Andre Ellington shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Andre, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
I taught myself how to to play piano at 11, so anytime I get the chance to sit down and play, I can practice for an average of three to four hours and be in bliss.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’ve been a member of the media for the last 15 years. I spent my first nine years in music journalism within the City of Detroit and on a national level, then transitioned to independent reporting and hard news for a couple of years. I’ve been entrenched in pop culture coverage over the last three years.
In 2017, I started my branding and marketing business, WRITEWITHANDRE (now called WAEDS Branding and Marketing). When I began, I only focused on storytelling, PR work, and phone consultations, but I’m currently transitioning to becoming a full-fledged content house where all of my existing and forthcoming media projects will live.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
My mother, Therese Williams, and my father, Andre Ellington, taught me about the importance of hard work. If I could describe them, my mother is extremely passionate and carries that into the work she does. My father has a work ethic that is unmatched. It’s not too many people I know that has the ability to will themselves to work like he does. Both of these elements are the foundation of who I am as a person. I bring a level of authenticity to everything I do while also working at pace that allows me to stand out.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering is daily. Anybody that’s reading this interview has one thing in their life that they don’t want the world to see. That one internal struggle that has been the bane of their existence. But to get up every single day and still operate in a world where showcasing your flaws earns you a specific type of attention, is powerful. Success is cool but learning how to navigate through suffering is where the magic lies.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Most people who are close to me know this, but who I am in public is not who I am in private. I grew up as a painfully shy kid who had the foresight to transition into being an extrovert in seventh grade. I’m a very relaxed and subdued person in private. I’m also a very simple cat. It doesn’t take much to please me. I’ve never needed a lot of things around me to be happy. I find joy in the little shit. But in public, I have to be this confident, outspoken, creative being because that’s what gets the job done and it’s what also feeds my family. Additionally, I’m notoriously private so not too many people know my business in the world outside of a few people.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
If I had 10 years left, I’d stop stressing out about so many things. I mean a lot to quite a few people so I spend many hours thinking about how the hell I can put myself in an advantageous position to win which will help those around me. I always say this: I envy those who don’t have obligations outside of themselves.
I’ll give an example. You know that one family member that has a normal life and shows up to events and can just be? I envy that. Because for me, when I show up to family events, people expect me to speak, serve, and be a good steward. I don’t mind this, but it forces me to always be “on” and present, even to my detriment.
I’ve had some form of responsibility since I was nine years old and not much has changed at 32.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrejellington/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andre-ellington-a40a33112
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