Our latest Vizionary is the one and only @mymaudernlife, Mary Meacham! Learn more about Mary below and make sure to give her a follow on Instagram!
How did you find the inspiration to start your page and take the leap as a content creator?
Graduating as a design major, I was accustomed to the idea of making things look “pretty” or aesthetically pleasing- especially photography. After working in the apparel design industry for a couple of years (and realizing that I may or may not have a shopping addiction LOL), I wanted to share with others my favorite products, styles, and things that I loved! The best fit for this for me personally was Instagram, so after a lot of encouragement, I took the leap and started sharing! It took 3 years of working in influencer marketing to help give me the “push” but I haven’t looked back since!
What is your overall inspiration for your posts and Instagram feed?
I typically stick to things that I TRULY love and believe in. If I don’t actually love it, then I don’t share. Authenticity is key to influencing people. Inspiration for creating my creative content mostly comes from Pinterest and other style influencers that I follow on Instagram. My favorite fashion influencers I’ve found are typically European accounts and are all REALLY good at reels, LOL!
How did you get your first brand sponsorship, and who was it with?
I was scouted through Instagram and started my collab over a DM! LOL! A modern-day love story. I have been shooting with photographers since college (2012) as a “collab” but my first BRAND sponsorship would probably be with the boutique Entourage!
What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned working for yourself and creating your own personal brand?
Creating your own personal brand is….PERSONAL. As cheesy as it sounds, you really have to love it yourself. Create content that YOU love because if you don’t love it, you won’t want to create it and you won’t feel excited about it. You have to believe in the content you create or else you won’t love it and you’ll be creating it for someone that isn’t you.
What is your favorite part of being a content creator?
My favorite part about being on the internet sharing my opinions is when I get a DM of someone appreciating my work or feeling a commonality where they no longer feel alone in their circumstance or opinion!
Who is your biggest inspiration in the industry and why?
My favorite creators that serve TONS of inspo are, @ottestyle, @hannahg11, @being_bridget, @savrosee, @nataliemariejust, @paytonsartain, @marvaldel, @matildadjerf, @sterlingmyers, @leoniehanne, @carodaur, @rosiehw, @kitkeenan, @laurajadestone, @sincerelyjules & @ameliezilber!
What do you wish people knew about influencers?
I used to wish that people knew how “sponsored” or fake the top influencers on IG were, but now I feel like most people understand the “ad” purposes, and influencers have become more transparent about affiliate links! I guess now I wish people understood how much goes into content creation and gave content creators more credit instead of assuming that it’s “silly” or superficial.
Where do you see yourself, as well as the industry, within the next few years?
I see the industry shifting towards an unrealistic place of videos PLUS static photos, rather than photos just being enough to satisfy the typical viewer. I think this will, in turn, phase out influencers that aren’t ready to make the video/Reel/Tik Tok integration. It will be a challenge to keep up with reels if that isn’t your natural go-to, but for the content creator who loves videos and video editing, this won’t be an issue. Pinterest is also becoming huge with brands and I feel like Pinterest will have a moment with influencers as well.
What is the best piece of advice you have for people who want to build their own social media brand and get started in the industry?
It’s always easier to give advice than to take your own and when I say this, I’m also giving myself the same advice… Create content that YOU love and be true to yourself. Authenticity is key. Also, don’t believe everything that you see on the internet. Your worth comes from within, not the fancy/shiny things.
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