A smile that lights up any room, drive that is infectious, striking model poses and a killer fashion sense. Allow me to introduce you to 21-year-old southern belle, student, and business owner, Destiny Elliott. Destiny has been killing the business game for as long as she can remember. Her company Destiny Elliott PR & Marketing Firm, LLC has been in the works for a few years before officially launching in May 2019.
Her services include:
Media Relations and Digital Marketing to Brand Management and Campaign Development. They include client consultations, press releases, social media account set–ups, photo shoots and analytical reports, just to name a few.
Ladies, before we dive in, this read is for the entrepreneur, the aspiring entrepreneur. The woman who wants to take their brand to the next level. This is for the curious woman! If this is you, well I urge you to keep reading! You never know what you may discover.
Destiny is truly an example of elegance and excellence. She has been pursuing her craft and purpose since FOREVER. She is not only a business owner, but a full time student at Georgia State University located in Atlanta, Georgia, where she will be receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism with a concentration in Public Relations in May 2020. She is active and involved at Georgia State. She is the President of the National Association of Black Journalists, Web Master of the Public Relations Student Society of America, News Anchor & Report of Panther Report News and the Ivy Leaf Reporter of the Eta Mu Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Her interests and hobbies include blasting PartyNextDoor through her Alexa speaker (DROP YOUR PLAYLIST SIS!), cooking soul food (DINNER PARTY, ANYONE!) and attending Church on First Sundays.
So, now that you know that Destiny is totally killing it everywhere she goes. I really wanted her to take us through her process to becoming that woman and how on earth she finds the balance. Here is what she had to say:
“I was doing public relations and marketing since Myspace days but could not put my finger on the practice yet. I fell in love with taking photos with heels on in my backyard, spending hours editing them with effects then uploading them at times I suspected most of my friends were online to see them. Before I knew it, I got the hang of promoting my gifts and what I did at school and in the community that people started referring to me as Destiny, The Model. It was no second guessing that I would major in journalism and concentrate in public relations when it was time for me to level up in the next steps of my life.
I have been a boss! Starting in the fashion and media industry at an early age paid off as I moved to a “who’s who” city such as Atlanta. Exchanging business cards, attending press conferences, and shaking the right hands of people became second nature to me by my sophomore year in college. I knew that I had to capitalize off of my reputation and work when entrepreneurs began asking me to assist them with the visibility of their businesses. It was at that moment that I committed to combining my passion for journalistic storytelling and multimedia promotions into a company that I call my own– Destiny Elliott PR & Marketing Firm, LLC. May 1, 2019 is one of the best days of my life because I created a business that serves the universe in a multitude of ways. I view my Firm like a baby, an entity whose existence is founded on love and a purpose to be what every entrepreneur in the world needs.”
WOW!!!!!
It has been a journey to say the least for Destiny, but one totally worth it! BUT of course I kept thinking, just how does she do it all?! So, I asked her about balance. As balance is super important or at least working towards finding some sort of balance in life that works for you. Here is what she had to say:
“Although my social media followers would agree that I always have something going on, please believe that spiritual healing is apart of that. Young women, who are just starting their journey, must first understand that there comes a time when the curtains close and cameras stop flashing and gaining a sense of self is the only job left to do. An entrepreneur who upholds a healthy mind, body, soul, and spirit will always be in popular demand because they invest in their inner being just as much as they serve the outside world. Whether that means practicing yoga, listening to birds sing or bumping Erykah Badu, young women should find a peaceful escape that makes their insides smile, at least I do. Secondly, I have grown to be okay with not attending every event, especially if it does not help my business grow. I know when an event is beneficial when conversations expand further than exchanging business cards.”
GEM #1: Find hobbies and interests that feed your mind, body, and spirit and work towards alignment.
As entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs balance will keep you from sinking and spiraling, as Destiny added, “an entrepreneur who upholds a healthy mind, body, soul, and spirit will always be in popular demand”. Keep that in mind when you want to attend every influencer event, hangout at the clubs, and eat out every night. We have all been there, but now we are DONE with that. Take heed to Destiny’s words and find ways that you can implement a more balanced lifestyle this year and moving forward.
As ladies of this movement, we are constantly challenging ourselves and taking our brands and businesses to the next level. Destiny is no exception. She has found herself juggling a lot in school and running a successful business. She has been able to take the skills that she has learned and acquired in the classrooms of Georgia State and grow as a student and business owner in a way that is organic. She has been able to do so, with discipline, grit, and tenacity. As she mentions, “business is not for the faint of heart’.
PRO TIP #1: If you are in school, look to your field of study for assistance in building your brand. A lot of the skills (not all) are transferable. Destiny took classes pertaining to Public Relations and Multimedia Reporting at Georgia State University that ultimately helped her build her business successfully. If you are a student attending university, grad school, or even high school, check out your school’s catalog for more information and descriptions on the classes that are being offered, so that you may gain the most out of your academic career. If you are in the workforce, this applies to you as well. Go to your HR department or other similar departments that offer classes for you to increase your knowledge and leverage your skills.
A great tip that Destiny added was, “[take] advantage of extra credit opportunities.” Again if you are in the workforce this can apply to you too. Take on extra projects. This is a great way to get connected to different individuals, their skill sets, wisdom, and knowledge but more importantly to gain a new perspective, vision, drive, etc. that will help to accelerate you in business.
GEM #2: Go the extra mile and take on new projects, tasks, and opportunities that will help advance you.
So, now that I have encouraged you to go the extra mile. I am going to challenge you a little bit more to pay it forward by taking the skills that you have learned and acquired over the years and challenging systems that do not look like your or may not serve you. It is about breeding the next generation and creating space for people that look like you to grow. So, I had to ask Destiny, “how have you utilized your business and platform to challenge systems that may not look like you” She said:
“Within my founding of the Destiny Elliott Journalism Scholarship that I utilized my platform to provide college funding for particularly Black highschool students who will study journalism or communications in higher education. This annual award is important to me because it is a platform, aside from my PR & Marketing Firm, that allows me to give back to my alma mater of G. W. Carver High School of Columbus. Our mission ‘to train up student journalists of today who will inspire and impact the media industry forever’ is dear to my heart as I make local and global impacts in the lives of young professionals in media, like myself.”
This is truly amazing how Destiny has been able to educate, inspire, and take the burden off of young adults that are interested in journalism. Remember, ladies we are breeding the next generation and it is our duty to serve. You may or may not create a fund for young kids to go to college, you may do something completely different AND that is fine. Find something that resonates with you.
GEM #3: Pay it forward.
Before we wrap up, I had to ask Destiny my #1 burning question.
I asked about value, a topic not talked about a lot among female entrepreneurs and business owners. When you are in a service based business, you must put a price tag on your worth and value AND it can be quite tricky, especially if you do not know your worth/value or even where to start. So, I went ahead and asked her, “How did you know your value in terms of pricing and the services that you provide?” Here is what she had to say:
“My business did not launch overnight. It took years of procrastinating and months of thinking for Destiny Elliott PR & Marketing Firm to have business structure before it was introduced to the world. One of my first steps as a business owner was to utilize the serial entrepreneurs and goal-getters in my circle. I reached out to several CEOs for advice and tips about my service offerings, package set-ups and target audience. I went far and beyond asking questions by earning answers through a great deal of research, exploring and faith. Ultimately, I realized what made me and other people happy and began to acknowledge that my expertise in public relations and marketing is what the word needs. Creating a system for my business on the basis of professionalism, ethics, consistency and creativity took a large amount of time and trial. Those four principles is what makes my business stand out and keep clients happy, especially after viewing my extracurricular organizations as clients. The time finally arrived for me to file my Firm as a Limited Liability Company and design marketing material that catches people’s eyes. On May 5, 2019, my PR & Marketing Firm hosted a virtual launch party to celebrate my investments and the future of my business. That continues to remind me of how important it is to make organized decisions and love on your business since day number one.”
GEM #4: Shoot your shot & bet on yourself, BUT remember to educate yourself, seek mentorship, put the work in, and explore different avenues. Take the leap of faith that will propel you and increase your value. P.S. you are already valuable and worthy.
So, today you got 4 GEMS that will help you to curate a business, brand, and life that you will love. BUT before we wrap up, here are Destiny’s last words for you ladies,
“What sets Destiny Elliott PR & Marketing Firm apart from other public relations agencies and firms is that no one else can be me, Destiny Elliott. My talent, passion, and purpose is unmatched as my contributions in various categories of media and service is a gain to anything I am involved in. This divine reason is why a pineapple is embedded in my logo. Not only does it stand tall and wear a crown, but it also preserves a unique spiritual meaning– social warmth, true friendship, and southern hospitality.”
THESE ARE WISE WORDS FROM A VERY WISE WOMAN! She exudes confidence, glamour, and prestige. She is a GIRLBOSS shining light in every room, arena, and space that she walks into. I hope that you ladies are able to walk away feeling empowered to GO OUT THERE AND DO IT. Do what lights a fire inside of you. Do the thing that sets you apart from the crowd. Do the thing that may get you stares, but 6 figures in your bank account.
Make sure to follow Destiny on Instagram. Stay connected with her via email at contact@destinyelliott.com and check out her STELLAR website at www.destinyelliott.com.
If you or someone you may know that would greatly add to our conversation, please feel free to contact us via email or send us a DM over on Instagram. We love sharing stories that empower women! Every story is worth being told!
NOW THAT’S A WRAP! Until next time, ladies!