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

Hi Erica, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
Honestly, this is a never ending battle, but no matter what, never give up! What I am learning is that when you are faced with unexpected challenges, hard decisions, or if you’re just burned out on the constant hustle of following your dreams, you have to learn to rest, not quit. For me, self-care plays a big role in my life, I have to be intentional about taking a break. I believe self-care means giving yourself permission to pause. It is okay to take a break, pause, make time for other things that you enjoy doing. Sometimes, all we need is rest to reset. Sometimes getting out of your element or environment for a moment can help you refocus so that when you come back to the thing, you are refreshed. I know it is a challenge within itself, but to anyone reading this, always keep going!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What I want the world to know about my brand story is that you can have it all, if that’s what you want. I truly believe that being multifaceted is a super power! I encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone and go for your dreams outside of the box society puts us in. I believe that everything in life is attainable and all you need is to believe in yourself. What I love most about this generation is that we are creating our own lanes and going for it. My first step out on faith was starting a brand with one of my closest friends, called All Things Melanin, we built the platform based off of our  love for inspiring women of color to go after their dreams and now it has expanded into a podcast. We discuss dating & relationships, our journey to building our brand, and always end every episode with words of encouragement and prayer. From then, I gained the confidence to start my own passion project, a Youtube series called Erica’s Diary, where I talk about my own healing journey, share my life experiences, in hopes of encouraging my viewers. From then, I launched my Interior Design business ELM Interiors, offering digital design services. Balancing all of this has been a challenge, but at the end of the day, I know I was made for this. My passion as a creative and helping people is what keeps me going!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love a good girls night out! I just discovered this new place, where I recently celebrated my birthday, called Haywire at Legacy West. They have a rooftop that has cool Teepee tents that you can rent and enjoy a private dinner with your guests. Also, I would recommend trying a cocktail class, hosted by Neighborhood Goods, where you can learn how to make unique cocktails for $5 every third Thursday of the month. I would also recommend trying the Mimosa Walk in Deep Ellum, they host a lot of local vendors and there are a bunch of restaurants to grab lunch, I tried Terry Black’s BBQ on Main Street, it was the best BBQ I’ve had!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shoutout to my supporters who have encouraged me more than they can ever imagine. Those who have liked and shared my content. Those who have reached out to tell me how they were inspired by something I’ve said. Those who have mentioned my name in rooms I haven’t walked in yet, those who have mentored me, shared their knowledge with me, offered their advice, those who have prayed over me. Those who have supported my businesses, subscribed to my podcast and youtube channel. Some supporters I know and some I don’t know, I appreciate all of the love and support. It keeps me going and I am so grateful, more than you know!

Website: https://www.erica-murphy.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/love_erica987/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfE6cAahy_snLa7328FtgSA

Image Credits
Photographer Credits: Terica B Photo (@tericabphoto) Rosita Palmer Photography (@rpalmphoto)

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