We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elizabeth Ramirez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elizabeth below.
Elizabeth, thrilled to have you on the platform as I think our readers can really benefit from your insights and experiences. In particular, we’d love to hear about how you think about burnout, avoiding or overcoming burnout, etc.
The initial phase of my business had its fair share of challenges. Back in 2017, I left the corporate world & took the plunge into the world of photography. Eager to capture life’s beautiful moments, I found myself caught in a whirlwind, struggling to find that elusive balance we all crave. I was working all the time and quickly realized this was not going to be sustainable for my health and mental well-being.
That’s when I became utterly fixated on streamlining my processes and creating systems that would make my business work smarter, not harder. In that season of hustling, I found a new love– rest.
At the same time, the most incredible chapter began with the arrival of my little girl and two things happened: First, I discovered that the key to avoiding burnout lay in my systems and processes. And second, I felt a strong desire to share this newfound insight with struggling creatives and entrepreneurs– simply put, there’s a better way to hustle.
This dual discovery was a pivotal moment that inspired me to bid farewell to photography and embark on a new adventure—building a coaching business that felt not only sustainable but also deeply fulfilling. A business that would flow seamlessly with the rhythm of my life.
Thus The Lifestyle Biz was born. Today, I help women creatives find that sweet spot where business success meets a fulfilling life.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
In this season of life, my days consist of a lot of time management, productivity tactics and running after two little ones. Professionally, I’m the heart and soul behind The Lifestyle Biz, a business dedicated to helping you create a sustainable business that aligns with your life.
As an entrepreneur, business coach, and brand & system strategist, my mission is to help you find that sweet spot where business success meets a fulfilling life.
Today, I have the absolute joy of empowering women to carve out the life they envision through their businesses. Through personalized coaching, intentional design, and strategic systems, I guide them on a path of sustainable and joyful growth.
I firmly believe we are all multi-faceted beings, capable of so much more than just one passion or pursuit.
My vision is to foster an inclusive “And” culture, not an “or” one. A safe space where you never have to feel like you have to choose between being a devoted mother and a thriving business owner.
It’s about reclaiming that joy in life and breaking free from the weight of managing every single aspect of your business. I want to create a space where you can cherish the present moment, appreciating all that you have, and also nurture that inner drive to pursue even greater dreams and aspirations.
With that, I’ve expanded and co-founded The Embodied CEO, an organization dedicated to empowering high-achieving women leaders to embody their true selves, achieve balance, success and fulfillment.
At my core, I’m all about embracing transparency and authenticity, celebrating your wins, acknowledging your challenges, and setting realistic expectations. I’m not afraid to peel back the curtain and show you the real, unfiltered story of what it takes to run a business, even when it’s not picture-perfect or curated. I believe in the power of a genuine connection and collaboration, fostering an environment where we can all grow and thrive together.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Advice #1. Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable.
When you’re on a journey to discover what success means to you, you might find yourself going against the grain. The day I left my corporate job in pursuit of my own passions, it was perceived as a wrong step for so many (and that’s ok!) I was walking away from insurance, 401k, steady income, to name a few. While I don’t necessarily recommend this in this economy, know this: if you’re teetering with the idea of working for yourself or venturing out on your own, my advice to you is to embrace the uncomfortable. Truly be ok with going against the norm and learn to be comfortable sitting in the uncomfortable. I didn’t realize this was a skill early on, but it has always showed up in my life and now see it as a true super power.
Advice #2. Embrace Your Authenticity.
I’m what you call a learned extrovert. Truth is, we live in an extroverted world and I’ve learned to balance the delicate dance between networking and resting. Strategically networking with the right people can be very beneficial to your success. However, it can be quite draining for someone who is naturally a listener and more on the introverted side, or so I thought. You see, one of my skills or what I like to call my “super power” is being able to listen and help you feel comfortable. But I was showing up and acting like the extroverted bubbly person I thought I needed to be. I was doing it all wrong. It’s not until I embraced who I am did things take a turn in the right direction. Now, when I go to events, I take a more authentic approach, a journalistic approach if you will, when talking to others. It’s amazing the kinds of things people will share with me when I simply ask the right questions, LISTEN and genuinely want to learn about them. Now, I have a newfound appreciation to being me and dare I say even get excited to go to networking events.
Advice #3 Create a Process Early.
Do you want to scale and monetize your dream? Create systems and processes early on in your entrepreneurship journey. I’m a planner and thrive on lists and structure. So when I left my corporate job, I went from an extremely structured environment to ZERO structure. And I didn’t realize it at the time, but systems and processes were the catalyst to my success. It helped me avoid burnout and work smarter not harder. It helped me focus on the needle movers in my business rather than the daily tasks that took all of my time and energy. Start simple: if there’s an email that you are constantly having to send over and over, find a way to automate that email to free up your time. Stay in the areas where you excel at and delegate or automate everything else!
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
“Building a Story Brand” by Donald Miller is hands down one of my favorite books. It helped me put into words what I have always felt: Stories matter and stories sell. But also, owning your own business is not about you, but rather about your customer. They are the “hero” of the story and you are simply their “guide” helping them solve whatever problem they have. It’s a great read and now I feel like reading it again…
Contact Info:
- Website: www.elizabethramirez.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/elizabethramirezinc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelifestylebiz
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethoteroramirez/
- Other: Check out some of my most popular pages: https://linktr.ee/elizabethramirezinc
Image Credits
Barbara Delgado at The BD Experience Aaron Garcia at Centurion Media
