Ellie Shefi: Impacting Lives Through Her Stories

1. How did you decide you wanted to help empower others?

Empowering others is my calling, my purpose. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been driven to give a voice to the voiceless; to fight for justice, equality, and opportunity; to teach, mentor, and empower—it’s my nature. Every obstacle I’ve overcome along my journey—abuse, rape, domestic violence, homelessness, cancer, or any of the other challenges that have arisen along the way—has deepened my commitment to providing others with practical, easy-to-implement, results-driven tools and strategies that empower them to get from where they are to where they want to be. So for me, it was never a matter of deciding whether I wanted to help empower others; rather, it was a matter of deciding how I could most powerfully heed my calling, serve the most people, and maximize my impact.

2. Why should someone enroll in your programs over another?

There are two main reasons why my clients choose me over others. First, my clients choose me because I walk the walk. I’ve actually lived through everything I teach. Yes, I have the education and the teaching experience, but more importantly, I’ve been in the trenches—I have the real-world experience, the passion, and the drive. Because I’ve walked in their shoes, I understand my clients in a way that someone who hasn’t experienced the journey simply cannot.

When I work with entrepreneurs to bring their business to life (and later to diversify and scale), I bring 30+ years of entrepreneurial experience—30+ years of launching, building, pivoting, diversifying, and scaling businesses in a variety of industries. I’ve gone from homeless and living in my car to building highly successful businesses for myself and others. There aren’t too many things my clients will encounter that I haven’t. Sharing my experience with my clients allows them to avoid costly mistakes and to go further, faster, with greater efficiency. 

When I work with authors and aspiring authors to get their books out of their heads and into their hands, I call on my 20+ years of writing, ghostwriting, and publishing experience to create a powerful pathway to publication. As an award-winning author who has written and published thousands of pieces, including three books in the last five months of 2020, I’ve created a proven framework that allows my clients to write their books with clarity and ease. My clients know with absolute certainty that I will help them make their dreams of becoming a published author a reality.

When I work with speakers and aspiring speakers to find their voice, craft their message, and amplify their impact, my clients benefit from the wide variety of techniques I’ve learned over my 30+ years as a performer and speaker. The depth and breadth of my stage and speaking experience instills confidence in my clients that I can help them navigate their fears, appear confident on camera, connect with different audiences in different formats, and deliver clear and concise messages that get them the results they desire. 

And when I work with women looking to break free from external labels and expectations and define for themselves who they are, what they stand for, and what they want their life and legacy to be, there’s simply no one better to guide them through the darkness and into the light. I have overcome abuse, rape, domestic violence, anorexia, homelessness, cancer, 20+ years of defying doctors’ death deadlines (and more) and have emerged a limitless thriver, master problem solver, and opportunity creator who lives an authentic, aligned, joyful life of purpose and impact. I have crawled, clawed, and scratched my way through fire after fire and am an unstoppable force. My clients know that I see them, I hear them, I understand them, and I’m here to take their hand and journey alongside them as they become the architect of their lives.  

3. What type of clients do you like working with most?

I love working with action takers who are truly ready to make progress and get results. My clients are hungry for an easy-to-implement action plan that will move the needle toward the attainment of their goals. They welcome feedback and don’t make excuses. They show up, do the work, actively participate, play full out, and engage. They are driven and determined to break through any blocks and to level-up their business, their message, and their life. 

4. What’s the average cost to be a part of your programs?

My masterclasses and workshops typically range from $297–$497, while my longer programs typically range from $4,997–$9,997.

5. How do you feel or know that you have disrupted the industry you are in?

I know I’ve successfully disrupted my industry by the disruptions my clients are making in their respective industries. I strive every day to be a catalyst for change and there’s no better validation as a changemaker than to witness the ripple effect occurring as a result of my clients’ successes.

6. Has the advice and services you provided to clients helped them to disrupt the marketplace wherever they are as well? 

Absolutely! I am so proud and honored to watch my clients disrupt, innovate, accelerate, and dominate! I am grateful to journey alongside my clients as they evolve into fully aligned catalysts for change.

7. What trends do you see happening in the world as we continue along in 2021?

There’s no doubt that COVID was a disruptor on a global scale unlike anything most of us have experienced. But one positive result of that has been innovation. Currently, there are widespread opportunities for industries that innovate to get ahead of the trends, position themselves as market leaders, and then dominate market share. I see a continued trend of increased innovation as we navigate COVID, its fallout, and its effects—as we search for new and deeper ways to connect virtually, to pivot industries that have been shuttered, and to meet ever-changing needs. Whether we like it or not, the world has permanently shifted. The world will not go back to how things were before COVID, and the innovations that occur in 2021 and 2022 will forever change the way business is done, connection is made, and every day life is lived. 

8. For those that may not be aware of your books, why should they pick up a copy to read?

Each of my books serves a different purpose, but all of my books provide practical, easy-to-implement tools, resources, and strategies. If you are an entrepreneur or budding entrepreneur (or if COVID has forced you to change careers or find supplemental sources of income), then you’ll want to pick up a copy of Unlocking Your Superpower: 8 Steps to Turn Your Existing Knowledge Into Income. I wrote it one month into lockdown, when my friends started losing their businesses due to COVID’s industry shutdown restrictions. Unlocking Your Superpower: 8 Steps to Turn Your Existing Knowledge Into Income is a powerful step-by-step playbook that teaches you how to start, pivot, diversify, or scale a knowledge- or service-based business. It’s clear, direct, and designed for you to implement what you’re learning along the way.  

The Authorities: Powerful Wisdom from Leaders in the Field, which I co-authored with Les Brown, Bob Proctor, Marci Shimoff, and other industry thought leaders, discusses business, real estate, retirement, estate planning, mindset, and more, so it’s great for a broader macro view.

Sisters Rising: Stories of Remarkable Women Living Extraordinary Lives is the book series I created that is by women, for women, to celebrate and showcase women. The first volume features a diverse group of nine incredible female entrepreneurs (including myself). Sisters Rising is the choice if you’re looking to learn from, and be inspired by, a powerhouse group of female entrepreneurs.

9. What is your ultimate goal?

I’m on a mission to impact at least 10 million lives. My ultimate goal is to be a catalyst for change who, each and every day, empowers, inspires, and equips people to find their voice, stand in their power, and use their business, their life, and their resources as a force for good.