Meet Ellisa Brown | Author, Founder & Professional Multitasker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ellisa Brown and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ellisa, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
For as long as I can remember, my academic and professional accomplishments have dominated my internal and external identity. It’s only in the past two years that I pivoted to prioritize family and self over my job.

We’re all taught, “If you choose a job you love, you will never have to work a day in your life,” so I always believed that if I wasn’t happy, I just hadn’t found the right career path. Now, I know the adage is not true and unattainable. You will have to work even at a job you love. Instead, the goal should be balance.

It was difficult to overcome my lack of balance – but a couple of tips that helped me were:

1. Scheduling “me time” daily: You should build in time for the things you love, even if it is simply a reading, snack, or workout break. I have all three in my daily schedule. Some will argue it’s excessive – but you work every day, don’t you? So you should have simple pleasures every day as well.

2. Have a failure allowance: Give yourself grace and allow for human error daily. Don’t let a typo make a “normal day” into a “bad day.” If you create an objective measure to define a “bad day,” you will likely have fewer of them.

3. Do not set qualitative or subjective goals: All goals should have a quantitative component and depend on your actions. For example, if you run a podcast, an unproductive goal is to “secure two guests for next month.” A better goal is to “reach out to 10 potential guests every week.” Your goal now relies on actions you can control rather than your potential guests’ responses and schedules.

I hope that helps!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My journey to becoming an author, founder, and professional multitasker has been a winding path. From the start, I was passionate about writing and impactful storytelling, but I never wanted a traditional career path.

Initially, I thought the political sphere was the perfect fit for my diverse interests. I even coined a term for myself: political architect. I did everything right: I attended graduate school for politics and public policy, networked with the right people, and interned with the right organizations.

However, I eventually realized that my creative drive could not be entirely fulfilled in the political industry. Instead of abandoning my interests, I expanded my personal brand. I pursued my passion for creative writing, including writing a children’s book and performing poetry regularly. I started an organization dedicated to civic engagement, indulging my love of education and learning. I also became a communications expert, promoting companies and causes I believed in.

I learned the importance of positioning my personal brand as my business, rather than any specific job title I held. This gave me the freedom to pivot, explore new passions, and reinvent myself as many times as I wanted without seeming inconsistent.

As they say, know thyself. I’m a professional multitasker, explorer, Renaissance woman, and curious human.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
To get the most out of Dallas, it’s imperative to check out all the art and food hot spots. Downtown is a great place to start. I suggest you spend at least a day exploring the Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, Perot Museum of Nature and Science, and all the food trucks around Klyde Warren Park.

There are also some tremendous Black-owned businesses throughout the city. A couple of my favorites include the BLACKLIT bookstore, Soirée Coffee Bar, Pan-African Connection Bookstore, Sankofa Kitchen & Bar, and Da Munchies – just to name a few.

Regarding experiences, tickets to events at the House of Blues Dallas and The Addison Improv are a must.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I can think of so many people, groups, and organizations who have poured into me, but for this article, I will focus on two.

First, my parents. I would not be the person I am without their drive, understanding, and sacrifice. They instilled in me a love of God, education, and impactful, community-focused work, all of which are core to my identity and success today.

Second, I have to shout out the Jackie Robinson Foundation. This organization’s scholarship and leadership development program opened so many doors for me during and after college. Plus, it created a network so strong that it often feels like family.

Website: https://ebessentials.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellisaspillsink/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellisabrown/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk5DqUo7YJZ35Q2LmcgJGMA