In 2020, the federal government issued stimulus checks to millions of Americans during the height of COVID-19. After Eliie Diop lost her job due to the pandemic, she used her stimulus money and background in finance to launch and grow her companies, Ellievated Academy and Ellie Talks Money, to seven figures. Today, she joins us on the Small Business Show to discuss her journey and offer advice to aspiring entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurial Journey
Diop developed her entrepreneurial perspective through her background in finance, business, and marketing. But, like the rest of the world, she got laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She then took her stimulus check and offered an avenue of knowledge-based material to the community. Ellievated Academy is an online school that offers lessons and master classes to educate other business owners on the strategies to generate wealth and scale their ventures.
Diop’s startup is distinctive because she has been previously exposed to the startup environment. Her company emphasizes the connection between funding, capital, and the tools that owners of small businesses, particularly those run by women and people of color, need.
Ellie Talks Money
One of Diop’s many resource avenues is Ellie Talks Money which educates business owners on how to start their online business, specializing in online businesses to generate passive income. The majority of financial resources in the black community, according to Diop, “end with the second generation.” Her online platform is therefore utilized to show how to obtain funding and how to generate wealth using three tools, including:
- How to have trust funds.
- Life insurance methods.
- How to obtain accounts for investing.
On the other hand, Diop emphasizes that you can use social media to promote yourself. To illustrate, she used Instagram and TikTok to grow her seven-figure platform through her own social media marketing strategies. She states that “the connections you make through your social media is the difference between the five to seven-figure businesses.” Social media gives you the chance to highlight your brand as well as your individuality.
"What you need to create a business, you already have." — Ellie Diop
Additionally, Diop advises others to compile a list of their own skills and opportunities that you already have available to you. Diop explains, “You already have everything you need to start a business thanks to your life and work experiences.” But, it’s simply a matter of finding the right people who need what you have to offer.
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