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Erika Brechtel

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ABOUT ERIKA BRECHTEL

Strategic advisor, brand consultant, and social entrepreneur helping women make their mark matter.

My purpose is clear: elevating women globally. For more than two decades, I have helped founders, physicians, entrepreneurs, and leaders transform expertise, vision, and purpose into businesses, brands, programs, and initiatives that create meaningful impact. Through strategic advisory, brand development, speaking, and Élanoura, I help women bring their ideas to life and build work that reflects who they are and the contribution they want to make.

HOW I DO IT

bio

Erika Brechtel is a strategic advisor, brand consultant, speaker, and social entrepreneur who has spent more than two decades helping founders, physicians, entrepreneurs, and women leaders transform ideas into meaningful work and lasting impact.

Her career has been defined by a common thread: helping people bring their vision to life with greater clarity, purpose, and intention. Since 2002, that work has included strategic advisory, brand development, speaking, mentoring, angel investing in women-led companies, nonprofit leadership, and social entrepreneurship. Through her consulting practice, she has advised leaders across healthcare, wellness, consumer products, professional services, and social impact, helping them build brands, businesses, programs, and platforms that reflect who they are and the contribution they want to make.

Erika has been featured in Forbes, Thrive Global, SELF Magazine, HuffPost, POPSUGAR, LUXE Magazine, and on the cover of OC Family Magazine. She has spoken for and facilitated workshops with organizations including UCLA Anderson School of Management, UCLA Alumni, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Junior League, Bumble Bizz, and Fabletics, sharing insights on branding, entrepreneurship, leadership, and purpose-driven growth.

A magna cum laude graduate of UCLA and former NCAA Division I athlete, Erika remains actively involved with the university community through the UCLA Alumni Mentor Program, UCLA Startup Social Entrepreneurship Summer Program, and Bruin Women in Business, helping students and emerging leaders navigate their next chapter. Her commitment to advancing opportunities for women has also included service on the boards of the State of Women Institute and the Junior League of Orange County, as well as volunteer leadership with organizations supporting girls’ education, career development, and community impact.

In 2022, Erika founded Élanoura, a social enterprise that brings women leaders together from around the world for purpose, connection, and impact. Since its founding, Élanoura has welcomed women from 24 countries across four retreats in Morocco, Mallorca, and Greece. Through nonprofit partnerships and in-person volunteering, participants have supported educational opportunities for girls, services for women survivors of violence, and job skills training and wellness programs for women and girl refugees, with 10% of every retreat fee donated directly to local organizations.

Erika is currently based in Los Angeles enjoying life with her 17 year old daughter before she leaves to study creative writing at university in the UK.

THE LASTING MARK
METHOD

01 IDENTITY
Who you are

02 EXPRESSION
How you bring it into the world

03 IMPACT
The difference it makes

How I Help Leaders Build Meaningful Work

IDENTITY is the first step: understanding who you are, what you stand for, and what matters most to you. EXPRESSION is how you bring that into the world through your ideas, work, voice, and presence. IMPACT is what becomes possible when that expression connects with others, creates change, and contributes something meaningful beyond you. This is the foundation of The Lasting Mark Method, my framework built around four essential elements:

People — Who are you here to serve?
Purpose — Why does this work matter?
Positioning — How is your value unique?
Personality — How is your value authentic?

Together, they create the foundation for what becomes meaningful work, stronger relationships, intentional growth, and an impactful life.

kind words

FROM WOMEN FOUNDERS

"Right people, right place, right time. What (I didn't know) I needed was the space to step back from the frenetic pace of life and have a chance to redefine my goals and reconnect with my authentic self. The Global Founder's Retreat was just that. I left the trip feeling energized, inspired, and so grateful to have been with this group, on this trip."

Heather Kosiek, Launch Studio

“If you own a brand or are in charge of branding for a particular company, run don’t walk to Erika Brechtel. Nobody translates the look and feel of a brand digitally, better or more beautifully than she can."

Marisa Perry, Marisa Perry Atelier NYC

"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.

"I’ve worked with Erika for over 10 years with three different companies and across 9 brands. She has an amazing intuitive understanding of how to design for different customer segments and across different industries that is really hard to find in other designers and brand consultants. She’s a joy to work with."

Tiffany Wong, Million Dollar Baby

"The Brand Building Foundations course turned my business from HP to Apple. Not only did I gain clarity on my brand and purpose, I learned how I can visually and emotionally incorporate my purpose in my brand. Everything I had in my heart, I was able to find a place to showcase it through my entire brand. This was truly more than just a course — it was a guided experience that made me feel like I had a business partner going through this with me together. And that sense of support is something you cannot compare to anything else. Thank you so much Erika for creating such an amazing experience!"

Hae P., San Jose CA

"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

"I was recommended to Erika by a friend who had consulted with her and said she was 'simply the best', without a doubt no truer words have ever been spoken. Erika invests far more time into the why, who and how of what makes YOU you than anyone else in her business sector. There were so many moments over our 6 months working together that I was moved beyond words at her ability to see me and my vision and bring it to life through design. Without a doubt, Erika is the asset of a lifetime to build a company, a brand and a business to span lifetimes."

Jessica Gylsen, The Dazzling Concierge

"As a one-person marketing team in a start-up, Erika is not only a sophisticated brand, graphic, and UX designer, but she’s also my sidekick marketing strategist, brainstorm partner, and social media adviser. She brings creativity, insight, and a positive outlook to every project, and her ability to translate ideas into compelling visuals is unmatched. On top of all that, she’s such a thoughtful, lovely person to work with. I'm so lucky to have her on my side!"

Leah Morgan, Head of Marketing, Qvin

values

01 IMPACT

I support people who want to create meaningful value and positive change through their work.

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 initiatives, 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.

FORBES
HOW THIS FOUNDER IS USING GLOBAL TRAVEL TO ELEVATE WOMEN
THRIVE GLOBAL
ERIKA BRECHTEL ON HOW WE NEED TO ADJUST TO THE FUTURE OF WORK
HELLO GIGGLES
3 REASONS WHY YOU SELF-SABOTAGE YOUR OWN SUCCESS, EXPERT SAYS

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WORK ONE-ON-ONE
WITH ERIKA

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LEARN AND GROW
YOUR BRAND

impacting

JOIN WOMEN FOUNDERS
AROUND THE WORLD

Make your mark, make it matter.

CONNECT WITH ERIKA

Make the next move.

Your next action steps:

  • Contact Erika for her one-on-one brand consulting services
  • Join the Élanoura collective to get invited to the Global Founder's Retreats.
  • Connect with Erika on LinkedIn or Instagram.

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