Phineas Ellis Talks Entrepreneurship and The Importance of Self-Alignment
Phineas Ellis is the man behind the mic, taking on the role of helping others share their voice.
Phineas Ellis, one of the men behind the scenes of the How He Does It Podcast has one of those stories that leaves you feeling motivated and inspired. While today, being in the first phases as co-founder of Stereotype Sound, a podcast production company helping new careers actualize, he has succeeded in many other business endeavors, granting him sight to see his areas of strengths and aligned motivation needed to excel.
Starting his career in the world of small start ups, Ellis stepped into the space by joining the Warby Parker team when the business was still young. Eager and ambitious, Ellis thrived in a space where flexibility and initiative were valued and celebrated. With an outgoing personality and the willingness to spearhead new projects, he was the first to take on the task of leading the Warby Parker cross country tour. With no prior field experience, Ellis hopped behind the wheel of the 35ft retro designed school bus and led a transient team selling products city to city. After three and a half years with the team, and then a year and a half with shoe brand, Jack Erwin, he decided it was time to transition out of the world of start ups.
Grateful for the experience and better prepared for what was coming next, Phineas felt strongly that self employment may be the best avenue for him.
Stepping into the position of ‘business owner’, Ellis started a pop sushi bar and club called Happy Endings. Short lived but this chapter for Ellis left him certain that he would never work for someone else again. Building his cliental as a consultant, he found his niche in the role of helping brands excel.
With a knowledge of brand and retail marketing, Ellis was brought on as a retail strategist, working with clients like Peloton and Bonobos.
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Everyday I feel more self actualized than I did the day before. Now I feel I have some real clarity on what I want to do.
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“I don’t know if it was confidence so much as self awareness” says Ellis when explaining the security in stepping out as an entrepreneur. “For me, self awareness is the most powerful thing you can have as a creative, entrepreneur or even employee.”
Through his self awareness, Ellis was able to navigate and find where he fits in professionally, what he does well and the position he needed to be in for him to succeed. He loved being a part of the Warby Parker team and is able to see now that being in that space clouded his vision because working for someone else is just not how he is built.
“I could have gone back into a start up roll but as an employee, I would have been miserable. I know when I’m miserable, I don’t perform well and when I don’t perform well, its just not good.” he says. “I could have just gotten a job to survive but if I wanted to succeed, I knew I had to be my own boss. I knew I had to be the creator”.
Becoming co-founder of Stereotype Studio and landing partner with Bobby Redd, host of the Done Differently podcast are all examples of self-alignment for Ellis. He says, “Everyday I feel more self actualized than I did the day before because I feel like I have some real clarity on what I want to do. Confidence plays more of a role in the execution everyday.”
Phineas along with his partner have a vision for Stereotype Studio being a small media company while staying true to the vision of taking part in projects that they can both truly be excited about.
“With Stereotype Studio, we want to be a place where we can give a voice to everyone who needs it or wants it”.
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