We recently connected with Ricely Tejada and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, RICELY thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright, so one thing we think people don’t talk about nearly enough is investments – either time or money. What’s one of the best or worst investments you’ve made and what did you learned from the experience?

The Best Investment I’ve Made as a Business Owner? Myself.

For a long time, I was cheap with myself. I had no problem investing in my business, my team, and even other people—but when it came to investing in my own growth, I hesitated. I thought I could figure things out on my own, that I didn’t need to spend money on mentorship, courses, or resources for myself.

And guess what? That mindset reflected in my business. I was attracting low-level clients—people who didn’t see the value in investing because, deep down, I wasn’t embodying that value myself.

It wasn’t until I flipped the script and started seeing myself as my greatest investment that everything changed. I began putting my money where my mouth was—whether that meant hiring a mentor, joining masterminds, or paying for knowledge that would take me further, faster. What I learned in two months would have taken me two years to figure out on my own.

But beyond the knowledge, I started walking and talking differently. I embodied the confidence and authority of someone who invests in themselves—and naturally, I began attracting clients who did the same. High-quality clients look for high-quality service providers, and that starts with who you are at your core.

Moral of the story? You are your greatest investment, period. If you want to elevate your business, elevate yourself first.

RICELY, 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?

Meet Ricely – The Visionary Behind The Glo Media

I’m Ricely, a digital marketing strategist, content creator, and founder of The Glo Media—a marketing agency dedicated to helping high-achieving female entrepreneurs elevate their brands through strategic social media marketing, captivating content creation, and personalized brand development.

When I graduated from the University of Florida in the middle of COVID, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Everything felt uncertain. I had spent years creating content on YouTube, playing with cameras, and helping friends take photos and videos—but I never saw it as more than a hobby. I loved storytelling, but I hadn’t yet connected the dots on how to turn that passion into a career.

Then, one day, I picked up a book by John C. Maxwell and read a quote that changed everything:

“Find something you do for free & get so good at it that people pay you for it.”

That’s when it clicked.

I had been naturally drawn to content creation for years. People trusted me to capture their stories, elevate their brands, and bring their visions to life—and I genuinely loved doing it. So, I decided to go all in. What started as just me and a camera has since evolved into The Glo Media, a full-service digital marketing agency that helps high-achieving female entrepreneurs elevate their brand presence, attract premium clients, and scale effortlessly.

What The Glo Media Does & The Problems We Solve
At The Glo Media, we don’t just “do social media”—we craft high-level brand experiences that help our clients:
✅ Show up online with confidence & clarity
✅ Attract high-quality clients who are ready to buy
✅ Position themselves as industry leaders & authorities
✅ Turn their expertise into a scalable, revenue-generating brand

We provide social media management, content strategy, brand development, and digital marketing solutions, specializing in personal branding for service-based entrepreneurs. Many of our clients are high-achievers with thriving businesses but feel that their online presence doesn’t reflect their expertise or the level of success they’ve reached. That’s where we come in—to elevate, refine, and position their brand for bigger opportunities.

What Sets Me & The Glo Media Apart
1️⃣ Personalized Strategy: We don’t do cookie-cutter marketing. Every strategy is custom-built to align with your unique brand, voice, and goals.

2️⃣ Authenticity-Driven Branding: I believe that real, raw, and relatable content wins. I help clients step into their power, show up confidently, and attract aligned opportunities.

3️⃣ The CEO Mindset Shift: It’s not just about social media—it’s about stepping into the next level of your business and personal brand. I guide my clients in making the mindset shifts necessary to attract and serve high-value clients with ease.

4️⃣ Results & Relationships: I don’t just deliver services—I partner with my clients for real, measurable growth. My goal isn’t just to “post content” but to create a sustainable, profitable online presence that helps them scale effortlessly.

What I’m Most Proud Of
I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve built a business that allows me to serve and uplift other women entrepreneurs. Seeing my clients gain confidence, attract dream clients, and finally feel aligned with their brand is what fuels me.

But what makes me even prouder? The transformation in myself. I used to play small—hesitant to invest in myself, hesitant to show up fully. The moment I bet on myself, everything changed. That’s the energy I bring into my work, and that’s the energy I help my clients cultivate in their own brands.

What I Want You to Know
💡 You don’t need more followers—you need a better brand presence.
💡 You don’t need to “do more”—you need a strategy that works smarter.
💡 You don’t need to wait until you feel “ready”—the time is NOW.

Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur looking to refine your online presence or a service provider wanting to step into a higher level of visibility, The Glo Media is here to help you elevate, attract, and scale.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Growing up, I was always taught that debt is something to fear—that it’s dangerous, something to avoid at all costs. So for a long time, I carried this scarcity mindset around money. I thought the only way to succeed was to only spend what I had, save aggressively, and never take financial risks.

But here’s what I learned: Debt, when used wisely, is not a burden—it’s a tool.

Some of the best decisions I’ve ever made for myself and my business—the ones that actually propelled me to my next level—were decisions that required me to go into debt. Whether it was investing in mentorship, high-level coaching, or resources to scale my business, these were things I wouldn’t have been able to afford upfront. But instead of staying stuck, I bet on myself and used debt strategically.

And the return? It paid off tenfold.

I had to unlearn the idea that all debt is bad and reframe my thinking: Smart debt, when used for growth, is an investment, not a liability. The key is knowing the difference between debt that keeps you stuck (frivolous spending) and debt that moves you forward (investing in knowledge, business, or assets that generate more income).

Once I shifted my mindset, I stopped playing small. I stopped thinking, “I can’t afford it” and started asking, “How can I make this investment work for me?” That shift changed everything.

Moral of the story? Fear of debt keeps you small. Strategic debt helps you grow. The real risk is staying stuck where you are.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

When I first started my business, I thought the key to growth was marketing harder—posting more, trying every strategy, and eventually running ads to bring in clients. But I quickly learned that the real key wasn’t just promotion—it was building a brand that people genuinely connected with.

My most effective strategy for growing The Glo Media has been creating an authentic, real, and high-value brand presence that doesn’t just talk about what I do—but shows the transformation my services create for my clients. Instead of just selling services, I focused on:

Building a brand identity that speaks directly to my audience’s needs.
Sharing content that educates, inspires, and positions me as the go-to expert.
Showing up consistently, so when people were ready to invest, I was top of mind.

And here’s the part so many people miss—ads alone don’t build a business.

I can’t tell you how many times entrepreneurs have come to me saying, “I need to run ads to get more clients.” But the first thing I always ask is, “What happens when people click on your page?”

If your brand presence isn’t strong, you’re leaving money on the table.

When people see an ad, they don’t just buy immediately. They click on your page, scroll through your content, and decide if they trust you. If your brand isn’t clear, consistent, and compelling, no amount of ad spend will fix that.

So my strategy has always been:

Build a strong brand first. Make sure my messaging, content, and positioning are solid. I focused on making my brand a place where people felt inspired, educated, and confident in my expertise.

Then, amplify with ads. Once my brand was strong, I used ads strategically to drive the right people to a page that was already built to convert.

That’s when I started attracting high-value, aligned clients with ease. Because by the time they clicked on my page, they already felt connected, already trusted me, and were ready to invest.

The Biggest Lesson?
Your brand presence is everything. Ads don’t create demand—they amplify what’s already there. If your brand is weak, ads will just expose that. But if your brand is strong, ads will work like gasoline on a fire.

Build first. Then scale. That’s how I grew my business, and it’s exactly how I help my clients do the same.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theglomedia.com
• Instagram: @theglomedia
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricelyestela/

Image Credits

@theglomedia for everything