Elle Wilson – How she turned her passion into a business.

Categories: Inspiration
 
 
Elle is sharing what the word “empower” means to her with The Corporate Escapists.
 
Thank you for joining us here at The Corporate Escapists. Please introduce yourself to our reader. They love to know about you, your passion, and how you came to find and follow your passion.
 
During my 50-plus years of living, I’ve tried learning and involving myself in various things. I tried drawing, writing, swimming, sewing, crafting. Among all those things, I noticed that there is one thing that I have always relished doing since I was a kid. It’s making people feel beautiful.
 
How did I know that it was a passion, not just a hobby or temporary interest? Because I genuinely enjoy it. I spent my time learning, spent my money buying beauty magazines because I enjoy it, not because it will make me popular. That’s passion! It’s something you genuinely enjoy doing for the sake of doing it.
 
I have always been a nurturer as well. I like it when my friends need my help. I want to always be there for everyone. I like making people feel special. I like taking care of them when they’re sick. This personality trait shaped me into the person I am now, as well as my interest and passion. I am very passionate about things and events where I can devote my energy to help people in need. I joined volunteering events for different causes, from teaching to distributing donations.
 
So I asked myself:
 
“Can I combine these passions?”
 
“Can I make an impact with them?”
 
“Can I gain benefits with them?”
 
My love for all things beauty and nurturing people grew until I decided to pursue it as a career: first as a salon owner, then I created my own line of beauty products, and now I help women entrepreneurs build and grow their very own beauty businesses.
 
As an successful entrepreneur please share your view point if you believe that entrepreneurs are born or made?
 
I believe that everyone is born an entrepreneur. I also believe that successful entrepreneurs are made.
 
It’s a little confusing, so let’s break it down.
 
The education system is against entrepreneurship. They may not say it out loud, but we are taught to do well from a very young age:
 
“Don’t fail your exam, or you won’t get into college.”
 
“Don’t take risks at work, or you’re fired.”
 
We are taught to conform, and we are taught to fear failure.
 
However, entrepreneurs take risks. Risks are a massive part of being an entrepreneur because there can’t be any success without risks. As children, we grow up fearing risks and failure, and the idea of entrepreneurship is intimidating. On the other hand, children who grow up in families with entrepreneurs are much more likely to become entrepreneurs themselves because they have not been taught to fear risks.
 
Some people who are born into entrepreneurship will be successful. They receive good mentorship, and they understand business, so they succeed. But, the majority of research shows that most successful entrepreneurs are made. They’re the ones that fail and try again. They seek out mentors to help them, and they have the determination to keep going no matter what.
 
Nelson Mandela once quoted – ‘I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.’  What has been one fear you have overcome?
 
Nobody enjoys failing. Fear of failure can be so strong that avoiding failure eclipses the motivation to succeed. Insecurity about doing things incorrectly causes many people to unconsciously sabotage their chances for success.
 
Fear is part of human nature. As an entrepreneur, I faced this same fear. My ego and identity became intertwined with my work, and when things didn’t go as planned, I completely shut down.
 
I was able to overcome this unhealthy relationship with fear by reframing my beliefs about achieving my goals.
 
I realized that having an” all or nothing” mentality leaves you with nothing sometimes. Having a clear vision for what you’d like to accomplish is great, but always include learning something new in your goal.
 
If you always aim for improvement and learning, you are much less likely to fail.
 
Tell us what the word “empower” means to you?
 
Empowerment is simple. It comes down to one thing, that is, choices. It is having the freedom to make choices in life, or it’s about having options. You can choose to go down this road or another.
 
You can choose either to return to school or take the job. The decision is yours whether to marry your dream man or to wait until you find the right man. Your choice to follow others or stay true to yourself is still yours. The power to lift or to bring people down lies in your hands. Your choices are your own, and you are in charge.
 
So, show some love for yourself. You don’t have to follow what others have planned for you. You can choose your own path, or go your own way. Don’t be afraid to listen to your heart. It’s your life, and you have the choice.
 
What has been one of the biggest business ideas you have had and how did you have the courage to implement it?
 
How many times have you been in a meeting and someone says to you, “That’s a great idea, you should take the initiative and make it a reality.” What typically happens? Most of the time – nothing.
 
Most great ideas remain dormant because people don’t have the courage, resources, time and/or money to take action.
 
Transitioning from being a simple salon owner to starting my own online training academy required a high-level of self-belief on my part.
 
You can’t take action until you believe in yourself enough to handle the consequences of your decisions. Any time you assume the responsibility to give something that had not existed before an opportunity to become a reality – you become accountable for your actions.
 
Accountability requires believing in yourself enough to be 100% dedicated to getting the work done. Most people fail to take an idea to fruition because the unexpected challenges become more than they think they can handle and thus they no longer want to be accountable. They lose the belief in themselves to see things through all the way to the end.
 
Running your own business can be scary.  Success requires moments of courage to push through to the next level, please tell us one of the moments you have had to push through to take your business to the next level?
 
Running your own business is overwhelming, no doubt.
 
There’s a constant demand on your time and energy—both mental and physical.
 
To have the courage to keep going, you not only need to be confident in yourself, but also surround yourself with people who will also give you a confidence boost from time to time.
 
Tell us what attributes you feel make a good leader in business today?
 
Delegating is one of the core responsibilities of a leader, but it can be tricky to delegate effectively.
 
The goal isn’t just to free yourself up — it’s also to enable your direct reports to grow, facilitate teamwork, provide autonomy, and lead to better decision-making.
 
The best leaders build trust with employees in order to delegate more effectively.
 
What is your favourite quote about empowerment?
 
“A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.” – Coco Chanel
 
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to start their own business?
 
Embrace your journey as an entrepreneur not as a job but as an identity.
 
When it is an identity, you embrace the process of becoming a better entrepreneur – just like a mother tries to be a better mother and a golfer works on his golf game.
 
This allows you to engage in a much different way and look at improving as an entrepreneur.
 
What would be one (1) question you would you ask the person who most inspires you?  Also share with us about this person and why they inspire you?
 
I would ask Coco Chanel when did she finally consider herself a success.
 
Success to you may not be the same as success to someone else.
 
Not only can this question yield great insight into others’ values and priorities, but it can also open your own mind.
 
Having a broader definition of success is a great way to conceive of additional opportunities to experience it.
 
You can connect with Elle here:
 
 

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