I had the honor of chatting with international influencer and entrepreneur Elaine Rau of LadyBossBlogger, a brand that has garnered a massive audience of 150K in under two years. It's a platform that helps female entrepreneurs learn how to start, grow, and scale their own online businesses and blogs.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
I worked hard to climb the corporate ladder in the wedding industry and landed the coveted job as the National Wedding Sales Manager. My job was my life and I worked 24/7, but because I loved my job I didn't mind it. However, the trajectory of my life and career completely changed after I received a phone call from my boyfriend telling me that his brother had just been murdered.
I asked my boss if I could go attend the funeral and he said NO because it would affect sales, an answer that shocked me, and proved to be a wake-up call. I had to make a decision: my five-year relationship or my career... I chose the relationship and moved down to Honduras to be with my boyfriend and his family during this incredibly hard time. The transition proved to be harder than I had anticipated. For the first time in a long time, I didn't have a job to keep me occupied and I was completely lost. I had no idea who I was or what I wanted in life without an employer. So I decided to start a blog to learn about who I wanted to become: a Lady Boss Blogger, and that is exactly who I became.
Tell us how you cultivated LadyBossBlogger into this international brand?
Since I grew up overseas in Taiwan, I've always been very internationally minded. Growing up, I felt like I missed out on a lot of opportunities because we didn't live in the States. For example, we were always excluded from contests and giveaways from Scholastic Books. America was always the land of dreams and opportunities for me, which is why I decided to attend college in the US and stay in the states after I graduated.
Now that I'm in a place where I can extend opportunities, I wanted to be sure that my brand was accessible to people who lived overseas which is why I created three international accounts: @LadyBossBlogger.Spanish, @LadyBossBlogger.Chinese, and @LadyBossBlogger.Swahili and make sure my products are available globally. I also have internships that are available to students around the globe. I currently have two international students out of 15 interns.
What is your favorite place to travel?
Taiwan, because that is where my family lives! We moved to the states as a family when I was about 17, but my parents moved back home 2 years later along with most of my siblings. I decided to go to college in the US because America was the first place I felt like I belonged. Also when I was growing up, all the opportunities seemed to be in the US, and in my mind, America was "the land where dreams came true". Ironically I started my business overseas, but now my boyfriend (now husband) and I are back in Chicago!
Do you have any fun vacations planned this year?
I'm supposed to celebrate my 30th birthday in Jamaica with all my besties who are also turning 30 at the end of the year, but who knows at this point! I was also supposed to be leaving on a plane today to go to Costa Rica for my best friend's wedding this weekend, but that was canceled. So at this point, I'm not sure when my next vacation will be!
What is your annual splurge?
The only thing I splurge on for fun is travel. I also love splurging on tools to grow my business. Besides that, I really don't spend much on anything other than bills and food. As a content creator, I basically get my makeup, skincare, hair care, clothing, office supplies, kitchen supplies, home essentials, and tickets to events all paid for. Meaning, not only do I get products and experiences for free, but I'm also paid to promote them while making passive income from them.
What other fun projects are you working on?
I just completed my home studio from sponsored products which was super fun for me! I got a massive ring light, 2 LED floodlights, and a backdrop stand. Now I can finally create content at night, which is when I prefer to work, and not have to depend on daylight. I'm currently writing this interview at midnight because it's when I have the most creative energy! I like to wake up at noon and work off and on until about 2 AM, anyone resonate?
How can readers get in touch with you?
You can find all my stuff by googling "Elaine Rau" or "LadyBossBlogger" or I have included my social links below.
Elaine Rau
