Today we’d like to introduce you to Elyse Archer.
Elyse, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My journey has included many unexpected adventures, twists and turns, all of which have either been a blast or taught me a valuable lesson.
I spent the first part of my twenties building the life I thought would make me happy – the six-figure corporate job, nice house, car… you name it – if it was part of what I thought “success” was, I did it. Around 2015, in my mid-twenties, I found myself with the life I thought I wanted but feeling terribly dissatisfied and empty, because up until that point it had all been about me.
I made some major changes in my life, including selling many of my possessions and leaving my comfortable corporate job to start my own business and do something more meaningful with my life and work. In July of 2015, I left the advertising firm I was a part of with six months of savings to my name and a dream of being a sales coach (I don’t necessarily recommend this approach for everyone – I work well under pressure, but it’s not for the faint of heart!)
Although I didn’t have any clients, I had a very successful track record in sales, and also knew from my marketing background that the most important key to my success would be building a reputation as a leader in the industry of sales coaching. I started marketing myself through local networking groups, online videos and podcasts and quickly built a reputation as a top coach in my area and field. I joined forces with an international sales coaching organization and rose through the ranks there, becoming a Partner within about three years.
In May of 2018, after some changes in leadership, I decided to exit the company. This was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done, as I had to completely start over and rebuild a brand and business from the ground up. I joined forces with several former colleagues, including New York Times best-selling author Rory Vaden, and became a founding team member of a personal brand strategy firm called Brand Builders Group. It’s been an incredible 18 months since we started the business, and we’ve had the opportunity to help everyone from side hustlers just starting their business to very established personal brands like Lewis Howes of the School of Greatness and Kevin Harrington of Shark Tank.
Part of why I’m so passionate about the work I do now is that I get to help people overcome insecurities about becoming more visible and influential in their industry. As someone who struggled with major insecurities and body image issues in her teens and twenties, I know what it’s like to fear what other people think of you and to try to play small to please other people. When I gave that up, I experienced so much liberation and a blossoming into a woman I always knew was within me but had never seen. I love helping other people, regardless of where they are on their journey, shed any insecurities that are holding them back from becoming the best and most impactful version of themselves.
Has it been a smooth road?
I’ve faced numerous challenges and struggles along the journey to get to where I am, and I’m grateful for how each of them have shaped me.
The most recent challenge involved the exit of my last company. As part of my exit, I had to remove all online assets that I had created during my time with the company, and so overnight, I went from feeling very visible and influential in my industry, to suddenly feeling like a nobody who wasn’t making any impact in the world. This was extremely challenging, but it forced me to reconsider what I wanted to be known for, and I love that I now get to have a bigger conversation through my personal brand and champion topics like visibility, impact, reputation, and legacy. I see now what a blessing that tough transition was, and it’s reinforced to me how much everything is happening for us, even if we don’t see how at the moment.
For a young woman who is just starting her journey, I would encourage her to have fun and not take herself too seriously. Pay attention to what you loved to do as a child – there are often keys there that open doors to what you are truly meant to do for your career. Take the time to explore, try different things and know that nothing has to be permanent. If you take a job that you hate or try to start a business that doesn’t succeed the way you hoped, know that it is all part of your journey and look for the learning lesson in it. You will always reference that lesson later in your life, whether to help yourself or to help other people.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
As a visibility coach and personal brand strategist, I help my clients build and monetize their personal brand.
I work with all sorts of clients, but my specialty is the power woman on the rise who is ready to take her brand and business to the next level.
What I’m most proud of is the ripple effect my clients are having in the world. It’s true that most of my clients work with me to increase their revenue and grow their business, but it’s also never just about the money for them. There is always a deeper purpose or passion driving their efforts, often based on wanting to help people struggling with a challenge they have overcome or to make a major philanthropic impact in an industry they’re passionate about. When I think about the positive impact and legacy my clients are going to have, it gives me chills!
Who have you been inspired by?
One of the women I am most inspired by is my personal coach Gina Devee. She has taught me how to show up as a queen in all areas of my life, and how to expect more from myself and others.
And of course, I can’t answer this question accurately without also giving huge credit to my mom. As a Harvard-educated woman, she put her entire career on hold to raise my sister and me as a stay at home mom. When we graduated, she went back to school, finished her Ph.D. and graduated from Duke in her late fifties and finally went into private practice in psychology. She showed me that you can do anything, at any age, and that just because something doesn’t happen on the timeframe you originally planned, it doesn’t mean you can’t still make it happen if your desire is strong enough!
Pricing:
- Personal brand strategy day (one on one): Starts at $5k
- Live events: $3k
- “Magnetic” group coaching program: $2500
- “Camera Ready” online course: $500
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ElyseArcher.com
- Email: elyse@elysearcher.com
- Instagram: @elysearcher
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elysearcherpersonalbranding/
- Twitter: @elysearcher
Image Credit:
Marlana Semenza Photography, Libby Malcolm Photography, Claire Harvey Photography
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