Today we’d like to introduce you to Elise Cruz.
Hi Elise, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a born-to-be entrepreneur with a seriously creative spirit (we’re talking about for-profit talent shows during recess, publishing a neighbor newspaper at age 10, and creating countless other business ventures – just for kicks.) So, it came as no surprise when my creatively adventurous spirit led me from Southern California to New York City.
After a few degrees in Advertising and English Literature and a quick stint on Madison Ave, the pre-subscribed expectations of life came crashing down on me. I quickly realized that I wasn’t interested in getting a “good job” simply to have one. (Cubicles and I never seemed to click.)
I realized that my true passion was not rooted in status or financial success. Rather, it was firmly grounded in a passion for serving people – small business owners, risk-takers, and visionaries – who knew they were intended to make an impact but needed a little help with all the “marketing stuff” that’s essential for getting their message in front of the right people.
So I took a leap. I left my well-paying and secure job and dove head-first into entrepreneurship. In my typical “go-getter” fashion, I became an avid student of digital marketing, design, copywriting, integrations, team-building, and more! Here’s the kicker: my mind was completely blown to find I could create a life outside of the “cookie-cutter” mold I thought I wanted my entire life.
I was sick and tired of playing behind the scenes as I watched others take the credit and glory for my hard work and big ideas. Which got me thinking… if I couldn’t quite the persistent and unshakeable voice that told me I was meant for something BIGGER, my clients more likely than not had that same feeling. And guess what? My suspicion was spot-on!
Now, I’ve dedicated my life, career, and heart to helping other unstoppable entrepreneurs stop hiding in the shadows of what is comfortable and instead step into their power, celebrate their worth, and create HUGE impact.
I’m so grateful to have spent thousands of hours consulting, creating, building, and teaching entrepreneurs across the globe. I’ve coached hundreds of developing business owners, built hundreds of brands, taught on stages, and most importantly to me, encouraged entrepreneurs to operate out of confidence because they are grounded in their own authenticity, authority, and worth.
Today, I’m obsessed with helping entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and business owners create and launch far above-average brands, online programs, and marketing materials. I’ve taken a deep dive into my true passion and purpose and I want the same for you.
If you’re ready to stop living life on someone else’s terms or struggling on your own, I’d love to hear your story and the vision you have for your next chapter!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One year ago at this time, my situation looked really good on paper. I had the job, the apartment, the relationship, the car – the “stuff”. To the outside world, it all looked like everything was going according to plan, but somewhere deep in my bones, I knew it wasn’t right. Day after day, I felt like I was killing myself to build someone else’s dream. I put in the hours, dedicated the work, and even sacrificed my personal, professional, and interpersonal life in the pursuit of building a vision that wasn’t my own. But somehow, no matter how busy or how successful, I couldn’t turn off the piece of my heart that wanted more. I wasn’t sure how to name it exactly, but I did know that I wasn’t operating out of authenticity or alignment.
I was stuck in a loop of “shoulds”, “coulds”, and “maybes”. I felt paralyzed, frozen in my obligations, and in desperate need of a pivot, but somehow I never moved.
I had made a habit of dwelling on what was wrong, what was missing, and what I should do. It became my second nature to tell myself I should change, tell myself I should be different, tell myself any and everything I needed to hear in order to stay tethered to a situation that was no longer serving me.
Everything changed when I finally stopped talking and started listening.
It hit me unexpectedly, not in an explosive blowout, but with a moment of complete clarity and assuredness like I hadn’t experienced in years. I was sitting on the kitchen floor, lamenting about all the reasons I deserved more; more respect, more money, more opportunities. But as I strategized my argument for why I deserved a fatter paycheck, I realized no title or amount of money would ever be worth the silencing of my own voice. I realized that even if I got the exact compensation I so desperately was fighting for, it would never be enough. It could never fulfill the unrelenting sense that told me I was created for more and it was time to pivot. Good on paper was no longer good enough for me.
I was in a job that didn’t work. I was in a relationship that didn’t work. I was in a community that didn’t work. But it all kind of did work because I was forcing together all the pieces that no longer fit. I was making it work. In the process, however, I created space for everyone else’s voice but my own. My shoulders were heavy from carrying everyone else’s stuff. My back was bending under the weight of the expectation. My vision had become hazy because I hadn’t practiced looking out for myself. By holding such an unshakeable grasp on who I “should be” I was suffocating who I actually was. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was intended for more. Even though I didn’t know exactly what more was, I knew I had to surrender the good to make way for the great.
Don’t get me wrong, hindsight is 20/20 and remembering the breaking away process is a lot easier than navigating it, but truthfully I wouldn’t trade a moment of that painful tearing process. I had to experience the heartbreak to get to the other side. I had to let go of people I love dearly. I had to restructure and rethink my definition of success. I had to fail a lot. But most importantly, I had to remove all my protective armor, look myself dead in the eyes, and sit with the naked, raw, and vulnerable version of me.
Here’s what I’ve learned: not all lessons are wrapped in a pretty bow. Not all teachers are kind. Relationships don’t necessarily end the way they began. And that’s okay. It’s okay that the chapter ended and the season changed. But what is absolutely not okay is to make yourself smaller so others feel comfortable enough to be big.
Of course, I have gratitude for the insight, introspection, and growth those less-than-perfect situations have taught me. It took me a long time to figure it out, but I finally recognize that gratitude is not synonymous with a contract to stay. It took years of quieting my voice, ignoring my own advice, and making excuses in exchange for comfortability to finally do the brave thing and make a change.
When we don’t listen to the calling of our innermost selves the calling doesn’t go away, it simply becomes repressed. The thing becomes like a song that’s been in your head since forever. The song goes quiet for stretches of time, but it refuses to completely be unstuck from your head until you memorize the lyrics and sing it proudly. I’ve found the smallest voice, the voice that begs to be heard and refuses to be silenced is the very voice that needs to be heard. Needs to be shouted from the rooftops, shown on the big screen, and shared with the world.
When I finally made the decision to pivot, I didn’t have it all figured out. I didn’t have the manual with clearly labeled instructions on what to do next, which questions to ask, or who to trust. But I did have a feeling – a persistent tugging at my heart – that was growing stronger all the time.
When I left the security of my consistent job, I wasn’t sure how I was going to pay my bills. When I left my affectionately codependent relationship, I wasn’t sure I would ever find love again. When I took a wrecking ball to some of the major pillars of my identity, routine, community, and confidence I wasn’t sure who I would be.
I could (and in my typical “high-achieving” fashion, did) write a laundry list of all the things I didn’t know, but I couldn’t ignore what I knew that I knew. I couldn’t unsee the once murky realities that suddenly became crystal clear.
I’m so grateful I finally took a page out of my own book and listened to, not just heard, my advice. It was listening to the little, big voice that was hoarse from screaming “Make a change!” that led me to launch a boutique agency during a global pandemic, finally start to value my own worth, and authentically honor my core beliefs.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Elise Cruz Company?
As the Creator and Found of Elise Cruz Company (ECCO for short), I’m an online business Designer, Builder + Integrator who provides service-based female solopreneurs with done-for-you marketing materials + sales funnels to make online sales scalable, sophisticated, and soulful. To put it simply, I’m the solopreneur’s “Digital Marketing Unicorn”
Meaning, I’m the full-stack digital native who is the one-of-a-kind blend of creative ingenuity, business strategy, technical know-how, marketing expertise, and passion for people.
As an ex-Madison Ave woman turned boutique agency owner, nothing lights me up more than empowering entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and small business owners with the tools they need to share their message in a way actually converts and people love. That means the quality of my clients’ brands finally and unquestionably reflects the quality of work they bring to the table.
After thousands of hours spent copywriting, consulting, and brand-building I have found one undeniable truth: An impactful and powerful brand is the harmonious intersection between your story, your business, and your ability to solve problems for your clients.
Now, I’m on a mission to help fellow heart-led, purpose-driven feminine-of-center entrepreneurs unlock that magic recipe so they can stop struggling and start standing out!
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
People want to connect with other people.
More than ever before, people are eager, even starved, to identify, connect with, and ultimately work with “their people”.
We’re actively seeking out the people who understand where we’re coming from, have walked in our shoes, and have a solution to our spoken and/or unspoken needs.
Not only is connecting with people my core mission in life, but it’s also a core pillar of my work. Simply put: authenticity and alignment are essential building blocks to creating, launching, and scaling a successful and sustainable business!
As the digital world becomes more saturated, business owners who lead with their core values will inherently attract “their people”, create an experience for clients that feels truly aligned while positioning themselves to rise above the crowded noise of their industry.
Entrepreneurs know better than most, that at times business is indeed personal. Those who want to do the work that sets their souls on fire AND delivers the highest quality results will prioritize business relationships that speak to hearts, feelings just as much as deliverable needs.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://elisecruz.com/
- Instagram: @elise_cruz_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elise.cruz.7/
Image Credits:
Katie Swenson Photo
