Ellis started her career in journalism in 1986, when she was appointed a sports reporter for a newspaper group in Gauteng. She stayed with the group for about ten years, specialising in political and crime reporting, and was later appointed as a news editor of a newspaper in the group.
As deputy editor she joined Brooke Pattrick Publications in 1995, and was later promoted to editor at the publication house, where she edited magazines for the construction and plant hire industry. In 2004, she established her own marketing company and two years later was offered a national marketing manager's position with Kemach Equipment.
