Ella Rose is making a name for herself as a social media influencer and most recently, an entrepreneur. Ella first began sharing pieces of her life on Instagram when she was in high school. Now, nearly a decade later, Ella has amassed almost two hundred thousand followers.
After studying Communications and Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Ella moved to New York City to pursue a career in the fashion industry, a lifelong dream of hers. She landed a corporate job at Gucci before she was laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was at that point that she turned her focus solely on social media. “Since I already had a following, I decided to try influencing full-time,” Ella shares.
Ella describes the growth of her social media following up until that point as “organic.” It was during that time and, in particular, 2021 when she began to see a significant increase in engagement. It gave Ella the chance to pursue her varied interests. Ella states that all of the experiences her professional life has brought her are her greatest rewards. Two of the areas of Ella’s life that have been most affected are fashion and travel, her biggest passions.
Ella describes herself as someone who has “always been obsessed with fashion styling.” She says that her social media following has allowed her to work with many brands, including ones she’d save up for just to buy something from. “I have incredible relationships with many brands I align with, and this has allowed me a lot of creative ability in the fashion space,” Ella states. Brands like Saks Fifth Avenue and Free People now work with Ella, and she has even attended major fashion events like New York Fashion Week.
Ella enjoys travelling whenever she can, and her career has given her the chance to visit many exciting places. Although it is hard for her to pick a favorite destination, her trips to Australia and Italy do stand out in her mind. “I have gotten to travel to incredible places that I probably would never have gotten to go [to] if it wasn’t for this industry,” she states. “Traveling allows you to connect with people.” Ella frequently shares unique photos from exotic destinations on her Instagram.
After spending years as a social media influencer, Ella is now expanding her repertoire to include entrepreneurship. In 2021, she launched Skin by Ella Rose, a brand inspired by her love of minimal makeup. Ella says the brand “offers simple products that bring out individual beauty.” Skin by Ella Rose currently sells blush cremes in two shades. According to Ella, there is much more to look forward to in the near future. “In early 2023 we will be re-launching with all new packaging and two additional products, a lip oil & eyebrow gel,” Ella shares.
Along with fashion, Ella’s move to New York City influenced her love of food and restaurants. “I became super inspired by restaurants when I first moved to NYC. There is so much creativity behind every space and menu, and every neighborhood has so much to offer,” she shares. Ella originally kept track of her exciting food finds in an Excel spreadsheet, but she wanted to create something more formal during the pandemic. This led to her food blog, Art of Foods. Ella says that she created this website to continue to document and share her food experiences. The blog features brief descriptions and photos from different restaurants, which can be found in various food categories or locations.
The life of an influencer may appear to be glamorous, but it is not easy. Ella has dealt with her fair share of negative commenters. She has also worked on limiting how much content she shares about her personal life with the world. “Over the years, I have learned to be strategic with what I share and what I don’t share,” she says. “I keep a lot more private, and I always designate time to be away from my phone and social media.” Despite these things, Ella thoroughly loves her professional lifestyle. She offers tried and true advice to aspiring creators: “There is no better time to start than now. You’re never going to be more ready. The hardest part is starting. You will never know if you’re going to fail if you don’t try.”
You can find more about Ella on Instagram at @ellaarose.
