Elandas Miller is a 29-year-old, "Jack of all trades." His desire to leave the traditional 9 to 5 corporate setting, motivated him to pursue entrepreneurship. His passion for playing sports inspired him to begin 'Kicking It Sports.' He has hosted multiple successful sporting events since it's start. His achievements later inspired 'The Hoodie CEO' and with this business, he now shares his tips and tricks for aspiring entrepreneurs. His story proves that with hard work, anything can be achieved.
What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
When I graduated from college, I didn’t think I would take the entrepreneurial path. I started working in corporate america as a financial service representative at an online stock brokerage firm. After a few months of working in that specific environment, I knew that it was not a great fit for me. I ended up landing another corporate job, and after about a year realized that I no longer was interested in that job either. I knew that a change was needed and that there was more to life than simply working 9am - 5pm during the week and ‘living’ on the weekends.
I began looking into entrepreneurial books and started trying to come up with ways that I can transition into becoming an entrepreneur. I decided to look inward to see what I enjoyed doing growing up. I always enjoyed investing and sports so I started to look for ways that I can start businesses in those two domains. I didn’t know if I should combine them or if I should separate them. I continued to learn more about entrepreneurship and decided to take a leap of faith while still working in corporate america. I had a lot of downtime so I began figuring out what I wanted to do as an entrepreneur. Ultimately, based on my love of bringing people together and hosting events, I decided to start Kicking It Sports in 2017. On top of that, I also decided to purchase my first property from a family member to jump start my efforts into real estate investing.
How did "Kicking It Sports" come about?
Growing up as a kid, I always enjoyed playing sports and playing with friends. Throughout my life, I was always in some type of activity. I grew up going to the park or the gym every month. Even in college, I joined an intramural flag football team. Being on the field gave me energy and helped me stay in shape. As soon as I graduated from college, I was no longer working out, playing sports, or even going to the park. I began living a sedentary lifestyle. I tried to sign up for atlanta sports leagues but realized that there was still something missing. I figured that there were other people like me: someone who played sports all throughout life and still enjoyed it. With all of the gaps that I noticed from joining the sports leagues, I went ahead and looked to host my very first event. That was in 2017 and now 4 years later we are looking to host more events and make them bigger than ever.
What has been a memorable event that you hosted through Kicking It Sports?
One of my favorite events was at the beginning of 2019. We had our highest number of attendees, had a yoga instructor, a live performance, and the food was delicious. Everyone was participating in some type of way. The vibes were great, people were smiling, high-fiving each other everywhere, and enjoying each other’s company. And I saw that lots of people were sweating so I knew that those calories were being burned. We took some great action photos. The videos looked super cool too. It was just an all-around great time.
Tell me about The Hoodie CEO
The Hoodie CEO is my digital informational business where I have created ebooks, membership sites, and online courses for individuals and organizations looking to grow on a personal and professional level. As of now, I have 3 ebooks and one course. My main ebook and course is 10 Easy Steps to Start a Business with less than $500. I decided to create The Hoodie CEO during the pandemic when lots of businesses and individuals began consuming more and more content digitally at an exponential rate. I always enjoyed helping people reach their goals so I decided to compact everything that I learned from entrepreneurship and personal finance, and put it into a form of content that would be easy for people to consume it. My goal is to help people reach their goals and get straight to the point versus having fluff that other authors fill their books with to add pages. I am looking to create 7 more books and 3 more courses that will be available for individuals and organizations. Another goal that I have with Hoodie CEO is to help bring entrepreneurship to grade school students and give them hobbies and skills that will help them become the next leaders of the community.
What is your favorite service that you provide through The Hoodie CEO and what kind of person would most benefit from it?
My favorite service is the group workshops that I host on Google Meet. These workshops allow me to teach individuals about business in a group setting and allows me to be more personal with the people attending the workshop. I try to host them every 2 months. It gives a chance for aspiring entrepreneurs to ask questions, gain more insight on business, and learn from other people in a similar place as others. I like to do a deep dive in one or two attendees’ business that gives them an opportunity to ask questions, brainstorm new ideas, and have next steps that they can take to reach their goals. I am looking to build a community and continue to grow it.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of being an entrepreneur?
One of my favorite aspects of entrepreneurship is working on a vision and then seeing it come to life. There is no better feeling than putting in the hours and hardwork and then seeing your customers enjoy the fruits of your labor. I love it when I receive a positive review, positive feedback, and even suggestions on how I can make my business better. I also love the community aspect of entrepreneurship. I love meeting new people who are dedicated and want to see their vision unfold. It is great to hear their stories and see their passions take tangible form. I try to meet as many entrepreneurs as possible and keep my eyes and ears open for new ideas and opportunities out there in the market.
What is a word of advice you have for aspiring leaders/entrepreneurs?
There are a few things that I would say to aspiring entrepreneurs. The number one thing that I tell people looking to start a business is to get started. There’s an old chinese proverb that says, “The best time to plant a seed was 10 years ago, the next best time is to plant it today.”
Many people procrastinate when trying to achieve their dreams so I like to encourage people to take that first step, no matter how big or small, as soon as possible.
The second thing that I would tell leaders/entrepreneurs is to don’t prematurely give up on your dreams and goals. I’ve probably experienced a dozen hardships every year since starting my businesses. If it's not one thing, it's another. There will always be something that tries to stand in your way. Many people call this ‘The Test of Entrepreneurship.’ Just like in life, there will be many things throughout your business journey that deters you from reaching your goals. The key is to keep looking for ways to solve problems, be resources, and pivot whenever necessary. You must continue down your path and stay optimistic about your abilities to solve any problem that comes your way.
The last thing is to be open to the idea of asking for help. No one can become a successful entrepreneur on their own. It takes a dedicated and diverse team to help you make your vision come true. If you have any friends, family members, or colleagues with specific skills and talents, then I recommend that you reach out to them with helping you with whatever you are working on. There are people out there willing to help you reach your dreams. All you have to do is ask them.
Where can our audience book your services?
Follow me and my business page on instagram at www.instagram.com/hoodieceo and www.instagram.com/kickingitsports_
Also I can be found on facebook at www.facebook.com/thekickingitsports and finally checkout our website at www.thekickingitsports.com
And if you are interested in learning how to start your own business, sign up for my online course. Use code ‘PULP’ for a 50% discount.