Elaine Smiley

Elaine is it driven, entrepreneurial-minded, outgoing and passionate professional who shared her previous experience in health and social care. Elaine was in the health and social care industry for 15 years and years and has been in Zambia for the past 5 years, where she and her family were featured on a show called "Coming From America." The conversation began with Elaine sharing her background, including how her father's career in healthcare influenced her decision to enter the field, and her initial work with the special needs population. After Erlene had graduated from university she asked herself what she wanted to do, and she moved to London for a before coming back to America and focusing on health and social care. She really enjoyed the rewards of working with special needs individuals in the population which was within Article 16 clinic dealing with a more vocational setup for young women and young men with mild special needs. Elaine focused on being a successful clinical coordinator and then after meeting with the Jewish Board of Family Children's services she loved the way that their interaction evolved and became a quality assurance director with their facility. Being a woman of color in a mixed population, elaine was working with the Orthodox Jewish clients and became one of the only people of color in the leadership role within their organization which she is extremely proud of and thrived in for four to five years. Eventually Elaine decided that she needed something different in her life and something more fulfilling And she looking for a job for SUNY downstate and applied for the cardiac Cath lab manager position and was able to enter that position and oversea inventory, and really that position. Elaine had experience moving on to the Upper East Side for an upscale dermatology practice through Dr Jonathan Marmer, and explored other connections in California and Atlanta before being approached by a friend who was aware of a show that would be arising where Americans pick up and leave to go to Africa. She had never thought of moving to Africa prior, but being from the Caribbean and S American background she was intrigued and decided to explore that option.

Elaine shared her career journey, starting with work as a clinical coordinator at an Article 16 clinic for individuals with mild special needs, where she later became a quality assurance director at the Jewish Board of Family Children's Services. She then transitioned to a cardiac cath lab manager role at SUNY Downstate, where she oversaw inventory, team building, and physician-vendor relationships. Elaine described her experience as an implementation practice manager at an upscale dermatology practice on the Upper East Side, before taking time off to volunteer and reflect on her career direction.

Career Transition to Africa
Elaine shared her journey from being recruited as a hospital services specialist at Live On New York (formerly New York Organ Donor program) to eventually deciding to move to Africa with her family To explore a new realm of life make a big change to benefit their family and her own prosperity. She described her experience working in organ procurement, including the challenges during COVID-19, which led her to consider a major life change. After being approached about participating in a reality TV show about moving to Africa, she ultimately decided to relocate to Zambia with her husband, who found work as a college counselor, while the show filmed the duration of the transition Including their challenges and adventure.

After moving to Zambia, ELaine started a leather bag business called Zambridian with her husband. She discussed how the move allowed her to embrace a softer lifestyle with more affordable services, and how the business idea emerged after purchasing a bag that lacked the desired luxury feel. The business gained traction through featuring in airport magazines and grew to include beautiful African fabric elements in her designs.

Zanbridge Daytime Brunch Events
The discussion focused on Elaine's event business called Zanbridge, which organizes exclusive day brunch parties from 11 AM to 5 PM on Sundays or Mondays, typically attracting 60-70 guests. The events are designed for adults who prefer daytime socializing over night clubbing, targeting business owners and professionals who are usually off on these days. zanbridge.com.




Elaine's show is featured on: HBO, Max, Hulu, and TLC

In her words:

I am a dynamic leader whose journey spans continents and industries. With over 15 years of experience in healthcare, humanitarian initiatives and senior leadership, I thrive in innovative and entrepreneurial spaces. My strategic planning ventures extend across healthcare, microfinance, and real estate industries. I am driven by the idea that business and community development can and should go hand in hand. I am looking for opportunities to use my attention to detail to support companies going through transitional processes. With elite people skills rooted in empathy, I seek to use strategic planning, professional development, and team building to guide leaders and organization. I use an eclectic and culturally competent mix of approaches in my coaching. I have honed these skills throughout my broad life and work experiences across the globe, along with my splashes in television, product design and marketing, event planning, storytelling and international education.

When asked about advice that Elaine would share with young women who are looking to go into entrepreneurship, she showed that you need to ask yourself what you want from your passion and what you want from yourself. Ask yourself those questions that you may not have the answers to right now because when those answers arise throughout your journey you will be able to pinpoint how those connect and where to pursue your dreams. When you have your own expertise and you feel confident in an area you can push that and really believe in yourself, and this will help others believe in you and support your endeavors. If you're an entrepreneur you need to research, ask the right questions in order for you to say is this going to work, your goal, Is this going to heal your soul, And is this really where my ambition will meet my destiny?

First, you have to really figure out what you want. You have to ask yourself questions - who am I now, and who do I want to be? You really have to focus on the questions, because then you'll force yourself to answer them. You may not be able to answer them in full, but if you have the questions, when things pop up, you'll say, well, you know what, I actually like this, or I don't really care for this aspect of it. If you're good at something, then explore that. I'm really good at playing with people and connecting as a team. When you have your own expertise, or what you feel that you're confident in, you can push that, and if you believe in yourself, then others will believe in you. If you're an entrepreneur, you need to do the research, but you need to ask yourself the right questions in order for you to say, is this gonna work? What is it that you're trying to actually make? Are you trying to make money? Are you trying to have art because you need to heal your soul? Or you really have this ambition where you want more? I think those are the key questions that you have to ask before you move forward.

Elaine will be jumping in to add more detail in regard to her inspirations and how she looks forward to becoming an entrepreneurial and executive coach in the future, how she would like to connect with our incredible readers and inspire them, What her interests and hobbies are outside of the work realm, what keeps her motivated including the inspirational people who have made an impact along her journey, and any additional details that she feels are pertinent to sharing her story and conveying what her goals are for the future.

I love staying with my children - I have an 11-year-old girl named River and my son. I have a dog named Mango and a cat named Minnie, and we all kind of collaborate and live our lives together. I'm married, but things don't really go the way they should always after 15 years - it's been a little clouding, but we're co-parenting as well, and we also have the businesses together because he's the co-owner. I'm in a different level of my life right now. With everything, I felt like I've lived so many lives, and the transition or the transformation of who you're going to become really relies on growth and your interest. I was always in the arts, always with people. People always came to me and I wanted to help - not so much as an advice, as an advisory person, but in regards to how can I help you see what you need to see through your own voice. I'm very spiritual, I'm into astrology, I understand energy. I'm a mom, I'm a woman of color, but I also had my own healthcare scares. I can be in a room with very wealthy people to also people who have had nothing. Being able to open in a way where you're receiving information from all areas have made me feel like I'm ready for this next step - ready to connect with people in ways where not only I can assist with whatever growth they may have, but what I can do to grow as an individual as well. I believe in the process - that's not the end. In order for you to have compassion and grace, you have to have sadness, because in order for you to have compassion, you have to also have felt suffering. You also have to feel sadness. And when you have those things, you're able to be compassionate and give grace to other people, even if you're the mature soul and they're not.