We recently connected with Lydia K. Smith and have shared our conversation below.
Lydia K. , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
When I was just 14 years old, my mom had a side hustle selling Tupperware to make ends meet. She needed flyers to promote her business, and I had access to a desktop publisher CD-ROM, so I created her very first flyer. Little did I know that would be the beginning of my journey as an entrepreneur.
My mom offered to give me $20 for every sale she got based on our advertisement, but soon enough, people started noticing her flyers and asked me to create similar items for them. By the time I turned 16, my business had progressed so much that it was featured in Essence Magazine. That’s how Lydia K Smith Consulting came into existence.
Today, I am the co-founder of Elle Rouge LLC, which has been in business for nine years. Our primary goal is to help small businesses, innovators, schools, and communities with both in-person & virtual events and content creation, and we hold a merch line of T-shirts and other apparel. Our motto is “No Risk, No Story,” which is very personal to my partner and I.
I took the leap of faith into full-time entrepreneurship just four months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. Despite the uncertainty, I knew I had to make it work because there was no Plan B. I DoorDashed for three months while reaching out to schools, communities, and small businesses I had previously worked with to let them know about my new venture.
To my surprise, this was followed by a global pandemic, which forced businesses to shift online. My knowledge of tech tools created a demand and problem to solve that set us apart from other companies, allowing me to support small businesses and schools to continue telling their stories and creating content that the world could see, irrespective of the restrictions of a brick-and-mortar building.
Looking back, I realize that starting my own business as a teen was the best decision I ever made. It taught me to be resilient, creative, and adaptive, creating transferable skills invaluable in today’s fast-paced world.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
As a young entrepreneur, I found my passion for business and made a difference during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a teenager, I participated in various programs, including the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship in New York, where I learned business fundamentals such as creating a business plan, understanding target markets, and developing a niche.
Driven by my entrepreneurial spirit, I started my own business, and little did I know that it would soon become an essential part of the solution to a major problem caused by the pandemic. With the global shift to online platforms, businesses and schools needed to establish their digital presence, especially on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
I recognized this need and used my skills to help solve the problem. I assisted businesses and schools in creating a compelling digital presence and engaging with their audience through content creation. Through this process, I realized that storytelling was crucial in the content economy of the digital age.
The impact of my work did not go unnoticed. Schools started to realize that storytelling should be a priority and that the content created should live on forever. It was a moment of pride and satisfaction to know that I was making a difference in everyday professional’s lives by supporting them navigate this new digital world.
This experience taught me the importance of taking risks, exploring passions, and never underestimating what we can achieve. I hope that my story inspires others to pursue their dreams fearlessly and make a positive impact on the world around them.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
Alexis and I first met in high school, where we both shared a passion for dance and were on the same team. At that time, we were just two young dancers on the same team and not even close friends yet. However, fate had other plans for us, and we would end up in business together. Our dance teacher, who had started a professional dance company, took a chance and empowered us as young people to serve as executive members of the company. Alexis and I both served as e-board members, but eventually, we wanted to create something of our own that embodied our unique creative vision and fresh ideas.
In 2014, we formed Elle Rouge LLC, while still serving the evolved dance program, Keep Empowering Youth Achievements. We were excited to embark on this new venture, and the rest is history.
Our passion, determination, and hard work paid off, and our business grew to become a successful enterprise. We have been serving small businesses, innovators, schools, and communities for nine years now. Our company has evolved into a platform where we provide support for entrepreneurs in various ways, including creating content and hosting both in-person and virtual events.
We never imagined that our friendship and love for dance would lead to a successful business. Still, we took a chance, followed our passion, and never looked back. Our story is a testament to the power of believing in oneself, taking risks, and trusting the journey. We hope it inspires others to pursue and turn their dreams into reality.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I took the leap of faith into full-time entrepreneurship just four months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. Despite the uncertainty, I knew I had to make it work because there was no Plan B. I DoorDashed for three months while reaching out to schools, communities, and small businesses I had previously worked with to let them know about my new venture.
To my surprise, this was followed by a global pandemic, which forced businesses to shift online. My knowledge of tech tools created a demand and problem to solve that set us apart from other companies, allowing me to support small businesses and schools to continue telling their stories and creating content that the world could see, irrespective of the restrictions of a brick-and-mortar building.
Looking back, I realize that starting my own business as a teen was the best decision I ever made. It taught me to be resilient, creative, and adaptive, creating transferable skills invaluable in today’s fast-paced world. 
Contact Info:
- Website: ellerougeevents.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lydiak.smith/ and https://www.instagram.com/ellerougeevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sheislydiak.smith/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydia-k-smith-7a895776/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sheislydiak
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sheislydiaK and https://www.youtube.com/c/ElleRougeLLC
- Other: lydiaksmith.com