‘in’ the business, being in a metro area, great photography skills, being natural stunning/amazing bod, or whatever else CAPITALIZE ON IT! Yes my husband is an amazing photographer ,but he taught himself and is now transitioning into full time photography ;so yes my pics are bomb! I also live far from all major cities in North Carolina and had limited networking opportunities. In spite of this I have still amassed a great following, major features, and tons of collaborations. We all have one trick that most may not have,USE IT!

7. Sometimes you gotta fall back so you can spring forward-

I know its a pun on Daylight Savings but its true just the same .I hate that it gets dark at 2:45pm now, ugh!Life doesn’t always work how we want but that doesn’t mean we have to forget our goals. Stepping back instead of overwhelming yourself is the mark of maturity. Crashing and burning helps no one. A few months ago me and my business partner Emma announced we were starting an agency. Ellis Image Consultants is designed to cater to small businesses as well as nano influencers. The launch had to be pushed back due to Hurricane Florence causing a major disturbance and damage in my area and in my life. Soon after I pieced back together things, Emma a busy travel schedule and the holidays soon began to follow. A push back was the wisest decision. Its not a failure or procrastination, just a realization. Doing what you gotta do to make your dream happen can mean staying at your 9-5 and sometimes going back to your 9-5.What may seem like a step back, can help propel you forward!

I hope I was able to inspire or encourage! Don’t worry, I will be sharing more of everything.Including more stories like the scam one that yall love so much! If you have any other great tips ,leave them below and help a fellow creative!