We were lucky to catch up with Ellisa Brown recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ellisa, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

It is my hope that my words, writings, and works will speak for me long after I have passed. I hope that history speaks kindly of my commitment to living and loving authentically while inviting others to do the same.

Selfishly, I wish to have a library built in my name that is a pillar of knowledge and education. I want it to hold all of the world’s most impactful books, host seminars for some of the world’s most distinguished scholars, and encourage merciful policies across world governments through research and persuasive papers.

In other words, I have big dreams to live up to and giant blessings to pray for.

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.

In a nutshell, I am an author, founder, and accomplished communications expert specializing in crafting impactful and purpose-driven content. I specialize in building professional networks and cross-divisional relationships, teaching managers to empower their team members, and becoming your own best brand ambassador.

As the Founder of Civic Essentials Education Fund, I am committed to revolutionizing traditional civic education by developing a practical, engaging, and experience-based civics education curriculum. I also spend my “spare time” promoting “Meet Cairo,” my children’s book about my beloved puppy and self-empowerment, which has already been featured on Fox 4 Dallas and WFAA Dallas–Fort Worth.

Committed to engaging other writers and avid readers across the country, I also launched The Inkwell Exchange on Instagram. The Inkwell Exchange hosts candid conversations with writers, poets, and speakers about their writing process, authorial intent, motivation, purpose, and industry lessons learned.

With my bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University in Political Science and my master’s degree from Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris in Politics and Public Policy, it should be no surprise that I also occasionally dabble in the political scene.

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

A year after college, I looked up and did not recognize myself on LinkedIn. My digital footprint had become clinical, sanitized, and cold. I advertised myself as the perfect worker bee, and those were the types of roles I was offered.

Many times, companies encourage their employees to leave all the pieces of themselves that make them individuals offline and on the cutting room floor. It makes sense. After all, they want the company brand to shine through their team members.

However, this approach didn’t align with my dreams. The issue was that I had leadership ambitions with a personal brand that screamed “follower.” As a result, I removed the company’s branding from my LinkedIn and invested in branding that represented me, including a logo, colors, and consistent messaging.

Thinking of myself as an employee or team member impeded my personal and professional growth. My creativity is at the core of my sense of self, and I learned quickly that leaving it behind bred unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

Instead, I unlearned this facet of the “corporate mindset” and leaned into my personal brand, highlighting my skills and letting any professional accomplishments act as supporting evidence to my pre-established messaging.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

That’s easy. I wish I understood how to maximize my mentorship relationships earlier. Here are a couple of tips I learned the hard way:

1. Clarify Your Goals and Expectations:
Once you identify a potential mentor, take time to reflect on what you hope to gain from them. It’s helpful to write down your short-term and long-term goals for the relationship. Then, share these goals with your mentor so they can understand your aspirations and tailor their guidance to align with your objectives.

2. Be Open to Feedback and Act on It:
One of the most valuable aspects of mentorship is receiving feedback. Proactively seek constructive criticism and take it as an opportunity to improve yourself. Remember, you have to act on the advice for it to be useful. Plus, it demonstrates your commitment to personal and professional development. No one wants a mentee who consistently ignores advice.

3. Initiate Regular Communication and Follow-Up:
Set reminders to check in with your mentor. They should not only hear from you when you need something. Holidays are an excellent excuse to reach out with a quick note. You can also reach out when you see big industry news or even bad weather in their area. These touchpoints build a strong mentorship bond.

For formal meetings, come prepared with specific questions or topics to maximize your time together. It’s also worth including updates on your progress to reinforce your commitment to action.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ebessentials.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellisaspillsink/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellisabrown/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk5DqUo7YJZ35Q2LmcgJGMA