Meet Elisha Sumo

 

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elisha Sumo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elisha below.

Hi Elisha, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I am actively in pursuit of purpose. I believe one of the common mistakes we make is assuming that achieving a certain level of success means we have reached the end of our journey toward becoming who we are meant to be. However, I hold that no matter how much we accomplish or who we become, there is always more. It is that quest for “more” that truly defines the pursuit of purpose.

As a believer, I am convinced that I am both in purpose now and have been in purpose throughout my journey. The goal, therefore, is to continually strive to remain in alignment with God’s purposes and to advance further in the path He has laid out. Purpose, in this sense, is not a destination but an ongoing commitment to live out the will of God the Creator.

Regarding my skills, gifts, and abilities, I would say that much of what I possess today was acquired quite naturally. I was fortunate to have parents who were intentional about recognizing and nurturing the gifts they saw in me, as well as in my brother and sister. Their support created an environment where I could naturally identify, develop, and refine my talents and abilities. Their presence and encouragement played a significant role in shaping who I am and the skills I bring to the table today.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Coming out of college, I began working with youth athletes, helping them reach collegiate levels by creating mixtapes—first during practices and then in tournaments. This eventually led to working with collegiate athletes and professionals. After a few years, we expanded to filming sports at all levels, weddings, corporate events, and more.

When COVID hit, our business underwent a significant shift towards ministry, where we began serving churches, leaders, and conferences by elevating their video content, branding, websites, logos, and graphics. Today, we continue to provide these services from a branding and marketing perspective, along with comprehensive media solutions for our clients.

Our portfolio includes collaborations with notable figures and organizations such as Dr. Cindy Trimm, Dr. Jamal Bryant, Rev. Al Sharpton, New Birth Church, and the Church of God in Christ (COGIC). Additionally, our work has been featured in AAFCA, Stellar Awards, Essence Magazine, and The Word Network.

In 2023, I released a worship/prayer collaboration project that has since exceeded 4 million streams globally and continues to gain traction. The response has been both humbling and encouraging, affirming the impact of worship through music.

I began my journey as a pastor in the summer of 2023, and I am set to be officially installed on April 5, 2025. I am passionate about people—seeing them grow, develop, and thrive—and I find great joy in serving them in any way I can.

Currently, I am focused on launching several new initiatives, including:

• A buffet-style branding and marketing agency designed for leaders, churches, and entrepreneurs, offering services such as commercials, headshots, graphics, logos, websites, database management, event production, and more.

• All-inclusive media and production courses covering topics like photography, behind-the-scenes setups for conferences, podcasting, and live streaming events.

• A relaunch of my mentorship cohort for leaders and creatives, providing guidance, resources, and support for those looking to expand their influence and impact.

These projects reflect my commitment to excellence and service, both within the ministry and in the broader creative and business communities.

I also joyfully spend a significant amount of my time traveling, teaching, and producing at events across the country. This aspect of my work allows me to connect with diverse audiences, share insights, and contribute to the excellence of various gatherings through both teaching and hands-on production.

Lastly, December 7, 2024, I married the absolute love of my life and daily enjoy doing life with her.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Three of the greatest qualities that have significantly shaped my journey are flexibility, consistency, and leading well.

Flexibility—the ability to adapt to changing times, preferably before those changes occur—is a crucial quality for any leader or business. It’s easy to become fixed on who I am or what I’m doing today, but that rigidity can be dangerous. If times shift and I’m unprepared to pivot, I risk losing all the momentum I’ve built, potentially having to start over or, worse, becoming unable to move forward at all.

Consistency is perhaps less glamorous in practice than it sounds in theory. Doing the same things repeatedly, day after day, often without visible progress or immediate results, can be more frustrating than exhilarating. However, no great growth, transformation, or realization of purpose happens without it. Consistency is not just important—it is essential.

Leading well is everything. There is a limit to how far you can go alone, creating, building, and working by yourself. At some point, you must invite others into your process—whether that means training someone or finding someone already prepared. The cost may differ, but leading effectively will always be necessary. Over the past several years, I’ve had the privilege of working and creating with a large group of people, and our ability to maintain strong bonds, fellowship, and productivity is directly tied to effective leadership and genuine camaraderie.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I am certainly looking to collaborate with a variety of individuals, particularly in the Atlanta, Georgia area. One of my goals is to connect with creative entrepreneurs who often feel isolated—those who want to pursue their passions within a community that offers support, idea-sharing, motivation, and momentum for their next steps.

Additionally, I would like to bring together groups of creatives for projects like short films, skits, or creative challenges—where we all capture the same subject or theme from different perspectives. This kind of collaborative exploration can spark new ideas and push creative boundaries.

The last group I want to collaborate with is leaders. I envision open, honest spaces where we can discuss the challenges we face and strategize creative ways to address them for the benefit of those we lead. I believe that these collaborations can foster growth, innovation, and stronger communities.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Sumo Studios

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