Business schools and other gurus would often berate students and followers about the so-called marketing mix that is supposedly the key to success in any industry. These include product, price, place, and promotion. However, this marketing strategy can’t automatically apply to every situation, especially now that businesses have migrated to a more digital landscape, albeit not entirely.
This shift has paved the way for a new kind of entrepreneur and a new kind of industry based on the digital community and its platforms. One such entrepreneur, who is surely winning at her trade, is Elle Ullmann.
Everything About Entertainment and Business
Growing up with an entrepreneurial father, Ullmann was exposed to the ins and outs of the trade at a very young age and now considers herself a woman of business. She attended one of LA’s most prominent prep schools, The Buckley School, where she met those who would also come to be bigshots in the world of business. It was clear from the very beginning that she was in love with business, and that’s why she invested in herself through getting a master’s degree in finance; this is a massive part of what makes her ventures profitable.
Even so, Elle Ullmann has a lot on her plate. She has correctly identified these so-called opportunities and has not let go of them ever since. Among the industries she invests in are e-sports, music, influencer marketing, and events, which she chose to deal with after gaining experience when she started the Hashtag Board Co. and the performance water sport apparel brand RU3 Performance.
Now, with the help of her loving husband Bernt Ullmann, who is known globally as one of the best celebrity licensing experts, she started MELT Music and Media Agency. Their goal is to handle talents from all fields of entertainment, from music to e-sports, and all the way to leadership and technology.
The Most Important Factor
Elle Ullmann is a lot of things, but what she credits the most for her success is simply being authentic. Without authenticity in culture and in business, Ullmann believes that a business venture will simply crash or not take off at all.
“You are real, or you’re fake, and there’s no in-between, and if people don’t know you, they are very fast to judge,” says Ullmann. This is especially true for the entertainment industry, where celebrities and influencers battle to gain their audiences’ trust and keep their attention for the longest time possible, and it’s why Elle specializes in hip hop, since she finds true value in its authentic culture. The same can be said for e-sports.
In fact, because of this specific belief, Elle Ullmann has become one of the earliest female investors in e-sports, which has ultimately become a profitable enterprise for her. While she does have her preferences, in the end, Ullmann chases trends, too. She wants to always be one step ahead in pop culture.
An example of her project where Ullmann exhibited authenticity in her work is when she organized the Houston Fusion Fest. Ullmann dictated that Jas Prince be involved in the project since, in her words, Jas Prince has his finger on the pulse of Houston, and is very much real to the music and gaming space. In short, she believes that he is part of Houston’s culture.
On Advocacy and Giving Back
On top of becoming a successful businesswoman, Elle Ullmann has aspired to teach young entrepreneurs how to “shorten their runway to success” by passing the proverbial torch of entrepreneurship along with everything she’s doing, everything she has done, and everything she learned to the next generation. That’s why, apart from marketing and handling the careers of several talented artists under MELT Music and Media Agency, she also started the Reel Heroes Mentorship series. That’s basically a training ground for young ones who are at the tipping point of success and crave all the help they can get.
Elle says her goal for Reel Heroes is to teach teens and young adults how the industry has evolved and prepare them for the tough but obviously rewarding business environment. She wants to teach them the importance of money in the grand scheme of things because, without the goal of making a profit, a business is simply a hobby.
Successes, Challenges, and Future Prospects
Ullmann’s long track record includes successfully organizing 3 concerts in Australia, building a surf and skate company for her loved ones, managing multiple artists, brokering various licensing deals, and of course, developing her own mentoring program.
But that doesn’t mean it was all sunshine and rainbows for this superwoman. Elle also had her fair share of trials, such as acclimating to a different culture, especially when setting up events of different natures. Then there was the global pandemic, as the coronavirus hit her business hard after losing four people in 2020 alone.
On the other hand, Elle also thinks the pandemic has given her the opportunity to reconnect with her growing kids, who were all in university. It also forced her to focus on technological advancement and brush up on her digital skills. Now, she’s gearing up for the eventual end of the lockdowns to return to her normal trade, excited to apply the lessons she learned this year, to continue succeeding in her craft.
If you want to learn more about Elle Ullmann, you may do so by visiting her Instagram.
