Today we’d like to introduce you to Elli Lytra.
Elli, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
When I was 30 years old, I left Greece with the aim to make a new life in the United States, more specifically in New York City. While I was in Greece, I started my career in Marketing having my last working job as a Social Media Manager in a Digital Company. I was quite fond of that job that back then, I can say. Anyway, one day, I said to myself… “Elli, it’s now or never!”. So, I packed my stuff and moved to New York City. When I arrived, everything was so new to me. Different culture, different habits, different language, even how you do your nails was different 🙂 I was totally excited about how my new future would be there. So, I started applying for jobs, while exploring the city.
The first months, things were not as I expected them to be. As an immigrant, coming from a small country, I thought that finding a job in New York City it would be the easiest thing in the world. Back into my country for many years we were hearing this phrase, “ America, the country of opportunities” and we knew a lot of stories about how many Greeks left from the country and went there and became successful.
Eventually, I got a job as a Marketing Manager in a Cybersecurity company and I remember how awkward in a way this thing felt because in one hand I was going to do a job that I already knew but on the other hand I had no clue of what was going on in the world of Cybersecurity. Most of my previews clients where Brewery companies and Diary! So, in a way you can say, it was a bit challenging for me!
In the meantime, I started realizing that I wasn’t that happy with what I was doing and I decided to start practicing the thing that I knew I loved the most, which was Video Production. I started taking classes, from Scriptwriting to Filming and Animation. That era of my life was so exciting because I was starting discovering new angles of myself what I didn’t even knew that I had. As I said, I was so excited about this that I even I started asking people that I already knew if they were interested in filming them in any kind of projects they might want to for free. I was also going out in the city and shooting shorts of different things that I was finding interesting or even extraordinary for myself. I wanted to practice and become the best of the best!
As the time went by, I was becoming even more excited about this and realizing that girl it’s obvious, this is what you want to do with your life. Produce video content! I already had the 8-year Marketing background and I knew that it was something I could totally combine.
So, I decided to create my own company, LADYBUG NY. It was something I have never done before in my life and especially in a foreign country. I wasn’t sure if I will make it, get clients and make money but it was worth the shot. Besides, you never know how life will turn things out for you!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Actually, it wasn’t very smooth and it still is not. I had to spend many nights awake to study, create videos that in the end of the day were rejected because they thought they were a total crap or even work many many times for free.
But I keep saying to myself not to give up on what I love and keep moving forward no matter what happens.
Looks like you have to put your ego aside sometimes and keep your head low on many occasions in order to succeed. And never, never miss an opportunity, even that opportunity doesn’t give you money at all, because you never know where this thing will lead you.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with LADYBUG NY – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Besides of a Founder that I am in LADYBUG NY, you can also characterize me as a Digital Content Producer. That means that I create awesome videos where my clients can share them on any digital platform they wish or not. If there is no script or idea of the video, I create it from the scratch. I am the Videographer, I am the Editor, I am the Creative mind! And of course, I always try each project to be unique. It’s like a one-woman-show but when the project is more demanding I have my own team that we work together as one.
I have created LADYBUG NY, in order to establish myself out there in New York City and put my mark on the market in any way that I can. You can check out my website and find out more about LADYBUG NY at www.nyladybug.com.
Who have you been inspired by?
About a year ago I was in Tribeca Festival in New York City and I attended the interview of a very successful female Director, Lesli Linka Glatter. Her story of how she started and became who she was until that day it really shocked me. Everything was not easy at all for her at the beginning, especially because she was diving into a male dominant world and back then there were not that so many women getting involved into that business, but besides that she struggled so much and with her persistence of doing what she loved, reached her goal. While I was hearing her interview, I was like, ” If she did it, probably you can do it too!”
Also, I came across this woman, her name is Sarah Phillips, she a cinematographer but she specializes in flying drones. In our days, a woman flying a drone is not that easy because it is considered to be a man’s job. In her article, she totally inspires you and makes you realize that nothing is impossible and if you want to do something, you just go for it, no matter what. Her exact words were ” Don’t give up. Just keep going.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nyladybug.com
- Phone: 201-748-9510
- Email: ladybugnewyork@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nyladybug/
Image Credit:
George Bozouris, Hara Zi
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