We recently connected with Elena Aleksandraviciute and have shared our conversation below.

Elena, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

For the last 3 years I have been able to earn a full-time living from creative work through Ellenfinds Creative Media Inc. I didn’t start slow by dipping my toes in, I started out strong by diving right in. It was overwhelming and it turned my world upside down in the best possible way. I realized that you really could pitch clients via social media and gain a loyal client base that way, which is how I began building my portfolio. Then, once I had developed a strong portfolio I began to get organic project inquiries weekly. This is still something I get excited about, organic growth just from good reviews and quality results.

The one thing I wish I have done sooner is learning to let people in and how to delegate. For the first 6 months as a small business owner, I thought I had to do everything by myself. It was really hard for me to trust others to help me with my business, but I soon realized I was stuck. I couldn’t grow my business by trying to juggle everything on my own, so I asked my best friend Britt to join me – she is now the creative writer at Ellenfinds Creative Media Inc. and it has helped me so much to have a trusted team member.

I strive to provide the best quality work to my clients. I take every project seriously, no matter how big or small, so for me learning to delegate as well as making bold creative decisions is the key to success. I am a firm believer that creativity creates a stable foundation for your business.

Elena, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Elena Aleksandraviciute, CEO of Ellenfinds Creative Media Inc. I am Lithuanian, and I studied IT in the Czech Republic, before moving to Canada 8 years ago. When I first moved to Vancouver, Canada, I worked hard to get a job in IT. I had a degree and I wanted to put it to good use. I got a job in my field, however after a year of working in IT I realized that my life was missing something…something creative.

I have always been a very creative person; I got my first camera when I was 15 years old after I convinced my dad that I absolutely needed one in order to fulfill all my shoots. I began photographing nonstop, and I haven’t let go of it since. I have photographed everything from nature, stills and portraits.

After quitting my IT job, I started to work as a waitress to make a living. Shortly after starting work in the restaurant industry, I saw the potential of improving the social media presence of the restaurant I worked for. I spoke to the manager (despite having no previous experience!) explaining my vision, and that I had a good eye when it came to food photography. They gave me a chance and I soon realized I really was good at this! It was my first client, and they are still my client today. It gave me confidence to believe in myself and my work. I took a risk, and it paid off.

At Ellenfinds Creative Media Inc. we offer social media content creation services and photography in one convenient package. This is one of the things that sets us apart. The content I aim to create is less “commercial” and more relatable lifestyle content. I like to appeal to the consumer by showcasing the more human side of a business by showing the product in everyday use.

We focus on helping local businesses by offering great deals, as Ellenfinds was built on trust and support by local companies and small businesses. We help create content that will make your brand stand out but look relatable. Think less “corporate” and generic, and more current and vibrant. We also offer graphic design, web design and social media strategy services. Like I said, one convenient package.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I started out as a foodie in Vancouver. I was sitting in the park thinking of ways I could put my food and product photography skills to use. I then made a list of cafes, restaurants & small businesses I liked and sent them personalized messages on Instagram. I offered my services in exchange for a food tasting or product.

I had a very small following on Instagram and had a few posts to show for my restaurant visits. Despite all of it, small businesses in Vancouver were generous. They took a chance on me and invited me in, and then I started running lots of fun giveaways and suddenly found that I had gained a much larger audience.

Some advice I would give for those just starting out would be some basic things I try to follow with each client. First, I always try to make my content stand out, aiming to make it look vibrant and fun. Next, it’s important to remember you need to tell a story with your content. If you believe in and understand your brand, find a way to make your audience believe in it too. Lastly, humanize your brand. It helps increase trust and credibility while setting your brand apart. And of course it helps build long-term relationships with your clients.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

It’s definitely the fact that I get to express myself. I get to share the way I see the world and my unique perspective. It always means so much to me when I get clients who ask me to capture their product and trust my vision. I then know that my work speaks for itself – this sort of recognition is humbling and fulfilling. I absolutely love that I get to be independent, choose my own projects, set my own schedule, and that I can express myself without constraint. It’s the best job in the world!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ellenfinds.com
• Instagram: Ellenfinds
• Facebook: Ellenfindsvancouver
• Linkedin: ellenfinds
• Twitter: Ellenfinds
• Other: https://www.pinterest.ca/ellenfinds/

Image Credits
all the images have rights, they belong to. Ellenfinds Creative Media Inc. Person in the picture with me is Britt Tozer