Today we’d like to introduce you to Elaina St. James

Hi Elaina, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

It all started in February 2021 when I stumbled upon a story of a woman selling subscriptions to a fan site where she sold “spicy” photos. She was making over $100,000 a month. At the time I was barely making ends meet at a low paying office job that I took for it’s consistent hours. I was a single mom from the beginning and my son’s well being was always my priority. I researched and took the leap. Within three months I was making over $10,000 a month. Since then I have opened up my brand to include becoming an author, designing a line of merchandise and starting a podcast. Each endeavor pushing me to learn new things and while it hasn’t been easy, it has been exhilarating.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

It has not been a smooth road by any means. Being in any type of entertainment business is a roller coaster. Opportunities present and sometimes they work and sometimes they do not. It is a constant hustle of creating content and trying new things to “feed the social media beast.” The bullying online by trolls and the social media platforms themselves can challenge your self-esteem. A “change of algorithm” can crush your business and you won’t know why. I have worked so hard on new projects or ideas and have them fall flat. On the other hand, a simple spontaneous Instagram Reel took off in such a big viral way (26 million views) that my fan site was flooded with new subscribers one month. But what goes up must come down. I think often about the Hollywood actors and musicians. The hits and misses – that stress of watching your relevance cool down in between. You keep trying, hoping for that next hit, but the doubt creeps in wondering if your successes are behind you. The roller coaster is horrible on your mental health. It gives me the perspective and empathy of why so many entertainers fall prey to shady business managers/publicists and substance abuse.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

The two latest projects I started within the last year was my line of Better With Age merchandise and my podcast Chat N Laugh with Elaina St James. Both lean into key elements of my brand which includes body positivity and an optimistic attitude. There aren’t many women over the age of 55 who do what I do. Now, there isn’t as big of an interest or market for “older women” but that is my niche. What makes you “different” makes you special.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?

I consume a ton of information when I am researching a new product. Some of the best podcasts I have enjoyed are Diary of a CEO and Holly Randall’s Unfiltered, the latter of which I was honored to be a guest of in July 2023. I also heavily rely on YouTube to help understand everything from plastic surgery to how to set up a podcast studio. The recording software I use for my podcast (Riverside.fm) and the hosting platform (Buzzsprout) were both found on YouTube during hours of research.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ElainaVerified.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/elainastjames
• Twitter: https://x.com/elainastjames_1
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/elainastjames