ABOUT ERIKA BRECHTEL
Global social entrepreneur & brand builder for women leaders
My purpose is clear: elevating women globally. It's thread through every aspect of my business and life, from one-on-one work and educational content for women leaders, to speaking and facilitating for female audiences and organizations, and founding my social entrepreneurship endeavor Élanoura — all to spread positive impact through the world with women leading the way.
bio
Erika Brechtel is an L.A.-based brand builder, strategist and designer for women leaders, speaker and facilitator, women's rights advocate, angel investor in women, and global social entrepreneur empowering women founders to build positive impact since 2002. Erika has been featured in Forbes, Thrive Global, SELF Magazine, LUXE Magazine, HuffPost, Popsugar, and on the cover of OC Family Magazine, and she speaks and facilitates workshops for organizations such as UCLA Anderson School of Management, Junior League, Fabletics, and Bumble Bizz.
Erika originally hails from the North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii and is the great granddaughter of picture brides from Japan. While at UCLA where she earned a magna cum laude degree in Art History, she was a collegiate athlete on the first NCAA Division 1 Women’s Soccer team created out of Title IX action by the players. Since, giving back to her community and advocating for women’s rights has been a fundamental part of her life, volunteering for organizations such as the UCLA Watts Tutorial Program, L.A. Works, NYC’s Lower East Side Girls Club, Young Women’s Career Conference, UCLA Alumni Mentor Program, currently on The State of Women Institute board, and twice on the Junior League of Orange County, California (JLOCC) board, training and developing women leaders in the community.
Since 2002 through consulting, she leads clients through foundational work to establish full branding systems that set a business on track to purposefully and intentionally make their mark, and make it matter.
In 2019, Erika introduced her Branding Masterclass tour, visiting cities across the U.S. to help women in business learn how to strategically and intentionally build and activate their business, executive, or personal brands. In 2021, Erika launched her extensive multi-module Brand Building Foundations online course and her "Intentional Branding" method to help women founders build impactful businesses.
In 2022, Erika founded Élanoura, Inc. a social entrepreneurship initiative to enlighten, engage, and empower women leaders to create positive change with their businesses. Featured in Forbes, the #travelwithimpact Global Founder’s Retreats to Morocco, Mallorca, and Egypt bring women founders together from around the world for purpose, connection, and impact. 10% of fees are donated to a nonprofit partner where the retreat cohort also volunteers in person: in Morocco, with teen girls facing child marriage through Project Soar, and in Mallorca, with women survivors of violence through Fundació IRES. In Egypt March 2024, the 10% will be given as prizes through a new Élanoura Local Women Founders Pitch Day in Cairo as an opportunity to invest in global women-owned businesses in local economies.
Erika currently lives in Los Angeles with her 14 year old daughter who inspires her everyday with her kind heart and warm soul.
THE 4 P’S
PEOPLE
PURPOSE
POSITIONING
PERSONALITY
Build a brand legacy that matters.
Your brand is so much more than a logo, some colors, fonts, and a few pretty social posts. Your brand is the impact that you leave on every person who comes into contact with what you put out into the world. Do you know at this moment what that impact is? You have the power to take control of it now and shape it into a legacy that you can be proud to leave behind. We start with the 4 Ps -- your People, Purpose, Positioning and Personality -- as the foundation for everything you create from here on out. Then set your intentions, build out your initiatives, make your impressions, and build a lasting, positive impact only you can create.
kind words
FROM WOMEN FOUNDERS
"Erika works truly like a partner in the process of strategically thinking about a brand and its vision. When I work with her I feel like I am in the presence of a caring professor in marketing walking me through every step. I am always blown away by her wisdom, expertise, and genuine care for me to succeed as a woman business leader which is why I do sincerely see her as a partner. She is also so professional and reliable, which goes a long way for me! Erika is my go-to person for every project or idea I have had since 2009, there's no one like her!"
Jennet Chow, Jellypop Shoes & Evolution Design Lab
"I've finished the course, and wow! Thank you for doing what you do! I feel so much more confident going into this phase of my life where I want to build a brand/true business for myself as a writer. It's like you've helped to lift a fog, and now I can see more clearly the steps I need to take next as well as the goals I'd like to achieve as I progress. When I find myself stressing about the state of entrepreneurship, business, or gender inequality in our world today, I'm comforted knowing people like you are working to create a healthier, happier, and fairer environment in which women can thrive and achieve their dreams."
Adrianna N., Phoenix AZ
"I learned more about business in the Brand Building Foundations Course than 2 years of business classes!"
Lauren V., UCLA
"I went on this trip thinking it was a business trip with the hope of maybe making at least one friend, but what actually ended up happening was I met 9 lifelong friends that I happened to discuss business with. I will be forever grateful to Erika as she curated a group that included such diverse women whom all I could relate to in one way or another and I look forward to watching them all grow and succeed not only in business but their personal life. Anyone would be crazy NOT to attend something Erika puts together."
Sheena Keo, SMK & CO.
"Thanks to the retreat, I found my group of trusted people and a space I can rely on. Although it was daunting at first to spend an entire week with strangers I only had one Zoom call with, throughout the week we got closer and closer to one another, started forming real relationships, which led to amazing discussions about work, life, and everything in between. I got to witness people breaking out of their comfort zones, realizing their worth, and finding clarity with the help of everyone in the group, and that's something I wish I can experience over and over again! And now, I'm grateful to have a group of people I can go to for help and know that we care for and love one another as friends."
Haeun Park, Made at Dawn
"From day one, Erika demonstrated professional unparalleled dedication and creativity in crafting a unique brand identity for my business. She truly understood my vision and goals, leveraging her 20+ years of expertise to develop a brand guide that resonates with my target audience. I couldn't be happier with the results and highly recommend her services to anyone looking to establish a strong and memorable brand presence from your website to social media to business cards and more… Erika, thank you for making SMK & Co’s brand exactly what envisioned."
Sheena Keo, SMK & Co.
"I’ve admired Erika and her work for YEARS and am now lucky enough to know her personally and work with her professionally. She is one of the most talented, creative, inspiring, and hard-working women."
Kat Tanita, With Love From Kat
"This retreat was truly life changing. I felt my travel to be very purposeful since I was able to contribute to something much bigger than myself. I am so grateful to Erika for putting all of this together, with every detail intricately woven into the beauty of the retreat. It doesn’t matter what stage of business you are in, every woman leader needs a space like this. To feel empowered, comfortable, and unapologetic around other women that are free to do the same. The lifelong friendships I have made here will be taken with me forever. My mind is blown as I try to absorb every piece of valuable experience I got in such a short time. My body, mind, and soul are happy. Thank you Erika 💕"
Brianna Diaz, BriGainz
values
01 IMPACT
I support good people who want to spread positivity in the world with the ideas, products, and services only they can uniquely provide.
02 INTEGRITY
I choose to work with people who believe in creating quality, and who are thoughtful with their impact on their families, employees, customers, and communities.
03 COLLABORATION
I build lasting relationships with people rooted in mutual trust. I am honored that they have come back again and again for new brands, partnerships, launches, and refreshes through the years.
04 ACCOUNTABILITY
I believe in transparency, honesty, kindness, respect, accountability, and delivering my best. And I choose to work with people who believe the same.