Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alysha L Ellis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Alysha , thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Mas LaRae which means More Light- “The mission of Mas LaRae is to provide a dynamic multimedia platform for diverse storytelling [to produce a pure message] that illuminates more light, more love, and more life by uniting and amplifying voices to foster purposeful connections for our generation.” We believe that storytelling creates a bridge to connect communities, cultures, and people. Sharing stories was the fabric of our DNA that traces back to our ancestors, but we have lost some of that throughout the generations. To share, connect, and inspire is what we aim to do at Mas LaRae whether through our podcast. blogs. merch, or events you will feel this energy of vulnerability, inclusivity. and love. Everyone has a story to share and we hope to bring more light to them. With so much negative and dark news and agendas around us Mas LaRae focuses on the positive. We use our platform to spotlight the impact, create safe spaces for voices to be celebrated and supported.

Alysha , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Alysha! I like nature, hanging out with my friends and family, playing with the kids. I enjoy reading, music, and of course the sun. I started my first venture in 2015 from there I have launched 3 businesses. One being Mas LaRae a multimedia platform. This is a space I get to be creative and collaborate with other creatives. I’ve worked with thousands of entrepreneurs to connect them to resources and opportunities. I have shared my journey of the challenges I’ve faced navigating industries as a woman, Latina, and young. Early on society made these facts about me seem like an disadvantage. But to be honest they are everything accept that. I’ve learned to embrace who I am and to create spaces to celebrate the things that makes us, us. I’ve worked on city-wide projects and national campaigns to help improve the quality of life for diverse people, marginalized people, communities of color. My Community! I got into business to help people. First on the list was my mother, then our family and community. Now, nearly 10 years into entrepreneurship I’ve fallen in love with the joy that it brings me. Everyday is not rainbows and butterflies. It requires long nights, difficult decisions, and at times it feels lonely. But I believe that this is one of my purposes in life…. to help others. I do believe that entrepreneurship is a pathway to building generational wealth. More importantly it requires you to know who you are in a time where most people are everything to everyone and left empty. Our identity and purpose is linked directly to how we add value to the world we live in.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

What I believe helped build my reputation within my market(s) is having my hand up to serve first. Early on I showed up to everything, I was so hungry for knowledge. I wanted to be in places where I could learn. I volunteered, I went through programs. For years, I just kept showing up, until eventually I was called on.

Another piece that helped build my reputation was consistency. In showing up, I never stopped asking questions. I never stopped advocating. I never stopped being.

Lastly, I would say action speaks louder than words. After years of serving, listening, and showing up I started to put the pieces together and began taking action. There are enough people talking about the problems but not many actually producing solutions.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Building an audience on social media for me has come from building an audience in-person. Call me old school or whatever but I like to gather with real people in real places. lol I’ve done alot of events, attended conferences, and pretty much spend 2-3 days out of the week in coffee/coworking places. All to say that the best way to connect in my opinion is in real life. I am the Queen of following up whether that’s an email or linkedin follow. This is how I’ve built my social media audience is through following up and connecting on social. Now, I can market to this audience and engage with them way beyond the point of introduction. The best part is that I can support and share their work too. It can’t always be about you on the receiving end. You have to give and give again time after time. I love this so much I have a IG account that is exclusively designed just to share and support IGNITE WITH LIGHT! Follow us – we are always looking to share events, resources, and stories. That’s my experience on building an audience on social media. In addition, I encourage everyone to keep your business and personal pages separate. Mainly because it allows you to set boundaries later down the line when your business begins to grow.

Contact Info:

• Website: maslarae
• Instagram: maslarae & Alysha L Ellis
• Facebook: maslarae
• Linkedin: maslarae & Alysha L Ellis
• Youtube: maslarae