Today we’d like to introduce you to Elle Moore.
Elle, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am a native of Houston, Texas and I had the privilege of attending college at the University of Houston as a Communication student. While in college I worked in real estate and focused my career there for many years before the bubble burst. Eventually, I went into event planning and moved to Las Vegas.
When that chapter in my life ended, I returned to Houston with a focus to work on the radio. It was always a career choice that I had intended to begin, but as big as Houston was, the jobs available in that field were limited. Upon returning home, I soon discovered that all the radio personalities of the last twenty years still held their positions so I decided to create my own lane and the podcast began!
I’ve always enjoyed working for myself and began my own company as a professional organizer while simultaneously interning for my professor, Dr. Hank Roubicek. Doc has a segment on KPFT called, “So What’s Your Story” and I was working to get the show into syndication, however, while doing research I quickly found that podcasting was the newest and best formula for streaming audio content.
Ironically, my clients were sharing creative stories from their closet about the significance of the items they held onto. I felt the diverse conversations deserved a platform where we could discuss how we felt on the inside and how that was displayed on the outside. Those conversations came from Houston movers and shakers about their work ethic, dress attire, and beauty regimen along with all types of current issues. Retail therapy is what I like to call it! The podcast covers serious issues and Vogue’s issues, so there is a little bit of everything to listen for!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I began the podcast, it was unfamiliar territory! The only person I knew and admired with a podcast show was Angela Yee from Lip Service (and The Breakfast Club). I began taking notes and studying her methodologies by getting familiar with behind the scene details and networking. Angela proved to be very encouraging and inspiring. I also read, “The Bomb Life” by Claire Sulmers for details on becoming a voice in the fashion industry.
Both of these ladies provided so much help in starting the show. It was important for me to have someone with a proven record in their field to share knowledge. These ladies were very forthcoming with referrals and their support.
Once I was comfortable to begin, it was time to invest money in the startup. I sold ten pairs of Louboutin’s and a few designer handbags to launch the website, purchase studio time and establish a LLC.
The first few studio sessions were expensive and sometimes guest would cancel. There are no refunds with studio time, so I was losing money because studio time isn’t cheap.
Instead, I bought my own equipment and began editing to save on cost. I also hired a few interns to assist, too. However, the clarity and sound were not always up to my standard. We had a lot of technical difficulties to figure out in the beginning.
I soon burned out with trying to produce a weekly podcast because I did not always have a guest that was relevant for my show’s content. And one of the hardest struggles was my dad suffering a stroke followed by Hurricane Harvey just shortly after the show’s inception. I definitely took a few months off to recalibrate. Once I restarted the show, we presented the episodes as seasons and decided not to record during the summer or after the holidays in the fall. The new schedule kept me creative and on task. The work load was more balanced.
Just as things began to run smoothly, in October 2019 my brother in law was found dead. He had taken his life in his closet. Every time I said the word, “closet” I would swell up in tears. I did not return for the fall show that year and when we did return to the studio in 2020, a pandemic swept the country into a national quarantine.
The time off allowed me to do more research on podcast editing, networking opportunities, developing a team for graphics, and purchasing a more sophisticated editing software. The result from all those obstacles are what now make our show so successful today. Our show now boast a unique Houston intro from super producer Cory Mo and our graphics and editing team are second to none!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a professional organizer I assist my clients with home organization and office administration. Organization looks like… Handling small business administration for logistics with bill of lading and other documents that need to be filed properly, reselling items that your ex left in the divorce, hiring photographers, finding locations, selecting boutiques and beauty professionals for photoshoots/movie scenes/music videos or just establishing a monthly budget and placing all your accounts under one credit card or on autopay. Our niche is organization, and that is not just what goes inside of your drawers, it’s also how you file your documents.
There are many who hire me to just help organize and coordinate their closet, while others need assistance with their small business and require a more strategic management plan on their paperwork. My day is always full of change and excitement. Because of my years of experience as realtor and event planner, I have been able to tie in all my skills as an entrepreneur. I do not think I will ever return to corporate now that I have found my way outside an office. The aesthetically pleasing order of your life can be easily delegated to a professional. I’m not always working in a closet, sometimes I’m also in my client’s office. No day is the same and I love it! Of course, my favorite day is conducting interviews in the studio so I am very blessed to be able to monetize all my ideas.
I am set apart from others because, I am the first female, black owned, fashion podcast in Houston, Texas. We debuted on iTunes in 2017 before Oprah Winfrey or Michelle Obama had a show!
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Surprisingly, I was a video vixen twenty one years ago working with rappers like Scarface and Tela. I also auditioned for television pilot shows in Atlanta before deciding that I preferred to be behind the camera and not in front of it. Although I love taking pictures and being seen in fashionable attire, my favorite place with always be behind the scenes. My goal is to be known for my voice, and not my face.
Pricing:
- Organization pricing starts at $50 an hour with most projects having a minimum four hour booking time
- Red carpet hosting is normally $300 to $500 for two hours
- Podcast Studio ads run at $100 for a 15 -30 second campaign
Contact Info:
- Email: intheirclosetpodcast@gmail.com
- Website: intheircloset.us
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intheirclosetpodcast/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intheirclosetpodcast
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/PodcastCloset
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsT-fsTSfUSb6Et0rK8gcZg/featured
Image Credits
Carlos Campbell Photography
Essential Living Photography
Graphic Jones Photography
