I had the privilege of interviewing Tracey Ellison.
Her career began in the corporate world in South Africa, as a staffing recruiter. She quickly climbed up that ladder and became the youngest director ever appointed to the board of the company, which was listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. As a result, she qualified for a green card, and moved with her family ( husband and two sons) to the US in 2008. She once again joined the corporate Human Resources field, and was fortunate enough to consult for companies such as AT&T, Amazon.com, JetBlue, and Hilton Hotels.
Here Are Some Details That We Can All Learn From
Her Origin Story.
“I decided to create an Instagram page, TheDiamondsGirl, where I could share my love of precious gems. I would post pictures on IG from 6am to 7am, get the kids to school, work a full day in my full time corporate job, and then start posting on IG again at 8pm… after dinner, after work, after the kids had gone to sleep!”
How Did She Get Started?
Growing up in South Africa, Tracey developed a keen eye for diamond mines and discoveries. She felt a strong attraction towards gems and diamond jewelry, so much so that she launched Instagram page in 2014 out of sheer interest.
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Her Thoughts On Hard Work
“There’s no alternative to hard work and dedication.” Tracey recalls the days when she had launched her Instagram page. She would get up early in the morning to create posts, go to work, only to return to engage with her online fans in the evening.
Why She Decided To Go All In
“I was starting to receive invitations to visit jewelers, and to visit jewelry shows. I had to make a decision, as I couldn’t carry on doing both. The demands of @TheDiamondsGirl had grown too great, and while I still wasn’t certain how exactly to monetize it, I knew that this is what I want to do, and that I was willing to take a leap of faith to pursue this dream!”
How She Feels About Her Business Today
“The fact that I now spend all day every day trying on and photographing jewelry is a dream come true”
What She Loves Most About Her New Lifestyle
“I have been fortunate in that I have had the chance to travel the world, and see the worlds finest gems. I have visited Monaco, Bahrain, London, Qatar, Geneva, Italy, Hong Kong, Dubai and more, as a guest of jewelers and event organizers, sharing the worlds finest jewelry with jewelry lovers and collectors.”