The “Sales Queen” helping corporate firms secure billion-dollar revenues

“Call me Doctor Ish,” she says. Her tone is warm and commanding. Yet it isn’t misplaced. Through the course of nearly two dozen years, Dr. Ishioma Elora has built a stellar record for helping corporate firms seal billion-naira deals, earning her the moniker “Sales Queen.” Before she resigned from her last job at an asset-management firm, Doctor Ish hauled in 9 billion naira in revenue from 92 sales.

Dr. Ish’s genius for marketing derives from her long unsuccessful experiences in diverse business pursuits, including selling human hair and exporting charcoal. “I’ve sold everything, and I think the only thing I have not sold is human flesh and drugs,” she says. “So I know 1000 ways not to do some things in business and in career,” she says.  Those early failed business ventures, she notes, became the foundation of her resilience and her relentless drive for success.

A trained banker, Dr. Ish wasn’t initially cut out for a career in marketing. “I hated sales,” she admits. After a decade as a banker, she began to feel “restless,” stifled by the slow promotions and the systemic constraints of the banking world. “I was well read, well qualified, yet invisible.”

In her desperate bid for a more stimulating job, a friend of hers suggested a career in sales. But for Dr. Ish, the commission-based nature of sales provided no security. “You go today, and within six months they’ll send you a letter and tell you that your service is no longer required,” she recalls thinking. 

But what appeared at first to be “a high-risk job” proved to be the turning point in Dr. Ish’s career. Within months, she was making great strides, uncovering a natural aptitude for building relationships. 

In 2010, Dr. Ish joined LinkedIn, long before the digital platform developed a user-friendly interface,  to showcase her skills and expand her networks. “If I’m good at what I do,” she reckoned that the clients would inevitably come running for her.  “I didn’t understand personal branding,” she said. Losing a job years later forced her to reassess her approach. Building on her prior experiences, she revamped her profile, became consistent with her posts and embraced personal branding in the months to come. 

“LinkedIn is about being intentional,” she explains. “I’ve used it to close deals, build a community and create visibility not just for myself but for others.”

Nowadays, she is called the “Linkedin fixer” and “chief storyteller,” highlighting her stellar reputation.

Dr. Ish’s entrepreneurial journey hasn’t been without challenges. “I’ve employed staff who have stolen from me, stabbed me in the back, and taken my clients,” she shares. Learning from these experiences, she has become a strong advocate for capacity-based hiring and avoiding emotionally driven decisions.

Part of Dr. Ish’s marketing savvy derives from her natural talent for leadership, which was inspired by her grandfather. While her parents lived abroad, Dr. Ish’s grandfather took her under his wing, instilling young Ish with great discipline and a love for education. At the young age of six, she  recalls receiving a Longman dictionary and a Frederick Forsyth novel from her grandfather. “That set me on a path of voracious reading and strategic thinking,” she says.

In addition to her marketing consultancy Segenic Consults, which she founded in 2021, Dr. Ish launched two independent initiatives—Virtual Pro Agency and Legacy Leadership Academy—in 2024. Where the former helps entrepreneurs and executives build sustainable businesses and personal brands, the latter bridges the gap between employers and virtual staff, ensuring a perfect match for roles ranging from virtual assistants to accountants. 

Her wide-ranging services include leadership development programs, sales strategy coaching and talent management solutions—all aimed at helping entrepreneurs and executives build sustainable businesses and leave lasting legacies.

Central to her wide-ranging services in business and marketing is a deep-seated passion for women’s empowerment. In 2024, Dr. Ish founded Lumina Towers Foundation for Women Empowerment, a non-profit to empower women to take the lead in their career spaces. In 2025, she is hoping to coach 2,000 women through free webinars and scholarships. “The world needs to hear your voice,” she often tells her mentees, encouraging them to embrace their potential.

Some of her former students have also achieved milestones in their respective careers. One, a digital skills educator, runs a bootcamp and “it’s been like a hit back to back,” Dr. Ish says. Another designs impactful sales strategies for financial products. 

Dr. Ish’s eminent achievements have met with global recognition. Some of these include the Nigerian Philanthropy Award (2024), the UN Eminent Ambassador Award (2024) and Life Coach Mentor of the Year (2023). 

Dr. Ish balances her high-powered career with family responsibilities, which sometimes causes her “to step back, reflect and prioritise,” she says, adding that vulnerability can be a strength in its own right.  “Asking for help is not a weakness. It’s strength.”

For the most part, authenticity remains Dr. Ish’s guiding principle. “Life is not a competition,” she advises.  “Run your own race. Find your purpose, and the rest will align.”

She believes vulnerability is a strength. “People connect with the real you, not a facade.” Despite her accolades, she insists, “I’m no Woman of Steel. I’m human. I have feelings, get hurt, get sad, and get depressed. But I do my best to rise above it.”