We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Severine Rigaud. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Severine below.

Severine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I am an artist with a lifelong passion for drawing, painting, and creating. Despite managing two other businesses, I always find time to escape into my art, often late at night or on rainy days. My vision is to transform my artwork into beautiful, unique fashion collections showcased in local fashion shows by up-and-coming designers. This initiative aims to support immigrants like myself, offering a unique perspective on life and a platform to share their art through fashion. Many foreign artists struggle to gain recognition in the US due to language barriers or lack of connections. My project starts with my art to illustrate the concept: using high-resolution scans of original pieces, we can reprint them onto fabric, wallpaper, aluminum, and more using sublimation. Local designers will then use these fabrics to create distinctive clothing collections for local fashion shows. Visit www.elikyafashion.com for more information.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

ELIKYA [ EH-LEE-KYA] means HOPE in Lingala, the dialect spoken in the Republic Democratic of Congo, where I grew up and lived for over a decade.

ELIKYA was founded in 2011 and we are based in Johns Creek, GA. We are a full-service digital marketing and creative agency dedicated to helping global businesses and artists enter new markets. Our mission is to assist our clients in increasing their local market share through our unique ‘Global to Local Marketing Program.’

When businesses or artists look to expand into new markets, understanding the local audience can be a significant challenge. We step in to help them grasp the unique needs and perceptions of new products, services, and art in these markets. A successful localization strategy involves much more than just translating campaigns into the local language. Our team works closely with our clients to identify and understand the critical variations from one market to another.

Through our unique process, we provide guidance on the best local marketing strategies, helping clients and artists enhance brand awareness and adapt their content and visuals to fit specific local markets. This approach leads to increased lead generation and revenue growth across the board.

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

The hard work and excellent collaboration with my client’s sales and marketing teams have been crucial in achieving our objectives. Our strong work ethic has led to consistent follow-up and effective networking, ensuring we seize every opportunity. Clear and open communication has been a cornerstone of our strategy, fostering trust and understanding within the team. Additionally, maintaining a robust online presence has been essential in today’s digital age, enabling us to reach a wider audience and engage effectively with potential clients. The wonderful community of artists and the network of foreign companies based in Georgia have been immensely beneficial for ELIKYA.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Never giving up is crucial when transitioning from the corporate world to becoming a business owner, a journey that can be financially daunting and challenging in terms of building the right team to achieve your goals. I dedicated time to clearly define the objectives of ELIKYA and identify the unique value I could offer to my customers. Understanding my target audience and how I could assist them was essential, and leveraging my professional experience allowed me to precisely address their needs. My dream is to expand ELIKYA into diverse sectors, including digital marketing, printing, art, and fashion, broadening our impact and reach.

My motto is to “always follow your dreams”, no matter the obstacles, and let your creativity shine. Pursuing your passions despite challenges is essential, as obstacles are opportunities for growth. Embrace your creativity to find unique solutions and express your true self. By staying committed to your dreams and letting your creativity shine, you can achieve extraordinary things and inspire others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.elikyadigital.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elikya.digital/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elikyadigital/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elikyadigital
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/elikyadigital

Image Credits

Séverine Rigaud for the paintings and Elisabeth Blanc for the beautiful silk painting scarf.