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.

LET’S CHAT

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, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, UCLA Alumni, 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 Greece 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; in Mallorca, with women survivors of violence through Fundació IRES; and in Greece, two opportunities with women and girl refugees through ANKAA Project and Yoga and Sport with Refugees.

Erika currently lives in Los Angeles with her 15 year old daughter who inspires her everyday with her kind heart and warm soul.

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.

THE 4 P’S
PEOPLE
PURPOSE
POSITIONING
PERSONALITY

kind words

FROM WOMEN FOUNDERS

“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

"Choosing to work with Erika was the best business decision I could have made. She was able to bring my vision to life. Her eye for detail is nothing but impeccable. Thank you, Erika for feeling like my business partner throughout the entire process of my project. I HIGHLY recommend Erika Brechtel for all your branding needs."

Liz Hall, Eeze Natural Health & Travel-eeze

"Erika’s extremely organized and meticulous approach to learning about us and our brand on a small to large scale has been a wonderful and organic experience. She really took the time to understand who we are on a personal and brand level. She never rushed the process but provided guidance, support and clarity when we needed it the most. We couldn’t be happier!"

Seda Bilginer & Amanda Sichon, Esas Beauty

"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.

"Erika helped me determine my WHY, worked with me to develop a cohesive plan, got me to focus on my ideal customer; my vision grew from there and she created a design that was perfect for me and aligned with my goals."

Monica Shulman, Artist

"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

"Working with Erika was an absolutely transformative experience, both personally and professionally. She took me through everything from getting clear on my brand mission, to identifying my brand personality and legacy. I learned a wide wealth of knowledge that has completely transformed how I view my business and has invigorated my passion and commitment to my greater WHY. Thank you Erika from the bottom of my heart!

Alessandra Salituri, Founder & CEO, Citizen Atelier, Montreal

"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.

Make your mark, make it matter.