We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Eraina Ferguson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Eraina, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the early days of establishing your own firm. What can you share?

In 2018, I embarked on the journey of establishing my own consulting firm. Despite the challenges of being a single parent to a special needs daughter and simultaneously pursuing three academic degrees, including one from Yale, I encountered difficulty securing a job in the tech industry. This led me to discover my passion for content creation, marketing, and assisting others in achieving their goals.

The initial steps in establishing my consulting firm involved officially launching it as a business and obtaining LLC status. Subsequently, I delved into understanding the needs and desires of my clients, exploring how I could contribute to the success of their businesses and enhance their digital marketing strategies. 

However, in the past six months, I made the decision to pivot. I acquired the skills to build an app without code and developed a jobseekers app on the Tinder platform, contributing to the formation of GLU. Reconnecting with my passion for careers and jobseekers, I decided to launch GLU Consulting as a dedicated resource for individuals seeking employment.

As I navigate the path of entrepreneurship, I recognize the importance of handling my own marketing efforts until I reach a point where outsourcing becomes viable. Reflecting on my journey, I acknowledge the value of initiating a marketing strategy from the outset. My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to thoroughly research and equip themselves with knowledge before taking the leap into launching their ventures.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve been a marketing professional for over 12 years. Part of job seeking is marketing and also engaging with brands, companies and networking. I’ve been doing those things since I was in undergrad. When I create a strategy for my client, I am honest with them about the possibilities and I pride myself in taking the time to GLU together their platform, skills, and job options.

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

In order to pivot into tech and land a full-time role at a tech company, I had to gain new skills and create a portfolio. It was a crucial part of me landing full-time 6 figure roles and changing the trajectory of my career. I realized that if I wanted to change my career and get into tech, I would have to gain new skills. I taught myself how to code and design websites. I also created a portfolio of my work to show potential employers what I was capable of. It took a lot of hard work, but it was worth it in the end. Landing a full-time job at a tech company changed my life for the better and set me up for success.

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

I have been consistent with my customers and telling my story along the way in press and media circles helped me to gain recognition within my market. I believe that this has helped me because it has allowed me to be myself and be genuine with my audience. My customers know what they can expect from me, and they know that I will always be truthful with them. This transparency has gained me a lot of trust within my market, and has ultimately led to more business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gluconsulting.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gluconsultingservice/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gluconsulting
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erainaferguson/

Image Credits
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