What is Ever Erika?

Ever Erika is both a promise to myself and an invitation to anyone who chooses to listenā€”a commitment to remain unapologetically true to my values, embracing authenticity, audacity and vulnerability at every step.

Through blog posts and newsletter summaries, Iā€™ll share insights, lessons, resources, and candid reflections on my journey as a founder, my tech career, and beyond. It took years to truly listen to my inner voice, and Iā€™m still working on it every day. Today, though, Iā€™m excited to share my voice confidently and authentically with you.

šŸ¤·šŸ¾ā€ā™€ļø Why Ever Erika?

Your Weekly Reminder To Be Audacious

I envision a world where power and freedom are shared more equitably, and I believe that entrepreneurship and creative pursuitsā€”whether full-time or on the sideā€”are powerful paths toward that vision.

Pursuing these paths demands audacity.

Among the trailblazers I admire, Iā€™ve noticed a common thread: each carries an unshakable belief that they can accomplish whatever they set their mind to. For some, society reinforces this belief daily; for others, the world may suggest otherwise. Ever Erika is your weekly reminder to embrace that audacity.

Who is Ever Erika For?

Youā€™ll especially find value if you resonate with any of the following:

  • Aspiring Founder or Creative

  • Operator in tech

  • Artist

  • Startup Founder / Entrepreneur

  • Corporate Baddie

  • Executive

  • People Manager

  • Overachiever or Workaholic

  • Transitioning Careers

  • Product Manager

  • Professional feeling stagnant

  • Advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • Looking for inspiration

  • Student

  • Leader striving for authenticity

I write Ever Erika for everyone, with a hope that it especially inspires women and Black and Brown individuals.

Ever Erika Is a Success When Itā€¦

  1. ā­ļø Encourages you to be more audacious than you wouldā€™ve been otherwise

  2. Makes you laugh

  3. Reminds you that youā€™re not alone/ abnormal

  4. Silences a doubt

  5. Teaches you something new

  6. Sparks an interesting conversation

  7. Helps you take your first step

    Ā 

šŸ‘‹šŸ¾ Meet Erika (Me)

Hi, and thank you for finding your way to my website!Ā Iā€™m Erika Alexandra Hairston, also known to some as ā€œbballerikaā€ (bball + Erika) ā€”a nod to my love for basketball šŸ€.

Iā€™m the proud youngest of five. I geek out on code, personal finance, fiction books, and, of course, the occasional mindless TikTok scroll or any Tems track. šŸŽµ

To many, my most fun fact is that I met Beyonce this year and she posted me on her Instagram and website.

Professionally, I studied Computer Science (CS) and African American Studies at Yale, developed an app that was featured as Appleā€™s App of the Day, interned as a Software Engineer at Facebook, and became a Product Manager at LinkedIn. I then co-founded Edlyft, a startup that completed Y Combinator, raised ~$2M in venture funding, and grew to help thousands of students excel in CS and launch careers in tech. Edlyft surpassed seven figures in revenue from bluechip enterprises including Netflix, Google, and Dropbox and was featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Teen Vogue, and more.

After acquisition earlier this year and months of reflection, Iā€™ve decided that Iā€™m now excited to go deep on Product at the vanguard of AI working with brilliant people. If you know something that fits the bill - email me. šŸ˜‰