Answers By: Desha “DrDesha” Elliott, author and digital and event marketing developer, Atlanta, Georgia
Website: www.drdeshawrites.com
Twitter: @drdesha (Twitter/Instagram)
Instagram: @drdesha
1) How long have you been in business?
Six years.
2) Why have you chosen to dedicate yourself to this particular business/industry?
My passions, talents with creative writing, strategy and loving to connect with people helped guide me into the industry. The dedication comes because I want to continue to love what I do and have the ability deliver excellence to my clients.
3) What makes business/product unique?
My youthfulness, ability to develop strategies quickly and the insight to see what works and what doesn’t.
4) You could have worked for anyone and would have been successful, why become an entrepreneur?
As a millennial professional, we are taught to see the difference between mediocre and great, tight and flexible, routine and extraordinary. Of course my parents and grandparents instilled in me a hard work ethic and stressed he benefits and comforts of working for someone else. I’m an advocate for working for an employer, gaining experience, knowledge and a seemingly solid, cushioned paycheck. However, I know that being too comfortable can lead to complacency and complacency can be an enemy of creativity and change. Creating change and utilizing my creativity is one of the reasons why I wanted to become an entrepreneur. I knew as a child, before I even knew that the word entrepreneur existed, I believed that owning your business and creating ideas and intellectual property equaled freedom and wealth.
5) What was your last, “why did I go into business for myself” moment?
There was a moment earlier this past winter when the requests for proposals and clients weren’t coming in as quickly as they were earlier in the year. Doubts set in and the vision for what I wanted to accomplish became cloudy. However, in moments like these, those are times that really shape you. I took this time to reflect, get clarity and set in place goals to not place myself in this position again.
6) Every female professional should have a personal trainer for your mental and physical health. Your health correlates with your ability to be successful in your business, especially if you’re a sole practitioner. When you’re eating well, sleeping well, accomplishing your fitness goals, seeing where you are and want to be with clarity, it’s because you are taking care of yourself. How do you expect to remain sharp in your business or reap the fruits of your labor if you are not in a condition to do so?
7) If you could steal some business mojo from another mogul, who would it be and why?
There’s a few of them but definitely Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group. He suffered from dyslexia and he had a teacher tell him once that he’d either end up in prison or be a millionaire. He navigated through wins and losses and went from owning media and entertainment to founding Virgin group, which is comprised of over 400 companies. His tenacity and leaps of faith paid off for him, I’d bottle that mojo up and drink it every day.
8) What is your business motto?
Be the exception. Be exceptional.
9) If you could give other entrepreneurs three tips, what would they be?
Gain clarity and confidence in who you are and what you are offering to others. Be persistent, a “no” may just be a “not yet”, so keep trying.
10) Has there been a piece of technology or software that has been a lifesaver to you?
In 2009, when I started my business I attended an NAACP conference where Google came and showed us how to use the many offerings on their site, everything from Google Analytics to blogger to wallet. This education put me light years ahead of my competition and is very instrumental in my work today.
11) What is your goal for the next year?
Become more fluent in Hindi, Chinese, Spanish, website coding and develop more relationships and connections because of this fluidity.
12) When someone is telling their friend about your business, what do you hope they say?
She delivers exceptional work, has a knack for ideation and is punctual.
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