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Episode 020: Lauren Taylor - Becoming a Brand Ambassador and Content Creator
156 Plays6 years ago
"When you realize how powerful your voice can be or your influence can be and to use that in such a positive way, I feel like that’s really the lightning rod for everything. That’s why getting up at 5 something in the morning is no problem, because I just know with my work, that’s something that I want to consistently instill in everything that I do.” - Lauren Taylor
Today's guest is brand ambassador and content creator, Lauren Taylor. As you'll quickly learn in this interview, Lauren has a lot more going on than that, from self-publishing The Letter magazine to working as a contributing editor for The Everygirl, and as a talent event coordinator for Dote Shopping. She's even in the process of writing a fiction book proposal, all while being a student at Southern New Hampshire University. We cover all that and more in this interview, but we focus on content creation and what she's learned from being a brand ambassador and creator for so many different brands including her own. I think you'll have a hard time walking away from this episode not feeling inspired.
The highlights:
06:32 What is a brand ambassador?
08:29 How a post with her grandma and Campbell's soup helped her become a brand ambassador.
10:17 Getting started without a big following.
13:18 Creating content that brands will actually want to share.
15:25 How to write a pitch email and follow-up.
21:14 Is it important to be on specific (social media) platforms?
25:08 How Lauren manages content for so many different brands?
28:27 Building her personal brand vs. creating content for a brand.
34:04 Lauren shares the purpose behind what she does.
39:39 Tips for getting more comfortable with video.
44:51 What she brand ambassador lessons she has learned in her role at Dote Shopping.
51:04 Lauren shares about the fiction book proposal she's working on.
Lauren's Biography:
As a brand ambassador, content creator, and girl empowerment babe, I’m here to inspire women with big dreams! Encouraging girls to join me in loving our REAL selves so resiliently that we inspire the world to do the same. I’m spreading this movement of love by partnering with women-empowering brands as a speaker, model & ambassador. I’ve got a crush on all of the places I’ve called home, but I’m currently living in San Francisco - and loving it! You can find me obsessing over florals, celebrating the powerful women in my life, always reminding them that together, we are unstoppable!
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Transcript
Introduction to the Power of Voice
00:00:05
Speaker
When you realize how powerful your voice can be or your influence can be, and to use that in such a, you know, positive way, I feel like that's really the lightning rod for everything. And that's why getting up at, you know, five something in the morning is like no problem because I just know, you know, with my work, that's something that I want to consistently instill in everything that I do.
Show Introduction and Guest Overview
00:00:31
Speaker
Welcome to the Brands at Book Show, where we help creative, service-based businesses build their brands and find more clients. I'm your host, Davy Jones.
00:00:42
Speaker
Today's guest is Brand Ambassador and content creator Lauren Taylor. And as you'll quickly learn in this interview, Lauren has a lot more going on than that, from self-publishing the letter magazine, to working as a contributing editor for The Ebbie Girl, and as a talent and event coordinator for Doat Shopping. She's even in the process of writing a fiction book proposal, all while being a student at New Hampshire University.
00:01:07
Speaker
We cover all that and more in this interview, but we focus on content creation and what she's learned from being a brand ambassador and creator for so many different brands, including her own. I think you'll have a hard time walking away from this episode, not feeling inspired.
00:01:23
Speaker
Be sure to check out the show notes at DavyandChrista.com for the resources we mentioned during the episode, and I'd like to hear from you about what kind of content you'd like to see on the Brands at Book podcast as we move forward. I'd also like to know what episodes you've enjoyed most so far and why. To leave your feedback, head on over to the Davy and Christa Facebook page and send us a message. Now, on to the interview.
Lauren's Routine and Time Management
00:01:55
Speaker
Lauren, in San Francisco right now, it is 5.30 in the morning. I'm impressed that you're up for this interview. Thank you for getting up so early to join us. Of course. I'm so thrilled for this. Getting up is like no problem at all. It's actually funny. I'm actually oddly enough an early bird. I typically go to bed like an old grandma at like 8 or 9 o'clock.
00:02:19
Speaker
You know, it's funny, we're the same way we go to bed, especially with a newborn. Now we go to bed super early and we tend to get up pretty early as well. But I guess it's important for you to be an early bird because I'm just I have to I literally write down all of the things that are going on right now with you. So I'm just going to go through this list here. But you're a brand ambassador and content creator, contributing editor of the every girl. And then you're a talent and event coordinator for dope shopping, right? And I'm saying that right.
00:02:49
Speaker
a women-run fashion company. Did I get everything there? Yes, you got everything there. Yeah, so you just have so many fascinating things going on that I'm excited to dive in and talk with you about. But I imagine that you have to get up pretty early just to get all the things done. Oh, yeah, definitely. And actually, crazy enough, so I typically get up at 5.30 AM every morning and now being on the West Coast because I'm trying to keep that East Coast time. Yeah.
00:03:19
Speaker
And so, but yeah, getting up on the West coast and getting that done cause I'm also totally forgot to mention this too. So I went back to school. So I'm a junior at Southern New Hampshire University as well. And so yeah, I definitely had to start my day early for
Cultural Adjustments and Lifestyle
00:03:33
Speaker
sure.
00:03:33
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, you just have so much going on. And being on the West Coast, we did some work out on the West Coast previously. And what was hard about being on the West Coast is when I woke up in the morning, I felt like I was behind, just because the rest of the country, their day is already underway. So I don't know if you felt that at all as you moved out to San Francisco. Definitely. Yeah, it's crazy because I think that just, I don't know, it's just so different. Like, this is my first time
00:04:02
Speaker
I moved cross country recently and it's so different than the East Coast. I joke with people over here because I said the first thing that I noticed, they were obsessed with avocados. Even my Lyft driver had an avocado treat his backyard. I was like, what is that? It's vastly different, especially with the time.
00:04:24
Speaker
I think that, you know, again, just waking up early, you do feel like you are fulfilling your day even more.
Focus on Content Creation and Brand Work
00:04:30
Speaker
And I just I want to feel like that I am trying to accomplish everything that I can within a day. And so it feels good. But at the same time, it's like completely pitch black. So it's just so crazy.
00:04:43
Speaker
Well, one of the reasons that I'm really excited to talk with you today is because so much of what you do really centers on creating content. And so you're creating content for yourself and for your own brand, but you're also creating content for other brands. And so I'm really excited to dig into your approach to creating compelling content. And I know that
00:05:04
Speaker
you're launching a YouTube channel, or maybe you have a you have a YouTube channel, but you're starting to vlog on that YouTube channel. So I'm excited to dig into all of that. But first, can you just give us an idea of, you know, what you're doing right now? And then I want to dig into, you know, how you got there? Definitely. Okay, so
00:05:24
Speaker
Right now, as you've mentioned, so content creator and brand ambassador curating for both my social media and YouTube channel. And I've also done modeling and that typically also includes like editing and filming and curating like photo shoots and styling and for my personal brand and partnerships with other brands as well too.
00:05:45
Speaker
Also mentioned before, I recently moved across the country from Virginia to San Francisco and took a job opportunity as a talent and event coordinator for dope shopping. And there I organized and create all the events for them all over the world. We just got back from Maui and headed to Fiji and New York, which is just insane. And they work with a lot of social media influencers as well and their dope community.
00:06:14
Speaker
And I think it's really cool because I get to be a creator, but at the same time I get to see the behind the scenes of an actual brand and what they do for creators. It's kind of also insane just to say all of these things out loud too. So I'm just like, man, you would think
Understanding Brand Ambassadorship
00:06:29
Speaker
that. I would just get no sleep.
00:06:31
Speaker
But it's cool because you get this 360 view of, like you just mentioned, on being on the creator side, but then also being part of a brand that can prop up or help prop up creators with different opportunities. And so going back just a little, what is a brand ambassador? Right. So a brand ambassador is all about representing
00:06:52
Speaker
a brand or representing a campaign that they're doing. And I started off actually with Aerie. That was my first ever campaign that I was ever a part of. And I am so obsessed with their messaging, especially with women and diversity and sharing that representation.
00:07:12
Speaker
I think for as a brand ambassador, for one with brands and really just sharing on the genuine love that you have for the brand. And that's typically how I think most people get introduced. So when you're tagging the brand on social media or with Aerie, I not only tied them, but I reached out to them too.
00:07:32
Speaker
These brands have different campaigns throughout the year and I was part of their Aerie Roll Brawl campaign and there were some other Aerie Roll campaigns that actually one of them, they put me in the store with other Aerie girls. It was like 50 plus stores across the United States and then also in the Times Square as well too on the billboard and that was really, really cool. And they just, yeah, they're just brilliant. And so I think.
00:07:57
Speaker
Besides being representation of the brand, it goes even deeper than that as well too because I feel like brands are now trying to pick people that can resonate with their audiences. And with being a brand ambassador, you're showing that relatability and you're sharing your love for the brand and you're also creating content for them as well on your own social media platforms.
00:08:21
Speaker
So how did you even get started with, you know, like, did you decide one day that you wanted to be a brand ambassador? Like, how did all of that come about? It started with my YouTube channel. So when I first started YouTube, which some of the embarrassing videos I have on there, I basically started out just talking and sharing different things. And then I kind of went into lifestyle content. And then that's when I started to discover it was actually my first partnership ever, it was Campbell Soup and
00:08:51
Speaker
It was with my grandma. We had, she made something with Campbell's soup and I took a cute picture with her, tagged them and then they like shipped me items and just this big box of like all Campbell's soup. Like it was t-shirts and mugs and just all this stuff. And I was like, man, like this is so cool. Like I wonder how this would work with other brands. And so then I started to reach out to other brands.
00:09:16
Speaker
And ask them to do, you know, a partnership. And of course those pitch emails are also very much embarrassing. They were very long and like passionately written. But that's how I, I almost, I wouldn't even say started, I think kind of fumbled into what I do now. And I learned that, you know, even with me having like a small audience.
00:09:39
Speaker
How could I add to the brand and
The Role of Micro-Influencers in Branding
00:09:43
Speaker
create that content for them? First, creating content for myself on my YouTube channel and then learning how to create content for others. That's how I pivoted my pitch towards brands and how I started with them.
00:09:56
Speaker
Then once Aerie picked me up, it was almost like a floodgate of other brands. And then when I got my second official campaign, and that was with Lily Politzer, and that was like a dream come true and full on like modeling and filming and being interviewed by Cosmopolitan magazine. And that was really insane as well.
00:10:16
Speaker
So going back to just getting just getting started, you mentioned that you didn't have a very big audience at the time. So what was it about, you know, your YouTube channel or the content that you're creating that, I guess, would be incentive enough for brands to pick you up to begin with? That's a great question. I honestly, if I'm being really frank, I think I still ask myself that because of my, you know, such low numbers, I think that honestly,
00:10:47
Speaker
And it's called, and I'm probably going to butcher this, but micro influencers. I think that is really becoming a thing nowadays for a couple of reasons. And for one being that with people with a small following, I feel like we are the audience or the target audience of these brands. And so to be able to represent a brand and people can actually genuinely trust, right? And it feels like, you know, a human like voice speaking to them and
00:11:17
Speaker
they feel connected with us. I think that's a big part of why these brands decide to work with micro influencers. Another reason too is that I think through the content that I have created that it's not only resharable or it's also a representation of their own brand as if someone from their own brand were to create it.
00:11:40
Speaker
And so I think that getting into the mindset of the brands and how they would set up a shot or how they would film something or share something, I think that's super helpful when you are trying to position yourself for a certain brand. And so I think that's kind of added to why these brands have decided to work with me because I've proven myself on the front end of I have an engaged audience of the audience that I do have and they trust me in my opinion and sharing something with them.
Pitching and Communicating with Brands
00:12:09
Speaker
And then two, I've proven that I've been able to create great content that the brands have been able to use. So I think those are kind of the two deciding factors in approaching brands and why they choose to work with people.
00:12:25
Speaker
And I got to imagine that at least part of it is that you're just, I mean, you in a very authentic way, love the brands that you work with, it seems like. I mean, even the Campbell's Soup, you know, it was, you really liked their product. You said your grandmother made something? Yes, exactly. I mean, it just doesn't get any more Campbell's Soup-esque than that, right? You know, so I got to imagine that at least some level is just the authenticity behind what you're sharing about these content as well.
00:12:53
Speaker
I guess it's awesome that it's not just, oh, I get on and I create a bunch of content. It's that you're thinking through how that brand would position their products and how they would shoot their products, whether on video or photo or whatnot, and how they would style their products. So you're actually thinking, how can I create content that these brands can use themselves? Exactly. Yes, that's exactly it. Because I feel like a lot of the time, sometimes people
00:13:22
Speaker
they typically try to say, okay, so what can a brand do for me? But in my mind said, I flip that because I think that if you can add more to the brand and not necessarily a million followers, because that's not all that brands need. And so if you could add more to the brand and figure out your positioning in that, then I think that's a goldmine in booking them. And I think that
00:13:47
Speaker
looking at the brand, seeing what they may need, seeing what they're doing right now, and aligning yourself with that. I think that's the perfect way in getting into being a brand ambassador or even a content creator.
00:14:01
Speaker
And I imagine for smaller companies, too, I mean, not necessarily the areas of the world, but for smaller companies in that they don't they might not have a full on creative marketing team. So if someone were to come along and share about their brand in an authentic way, and then also according to their brand guidelines and their brand styles, that it would be really appealing for that company because they don't have, you know, necessarily anybody else who's going to make that that stuff for them. And somebody's come along and done it for free.
00:14:30
Speaker
Exactly. Definitely. And I think too that by doing things for free, like in the beginning and building your portfolio, that's amazing because not only are you getting that experience, but you're also getting that advertisement as well on the brand, even if the brand is small and you're able to build up those names.
00:14:49
Speaker
I feel like people, once they've worked with a few brands, they should definitely mention that in going forward and reaching out with more brands because it just shows that I've done this hard work, my work has been proven, and then they can eventually start monetizing that.
00:15:06
Speaker
So as people are just getting started, you'd mentioned that it sounded almost like you were cringing when you were thinking about your initial pitch emails to different companies. So tell us a little bit about what you learned about pitching companies to be a brand ambassador. Oh, such a great question as well too.
00:15:27
Speaker
Yes, so my previous pitch emails are, I just don't crack up at them because they were very, they were very, you know, sweet and passionate, but my goodness, they were at least a page long. And so I feel like when you were pitching a brand, keep it short and sweet.
00:15:46
Speaker
content pieces are you want that introduction, but not just like any introduction. You want to keep it lighthearted and fun. So, you know, if I'm pitching, let's just say, Arie, then, you know, I would say, OK, well, I'm a brand ambassador, content creator and also a woman empowerment obsessed gal and just keeping in that very personal. And then I would dive into, you know, why I'm reaching out to them. So if they do have a campaign going on or if it's just a general thing, I would say, you know,
00:16:16
Speaker
I really am obsessed with your brand mission and I would mention something personal about them that they're doing. So let's just say your Airei Real campaign was really incredible and just very beautifully inspiring. And then I would go into the why after that and just saying that, you know, I would love to partner with you all on a future campaign or I would love to do ABC and D.
00:16:40
Speaker
and just kind of give them a really snippet of your idea and then close it out with another compliment and say just thank you so much again for inspiring the world and then leave all of your like social information and whatnot below. I feel like with reaching out to brands you know brands are very smart they're going to know okay like is this person genuine can we see this person within our brand
00:17:05
Speaker
And keeping it short and sweet like that I think is perfect because then you're hitting all the marks in that introduction, you're giving them that genuine compliment, and then you're pitching them a really quick idea because you want the conversation to go back and forth. You don't just want to say everything in one email and then have them pass it.
Platform Strategy and Audience Engagement
00:17:25
Speaker
It's almost like a hook. You want to get them excited and then reply back to you. And even if they say no,
00:17:33
Speaker
you can still follow up and say okay well i would love to reach out to you again i worked with made well actually it was like a year later i had reached out to them a couple times i said no twice and then i had reached out to them one more time through their pr company because they had actually left their phone number in the email called them and then i booked it so you just never know
00:17:57
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, that's awesome that you just I mean, you kept trying. I think most people would give up after the first no, then of the people who tried again would probably give up after the second no. But but you know, after the third time, they said yes. So I mean, what's your approach? If someone says no, how long did you give? You know, how much time went by before you reached back out? So my rule of thumb is when you first send an email to wait at least three days to send a follow up email,
00:18:25
Speaker
And then once you send a follow-up email and you still have not heard back, I would wait at least a week and then send one more and then wait again. And if you still do not receive a response, a really great tip is to, you can always go on to LinkedIn.
00:18:44
Speaker
Or you can always search other contexts or companies because companies typically when you're dealing anything with marketing, it's going to have an advertising email, social email. So it might say like social at a.com or something like that. Or you can find a person and through LinkedIn or something like their marketing person and whatnot and possibly get that contact.
00:19:06
Speaker
or you can even call. I feel like a lot of people don't even call brands which you know a lot of them they have phone numbers and so you can call and possibly get a contact. But the number one thing though is do not stalk them or hit them up multiple multiple times but I think up to three times it's fine as long as you space it out and then if not then then you just may have to wait you know a few months because you never know the brand
00:19:32
Speaker
Maybe just as busy in that season and I think that patience it's tough and just waiting for that long I've waited for brands before six months to a year And so I think that it's just all about your timing and even with the days another great tip is you know never send emails out on Friday because everybody's trying to get on on the office never send emails out on Monday because everyone's catching up for the weekend and
00:19:57
Speaker
It's really great to position your emails either on a Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday. Those are really the great days of the week. I think you just unloaded a ton of really practical advice, not only for somebody who's trying to get into being a brand ambassador, but I think just in business in general, everything that you said rings true. Web design clients, for instance, will sometimes inquire for us.
00:20:22
Speaker
we'll send them information, we'll follow up, we won't hear anything for six months, and then they'll come back and say, hey, I'm ready to get started. So it's just sometimes you just kind of got to wait for people to be ready themselves, you just be patient, but then also just in terms of like when you reach out to people.
00:20:37
Speaker
Like you said, Friday is a terrible time to reach out to people. Mondays, again, people are just trying to clean out their inbox. If it's something that seems like it would be a lot to respond to, they might just archive that email and forget about it. Again, I just think tons of practical advice for people there, whether they're trying to become a brand ambassador or whether they're in some sort of other business.
00:20:59
Speaker
One thing I want to follow up with this, I also want to get into creating content.
Content Management and Planning
00:21:03
Speaker
But before I do, as far as being a brand ambassador goes, is it important to be on certain platforms? I would assume that having some sort of video presence is important. Great question. Yes. So here's how I feel about social media platforms, because there are so many out there. We're just talking about IGTV, which
00:21:25
Speaker
Again, I can't believe that's even a thing because I think with social media and how it's changing, I think that everyone's trying to become the number one platform where you don't leave the platform, right? Especially Instagram. And so I feel like you need to first figure out which platform do you love the most and you would share on the most. And then from there, which platform would be the best for your personal brand? Because for me,
00:21:52
Speaker
I only use Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and I feel like those platforms are the best for me because I'm very visual heavy in the content that I produce.
00:22:04
Speaker
And so, but for somebody else, Pinterest may not make sense and Facebook may make sense. So I think once you pick, I wouldn't pick all of them because I don't, I personally think that you don't need all of them. I think that you just need a solid two or three and then in figuring out, okay, how do you want to create your content? Because even though video content is great, but I've seen much success and I'm just writing content as far as like a blog or,
00:22:33
Speaker
even on Twitter. Twitter is a great place for content as well and even brands look for that. So I think that it depends on what brands are going for, how you genuinely like to share. Where is your brand voice? Where's your brand voice home?
00:22:46
Speaker
And because if you get onto a platform where you think a brand would think that was great, but then you don't feel comfortable sharing on it, or that is not your vibe, then that's going to show through. Yeah. And I think a lot of people are going to be happy to hear that because I would assume, oh, you have to have this video personality. You have to be charismatic. You have to be on a YouTube. You have to be on IGTV. So I think a lot of people, people who might be interested in being a brand ambassador, but aren't video people, I think this is going to be good news to them.
00:23:16
Speaker
Definitely. Yeah. I think that people, and I know I totally get it that sometimes we feel like we have to be everything and anything, but I think simplicity and keeping it minimal and to be really great at, you know, a couple of things as far as our content and sharing on that, because of course, every audience is different. And I feel as long as you keep also engaged on that content, because I mean, social media wouldn't be social media without us.
00:23:46
Speaker
and those conversations. And I think that people sometimes also forget that as well. And so it's really important, even with Instagram and even caption writing. I mean, to always keep engaged with your audience because that's the most important and to create those conversations.
00:24:02
Speaker
on that platform or any platform that you're on, that is really the true key in building your audience. And then the brand will see that and they'll see all of those comments and conversations and understand that, oh, wow, they have an audience that trusts them and engages with them.
00:24:20
Speaker
And that's, you know, an amazing pool. I mean, it's far more valuable to have, let's just say like a thousand engaged people rather than a few thousand unengaged people. I think this is a good segue to in talking about content creation and engagement.
00:24:36
Speaker
creating compelling content for you know, so many different channels because like we mentioned at the beginning of this interview, you're not only a brand ambassador, which like you could be sharing for area one week and lily polter the next I assume, but you're also the contributing editor of the every girl. And then you're also working for dote and you're, you know, getting into logging of your of your own.
00:25:00
Speaker
So, how do you manage all of these different content channels? Do you have the same approach for each of these channels? Well, first, I manage them with lots of prayer. Lots of faith that it all works out. Yes, but definitely different approaches.
00:25:19
Speaker
So with Instagram and then with YouTube and then with the Every Girl. So the Every Girl is very much curated in a sense with lifestyle content where I am basically outlining the entire video and I do a complete pitch for them. And I set up every single scene and almost make it like, if you think of like a movie and how movies are set up, but just, you know, a mini movie in that.
00:25:45
Speaker
And it's very much, just also too, if you're setting up like a photo shoot, it's very much styled and sit down and intros and conclusions and everything versus my own YouTube channel, which as you mentioned, starting a blog where that's super candid, it's very much relaxed.
00:26:02
Speaker
And then on Instagram, Instagram varies because it just depends on, I might throw a candid picture in there or it is a styled photo shoot for, you know, a brand or something like that. And basically my approach to each different platform just depends on what is the objective. So what's the goal? So with the Every Girl really honing in on their audience and I've done a lot of
00:26:27
Speaker
style videos for them or how to videos and really teaching their audience something. And so that is my objective in creating that video content and making sure that that's coming across with something over on Instagram.
00:26:43
Speaker
I basically surround two different objectives. Either one, I may have a partnership with the brand and so I'm showing off an outfit or an item or something like that. Or two, I am coming at it with my audience and sharing inspiration or sharing something personal that I feel like people can relate to and we can have a conversation about.
00:27:04
Speaker
And the way that I manage, I actually use plan only, which is incredible for for content and just uploading content, keeping all of that organized. And I try to stay ahead. So I also do. I plan out my Instagram about a month in advance.
00:27:22
Speaker
And along with my captions and then also with my video content I organize it as you know those outlines and pictures of which actually are super helpful because then it keeps that storyline really clean and that's basically how i approach everything just staying ahead of that because i think posting in real time is great
Purpose and Motivation in Content Creation
00:27:44
Speaker
But I think that when you carry everything, all when you have all of your thoughts and everything like that, it's just so helpful. And then, you know, when you feel like you're completely stamped on a caption or content or something, you already have something in your bank that you can pull up later.
00:28:01
Speaker
Sure. And even if you schedule something, but in the moment you feel like, no, I got to share this, you can always go ahead and do that. But at the very least, you have something ready to go. But I guess what I'm hearing you saying as far as content creation and for all these different channels, you start with the end goal in mind. How does that differ a little bit? Like between, for instance, your personal YouTube and Instagram channel, as opposed to the every girl?
00:28:26
Speaker
So with my personal versus, I guess, okay, so personal versus a brand. So like the every girl with the ever girl, like I have a lot of creative control there, which is incredible. But at the same time, because it's more so on their platform and their audience, which is similar to mine, but not my exact audience.
00:28:47
Speaker
I think I think about them more so rather than just what I want. And at the end of the day when I'm pitching, so whenever you're pitching a brand or you're, they'll probably come back to you with different notes about what they want and what they're expecting. And then that's when you take your creativity and put it on top of that, almost like an ice cream topping in a sense.
00:29:09
Speaker
So basically, like I said before, it's a lot more curated to them and to their brand messaging, their target audience versus my personal stuff where I'm only caring about my audience, if that makes sense. So it's a lot, I have 100% creative control there and I can do whatever I want there and whatever I feel like sharing.
00:29:34
Speaker
versus, you know, a brand or like the Every Girl where that pitch needs to be approved, that outline needs to be approved. And it's very seamless in the fact of the objective and the content being produced as a curated piece, particularly for them.
00:29:53
Speaker
What have you learned from managing all of these different channels? Because I gotta imagine that you've picked up different things along the way. I mean, what kind of advice would you have for somebody that's just getting into content?
00:30:06
Speaker
Oh, man. I think that, gosh, yes, I have learned so much. I call them my little Oprah moments or after moments. Well, for one, I think it's just so important to know just to go for it. I feel like in my engagement with my personal audience, especially over on Instagram and the number one message that I receive from people is just how did you get started? How did you get started?
00:30:31
Speaker
And then even though it sounds completely minuscule, but I just started, I think that is one of the hardest things to do when you're approaching anything creative because so many self-doubts can go into it, comparisons and everything like that. But I just feel at the end of the day, no one can do it like you can. And that's the most important thing to understand is that even though you may approach something similar, no one's going to be able to, you know,
00:30:58
Speaker
be into the creative mindset that you're going to have because no one is you. And the other thing too, besides just to start, is to just keep going. I think that's the other trial after that. A lot of the stuff that I'm doing now, I've been in this for about three to four years, and it definitely didn't happen overnight at all. And so I think when you are pursuing your passion, it's going to take time. But I think if you keep at it, those doors would open.
00:31:28
Speaker
I always talk about, you know, a leap of faith and it goes back to a perfect scenario. Will Smith, he jumped out of an airplane and he was talking about that experience. And he then goes into the point where he's about to jump out of the airplane. It was like the point of maximum fear. But then as soon as he jumped out, it's like he didn't realize that he was like, why the heck was I scared in the first place? And that is so true. And the creative
00:31:53
Speaker
community when we first do things or when we're in the middle of something where we've done it for a long time and we feel like giving up, it's just that I think everybody can really resonate with that fear of, you know, is this going to work out? Like, is this my path? And
00:32:09
Speaker
just all of those things. But I think that if we just can take that leap or if we can keep going and just give it our all, then that will come to flourish and we will really see the journey in that. I think in doing everything that I'm doing, it's really all about the journey rather than the destination. And I've had a lot of just personal growth.
00:32:30
Speaker
And I understand that this is just so much bigger than just myself. And I think my purpose has just fallen into pouring back into other people's lives. And no matter what I do or my future, I want to make sure that that is represented in all of my work. And I feel like then people definitely need to identify what their purpose is.
00:32:52
Speaker
because I personally believe it's not just our jobs. It's a lot bigger than that. And I feel like once people find that, then that's where they're going to find joy and everything that they do.
Overcoming Self-Doubt and Inspiring Others
00:33:04
Speaker
Yeah, again, just there's so much there's so much in there that I think is valuable. And from so many different from doing so many different interviews, I mean, it's shocking how many I mean, almost every one of the guests, I think, have said, Yeah, you just got to you just got to start, you know, you just got to go and do it, you just got to keep going. And there's so much value in there. And that's the biggest, you know, not to not to oversimplify the creative process or business. But a lot of it has to do with just getting out there and doing it. And
00:33:33
Speaker
iterating and learning from mistakes, you know, whether it be long pitch emails or something else and just keep going. I'm going to throw you a little bit of a curveball here because I did not put this – for everybody listening, I generally send a little outline over to the guests of the show.
00:33:51
Speaker
But can we talk about your purpose a little bit? I think it'd be helpful for people to hear what really excites you when it comes to content creation, the things that you're really passionate about as they think through their own purpose for content creation. Definitely. Okay, so I'm going to throw you a story because I am obsessed with this. I think this is a pivoting point in which I started to find my purpose.
00:34:14
Speaker
to kind of set it up. So I had stopped going to school after like the first semester, did not feel ready and then went retail, learned a lot from retail and then went back home and for a while. And then I remember my high school, they actually invited me out to speak at a couple of middle school classes. And it was my, one of my first times ever speaking on that level where, you know, you're sharing your accomplishments and everything that you're doing.
00:34:44
Speaker
And I remember walking into the room and seeing all it was a girl's computer class and it was my old computer teacher, Mr. Gideon, which I'm obsessed with him. He's the sweetest teacher ever.
00:34:55
Speaker
And I remember just setting up my presentation and talking with the girls about, you know, my magazine at the time and then just everything that I had been doing. And they just lit up to the point where by the end of the class, I was citing their notebooks. They wanted my autograph and one of the girls asked me if I knew Beyonce, which is and it was just
00:35:21
Speaker
It was the sweetest, just most humbling thing. And I think that, that just, and I just remember going to my car and just completely like crying. Cause I was just like, oh my gosh. Like they were just kept telling me how they felt so inspired and how they wanted to do what I was doing and just all these things. And.
00:35:39
Speaker
I think that for me just opened up the flood gate for wow, I can impact people with what I do. And that just kind of did everything for me. And I think when you realize that or when you realize how powerful
00:35:56
Speaker
your voice can be or your influence can be and to use that in such a positive way, I feel like that's really the lightning rod for everything and that's why getting up at five something in the morning is like no problem because I just know with my work, that's something that I want to consistently instill in everything that I do.
00:36:18
Speaker
I think that's what really started my purpose with that. And then moving forward, I just realized that we tend to keep ourselves in this tiny little box sometimes of what we could do. And I think before, I used to be just so like, man, this is never going to work out. It's never going to happen.
00:36:38
Speaker
Debbie, not necessarily Debbie Downer, but just like a naysayer in my own self, which didn't make any sense because I felt encouragement for everyone else, but except for my own self. And so I think trying to grow that and be better about that, I just have pushed myself to any idea that I even think is stupid. I'm going to try and I'm just going to see what happens and just go for it. And I have done that for the past
00:37:06
Speaker
three to four years and it's just proven to with some of these, all these things happening and which still shocked me and humbled me. But I just think that it just proves that we are just so much more capable of what we think we are and anything is truly possible. And I feel like as long as we can understand that and know that and know that we can be something, our dreams can be even greater than what we've already dreamt, that is such,
00:37:35
Speaker
fuel in, you know, our determination to get things done and to keep going and everything. And I just think that even with social media audiences as well too, because I know that can be a discouragement as far as man, like I don't have this amount of followers or I'm only talking to my grandma, which by the way, my grandma, my mom were like the only ones watching my video and Campbell soup.
00:37:59
Speaker
Exactly so i just think it doesn't to me that doesn't matter cuz i mean even if you can just touch like one person or just share something with one person to me that could inspire the next president that can inspire the next you know who never like you just don't know if you don't know who you're inspiring and i think that most people at the end of the day that's what people want to do they want to connect to me when i have a relationship and they want to inspire people and i think
Video Content and Audience Connection
00:38:24
Speaker
that
00:38:24
Speaker
Even if you just have one follower, if you at least have one follower, then you're doing that and you should just pursue it with all you got. Yeah, I think that's probably even the best way to grow your following is to pour as much as you can into that one follower because that one follower is going to become an energized follower and somebody who's super engaged and somebody who tells their friends. And then also, even when thinking about numbers too, let's say you have 100 Instagram followers. If you put 100 people in a room, wouldn't that be impressive?
00:38:54
Speaker
Exactly. And I love that metaphor. That's exactly it. So but thank you for sharing all that. I know I put you on the spot because that definitely wasn't in it definitely was in the outline. But that was, I mean, that is a great story. And, and I think a great perspective for people to hear. So there are a couple things I want to hit on before before we end here.
00:39:13
Speaker
The first one, I just want to talk about video a little bit and the advantage of video. Video is something I've asked a bunch of people about because it's something that I'm trying to get more into and more comfortable with just because I think it is an important marketing channel. But I also want to talk to you about what you've learned from your role at DoT. And I also, and don't let me forget this, you're writing a fiction book. So we have those three things to cover before we end here, okay?
00:39:39
Speaker
So number one, video is is was video like is that a just a medium that you were naturally comfortable with? Or did you have to become comfortable? Do you have any I guess what I'm trying to get at is what recommendations do you have for somebody to get more comfortable with video? So
00:39:56
Speaker
interesting enough. And I think just because I am I just I just talk way too much. I think that's why it's easier to do video and but okay, so when I was starting out, the very I saw a lot of like popular, you know, YouTube videos and whatnot. And I just thought to myself like, Oh, I can do this too. And
00:40:19
Speaker
It was so funny. I used to make like a 14 minute videos on YouTube and just, I mean, just talk it out. I mean, it was like, it was so long. But then I learned, you know, just by doing and just by watching others, you know, the attention span of, you know, my audience at three to four minute sweet spot. And I think for me,
00:40:42
Speaker
It basically was just by trial and error. I feel like when you're starting out with video and trying to be comfortable on camera, it's almost like you have to think about, okay, if I were to be talking to my best friend, so my best friend Felicia, if I were to be talking to her, this is how I need to be talking to my audience for that connection because video shows everything. And I didn't quite realize that when starting out. I mean, you cannot hide from video. It's right in, you know, the camera's right in your face.
00:41:09
Speaker
And so people, you know, pick up on everything, every mannerism and can really tell if you are being genuine. And I think that was a little bit hard for me because, you know, everybody kind of has a shield when they're first meeting people, right? It's literally like an introduction where you're like, hi, like, how's the weather? You know, just very like surface level. And so getting behind the camera, even though it's just you and the camera and
00:41:35
Speaker
I think that sometimes it's hard to bring that level off. And I remember doing a couple of like personal videos to try to break down that barrier and to be just more vulnerable with my audience. I think that's what made me start to be more comfortable is.
00:41:50
Speaker
putting my vulnerability out there, sharing personal things, and starting to put faces with my audience and talking to them through their comments and everything like
Aligning with Brand Values and Contributions
00:42:02
Speaker
that. And I think that was super helpful as well because I think once you identify your person or your target audience, but you're putting a personality to them, you're putting a face to them, it's a lot easier to talk to the camera because it is like talking with a friend.
00:42:17
Speaker
versus just talking to yourself in a room and then you feel super awkward and you're just like, man, this is like so hard. So that's the best way or the best tip that I can give and being comfortable in front of a camera. You have to act like it's your best friend and you are really just sharing your life. And that's why I wanted to get into vlogging because I just feel like
00:42:38
Speaker
It keeps that vulnerable state and that a state where people can really resonate with you and the things that are going on in your life. It's not so much curated and you're just able to be real, which I think in this day and age, that's what people are really seeking for.
00:42:59
Speaker
I feel like people who are able to be real and comfortable in that, then it encourages others to do so as well. And it helps people to be able to relate to you too. And I, yeah, I think that's, I think that's one of the biggest advantages of video is that it's just easier to build trust with people because they can see you because they can put a face to your name. So I gotta imagine that that's one of the biggest benefits of video is that it's just easier to build trust with your audience.
00:43:27
Speaker
Exactly. And I think too that people, because it's very fascinating. I remember my dad, he, one of my videos, it was a good morning routine and I was showing myself brushing my teeth and he was like, people watch that. Yeah.
00:43:43
Speaker
I would even say that's pretty good advice. Just what you were saying about speaking to a specific person and acting like it's a conversation that you're having with your best friend, even if you're not on video but if you're blogging, whatever medium it is that you choose, that's probably going to make your content more compelling because it's more specific and it is truly conversational rather than just trying to speak to the masses.
00:44:07
Speaker
So and I do I don't want to you know, I wish we I feel like maybe we need to do a whole nother episode just on just some video. But for the sake of time, moving on to dough and I should have asked this question earlier when we were talking about being a brand ambassador. Are there certain things that you learned in this role? You know, seeing it from the other side?
00:44:29
Speaker
that either has helped you as a brand ambassador yourself or maybe it's advice that you have for people who are trying to be brand ambassadors. It's like, hey, now that I'm on the company side of it, the brand side of it, here's what to do well so that you can actually get in front of the brands that you want to get in front of. Yes. So it was such an eye opener to see
00:44:54
Speaker
what brands actually look for it because when we're sourcing for events or for photo shoots and everything and we're going in and we're looking at the girls and they have truly taught me, you know, especially just with their personal brand, what they're seeking and for their own representation. And so I would say the very first thing, especially on social media,
00:45:18
Speaker
You almost need to, even though you want to keep it candid and personal, but you almost need to think of it as a portfolio because that's how these brands are finding people through Instagram, through YouTube, especially keywords. I did not know how important those were, especially on YouTube or even Instagram through different hashtags. Let's just say like San Francisco photographer or San Francisco blogger or YouTuber or putting different
00:45:47
Speaker
you.
00:46:02
Speaker
I think with brands, even within our sourcing, we are very quick to assess what the person has liked, what their personality is, what they can bring to the table. And so I feel like, especially on Instagram, your first nine photos are the most important photos because that's exactly what brands are going to look at right away.
00:46:21
Speaker
or even your YouTube videos, your very first four or five, that's what they're going to look at right away. And it's very quick. I mean, the intention span of brands and looking at your stuff, probably less than five minutes. And so I think that if you and looking at your portfolio slash social media and making sure that it draws people in and whatever you're doing, that is super important. And I think too, as well as just seeing it from the brand side,
00:46:50
Speaker
I've just overall, I've just learned that brands at the end of the day, they just want to know what you are going to add to what they're doing, right? And I think most people definitely need to analyze that and see, okay, out of my talent, out of everything that I've, you know, done, what can I give to the brand that either they don't have or it's something that better that
Balancing Creative Control and Career Path
00:47:14
Speaker
they could have.
00:47:14
Speaker
I know that with dough and we're definitely working on diversity and inclusivity and everything like that. That's something that I think a lot of brands are also looking forward to as far as representation and not just like black and white, but just all different body sizes and everything with women and all different cultural backgrounds. That's something that you could offer a brand. There's just so many other things on top of that.
00:47:42
Speaker
I just think that seeing it from the brand side and just seeing how quick they assess people and what they look for, it's definitely even made me fix up my own social media as well, too.
00:47:55
Speaker
Yeah, just make sure that the first thing everybody's seeing above the fold, whether it be on Instagram, whether it be on your website or whether it be on your YouTube channel is you'd be happy with people seeing that because that's your first impression. And I mean, if that doesn't come off the right way, I assume brands are just moving on to the next person.
00:48:13
Speaker
Exactly. Yes. And it's just so quick too. I mean, I didn't quite realize that, but I also get it because they have so many people to look through. And so I think that that's why you definitely need to stand out, but in your own way. I mean, definitely not something that you wouldn't do or anything like that. And I think that just letting your personality show through your content is super important.
00:48:37
Speaker
I bet you have added a ton of value though to DOTE as well. And you were probably the perfect job candidate for the job that you feel just because you do have experience on the other side. So you can help them, you can probably help inform them on some of the best ways that they can help content creators as well. Oh, thank you so much. Yeah, definitely. And I love that it's woman run because you know, women just
00:49:03
Speaker
That was a really key passion in mind, especially aligning with my own mission as well. But yeah, I think that it's just been so much fun just to be able to gain that experience that they're giving me and to be able to have a voice in that creativity towards the events.
00:49:20
Speaker
and coordinating that and just getting to meet also to so many different people and other creators as well. And so I think, yeah, it's just been so much fun. And this is actually my very first, I say grown up job, but, you know, I'm only, I'm 26. So, you know, to be able to be in a field like this and moving from Virginia to San Francisco and doing that on my own and
00:49:45
Speaker
It's funny. I mean, I'm not going to lie. Like I definitely the very first week even into this job, like I was crying almost every day just because I was like, what the heck did I do? But, you know, it's paid off and I'm super happy. And I think that when you are doing something new and you finally find your niche or your groove to it and then you're just really able to put fun into it.
00:50:09
Speaker
continue to learn and so and yeah I've definitely just gained so much and it just makes me so excited for the future. I feel like people sometimes we always think of them now or maybe we'll think you know a few days later but we don't really think all the time about the future or you know years down the road and I definitely think this is just such a great starting point for all my future you know ideas and dreams down the road.
00:50:33
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. And I bet, you know, if you went back two or three years and had to write down, hey, what do you think 26 is going to look like for you? It would have probably been so different. Yeah. And I think that's true of so many different people. So I'm just excited for you. And I think this is a good time to wrap up. But before we do, I want to talk
Lauren's Fiction Book and Personal Journey
00:50:55
Speaker
to you. You were writing a fictional book proposal. Can you tell us anything about that? Or is that completely under wraps for right now?
00:51:03
Speaker
Yes so okay so well I'll definitely tell you so I just got on my book editor Diana Joyner and this is actually her so she's edited tons of books before but this is actually gonna be her first fictional book so we're like super excited but basically
00:51:21
Speaker
So to kind of give you a little bit of a background. So my magazine, the letter, that is coming to an end after four years. And I'm, you know, it's, it's bittersweet, but at the same time, I'm actually really excited because it just taught me so much about self publishing. And so now going into.
00:51:40
Speaker
actually pitching to a publishing house is so different for me and so I'm still like learning the ropes in that but the main thing I can say is that you know I've been wanting to write a fictional book for a long time I think ever since high school and so now doing that and just you know learning in that I think this is just
00:51:59
Speaker
really create a segue from doing my magazine and everything because I've always wanted to be an author. And so I'm hoping that just through this that I'll gain experience in that and figuring out Diana and I are figuring out the outline together and then pitching that and then seeing what comes from that. But I mean the ultimate dream is bestseller and then for it to turn into a movie and I think that would be the coolest thing ever. But that's basically where I am right now. We're really in the
00:52:27
Speaker
brainstorming stages and just really, you know, learning, taking everything that I've learned from self publishing and applying that to this book proposal for this fictional book. And I'm just, I'm super pumped about it. Yeah. I mean, I think it's cool hearing that you have such a 360 view of so many different things, whether it be in a brand ambassador, both as a brand ambassador, but then also from
00:52:50
Speaker
the corporate brand side and then now from the publishing side having self-published now pitching something to an editor and I'm excited to see what comes of that and who knows maybe you know maybe a couple years from now when they're turning your book into a movie I'll be able to say yeah you know actually I interviewed her on my podcast you know so that would be that would be pretty pretty exciting but can you tell us at all like what it's gonna be about or is that you know can't share any of that right now?
00:53:16
Speaker
Yeah, so I will say this, I'll give you like insider scoop, I will say this, it is definitely, I think it is definitely going to have part of my journey in it, but there is still going to be like a lot of fictional pieces in that, just because I feel like I haven't quite been able to touch on my personal journey as far as like the very beginning and just so many things I have
00:53:37
Speaker
got on and so i think that's the angle that it's going to take but then of course you know changing names adding some fictional fun fictional things in there and i think that it's just going to be really cool to have a book where you're kind of following this creativity journey in a sense but it's almost like if you know pretty little liars meets
00:53:58
Speaker
Riverdale, but then with my own twist on it. So I always like a good mystery book too. So I think there's gonna be a lot of facets in there and a lot of layers in there as well too that I'm super, super thrilled about. Well, you'll have to keep us updated on progress on that front.
00:54:15
Speaker
Oh, thank you. Yeah, no, definitely. Again, I'm very obsessively grateful that I'm able to even do this and that I'm able to even put my ideas out there and create them. I think that's such a humbling thing for any creative to be able to do. So if people want to learn more about you, where are the various places that they can go?
00:54:39
Speaker
Yes. Okay. So on social media, you can follow me at Lauren Taylor, LTW, and that's all of my social media. And also you can head over to my website, which is actually by Davy and Krista, which is incredible, which is Lauren Taylor, LTW.com.
00:54:59
Speaker
Awesome. Well, thank you again so much for getting up bright and early out on the West Coast to do this interview. I'm excited to share it with people. And again, I hope you keep us updated with all of the different things that you have going on. Yes, of course. Thank you so much for having me. Thanks for tuning in to the Brands That Book Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing and leaving a review in iTunes. For show notes and other resources, head on over to DaveyandChrista.com.
00:55:38
Speaker
you