We recently connected with Ebone Cruz Clifton and have shared our conversation below.
Ebone, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?
The position for the City of Tampa could be considered one of the worst decisions of my life, however without that experience or lesson, I would have never birthed the Professional Women’s Escape Plan program. I started with an inexperienced manager that clipped my wings, placed me in a cubicle, and tormented me daily. The city of Tampa was an example of why people go postal. The culture of that organization is not the dream job that many of its applicants believe. The lack of inclusion, equality, and career development of their staff has created a toxic environment that many are miserable to work in but at the expense of their mental health, they are trapped because they need their jobs to take care of their families. The passive-aggressive torture I experienced was like no other and that stress in my opinion contributed to the loss of my baby. The decision to resign was based solely on my reevaluating what I wanted to get out of a career or job along with what matters most to me. And building my own legacy became my number one mission. so, I took the leap!
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
Ebone Cruz always knew she wanted to pursue a career in which she could help people. This desire originally landed her in a teaching job, however, after a few years, she realized that as prestigious as teachers are to young people, this was not her calling. Her next endeavor was opening a hair salon. While she loved spending her days chatting with clients, she was less passionate about the monotony of doing hair. Ironically, it was the gift of gab that would launch Ebone into her next career. In the process of going through a painful separation, Ebone found herself sharing her own story and mentoring other young women who were in similar circumstances. This eventually translated into becoming a local correspondent for the Tom Joyner Morning Show. Over the next few years, Ebone continued the show, striving to be a source of light and positive energy for her listeners. As her network expanded, she continued to mentor more women while simultaneously providing marketing services for the radio station she worked for. Realizing a passion for marketing, Ebone went back to school to obtain her master’s degree in business administration. She began by learning the ropes for how to start a business, the marketing strategies and tools involved, and how to connect businesses with their target market, and within a few years, she was teaching others how to do the same. What started as a hobby soon developed into a career when she was recruited to run the marketing campaign for several local elections. Not long after, she was sought out to run the Mayor’s marketing and outreach campaign, an incredible opportunity that opened doors and allowed Ebone to further hone in on her skills.
When Ebone reflects on her own career success, she credits it to her ability to maintain the vision and never give up. She has big dreams, and she is not afraid to keep learning, growing, and utilizing trial and error to create her dream life while simultaneously equipping other women with the tools and confidence to do the same.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Experiencing a separation from a spouse while building my business took me away from launching because of the financial cost associated with the separation. Losing the father of my child and later losing a child during pregnancy had a toll on my strength and if I could press through and continue working towards my dreams anyone can. Lastly accepting the position for the City of Tampa could be considered one of the worst decisions of my life, however without that experience or lesson, I would have never birthed the Professional Women’s Escape Plan program. I started with an inexperienced manager that clipped my wings, placed me in a cubicle, and tormented me daily. The city of Tampa was an example of why people go postal. The culture of that organization is not the dream job that many of its applicants believe. The lack of inclusion, equality, and career development of their staff has created a toxic environment that many are miserable to work in but at the expense of their mental health, they are trapped because they need their jobs to take care of their families. The passive-aggressive torture I experienced was like no other and that stress in my opinion contributed to the loss of my baby. The decision to resign was based solely on my reevaluating what I wanted to get out of a career or job along with what matters most to me. And building my own legacy became my number one mission. so, I took the leap!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Resigning from the City of Tampa allowed me time to launch a full-service digital marketing addition to my current business as well as vending machine business. I develop bespoke IT solutions for businesses and my expertise lies in website development and deployment, mobile application design and development, motion graphics, video productions, digital marketing, and public relations. As part of the Professional Women’s Escape Plan, students get access to these services to ensure they have well-polished professional look and feel before launching their business.
I’m most proud of my resiliency under pressure and not living in success for too long. I have learned that without life happening there isn’t any inspiration for new ideas to grow. Sometimes the pain we experience inspires a new business or venture of life. But I have also learned living in the moment of success for too long can hinder your growth and development.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Starting is the hard part but sustaining is even harder. You must have a lifelong passion and hunger for success to leave a legacy for your family.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
While Ebone loved the challenge the electoral campaign posed, her next position in government proved much less fulfilling. It was this position and her desire to “escape” that gave her the inspiration to launch her program, “The Professional Women’s Escape Plan.” The program is the culmination of years of marketing experience, teaching, networking, and public relations. While working in her government job, Ebone met countless other women and men that complained about their own jobs, felt stuck and trapped into thinking that their only option to make additional income was through complicated affiliate marketing programs. Some had side hustles such as: bar-b-que stands on the weekend, t-shirt graphic and design, and event planning ventures to name a few but they did not take these hobbies serious enough to consider them a business. Ebone knew firsthand that a career spent doing what you love didn’t feel like work at all. This is the vision she hopes to bring to professional women all over. Through her program, she provides women with the tools to tap into their industry expertise and launch not only a profitable business but a sustainable business.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Ebone works with individuals and businesses of all types, but “The Professional Women’s Escape Plan” is specifically geared towards women, married, with kids, or recently separated, who already have a job, hobby, or skill set, that they are looking to take to the next level. The program is ideal for anyone who dreams of escaping their 9-5, creating an ideal lifestyle, and building a sustainable, profitable business. Ebone breaks her program down into six value-driven milestones. Students begin by discovering their GVP (Greatest Valuable Proficiency). She does this by breaking down the skills, hobbies, or interests that an individual currently has and narrowing it to identify the most profitable, tangible niche. The next module requires that students tell their story, or as Ebone calls it “Your breakfree testimony” to attract your tribe and build your network. In the third module, students will write their bailout statement, i.e.: what they are going to do, pursue or offer in order to bail out of their 9-5 job. This module also allows students to get personal with their finances and incorporate a budget to escape. The fourth module focuses on mindset. Without the proper mindset, making a lifestyle and career change is impossible. Ebone works with clients to shift their mindset, create routines and refocus their goals. In the fifth module, students begin to build their list of customers by determining which platform to launch their business on. By the sixth and final module, students are building the framework of their own business with either a service or product that will become their unique value proposition. Lastly, she teaches how to package, position, pitch, and price their product or service.
Contact Info:
- Website: godigitalgirl.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebonecruz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EboneCruz/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebone-cruz-mba-618a41152/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/EboneCruz
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaYjJXdlG_V_YwzBNGGn6Pw