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Check Out Tulani Elisa’s Story

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Tulani Elisa.

Hi Tulani, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m originally from Boston, Massachusetts, and I grew up there for most of my life until moving to Brussels, Belgium at 13 years old. I spent three years there and it’s where my passion for sports/being active, travel, exploring and getting to know all kinds of people started. I returned to Boston to finish high school and then attended Spelman College an all women’s historically black college in Atlanta, Georgia.

That is where I truly was able to dive deeper into defining who I am, what motivated me and the kind of person I wanted to be. My experience abroad and attending an institution of strong black women taught me the importance of always speaking up, being willing to try new things, exploring all of my interests and consistently working to be open-minded in any situation. These beliefs are what drive me to stay consistently active, try new projects, get creative and do more with my day.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t know that anyone truly has a smooth road, but I’ve found that it’s much more about how you handle yourself in those situations when things aren’t going your way that matters. I’m Buddhist, part of Soka Gakkai International, and truly believe that we each create our on destiny, regardless of what’s thrown in our way. This approach to life has been so vital during this crazy time in the world. I’ve been lucky to have a job, family close by and a lot…a lot of passion projects, but I know that it’s not as easy as it sounds. To stay positive and focused on the good takes work and willingness to be vulnerable when things get tough.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m the Vice President of Social Media at FOX Entertainment. I run an amazing team of seven that works on social for all of the TV shows that you see on the FOX Network. I’ve worked in social media for over ten years and I absolutely love it. With a Master’s degree in International Conflict Resolution and Human Security, it definitely wasn’t the path I expected to take, but it is exactly where I’m supposed to be. I love television and creating meaningful conversations and engagement. Working in social not only requires that you’re on top of trends and changes that happen on a daily basis, but also demands creativity, forward-thinking and the willingness to take a risk. Social media favors the bold and that can be seen through every successful campaign, story or moment in the space. I like to call myself an “ideas-girl” because I am truly passionate about finding authentic and effective ways to communicate with an audience and truly tap into not only what interests them, but what moves them.What makes them think, laugh, tear up, dig for more information and tune-in.

I also have a genuine interest in the advancement and well-being of the people who work on my teams. I remember when I was starting out in this industry. I can’t ever forget the fast pace and the fact that a mistake could be as quick as a poorly timed tweet, it puts a lot of pressure on you. The desire to be cleaver is high and the amount of content and creativity needed is often overwhelming. I believe this to be one of the most important things about leading a team — remember where you started, understand how someone working their way up could feel. It’s that understanding, mixed with honesty and a genuine interest in teaching and watching others grow into themselves that drives me to be a strong leader. This includes reminding anyone who works with and for me that work is important, but it’s not your life, it’s just your job. I think that staying true to that belief helps drive me as a manager and leader.

How do you think about happiness?
Creating makes me the most happy and I mean that in every sense of the word. Creating content, such as my daily advice calendar, Advice From A Unicorn, which is now on its fourth year in publication. I cold-emailed a publisher [TF Publishing] back in 2018 and they loved the idea. It ended up being such an amazing experience writing words that impact people in a meaningful way. Creating experiences, like when I get on a bike as a cycle instructor [when the world was open]. I’ve ridden for 15 years and taught for four years, and in each class I worked to make sure that riders not only got a good workout, but left feeling empowered and motivated to do more and reach further.

Creating moments through hosting people in my home. I’ve recently redesigned my apartment and love to have people over [even if it’s just the few in my quarantine bubble right now] and cook, entertain and curate meals and moments that are cozy and memorable. Creating art, which right now, looks like a whole lot of tie-dying and knitting, thanks to all the time I’ve spent at home. And creating a life I love, through staying active [I walk 5 miles daily], laughing a lot [mostly with my mom, sister and on FaceTime with my friends], hiking [I’ve just started, but have been called a Young Billy Goat, hahaha], choosing my choices by making decisions for my life even when they scare me, and working towards my goals on a daily basis, even in small ways. All of that creativity connects back to my focus and purpose, which is to have a meaningful life, where my mind, body and energy are aligned and connected to the world around me. It’s also a constant reminder not to worry about perfection, but to be wildly committed to progress.

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