In studio with our team with The Restaurant Project Image by Eliora Vespera
Wow -- I have entirely neglected this website and blog! As I went in to create a post today, I realized it has been four years since I updated the ELIESA Consults blog. As many of you can relate, nothing is the same as it was a year ago, let alone four years ago.
I’ve been really focused on building and running The Restaurant Project, my newest company, which has been an amazing journey! On a personal note, I bought a home, welcomed a child into the world and then - along with you all - have been navigating a global pandemic, a social justice revolution and have spent a lot of time trying to figure out the question: where do we go from here?
I felt like months ago, I was flailing and trying to find a sliver of control in a time of chaos. I tried to really define what the future looked like for our companies, but it also felt impossible to plan ahead. It is time to embrace the unknown and I am sure you can certainly relate to the fact that this feels wildly uncomfortable.
The good news is that in a lot of ways this last year has taught me to look at things a bit differently, to take care of ourselves, our families and also to rely on our community and communities. We can do so much together. In March of 2020, I started hosting a weekly zoom call for freelancers. We figured out PPP loans, taxes, covid policies and procedures and how to work safely. We celebrated, we cried, we volunteered together and we put our heads down to keep working. These calls inspired me and it was so cool to see both personal and professional relationships form that were so supportive of one another.
Now is the time for us to all rise together.
What does this mean? The pandemic really stopped everything and the Revolution made us realize our industry must be a better, more equitable place for artists. As vaccines start to (hopefully) change the tide, we are about to enter into a new normal which brings so much promise and hope!
Over the last year, I have been keeping track of some of the recurring questions and topics that I have been asked. I feel like many of these topics can be part of a larger conversation and hearing other people’s perspectives can be helpful to us all. I wasn’t sure when the time would be right to ‘launch’ something new, but I believe the time is now! I am recommitting to the consulting side of things and figuring out how this space can help serve our freelance industry best! We no longer need ‘how to workshops’ -- we need to go deeper than this. This fall, I’m going to open my calendar again for one-on-one consults and also lead a series of conversations for the freelance industry.
It’s clear that there are so many creative professionals who are rethinking their corporate careers. There is an industry shift after the pandemic and we could all use some guidance. There is a new generation of entrepreneurs and freelancers who are pursuing a life of freelance and also established small business owners who are looking towards what is next. Now is the time to lead and though I don’t have all of the answers, I do know that we must all rise together to create a new place that keeps the freelance dream alive.
So, join me! It’s simple, affordable and easy - just show up, listen or be a part of these conversations and together we will continue to learn and navigate this new normal together.