Take Five with Elaine Rau, CEO of Lady Boss Blogger

Today we Take Five with, Elaine Rau, CEO, and Founder of the popular blog, Lady Boss Blogger. Elaine went from National Wedding Sales Manager for a global corporation to a full-time blogger. She now speaks at conferences and has been featured in numerous publications including the HuffPost.

How did you end up as a full-time blogger?

My boss refused to let me visit my boyfriend in Honduras after his brother was murdered because he said it would “affect sales” if I were to leave for a week, so I quit, moved to Honduras, and started my blog LadyBossBlogger.com.

What do you love most about your job?

I have complete control over how I get to spend my time. A year ago, my dad fell sick and I was able to immediately fly to Taiwan to be with him for a month to help him get back on his feet.

How did you get your first big career break?

I started monetizing my blog a few weeks after I started it. I didn’t realize at the time, but that is quite an uncommon experience, and now I teach what I do so other people can learn how to monetize their blogs too.

Do you have advice for anyone trying to break into your industry?

Don’t think too much haha! It’s good to have a business plan and everything mapped out if your brain operates like that, but if you’re more like me and spontaneous, just go with where your interests lead you.

What career advice would you give your younger self?

Online courses are generally always worth the investment. You get someone’s knowledge packaged up in a step-by-step guide that will help you shave off loads of time of research on your own.

How do you support your health in between work?

I used to work with personal trainers, but since Covid hit, I wanted more community, so I signed up for Orange Theory and love it! It’s great for fitness, but also a great place to meet other people in your community and glean energy from working out in a group setting.

What’s your go-to easy meal?

I don’t really cook so I like to go to Starbucks for a quick sandwich or at home I snack on sunflower seeds. But I did recently cook shrimp and bean sprouts which took me like 5 minutes and it tasted phenomenal!

Beauty product you cannot live without?

Eyeliner makes me feel complete – there is something so striking about a bold cat eye!

A book that has had the biggest impact on your life? Why?

5 Day Weekend by Garrett Gunderson and Nik Halik. This book transformed my way of thinking. My favorite quote from the book is, “If you don’t find a way to make money in your sleep, you will work until you die.”

Favorite place to vacation?

Taiwan.

Do you have hobbies, activities, or creative outlets that help keep you balanced?

I have rediscovered past hobbies such as scrapbooking and biking that I put on the back-burner as “irrelevant to my future success” to now prioritizing self-care and work-life balance. It all boils down to not thinking that “being busy” is a good thing, it’s not. Being productive is, but being busy will just wear you down.

Do you have a favorite playlist to listen to while working?

Smooth Jazz

How do you take 5?

I take 55 haha! 5 minutes doesn’t cut it for me, I like to get an hour-long massage to relax, decompress, and re-energize myself. Self-care and health are my TOP priorities. Without health, you can’t enjoy your wealth.