SOMETIMES no matter how hard you try, you can never shake an old title.
Nobody knows this better than Ella Mills who, despite founding, developing, and selling a multi-million pound company, is still viewed as a “blogger.”
The 33-year-old set up her food blog Deliciously Ella, eventually developing it into a company, creating her first products in 2016.
Now a mum-of-two, Ella was a university when she first launched onto the food scene.
The company went on to sell over 100 million products, expanding into plant-based pastas, spreads, and snacks.
They are estimated to 20 million cereal bars sales by this year alone.
Read More On Businesses
Ella went on to sell her business to the Swiss group Hero earlier this year.
Despite her undeniable success as a business owner, Ella spoke to The Telegraph about her continued struggle to be taken seriously within her industry.
“I don’t think there are any male businessmen who you would title by their first job,” she pointed out.
“I’m not sure at this point what I’ve got to do to be called an entrepreneur.
Most read in Fabulous
“We’ve sold 100 million products, we’ve got our own factory, we’re bestselling in every retailer across the country, we’re launching in the US, we’ve got 100 people in the business.”
She explained that was often overlooked in business situations, with prospective buyers addressing her husband Matthew, who serves as her business partner, instead of her.
Ella recalled how her professional counterparts even asked Matthew to join them golfing without extending an invite to her.
And despite her blogger origin, the business mogul said she has no interest in being in the public eye.
She even scrubbed her social media of any personal content, explaining that she prefers to fly under the radar.
Although the exact figure hasn’t been made public, Ella is expected to make approximately £24 million on the sale.
This is based off Deliciously Ella’s revenue growth as reported by Companies House.
How to start your own business
Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis revealed his tips for budding entrepreneurs:
- One of the biggest barriers aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners face is a lack of confidence. You must believe in your idea — even more than that, be the one boring your friends to death about it.
- Never be afraid to make decisions. Once you have an idea, it’s the confidence to make decisions that is crucial to starting and maintaining a business.
- If you don’t take calculated risks, you’re standing still. If a decision turns out to be wrong, identify it quickly and deal with it if you can. Failing that, find someone else who can.
- It’s OK not to get it right the first time. My experience of making bad decisions is what helped develop my confidence, making me who I am today.
- Never underestimate the power of social media, and remember the internet has levelled the playing field for small businesses.
- Don’t forget to dream. A machine can’t do that!
Despite the sale, Ella will remain in her role as the business’ found and brand ambassador.
Her husband Matthew will also retain his title as the company’s chief executive.
In a joint statement, the pair said the brand has grown “bigger than either of us could have imagined.”
READ MORE SUN STORIES
They added that “the sale has been long deliberated and felt right.”
The couple also stated that the “Plants food products will become an independent business” that will still be owned by their family.
This post was originally published on here
