WOC and Allies: Business and Career Realtalk with Elaine Lou Cartas
Struggling with what to do next? Need honest realtalk cause you're tired of the curated highlight reels on the socials? And want strategies to get out of your own way?
Your host, Elaine Lou Cartas, the oldest daughter of a Filipino immigrant, is an award-winning Business and Executive Career Coach for women of color and allies. Elaine is like you - she’s been fired, quit jobs, changed careers three times, and been in debt. Elaine’s success story? She’s always done what’s true to herself and wants you to know it’s possible too. She’s a former grassroots organizer and nonprofit fundraiser who raised $11 million.
LA Weekly awarded Elaine as the #1 Thought Leader in 2023, and MSN recognized her as the Best Leadership & Executive Coach in 2024. Elaine has online courses with LinkedIn, Duke, Brown, Penn and USC.
On the WOC and Allies: Business and Career Realtalk® Podcast (formerly known as the Color Your Dreams podcast), Elaine reminds you that your definition of happiness in work and life can evolve. Elaine's podcast guests include team members, clients, friends, and even family members who discuss real challenges and how they honored their own voices. As a business owner and career leader, this podcast is here to help you overcome overwhelm, while protecting your peace. So bring your coffee, tea, or boba for some realtalk every other Thursday! @elainelou_ // www.elainelou.com
WOC and Allies: Business and Career Realtalk with Elaine Lou Cartas
129: How to Grow & Scale Your Business with Executive Presence
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Main Points
It’s the second month of 2026 & despite the uncertainty, my business is growing not by hustling, but with more calmness and focus:
In this episode, I share the practical, how-to techniques I taught in a live workshop with 19 minority-owned business owners and allies, including:
- How editing my P&L helped me measure ROI (one change led to 500% ROI, another to 5,000% ROI)
- How I increased email open rates from 25% to 75% through trust and storytelling
- Why high-touch, human connection is a competitive advantage right now
- How sitting with discomfort leads to better business decisions
- Why scaling is about small, precise edits, not doing more
- What made me cry to my therapist
Where We Can Connect:
Schedule a Business & Career Review call with me to see if it’s a good fit to work together: elainelou.com/call
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