It’s easy to be fooled by William Ellington’s quiet demeanor. But once you get chatting, his poetic delivery and charming smile quickly fill the room.
“Originally I’m from the womb. You couldn’t place me in any location. But my physical and my spiritual body was in California, Los Angeles. I’m a very spiritual person.”
Throughout his life, William has traveled a great deal. From Mexico to Canada and many of the states that lie between. It was just this past year that William landed in Seattle and at Real Change.
“I didn’t find Real Change; Real Change found me.”
And after Real Change found William, he took to selling the paper quickly.
“I remember the first paper that I sold … I felt like a businessman.”
William hopes to leave a lasting legacy and believes a career in business will help him become a businessman.
“I’m in it for the long run. I was very influenced and inspired by Warren Buffett’s career. And that’s the type of career that I like to model myself by. … If I create a product or in business I want something of permanent value, and I shall be successful. … Permanent value means forever. It’s not just one or 10 years later, 10 years down the line, 40 years down the line.”
William keeps track of his sales, setting out to find the most effective and intentional way to sell. He wants to reach the 600 club, meaning that he has sold 600 papers in a month and can claim a selling spot as his own. But he eventually plans to exceed that, selling more papers than anyone, somewhere around 1,250 papers in a month.
Throughout William’s life, he’s sustained a desire to really know people. His favorite thing about selling the paper is the customers.
“I remember all my customers by name and face.”
William says “it’s human nature” to be interested in the lives of other people.
“In my spare time, I read books and I listen to music. I appreciate music because that’s like you sorta like penetrate into the mind of the musician or of the artist.”
Between William’s passion for spirituality, business and people, Real Change has been a workplace that offers growth in all aspects.
“I feel like I’m getting closer in my relationship with God because the money … it’s just a tool. I cherish every dollar. I respect money. But it isn’t my relationship. My family comes first and then God and then my money isn’t on the top of my priorities but it is just a tool which every person in the world has to utilize.”
After all of the years William has spent traveling and building his legacy, he says he wouldn’t change his experience.
“I think it was said best by this rapper, The Game, he said ‘If I could start my life from scratch I would do the same thing.’ No I don’t want to tell myself to change anything. That’s my favorite song.”
William is one of 300 active vendors selling Real Change. Each week a different vendor is featured. View previous Vendor Profiles.
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