WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:10.280
Creator is really just kind of like the new term for entrepreneur. My intention wasn't necessarily to be a creator, I just kind of became one, and I was like, "Oh [laughs] cool, this works."

2
00:00:10.600 --> 00:00:15.840
Jade Powell is a social strategist and influencer who has worked with some of the biggest brands.

3
00:00:16.100 --> 00:00:28.980
Through a mix of primarily brand deals and freelance social media work, Jade is on track to bring in over $200,000 this year. Social media is my art form. A painter has their paintbrush, I have LinkedIn and Instagram.

4
00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:40.100
And it sounds so silly, but like that is my favorite medium to create on. What is a piece of advice that has radically shifted the way you approach your business? Mm. That's a great question. I think-

5
00:00:42.060 --> 00:00:53.020
Welcome back to the Creator Spotlight podcast. My name is Francis Zehrer, and I am pleased to be joined for the very first time by a co-host. Hello, hello. I'm Natalia Perez Gonzalez.

6
00:00:53.260 --> 00:00:59.690
I joined Creator Spotlight about two months ago in March, or three months ago now. I'm so excited to be here. I am so excited to have you.

7
00:00:59.960 --> 00:01:05.019
Uh, and today we are speaking with Jade Powell, a creator, social strategist, and entrepreneur.

8
00:01:05.720 --> 00:01:16.280
As a social strategist, she's worked with brands like Apple TV, LinkedIn, and Delta Airlines, and as a creator she's built a thriving, sustainable business, exactly the kind of thing we like to highlight on this show.

9
00:01:16.820 --> 00:01:30.420
And for example, she brought in, just in Q1 of this year, $27,000 in brand deals alone, so, um, very transparent with your finances, Jade. Yes, I am. I love to talk about money. [laughs] Okay.

10
00:01:30.460 --> 00:01:38.510
Well, that's exactly where we're gonna start. [laughs] That's... I'm glad you're so transparent. Let's do it. So let's go back not to Q1, but to 2024. So I think 2024- Mm-hmm...

11
00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:50.810
is when you kind of started coming into your own as- Mm-hmm... like a cr- sustainable creator business. Yeah. Um, so at the end of 2024 you posted that you made $40,000 posting on LinkedIn that year. Yes.

12
00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:57.980
Can you break down what that means, uh, what percentage, like what the revenue split percentage is on that $40,000? Yeah.

13
00:01:58.020 --> 00:02:08.479
So it was all LinkedIn brand deals, um, so sponsored content that my brand partners were paying me to publish on my channel. Um, it was across different brands.

14
00:02:08.600 --> 00:02:20.900
Majority of my brand partners are B2B SaaS companies, and all of that 40,000 came from them paying me to yap and create cool content for my audience about their products, their services, any campaigns that they were running.

15
00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:35.380
So that's where that came from. Mm-hmm. I read that your first one was a $1,000 deal with Sprout Social, right? Was that in 2024? Yes. Yes. That was, uh, I believe, I wanna say in 2023 actually. Okay. What, um- Mm-hmm...

16
00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:46.790
what point in the year? I'm try- just trying to figure out how long that this has been a revenue stream for you. Very early in the year. I wanna say maybe around January of 2023. Okay.

17
00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:50.220
And then from there I didn't really have a lot of brand partners.

18
00:02:50.260 --> 00:02:58.049
The only reason why Sprout and I were really engaging in that way is 'cause we were already partnering with, uh, through my Twitter and my Instagram account- Mm-hmm...

19
00:02:58.049 --> 00:03:07.740
'cause I had already established an audience on those channels. And then they were just like, "Let's try LinkedIn," and I was like, "I guess. Let's see." [laughs] How big was your LinkedIn audience at, at that point?

20
00:03:08.320 --> 00:03:20.150
Uh, probably a little less than 10,000 followers at that time. Okay. And on Twitter I had a little under m- 16,000, um, and ar- around probably like eight, 7 to 8,000 on Instagram. Mm-hmm.

21
00:03:20.200 --> 00:03:29.180
So definitely wasn't like my priority channel at the time. Which has changed. We'll get into that a little bit later. Yeah. Um, but I wanna stay on the money track for a second here.

22
00:03:29.190 --> 00:03:37.710
[laughs] So as I was alluding to earlier, at the end of Q1 this year- Mm-hmm... you made a LinkedIn post breaking down exactly how much money you'd brought in, and it- Yeah... did very well.

23
00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:47.520
When I wrote this down the other day- [laughs]... it had 1,344 likes, which is quite good. Um- Yeah... I'm gonna read down the breakdown and then I'd like... Then we'll... I'll have some follow-up questions.

24
00:03:47.540 --> 00:04:01.450
But, so okay, you say, "In Q1 I made $50,000," no, "$50,080.84" Mm-hmm. "And this was $27,000 in brand partnerships, $20,000 in freelance social media work-" Mm-hmm. "...

25
00:04:01.490 --> 00:04:12.540
$1,700 in speaking engagements, and $1,380.84," that's where the cents comes from- [laughs]... "in webinars and courses." Yes.

26
00:04:12.650 --> 00:04:23.660
Uh, so I do have some follow-up questions, but is there anything you'd like to say about the, like the broader, like this as your, as your package of revenue first? Um, I think I was shocked.

27
00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:36.260
I was like looking through QuickBooks, not sponsored, [laughs] and I think I was like just doing what most business owner, owners do, which is kind of looking at my revenue streams, looking at what was bringing me money.

28
00:04:36.400 --> 00:04:40.430
Honestly, also just making sure that all my invoices were paid out for the quarter. Mm-hmm.

29
00:04:40.460 --> 00:04:53.730
And once I, I kind of tag in QuickBooks where each of my invoices are associated with in terms of a revenue stream, and when I saw that total, I was like, "Oh, [laughs] well done, Jade." [laughs] Well done.

30
00:04:53.800 --> 00:05:03.640
Um, I, yeah, a little pat on the back 'cause I definitely was not expecting that. I think, you know, as someone who does a lot of like freelance contract work, creator work, it's all...

31
00:05:03.740 --> 00:05:14.240
It's, it's not necessarily consistent, so I'm not necessarily like tallying how much money I made every month. I'm just like, "Okay, on to the next partnership, on to the next, you know, contract."

32
00:05:14.400 --> 00:05:26.280
And I think once I looked at Q1, I was like, "Oh, you did, you did great." [laughs] So I was very pleased with myself. [laughs] Jade, for your brand partnerships, you mentioned that you made...

33
00:05:26.320 --> 00:05:38.340
Well, you mentioned that you made 27K, and I'm wondering how many deals, um, were... did you have that year? That was, uh, well, that Q1, uh, total came from about six different deals.

34
00:05:38.940 --> 00:05:48.030
Um, the highest one was $10,000, and that was an, an in-person activation coupled with sponsored content. So I did...

35
00:05:48.620 --> 00:05:57.460
I, I hosted a dinner with other in- LinkedIn influencers co-branded with my brand partner, and then we coupled in some, uh, sponsored content with that partnership.

36
00:05:57.940 --> 00:06:07.050
So all of that together came from about six different, uh, brand partners. Hmm. Nice. Yeah. Uh, how about the freelance social media work? Mm-hmm.

37
00:06:07.060 --> 00:06:19.460
For one, I, I'm-This is maybe a question we'll get a little more into later, but that you grouped it all together and you did not like separate it as like, "Here's what I made as a creator, here's what I made as a social strategist."

38
00:06:19.630 --> 00:06:29.350
Mm-hmm. Obviously, these things are quite like enmeshed and married for you, especially- Yeah... because your, your, the way you make money as a creator is as a B2B creator. So it's, it's all kind of- Correct...

39
00:06:29.350 --> 00:06:40.150
tied up together. Um, but how many contracts was, was that, the freelance social media work? That was three. So I partnered with three agencies at the beginning of the year. Hm. Okay. Mm-hmm.

40
00:06:40.150 --> 00:06:50.120
And then the engagements, um, the speaking engagements, was this a new thing for you this quarter or had you been doing it before? What were... What was... What were the contexts for these speaking engagements? Yeah.

41
00:06:50.480 --> 00:07:03.120
So I've done several speaking engagements over the past year and a half. I just think this year I had about, I think, one in person and two or three that were virtual.

42
00:07:03.860 --> 00:07:08.960
Um, and the thing about speaking engagements, which I don't think people really know, is that you rarely get paid for them.

43
00:07:09.080 --> 00:07:26.040
[laughs] So I think that I was able to bring in a little income from that, which was really nice, because sometimes a, a brand will approach you about speaking at their virtual event or their in-person event, and they're like, "We'd love to have you, but we're not paying you."

44
00:07:26.080 --> 00:07:33.360
And then it's like your decision on how is this gonna help me with visibility or help me grow my brand, and I kinda make the decision from there.

45
00:07:33.400 --> 00:07:41.600
[laughs] Well, this is maybe worth saying, I mean, we didn't pay you to come on this podcast, and that's- Correct... as a policy, we don't pay people to come onto the podcast. Um- Yeah...

46
00:07:41.660 --> 00:07:49.610
which in my mind, uh, uh, I wanna interrogate this for a second. In my mind- Mm... like, um, this is different than a speaking engagement. With a podcast- I agree...

47
00:07:49.620 --> 00:07:58.060
it's, it's, it's a lower lift perhaps, and like we are putting in... You didn't have to do much prep. We did our prep. Yeah. We did our research. We're gonna package this.

48
00:07:58.120 --> 00:08:07.690
Like, we are putting in a few dozen hours of work total across, like me, Natalia, our editor, um, to make this something good, right? So it's this exchange- Mm-hmm...

49
00:08:07.760 --> 00:08:19.070
of like our work, uh, for, for perhaps, you know, you're gonna promote this, I hope, on your LinkedIn. Absolutely. That's always the hope. [laughs] Um, but, but I don't know. I, I'm, I'm curious if you have any thoughts.

50
00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:28.890
Like, have you been paid to go on a podcast before? How do you see this as different than a speaking engagement? Podcasts have always been different. I do consider them like a form of a speaking engagement. Mm-hmm.

51
00:08:28.980 --> 00:08:35.300
Um, but I usually go in with the expectation that I'm not paid, because I do think it's more of a visibility play. Mm-hmm.

52
00:08:35.500 --> 00:08:50.780
And while I do think speaking, uh, like in person speaking inve- uh, engagements or like virtual speaking en- engagements that are more conferences or like webinars, I do think those are a little bit more involved because they usually require me to do labor [laughs]- Yes...

53
00:08:50.820 --> 00:08:59.140
in prep- in preparation. So I'm typically the one that's like prepping a presentation or preparing some type of speech that I have to give to a large audience.

54
00:08:59.740 --> 00:09:09.700
Um, and in those cases, like I would like to be paid for my time. So [laughs] I expect to be paid accordingly. [laughs] That's, that's a good difference, yeah. It's like- Yeah... you're just doing the labor. Exactly.

55
00:09:09.709 --> 00:09:19.500
The podcast, we do the labor. Engagement- Yeah... we do the labor. Um, okay, last thing to move, to finish moving through your, uh, your revenue in Q1. The webinars and courses, uh tell us about those. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

56
00:09:19.580 --> 00:09:35.429
So I do webinars every quarter through my brand Creator Tea Talk, and this is a brand that I built to foster transparent conversations between influencer marketing professionals, or just professionals that work in the creator economy, and then also creators and influencers.

57
00:09:35.520 --> 00:09:43.720
Um, and that started off originally as a LinkedIn audio series that I was doing. Um, it started off a couple of years ago.

58
00:09:43.820 --> 00:09:51.740
And over time, the brand has kind of just transformed into a lot of things, and one of those things has been webinars.

59
00:09:51.920 --> 00:09:58.520
So one day I was posting on my stories about this like brand partnerships deck that I was creating, and I was just like...

60
00:09:58.570 --> 00:10:09.980
'Cause I like to show my, my process as a creator on my stories, and a lot of my audience, um, or my community on Instagram, they kept messaging me and they were like, "Show me how to do this." And I was like, "Okay."

61
00:10:10.180 --> 00:10:17.200
So I was like, [laughs] "If I hosted a webinar, would you guys be interested? And also, would you guys pay for it?" [laughs] And they were like, "Yes."

62
00:10:17.460 --> 00:10:25.420
So that was the kickoff of my webinar series, and in each webinar I teach creators how to do what I'm doing, how to grow a creator business.

63
00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:35.220
I get really in depth with the things that like most creators aren't necessarily comfortable talking about publicly, but like that is the eth- ethos of the brand, to spill the tea.

64
00:10:35.680 --> 00:10:45.560
So I literally share screenshots of conversations that I've had with brands, I show my emails, I come with the receipts, I show my invoices, and I think it's, they find it really helpful.

65
00:10:45.660 --> 00:10:49.920
Um, so that has become a revenue stream because it is a paid webinar series.

66
00:10:50.390 --> 00:10:58.960
And then through my partnership with Teachable, what I now do is take my webinar content and repurpose it on Teachable into courses, and then that is an additional revenue stream for me.

67
00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:08.320
Is it, um, what kind of lift is it to do that repurposing? Um, not heavy at all, 'cause I'm literally just uploading the video recording to Teachable.

68
00:11:08.760 --> 00:11:17.160
And what I decided to make it into like an actual course is to add additional context with some type of like digital download or resource.

69
00:11:17.300 --> 00:11:30.400
So for example, in my Art of LinkedIn Influencing course, I have, um, basically like a, a guide for 30 days of posting on LinkedIn where it gives them like references and examples and what type of content to create.

70
00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:40.410
You were just talking about Creator Tea Talk, and I love that you brought it up because I know that this past month you were doing a series on like mental health and sustainability. Yeah.

71
00:11:40.500 --> 00:11:52.780
Um, I am curious to hear more about the things that you've learned from these sessions, things that other creators have brought in that you've been either surprised or excited to learn about that you would be willing to share here.

72
00:11:53.440 --> 00:12:01.920
Yeah. I mean, I think the biggest thing I've learned is that we have so, so much longer to go [laughs] in this creator economy space. I think

73
00:12:02.940 --> 00:12:23.242
it, it's hon- it's interesting because it's not necessarily new, but it's still very Wild Wild West, and I think the more I talk to creators, the more I talk to professionals on the creator economy side, whether they're working as, um, you know, brand influencer market managers or talent managers-We're still all learning from each other, so everyone has a very different approach to how they do things.

74
00:12:23.392 --> 00:12:34.272
And I've, I think the more I talk to creators, the more I notice there are still these pain points that haven't necessarily been solved, even though we talk about it a lot [laughs] as creators.

75
00:12:34.352 --> 00:12:46.092
So one of the biggest things is that, you know, creators are still complaining about not getting paid on time, which I think is something that impacts people across the creator economy, but also freelancers as well, anyone who's essentially an independent contractor.

76
00:12:46.712 --> 00:13:06.912
And for some odd reason, the brands, with their billions of dollars, [laughs] have not figured out how to master paying their creators on, on, on time so that we can have a sustainable business, because, you know, if let's say a brand pays me, like, $5,000 to post something, I get my post out, I send all my deliverables on time, and I have to wait 90 days to get paid.

77
00:13:07.092 --> 00:13:16.161
Where they do that at? [laughs] I saw, I saw someone joking the other day that, uh, next time that happens, uh, next time a brand, that they sign a deal with a brand, they're gonna say, "Great.

78
00:13:16.472 --> 00:13:24.822
So once you've signed it, we have a net 60 until we can start the process-" [laughs] "... of starting the work." Um- Yes. [laughs] You made a good post the other day on LinkedIn- Mm-hmm...

79
00:13:24.892 --> 00:13:33.792
about your approach to brand partnerships, and you- Mm-hmm... said there's, there's three parts. Let your content- Yeah... do the talking, treat your- Mm... partnerships like relationships, and your content is currency.

80
00:13:33.912 --> 00:13:37.232
Price it accordingly. Yes. Mm-hmm. So say more. Yes.

81
00:13:37.512 --> 00:13:49.752
So I always feel like when I talk to creators, there's always this, like, intense feeling of, like, I have to have the best content or I have to have all these systems in place before I work with brands.

82
00:13:50.172 --> 00:14:00.892
And I think what I want creators to remember is that the power is exact- is being exactly who you are. And brands love who you are, which is why they want to approach you.

83
00:14:01.052 --> 00:14:14.482
So when I say let your content do the co- the, the talking, I think it really means, like, spend a little bit more time investing in creating the content that you love and the things that you enjoy talking about before you rush into brand partnerships.

84
00:14:14.522 --> 00:14:23.532
'Cause you'll actually find that working with brand partnerships or working with brand partners are a little bit more limiting because now you're, like, kind of operating on their agenda now.

85
00:14:23.572 --> 00:14:32.401
So I feel like, you know, as a content creator, it's really important for me to just, like, stay true to who I am in terms of, like, voice, tone,

86
00:14:33.412 --> 00:14:44.952
the, the inspiration that I get to c- to create content, because I don't ever want to feel pressured or feel like I have to say certain things in a way to, like, appease an al- an algorithm or my, quote-unquote, "followers."

87
00:14:45.372 --> 00:14:56.092
Jade's gonna do what she wants to do, always. [laughs] I love that, Jade. Um, and it's- [laughs]... actually, like, a question that I had for you. Mm-hmm. I wanna talk about authenticity. Um- Yeah...

88
00:14:56.172 --> 00:15:04.422
I wrote an essay about this recently, kind of like about the performance of authenticity and what's expected. Um, it's a huge buzzword, similar to community. [laughs] Mm-hmm.

89
00:15:04.432 --> 00:15:12.512
Everyone's using it in creator spaces right now. It's what everybody- Yeah... like, wants to have, wants to be, um, and it's, like, our strongest form of digital currency.

90
00:15:12.632 --> 00:15:20.341
Brands are always wanting to work with creators who come across as authentic. And so- Mm... depending on who the creator is and what the space is, that could look, like, many different ways. Mm.

91
00:15:20.341 --> 00:15:26.232
And I'm wondering, for you, I'm curious to your thoughts in general on what authenticity even means. Yeah.

92
00:15:26.312 --> 00:15:38.652
I think for me, in its simple form, it's just, like, who you see online is exactly what you're gonna get in person, and I think that's something I've been very intentional about as I've been building my social media presence over these past couple of years.

93
00:15:38.692 --> 00:15:46.932
I never wanted there to be a situation where someone was like, "Oh, I follow Jade. I think she's so cool," and then they meet me in person and they're like, "She's dramatically different."

94
00:15:46.962 --> 00:15:51.352
[laughs] Like, that is very alarming to me. So I'm not putting on a facade.

95
00:15:51.392 --> 00:15:59.712
If anything, I think social media makes me feel even more comfortable to sh- sh- show who I am and show, like, the, my most odd sides of who I am.

96
00:16:00.192 --> 00:16:06.032
And I think, especially on a platform like LinkedIn, that has been historically very professional.

97
00:16:06.652 --> 00:16:14.492
One thing I've made it my mission to do, especially for my community, is to help everyone understand, like, you can define what professionalism is.

98
00:16:14.532 --> 00:16:23.032
In my opinion, like, these rules around professionalism were designed by these white men who are obviously not me. [laughs] I'm a Black girl with purple hair.

99
00:16:23.692 --> 00:16:34.832
I literally for a period of time had a marijuana nose ring, and I'm like, y'all, [laughs] none of this is actually stopping me from doing my job on a day-to-day basis and working with clients.

100
00:16:34.872 --> 00:16:42.872
And I think we need to really pivot how we think about, you know, what it means to show up in professional environments or be a professional.

101
00:16:43.272 --> 00:16:50.452
So on LinkedIn, and particularly, I think that's why I've really attracted a lot of people to my page, 'cause they're like, "Wow, this is really refreshing. You just say whatever you wanna say."

102
00:16:50.872 --> 00:17:01.012
And granted, I reco- I re- I recognize the privilege of me being someone who, you know, doesn't have an employer, so I think that does, you know, scare people sometimes.

103
00:17:01.032 --> 00:17:16.132
But I'm really in this mindset that if I'm going to use my LinkedIn as a, a way to get partnerships and potential clients or job opportunities, you need to know who you're working with, and I do that by showing up exactly as who I am.

104
00:17:16.532 --> 00:17:18.672
That is amazing. I love to hear it.

105
00:17:18.772 --> 00:17:30.992
Um, I'm also, like you mentioning, like, working with brands and things like that, I'm curious about to your vetting process for who you partner with, especially with, like, you being so focused on showing up on who you are and, like, you have such a distinctive voice on the platform.

106
00:17:31.092 --> 00:17:40.812
[laughs] I gotta say- Thank you... like, I recognize a Jade post- [laughs]... as soon as I see it, even before I see your name. So I'm curious what to, what to that process looks like for you. Yeah.

107
00:17:40.992 --> 00:17:48.412
So for me, it's always, I always ask myself, like, one of three questions. It's one, is this something that I actually want to do?

108
00:17:48.992 --> 00:18:00.712
And then two, is this something that my audience will have, will gain value from, or is this information that they really need to know? And then three, is the brand some...

109
00:18:00.932 --> 00:18:10.642
Is the brand and their values aligned with my personal values? So do they really believe in working create, with creators? Do they actually believe in social media?

110
00:18:10.682 --> 00:18:18.812
'Cause you'd be shocked, brands [laughs] are still debating, like, what the ROI of social media is. And if that's where you are, we don't need to work together.

111
00:18:18.852 --> 00:18:30.652
[laughs] So I think for me it really comes down to, uh, values, and then also the value that it may have, the relationship may have to my audience, and then me, me as well, of course.

112
00:18:31.632 --> 00:18:42.116
Let's be real, AI is everywhere, and it's cranking out content nonstop.Most of it is forgettable, and at best it's kinda weird. But the best creators are doing something different.

113
00:18:42.636 --> 00:18:48.936
They're building brands AI can't replace by focusing on their community, their content, and their unique voice.

114
00:18:49.336 --> 00:18:57.366
The best creators are also going to the Creator Summit, a free three-day online event from June 24th through 26th.

115
00:18:57.406 --> 00:19:03.956
You'll hear from industry leaders who are growing newsletters, communities, and media businesses that actually last.

116
00:19:04.016 --> 00:19:14.056
So if you're tired of chasing trends and ready to build something that matters, this is the event for you. You can get your free ticket to the Creator Summit at live.mightynetworks.com.

117
00:19:14.896 --> 00:19:24.566
Like, so a- as I understand it, your presence on social has kind of evolved. Mm-hmm. You were alluding to this a little bit earlier, from Instagram to Twitter and now to LinkedIn. Mm-hmm.

118
00:19:24.576 --> 00:19:35.795
I'm curious if your goals or priorities have shifted as you've kind of shifted across platforms, or if it's just been the same, like, showing up as you and expressing, like, the kind of personal, professional version of you that we've been talking about.

119
00:19:36.176 --> 00:19:48.476
Um, but yeah, if there's been kind of a change and a development as you've shifted from platform to platform. I would say it's more so that now I'm really leaning into the fact that I'm building a personal brand.

120
00:19:48.736 --> 00:19:53.456
I think I always kind of have. I think, this is an example that I use all the time.

121
00:19:53.556 --> 00:20:06.696
I remember probably when I was 18 years old, that's when I started my first business, which was, like, a small baking business, and I remember googling Jade Powell, and there was a girl in the UK that topped first.

122
00:20:06.816 --> 00:20:18.676
And once I had that in my mind, [laughs] I was like, "I'm going to find every possible way to make it that when someone googles Jade Powell, I'm the first one." You're gonna put her on the 10th page of results.

123
00:20:18.716 --> 00:20:21.736
[laughs] Yes. I'm happy to say that I've succeeded.

124
00:20:21.836 --> 00:20:37.836
[laughs] But I think the fact that I was thinking about that when I was 18, and I'm 32 now, shows that, like, there was always something in my brain that was signaling to me that a personal brand, some form of entrepreneurship me- meshed together was always gonna be built.

125
00:20:38.276 --> 00:20:46.536
I think now, especially n- that I'm no longer employed traditionally, it's allowed me more leeway to focus in on that.

126
00:20:46.956 --> 00:20:55.916
Because there were times when I was working for my employers, they'd be like, "Jade, you can't say that." And I'm like, "Stop trying to control me." [laughs] That's, like, always who I've been.

127
00:20:55.996 --> 00:21:08.776
I'm like, "You can't tell me what to do." [laughs] So I think over time I've just really leaned all the way into building more of a brand and making sure that the Jade I. Powell name is a household name, in a good way.

128
00:21:08.896 --> 00:21:19.196
[laughs] I can relate to this story so much, because I used to google my name, and there were so many other Natalia Perezs, and I'm like, "I have to be unique." Yes. Like, how do I be that girl?

129
00:21:19.716 --> 00:21:27.626
[laughs] So I just, like, at the time, just, like, added my mother's last name, and so, like, just going by both last names now, then that's how I'm like, all right, I'm the- Yeah...

130
00:21:27.636 --> 00:21:36.636
now I'm the first person that comes up on Google. [laughs] Yes. I mean, there is only one Beyonce. Right. And if there are, they're not relevant. [laughs] Exactly. Period. Period.

131
00:21:36.996 --> 00:21:48.476
[laughs] But on that note, really curious about the evolution of your business from when you started working alone. Like, you were talking about working for brands, and that was not cutting it for you.

132
00:21:48.606 --> 00:22:02.466
And even now I feel like, you know, building a sustainable business, something that you talk about a lot on LinkedIn, I'm curious about what boundaries, um, and, and, like, what boundaries you have in place to sustain your business currently- Mm-hmm...

133
00:22:02.466 --> 00:22:13.236
and avoiding burnout. Yeah. I mean, I think through therapy and just, like, getting older and wiser, I've been able to really learn how to recognize the signs of burnout.

134
00:22:13.246 --> 00:22:21.576
That's not something historically I've been great at. I think I would, like, wait until I was damn near dead to be like, "Oh, I should probably take a break," which is really insane.

135
00:22:21.756 --> 00:22:31.526
[laughs] So I think now I've gotten a little, a lit- a lot more comfortable empowering myself to take breaks and be like, "Actually, Jade, you don't need to work on this right now," or, "You can always reschedule."

136
00:22:32.076 --> 00:22:37.736
Um, and I've gotten so comfortable with that that there's no fear around it, which I think is a really great thing.

137
00:22:38.336 --> 00:22:48.526
Um, but for me, growing a sustainable business is all about ensuring that in any stage of my life, I feel s- still very comfortable doing the work that I'm doing.

138
00:22:48.556 --> 00:22:59.516
If at any point I feel like I'm dreading work or I feel like I don't want to do this or I don't like it, that's a signal to me that I need to take a break or I need to take a pause or reposition what I'm doing.

139
00:23:00.036 --> 00:23:10.556
Um, and I, that's something I assess on a monthly basis. I'm very intuitive with my body. I pay attention to what my body needs. If I'm feeling sick or if I'm feeling exhausted, I definitely honor that.

140
00:23:10.656 --> 00:23:22.856
Um, but also I think it's also looking at the work. So one of the things coming out of my, like, more nine-to-five corporate era of my career was that I didn't wanna be a social media manager anymore.

141
00:23:22.956 --> 00:23:32.615
I was like, "I'm tired of being the one that's just, like, publishing content. There's so much more that I can be doing. There's so much more that I know how to do. This role no longer works for me."

142
00:23:32.696 --> 00:23:39.396
So I literally was just like, "I will never do social media management again," and I haven't since. [laughs] And- Congratulations... that was a v- thank you.

143
00:23:39.856 --> 00:23:54.856
[laughs] That was a very intentional choice that I made, and I knew there would be a little, a little bit of a sacrifice, because I knew, especially with the way the industry has evolved, like, most brands need social media managers, not strategists, not creative directors.

144
00:23:54.956 --> 00:24:04.996
Um, so I know that hypothetically, if I was still offering social media management as a service, I could be making substantially more money, but I don't want to, so I'm not gonna do it.

145
00:24:05.096 --> 00:24:15.436
Um, so for me it's about focusing on the work that I actually do want to do and the work that I enjoy, which is strategy work, creative direction, building sustainable social media teams for brands and agencies.

146
00:24:15.776 --> 00:24:22.526
So that's how I feel like the work has shifted over time. Mm-hmm. Let's talk a little bit about managing your own social media again, though. Yeah.

147
00:24:22.526 --> 00:24:25.656
[laughs] So you mentioned earlier this guide for 30 days of posting you do. Mm-hmm.

148
00:24:25.936 --> 00:24:36.896
Um, you've also mentioned, I think in a LinkedIn post earlier this year, that you wanna hit 100,000 followers on the platform by the end of this year. Uh, you're right now at 27,500 or so as we record.

149
00:24:37.196 --> 00:24:47.378
You were saying that, I think, early 2023 when you got that Sprout Social one, you were at, uh, 10,000. Mm-hmm. Um, so the growth that's gonna be required to get you to 100,000 is-It's gonna be a lot.

150
00:24:47.448 --> 00:24:54.828
You're gonna have to- Yeah... I don't know what it's gonna be, what the, you know, what the point that will drive you there, what the strategy will, that will drive you b- there will be. Um- Mm-hmm...

151
00:24:54.848 --> 00:25:04.928
but yeah, that's my question, is how are you going to get 100,000 LinkedIn followers by the end of 2025 from 27,500? So the gag is I've already changed my mind.

152
00:25:06.008 --> 00:25:09.448
[laughs] And I think that is a big part of my learning journey.

153
00:25:09.588 --> 00:25:17.788
I think at the time that that was my goal, which was last year, I had to have a little bit of a reality check moment and be like, "Jade, is that what you really want?"

154
00:25:17.908 --> 00:25:39.668
[laughs] And I think that goes back to the checking in with myself because I think if I really wanted to put in the effort, I can easily make that happen, but I think going into this year, especially with like, such a busy H1, like first half of the year, I really realized, okay, I actually do wanna scale back and not do as much as I was doing earlier in this year and late last year.

155
00:25:39.828 --> 00:25:49.128
Because I think I was riding off of the high of just feeling like, "This is working for me," like, "I can move through this," and then this year has been all about sustainability for me. So I'm like, "Girl,

156
00:25:50.048 --> 00:25:57.248
you'll get the followers you get." [laughs] Well, I think too- "And you'll be okay with it"... like audience growth, I think people mistake this often- Mm-hmm... audience growth is always downstream of something else.

157
00:25:57.258 --> 00:26:06.488
Yes. It should only ever be a means to an end. So like just having the goal of like, "We're gonna get this many followers, subscribers," whatever it is, it's like, okay, well why? Like that number- Yeah...

158
00:26:06.498 --> 00:26:15.048
has to be attached to like a specific why that it needs to be this amount. Because, and it- it's usually downstream of money, right? Yes. And like work/life balance. Agree 100%.

159
00:26:15.078 --> 00:26:25.118
And it's so funny 'cause even thinking about why that was a goal for me at the time, I think it's like, it's, it's so easy to get caught up in like the social media vanity of it all. Mm-hmm.

160
00:26:25.168 --> 00:26:32.008
Just like, I wanna grow my following, 'cause that's what is ten- that's what get, gets tended to be like prized in this industry.

161
00:26:32.408 --> 00:26:39.828
People love to see that you have so many followers, and that's the first thing that is like an indicator of like success on social media. Mm-hmm.

162
00:26:39.838 --> 00:26:48.198
But then I really had to like lock in and be like, "Jade, you wouldn't even recommend this to your clients. So why are you trying to do it?" [laughs] It's like, it's like the American Psycho business card type of thing.

163
00:26:48.248 --> 00:26:56.078
Yes. Exactly. Um, I, I did wanna bring up one other goal that I imagine you've kind of doubled back on a little bit. I read this interview you did with Buffer two years ago, and they asked- Mm-hmm...

164
00:26:56.368 --> 00:27:01.528
for your, your goals for that year, which was 2023. And one of your goals, um, I'll read what you said.

165
00:27:01.638 --> 00:27:08.277
[laughs] "My first goal is to create further delineation among all the different brands I have because they all serve different audiences." Mm-hmm.

166
00:27:08.408 --> 00:27:16.568
Uh, and we've been kind of touching on this a little bit, how you've kind of, you know, merged things. Um, you know, some two and a half years later, how do you feel about that?

167
00:27:17.228 --> 00:27:25.888
I actually feel like I've succeeded in this, which makes me happy. 'Cause that was something that was really stressing me out at the time. I didn't think that people would get what I was trying to do.

168
00:27:25.948 --> 00:27:38.048
And I think between The M-Dash Co., which is my creative agency, Creator Tea Talk, my personal brand, while they're all interconnected in this like Jade cinematic universe, they are all different properties.

169
00:27:38.108 --> 00:27:47.088
And I think the more I've been able to talk about each of them in different ways, people are getting to further understand what they're focused on. So The M-Dash Co.

170
00:27:47.148 --> 00:27:56.898
is my agency where I do social media professional work, and Creator Tea Talk is a side of my business that serves creators and is intended to in- um, educate and inform creators.

171
00:27:57.268 --> 00:28:07.928
And then my personal brand is me, exactly what you're seeing, and then the world that I'm building even between these two brands. So I think I've succeeded there, hopefully. [laughs] No, it really sounds like you have.

172
00:28:08.068 --> 00:28:15.208
Um, you mentioned The M-Dash agency, and we'd love to hear more. Like is it just you? How many people work with you? Are there any contract workers?

173
00:28:15.248 --> 00:28:24.888
Like who keeps the, like how, how does it, how does the agency keep running? Yeah. So it's all me. It's one woman led, which is something I love to lead with. Um- Wow. But yeah, it's me.

174
00:28:25.028 --> 00:28:30.088
I think when I started my agency, it was literally to have agency over my own life.

175
00:28:30.228 --> 00:28:41.588
[laughs] And I, when I, when I tell people that, it's because I know the way that I see my life kind of evolving over time, I always wanna be doing creative work that feels right to me.

176
00:28:42.088 --> 00:28:55.168
So that means that over time it's going to change. Even more recently, I decided I'm gonna start, you know, making that transition from freelance to fractional, which doesn't sound like a big jump, but it is in my mind.

177
00:28:55.268 --> 00:29:02.108
I tell people I'm giving myself a promotion essentially. Um, 'cause as a entrepreneur we don't always get to do that, but I am giving myself a promotion.

178
00:29:02.608 --> 00:29:22.108
So effectively what I'll be doing, instead of like working with agencies and brands in a, a freelance kind of, you know, time-to-time capacity, I'll be doing longer term contractors in a more leadership role, where my work is less executional but focused on leadership and building the teams that they need to get the job done in social media marketing.

179
00:29:22.628 --> 00:29:34.908
Um, but yeah, I think it's something that is really my baby, and when I built it, I really just did it because I wanted to focus on the creative work that I wanted to do.

180
00:29:35.088 --> 00:29:38.008
Like I was saying earlier, I didn't wanna be a social media manager anymore.

181
00:29:38.208 --> 00:29:49.168
[laughs] I was just like, uh, there's something going on in my brain where, like I know how to help brands accomplish what they're trying to accomplish on social in different capacities, so that's the work that I need to be doing.

182
00:29:49.328 --> 00:30:05.948
So I'm helping agencies, uh, you know, win new social media work with pitch work and building out b- um, uh, RFP responses for their potential new clients. I'm doing copywriting. I'm doing, uh, creative direction.

183
00:30:06.268 --> 00:30:17.328
One of my favorite gigs, I was brought on as a f- a fractional VP of social creative, um, or creative director for Pfizer, and it was like so random. I'm like, "Why am I creating TikToks for Pfizer?"

184
00:30:17.528 --> 00:30:25.228
But here we are [laughs] creating TikTok content. Yeah. I'm like building a storyboard for a 30-second ad on TikTok. Like who woulda thunk? [laughs] Are you, um...

185
00:30:25.288 --> 00:30:37.458
Okay, so in the, in the course or in that post, that LinkedIn post I mentioned earlier about your $50,000 Q1 earnings, you also say that, uh, you're on track to hit 200K obviously- Mm-hmm... with that this year. Yeah.

186
00:30:37.468 --> 00:30:48.198
But that your goal is 250,000. Yes. And I wanted to ask how you plan to make up that gap. Uh, but it sounds like this, this is part of that plan. Correct. It's shifting from the freelance to fractional approach. Mm-hmm.

187
00:30:48.208 --> 00:30:57.148
That obviously kind of comes with a price raise. Um- Yes... yeah, how do you plan to make up that gap to get the extra $50,000 this year? Yes. So it will be my fractional work.

188
00:30:57.228 --> 00:31:08.152
I'm hoping before end of year I'll sign at least two clients that are g- each bringing me in about...Uh, 20,000 for the six months that I plan to work with each of them.

189
00:31:08.212 --> 00:31:16.852
So six months will be my, uh, beginning contract rate, and then I'm hoping with the right agency partners I'll want to work with each of them that long. [laughs] We'll see.

190
00:31:17.532 --> 00:31:27.311
Um, but I think once I find the right clients that I'm looking for and who need these ty- need- needs this type of work, I'll be able to pull in that extra 50. What about...

191
00:31:27.352 --> 00:31:33.982
Okay, so there's the four revenue streams, right? Mm-hmm. Brand partnerships, freelance social media work, which is what we're talking about- Mm-hmm... uh, speaking engagements, webinars, and courses.

192
00:31:34.172 --> 00:31:43.461
So do you think it'll all come from the freelance social work? Or fractional social work, let's say. Or- Yeah... is, do you plan, do you think some of it will come from the brand partnerships? Um- Mm-hmm...

193
00:31:43.472 --> 00:31:49.692
which obviously if you're not focusing on follower growth, uh, that's one factor that helps raise prices, et cetera. Yeah.

194
00:31:49.752 --> 00:31:57.872
Uh, but yeah, question is, besides the fractional work, uh, do you think it'll, that extra 10,000 plus will come from- Mm-hmm... any of these other revenue streams?

195
00:31:58.492 --> 00:32:18.372
I think I wouldn't be surprised if it came from brand partnerships, because what I learned from Q1 was that more of my income came from brand partnerships, but I think with me kind of shifting my focus or spending a little bit more time focusing on my fractional work, um, I think the fractional work will pull that in, but we'll see.

196
00:32:18.542 --> 00:32:28.252
'Cause I, I always go in with these plans and I'm like, "Oh, surprise, surprise. That didn't happen [laughs] the way I thought it was going to." Um, so right now I'm thinking it will be fractional.

197
00:32:28.372 --> 00:32:35.332
I definitely know it won't be courses and webinars, 'cause I'm actually going to be scaling back on those so that I can do a relaunch next year.

198
00:32:35.432 --> 00:32:44.592
Um, and then my speaking engagements, I do have a couple more planned, but I'm gonna take a little bit of a beat on those. So it's either gonna be the fractional or the, the brand partnerships, for sure.

199
00:32:45.172 --> 00:32:55.682
Which revenue stream out of the ones we just talked about has been, like, the most surprisingly successful to you? Mm-hmm. And which one has been, like, the most difficult to scale, most difficult one to crack?

200
00:32:56.332 --> 00:33:08.872
It has definitely been the brand partnerships. Um, brand partnerships I think, 'cause my, my intention wasn't necessarily to be a creator. I just kind of became one, and I was like, "Oh. [laughs] Cool, this works."

201
00:33:09.332 --> 00:33:17.352
So I stuck with it, and I, and I enjoyed it, so I've been sticking with it. But to me, I've always been a marketer first. I enjoy being a creator or influencer.

202
00:33:17.892 --> 00:33:27.731
Um, and I think it's fun work and it's something I still wanna keep doing, but I am a marketer at the end of the day. That's my trade. It's what I love to do. It's what I wanna go out of this earth being.

203
00:33:27.912 --> 00:33:41.112
And I think, um, as long as I'm doing that, I will always love being, like, fractional, working in some... Eventually I think the, the end goal is to have some role where I'm a CMO, at least once. I wanna try it.

204
00:33:41.392 --> 00:33:50.892
[laughs] It's not- I think you'd fit there. Thank you. I think, it's not my priority, but I do think the, there will be an eventual shift in the industry where CMOs are more social fo- focused.

205
00:33:51.012 --> 00:33:56.932
Um, and that sounds right up my alley, so give it a couple of years. I'll get there. Um, but I think the fractional work.

206
00:33:57.512 --> 00:34:10.832
Um, and then I think with my freelance work, 'cause I haven't go- gone quite fractional yet, that has been the most surprising be- but it's, it's also kind of just the nature of the work, because it's not as consistent.

207
00:34:10.912 --> 00:34:16.182
So it has been frustrating there. There has been times where I've just, like, have not been able to bring in freelance work.

208
00:34:16.712 --> 00:34:24.872
You know, sometimes I'll talk to agency and they'll be like, "Yeah, I'd love to hire you right now. We'll just, we just need a proper scope of work," and then, like, a week later I will never hear back.

209
00:34:24.932 --> 00:34:36.372
[laughs] And that happens often, 'cause I think it's hard for agencies and brands to, like, kind of figure out how to bring in freelancers and when and decide, like, sh- should we hire an FTE instead?

210
00:34:36.412 --> 00:34:42.582
How long should they be around? There's, like, a lot of decisions they have to make on their end, and that impacts, like, whether I get hired or not. Mm-hmm.

211
00:34:42.952 --> 00:34:51.542
Um, I wanna go back to something we were talking about just a second ago, which is- Mm... that you don't necessarily identify as a creator. Mm-hmm. This is something I love to ask everybody who comes on- Yeah...

212
00:34:51.542 --> 00:35:00.292
is what does that term mean to you? What does creator mean to you? In the sense, not in like the broadest sense, but in the sense- Mm-hmm... that we talk about on this show. Yeah.

213
00:35:00.332 --> 00:35:14.132
I mean, I definitely identify as a creator, but not creator first. Um, I think for me, being a creator is literally anyone that someone create, some- anyone that some, anyone that creates something.

214
00:35:14.192 --> 00:35:24.352
And I think when I say that, I think oftentimes in this industry people think creators are always, like, you know, TikTok creators. It's like I go on TikTok and I post my videos.

215
00:35:24.752 --> 00:35:38.372
But I always say that creation looks very differently. It could be I'm creating a podcast, I'm creating a blog, I'm creating a newsletter, I'm creating experiences, I'm creating community, I'm creating brands.

216
00:35:38.852 --> 00:35:47.312
So I think, you know, creator is really just kind of like the new term for entrepreneur, 'cause I also think creating is also including businesses.

217
00:35:47.552 --> 00:35:57.992
[laughs] So I think it's like the kind of new Gen Z, Millennial wave, um, sexy term for entrepreneur. But I like the combination of creator-preneur, which is what I prefer to call myself. [laughs] Yes.

218
00:35:58.072 --> 00:36:07.672
I, I fully agree with you. I wrote a whole piece a couple months ago that was just creators are entrepreneurs, and kind of- Yes... mapping this. But my, I'll share my defin- my two definitions I always like to share.

219
00:36:08.172 --> 00:36:15.632
Mm-hmm. Um, one is more broad, and kind of what you were saying- Mm-hmm... where I think a creator is anybody who is contributing to the corpus of the internet. Yeah. So I really put it in this digital sense.

220
00:36:15.712 --> 00:36:21.602
Um- Mm-hmm... and then the other more specific one, which maps more to the creators are entrepreneurs thing, and I think you would identify with- Mm...

221
00:36:21.672 --> 00:36:33.632
is anybody who is creating media for distribution online, who is creating- Mm-hmm... digital media, um, and is in earnest trying to- Mm-hmm... grow an audience beyond their immediate friends and family- Mm-hmm...

222
00:36:33.642 --> 00:36:43.642
and is finally somehow monetizing it all. Yes. So it's people trying to make a living using digital media as sort of the tip of the spear. Um- Yes. And one thing I'll add to that- Mm...

223
00:36:43.732 --> 00:36:46.932
is I'm in the mindset that you actually don't need to monetize yet.

224
00:36:47.212 --> 00:36:57.922
I mean, h- honestly, that's the goal for many of us, but I'm in the mindset, especially as someone who believes that, like, creators can be building in person, in real life community, not everyone wants to monetize on that- Mm...

225
00:36:57.922 --> 00:37:04.682
and I don't think that makes you less of a creator. Well, I think too, I'm, I'm really into, like, the, the monetization doesn't have to be, like, direct ads, but, like- Yeah...

226
00:37:04.712 --> 00:37:12.862
it could be as abstract as, like, I'm building a presence to then- Mm-hmm... like, leverage getting a full time job because- Yes... these people, like, see my content and they like it so much.

227
00:37:12.872 --> 00:37:17.562
And so that is monetization too, where you're using- Yes. Agreed... digital media. It's just kind of more mediated- Yes...

228
00:37:17.572 --> 00:37:24.776
but that's monetization too.Agree with that, absolutely Tell me, tell us more about, uh, defining yourself as a creatorpreneur Mm-hmm... what that term means to you.

229
00:37:24.816 --> 00:37:33.096
And I- I would love to hear you speak a little bit more about this idea that creator is just the, the kind of new generation term for entrepreneur. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

230
00:37:33.316 --> 00:37:43.956
I think when, earlier on in, like, when I was building my personal brand and my business, I had a really hard time describing what I did, because I'm someone that's very multi-pas- faceted.

231
00:37:44.616 --> 00:37:54.976
I am a social media professional. I am a designer. I like to paint. I like to do all types of creative work, and every time someone would be like, "Jade, what do you do?" I'd, like, stumble.

232
00:37:55.076 --> 00:38:00.816
[laughs] I'd be like, "Uh, it depends on what context. I don't know." [laughs] And I would always, like, struggle with that.

233
00:38:00.906 --> 00:38:12.156
And then I remember I was talking to my brand manager, and I was like, "How do you think I should just, like, describe, like, all the work that I do that's really all-encompassing, where someone would s- if I said it, they would, like, really understand?"

234
00:38:12.196 --> 00:38:16.996
And she said, "Call yourself a creatorpreneur." And I was like, "Girl, you spittin'." Because that makes so much sense.

235
00:38:17.236 --> 00:38:25.916
[laughs] Because I think it speaks to the fact that I am a creator, but the preneur p- part obviously leads to the fact that I'm also an entrepreneur.

236
00:38:25.996 --> 00:38:38.056
So everything that I'm building is as a business owner, but also w- through the lens of someone who is very creative. I've also heard people kind of reframe it as creative entrepreneur or creative preneur. Mm.

237
00:38:38.106 --> 00:38:51.126
I think it's pretty similar, um, 'cause I think the ethos is that I'm building a business, but it's through a creative lens, and all the work that I do is creative. Mm. One last angle I wanna put on this.

238
00:38:51.316 --> 00:39:00.006
So you know how all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are square, right? Mm-hmm. We all learned this in, like, third grade or whatever. Mm-hmm.

239
00:39:00.006 --> 00:39:13.336
Um, in that same way, are all creators marketers, but not all marketers are creators? Mm, that's a great question. I think all creators are marketers, but I think all marketers are not creators.

240
00:39:13.536 --> 00:39:27.256
And I say that because I do think with creation, whether you identify as an entrepreneur or not, there is a level of requirement from the job that requires you to put yourself out there, and that is marketing at its core.

241
00:39:27.316 --> 00:39:34.685
Even if it's just, like, word-of-mouth traditional, you still have to talk about your business so that you build awareness, and that is a part of marketing.

242
00:39:34.696 --> 00:39:47.916
However, I think there are marketers that don't do any type of creative or, um, content-related work, and because of that, I wouldn't consider them creators a- as well. And I also think there's also this kind of, like,

243
00:39:48.936 --> 00:40:00.656
you know, viewpoint of if you're a creator, do you have to have an audience? And that's something I think about often, because I don't think most marketers are going in with the intention of having a personal audience.

244
00:40:00.666 --> 00:40:10.306
Maybe an audience on their, you know, their, their end work or their final product, but maybe not necessarily, like, an audience for their personal brand. Which becomes kind of a luxury now. Yes.

245
00:40:10.316 --> 00:40:14.965
In the way we were talking about earlier, about how, like, you've built this presence on LinkedIn. Mm. I do it, too, how I've built- Mm-hmm...

246
00:40:14.976 --> 00:40:25.046
this presence on LinkedIn because I know it's an asset that'll help me in my career and help me grow and survive. Yeah. Um, yeah, it's like, it's like a luxury to not be building your own audience as well- [laughs]...

247
00:40:25.046 --> 00:40:33.276
at this point. Yeah. I think that means that you have the experience or, like, like, such a sharp ability where you don't need that to make a living. [laughs] Yeah.

248
00:40:33.396 --> 00:40:41.336
And I think that has been one of the things that has been most shocking to me in this journey because, like, honestly, I don't think anyone cares that I'm a marketing professional.

249
00:40:41.376 --> 00:40:47.216
[laughs] Like, some people generally don't know. They... I remember I was speaking to someone recently, and they were like, "Girl, I thought you were an influencer this whole time."

250
00:40:47.226 --> 00:40:54.196
And I was like, "I'm liter- I've been working in marketing for 12 years." [laughs] And it was just so funny to me because I was like, "What?"

251
00:40:54.816 --> 00:41:01.616
And, like, I have gotten opportunities without anyone looking at my resume or my portfolio. Like, they literally do not care.

252
00:41:01.696 --> 00:41:12.576
They're like, "We see what you do on LinkedIn, and that's enough," which has been so shocking to me, 'cause I'm like, if this was me several years ago, I would've had to go through, like, a strenuous interview process and show all the work that I've done.

253
00:41:12.596 --> 00:41:22.696
But for some brands, they're like, "Your LinkedIn, I've seen your partnerships. That's cool. [laughs] Let's bring you in." [laughs] And I'm like, "Okay, great. I'm not complaining." [laughs] [gentle music] Let's be real.

254
00:41:22.796 --> 00:41:32.376
AI is everywhere, and it's cranking out content nonstop. Most of it is forgettable, and at best, it's kinda weird. But the best creators are doing something different.

255
00:41:32.916 --> 00:41:39.116
They're building brands AI can't replace by focusing on their community, their content, and their unique voice.

256
00:41:39.565 --> 00:41:46.886
The best creators are also going to the Creator Summit, a free three-day online event from June 24th through 26th.

257
00:41:47.676 --> 00:41:54.196
You'll hear from industry leaders who are growing newsletters, communities, and media businesses that actually last.

258
00:41:54.276 --> 00:42:04.316
So if you're tired of chasing trends and ready to build something that matters, this is the event for you. You can get your free ticket to the Creator Summit at live.mightynetworks.com.

259
00:42:04.376 --> 00:42:09.446
[laughs] Yeah, no, that's amazing that your work, as you were saying earlier, kind of just, like, speaks for itself at this point.

260
00:42:09.496 --> 00:42:16.236
And you mentioned, circling back to something you said before about self-promotion, um, it, it... I mean, obviously it doesn't come easily to, to a lot of people.

261
00:42:16.356 --> 00:42:20.016
Even a lot of creators, I think, struggle to self-promote. Mm-hmm. Um, but you're very good at it.

262
00:42:20.136 --> 00:42:28.186
As we've mentioned, like, your LinkedIn voice really is so distinctive, and I feel like you're recognized as, like, someone in this cohort of LinkedIn creators who is, like- Mm...

263
00:42:28.196 --> 00:42:41.395
leading the charge for more, like, a, a more authentic voice, a more, like, this is, this is who Jade is. Um, and so I'm wondering, like, how you have built this self-promotion muscle over time and how it has evolved.

264
00:42:42.096 --> 00:42:52.836
Yeah, I mean, I really, uh, feel like that comes from years of working in corporate, where you literally cannot get what you want unless you're like, "Hello, everyone. Here's a report on what I did today."

265
00:42:52.916 --> 00:43:01.096
[laughs] And I think that's just a skill that I learned. I think, you know, I was kind of one of the first ones in my family to go into traditional corporate.

266
00:43:01.156 --> 00:43:09.676
So I definitely was not prepared for what you had to do to [laughs] survive corporate, 'cause I literally thought, like, going to work and doing my job would be enough.

267
00:43:09.896 --> 00:43:15.536
And then I learned the hard way, that is not how you get raises and promotions. You have to be loud about your wins.

268
00:43:15.716 --> 00:43:27.556
Um, I think it's just a great practice in general, but you have to be able to feel super comfortable talking about all of your accomplishments, all of your accomplishments, in order to stay visible, to stay relevant.

269
00:43:27.926 --> 00:43:33.596
And we think that doesn't apply with the work, uh, like, i- in, in a traditional, like, nine-to-five, but it does.

270
00:43:34.176 --> 00:43:43.776
You often will not be able to get, you know, to the next step in your career or be able to get the opportunities you want unless you're saying, "This is what I've done so far."

271
00:43:43.816 --> 00:43:58.400
So I think corporate kind of taught me that, to be, uh, very loud and proud about my wins and also my losses, 'cause that's something I like to talk- that's something I like to show as well, 'cause I never want to paint a picture that-You know, things are all always peachy keen because they're not.

272
00:43:58.680 --> 00:44:07.360
Um, but I think I've gotten quite comfortable talking about my wins because of that. So I'm always talking about me, and it's not something that's gonna stop [laughs] until I retire.

273
00:44:07.400 --> 00:44:11.359
[laughs] I mean, that's all a part of it. That's all a part of it. Yeah.

274
00:44:11.660 --> 00:44:18.980
And, I mean, speaking of wins and also, like, being in corporate and being in an environment when people are kind of just, like, monitoring what you say and how you express yourself, and, like- Mm-hmm...

275
00:44:19.040 --> 00:44:31.280
you have this refreshing transparency about also, like, showing, like, showcasing losses. Mm-hmm. Um, and so I wanna talk about your A Bitch Be Contenting journal series. [laughs] Thank you. Yeah.

276
00:44:31.500 --> 00:44:41.400
Because- That is my favorite series. Yeah. I mean, it's one of our favorites too, and there's one that you posted, um, I'm forgetting when, but it was about, like, a brand ghosting you. And the- Yes...

277
00:44:41.440 --> 00:44:47.730
the way that you set these up is so creative because it's like you're... They're, they're, they're posted vertically on LinkedIn, but there's like- Mm-hmm...

278
00:44:47.860 --> 00:44:57.440
obviously, like, you're recording it vertically on your phone, but it's like rec- [laughs] you're, you're on your- Yeah... Photo Booth app. Yeah. Um, which is great because Photo Booth photo shoots are, like, back in.

279
00:44:57.450 --> 00:45:07.200
[laughs] So would love to hear about how that came about and how that's become a portal for you to also share more, like, of your wins, losses, and all the Jade lore. Yeah.

280
00:45:07.260 --> 00:45:18.060
I mean, I, I really wanted to just, like, start a s- a storytelling series because oftentimes I'm always asked by people, like, you know, things always look like they're going so great.

281
00:45:18.180 --> 00:45:24.740
Like, how, h- are there, were there any moments where, like, you felt like you didn't know what you were doing, or, like, are you not insecure, are you not scared?

282
00:45:24.780 --> 00:45:32.820
And I'm like, am I painting a picture that, like, I'm not, I'm not scared because I'm honestly always terrified. [laughs] Um, I just think I've learned how to move through the terror.

283
00:45:32.880 --> 00:45:41.460
So I think I, when I started that series, I just wanted to share, like, the lessons I've been learning as a creatorpreneur 'cause, like, I don't...

284
00:45:41.550 --> 00:45:49.100
Again, I just don't know many people that are also doing this and especially didn't grow up with people who are doing what I do, so I'm literally figuring out things as I go.

285
00:45:49.700 --> 00:46:05.440
There's definitely no, like, you know, perfect lens on how to approach being a creatorpreneur, so I just really wanted to be, you know, as in- informed as possible and then also just share the experiences along the way.

286
00:46:05.480 --> 00:46:16.780
So with the Bitch Be Contenting and especially that episode where I talked about being ghosted, I wanted to share that experience because I think people were seeing me get these brand deals, and they're like, "Jade is, like, this amazing creator.

287
00:46:16.860 --> 00:46:23.480
All the brands love her," and I'm like, "Actually, no. One ghosted me, Pookie, and it wasn't fun." [laughs] Like, I actually hated it.

288
00:46:23.940 --> 00:46:41.300
[laughs] So I really wanted to share that experience because I know that it's something that happens to other creators, and I think for people who are early in their content creation journey, especially very new to, like, working with brand partners, I wanted to show them, like, this is something that happens.

289
00:46:41.390 --> 00:46:53.340
And I tell people that, like, you know, working with brand partners, it's like dating. It's like being in a relationship, and ghosting is something that happens when you're dating. [laughs] So brands do it too.

290
00:46:53.420 --> 00:47:03.170
[laughs] That, um... I wanted real quick, the format of that series is so clever. Like- Thank you... as I was saying, like, the way it's, they're vertically filmed. It's filming your laptop. Mm-hmm.

291
00:47:03.180 --> 00:47:11.960
So it's like you are only k- you're, you're kind of small within the screen- Yes... but it's, it's much more engaging than just a front-facing, like, iPhone video, right? Yes.

292
00:47:12.000 --> 00:47:19.560
Did you, did you come up with that somewhere? Is that, like, something you adapted from somewhere else? 'Cause I think it's a great way to stand out on the platform. Yeah.

293
00:47:19.620 --> 00:47:30.500
That was just something that kind of came out of me using my Photo Booth as, like, a mirror. I use it when I put on my makeup often [laughs] 'cause I'm... Like, I w- I have mirrors in my home, but I always use...

294
00:47:30.560 --> 00:47:37.620
I'm just so attached to my laptop. I love her. Well, because you're gonna be- So I just-... uh, you know, on camera anyways, so you might as well- Exactly... see how it looks on camera. Exactly.

295
00:47:37.740 --> 00:47:45.340
So I'm just, like, putting on my makeup, and then I remember I was like, what if I just, like, film this through my laptop and just pr- prop my phone up?

296
00:47:45.400 --> 00:47:56.760
So I usually put my phone on my tripod, put it behind, um, kind of, like, next to me, and then put the focus on my laptop. And then I, once I did it, people were like, "This is brilliant."

297
00:47:56.800 --> 00:48:04.530
And I'm just like, "Oh, thank you. You guys see the vision." [laughs] Our, our producer, Tom, uh, he'll, he'll put some, uh, he'll put, like, a clip of one of them here. Um- Yeah...

298
00:48:04.560 --> 00:48:13.940
one thing I wanted to ask was how much you work in the average work week. We've been talking a lot about- Yeah... making sure this is sustainable for you and, like, all the different things you do.

299
00:48:14.000 --> 00:48:22.240
How many hours do you think you work each week, and how does that break down? Um, I would say I don't, I don't think I work more than 30 hours a week.

300
00:48:22.500 --> 00:48:32.160
I've been very hard on the no 40 because I am not full-time for a [laughs] reason, so my full time is less than 30 hours a week.

301
00:48:32.520 --> 00:48:39.820
It definitely changes over time, especially if I have, like, agency clients who need me to be on standby a little bit more.

302
00:48:39.920 --> 00:49:01.760
Um, so I think, you know, I try to look at it as, like, across all of my projects, whether it be brand partnerships, my webinars, courses that I'm building, speaking engagements, um, agency work, about how many hours do I have to spend a month, and I don't think I work more than 80 hours a month, to be honest.

303
00:49:02.360 --> 00:49:13.260
That's- Which I love that for me. [laughs] That is amazing. Okay. Yeah. You said no 40. You've also said that you plan to retire by 40. So- Yes... this no 40 thing, a big theme. Um- [laughs]... you're 32 right now. Yes.

304
00:49:13.340 --> 00:49:25.340
How do you plan to make that happen, to retire by 40? Yeah. So I think, again, scaling for me is, um, doing it in a sustainable way. So I think I'll always do what works.

305
00:49:25.800 --> 00:49:38.260
Right now, having this, like, split acros- across different income streams makes sense, and I'll conti- continue doing it for as long as I can until one day I'm like, "Okay, I may need to pivot," and I'll do that.

306
00:49:38.700 --> 00:49:57.700
But I think for me, when I look at my life at 40, I just been, have been in social media for so long and have been on social [laughs] media for so long that I'm like, I would eventually like to get off because while I love this work, I don't think that, you know, long term it's the most sustainable for my mental health, and that's what I prioritize most in my life.

307
00:49:58.300 --> 00:50:07.800
Um, but I think to get there-It's really just about making sure that I'm in a position financially that I can take care of myself and my business without burning out.

308
00:50:08.240 --> 00:50:16.520
So I think my goals for the next couple of years is to be completely debt-free. I have a couple of credit cards I need to pay off. Amex, if you wanna do a partnership, let's talk.

309
00:50:16.560 --> 00:50:33.019
[laughs] I want to pay off my mortgage completely, I wanna pay off my student loans, and I think once I'm debt-free, which I think I can accomplish in a, in the next couple of years, it's then about deciding what is a reasonable salary for me that doesn't require me to overwork myself.

310
00:50:33.240 --> 00:50:42.800
I always tell people, like, my goal isn't to be a millionaire. Am I gonna stop myself from making millions? No. But that's not my goal. [laughs] And I think, like...

311
00:50:44.200 --> 00:50:55.260
and at least for right now, I think, like, a comfortable living would look like between 250 and 500K a year max. [laughs] Yeah, that would be really comfortable. Yeah, very.

312
00:50:55.720 --> 00:51:06.520
[laughs] I mean, I hope Amex is listening so that your dreams do come true. [laughs] Let's partner, Amex. We love American Express over here. [laughs] Oh my gosh, yes.

313
00:51:06.840 --> 00:51:16.810
Um, but you mentioned before about, like, stepping into fractional work- Mm-hmm... you know, becoming a CMO. Curious about what, like, retirement looks like for you. What does- Yeah...

314
00:51:16.880 --> 00:51:18.800
how do you envision the rest of your career trajectory?

315
00:51:18.860 --> 00:51:26.340
You know, you're talking about becoming debt-free, you're talking about these money goals, um, yeah, how, how are you, how do you see yourself transitioning into the next phase in retirement?

316
00:51:26.900 --> 00:51:34.540
Yeah, so it's a couple of things. I think, like, work-wise, it's not that I'm gonna stop working. I, I don't think I'm someone that will ever really stop working.

317
00:51:34.620 --> 00:51:41.340
Like, that's a part of me where I'm like, "Oh, the weight of capitalism." It's always gonna get to me. But I think it's more so about, like, the type of work.

318
00:51:41.480 --> 00:51:54.480
So it's less me focusing on execution and more, like, my work is more so, like, b- community building, investing into other creative businesses, investing into art, whatever th- those things are that I'm interested in.

319
00:51:54.600 --> 00:51:59.960
Um, and also still building brands and businesses. I think that's just who I will always be as an entrepreneur.

320
00:52:00.540 --> 00:52:05.500
Um, but I think it would be ideally at that point where it's like I don't necessarily have to do everything for profit.

321
00:52:05.680 --> 00:52:11.070
Or, like, you know, this need to just, like, bring in, um, millions of dollars in revenue every year.

322
00:52:11.199 --> 00:52:21.360
Like, I think it's more so gonna be about building businesses that, um, aren't necessarily designed to bring in income, but more so give back to community.

323
00:52:21.970 --> 00:52:32.020
And then the other part is, like, I genuinely have a dream of just kind of returning to where my parents are from, which is Jamaica, and just living as a gardener. Like, I wanna do that so bad.

324
00:52:32.200 --> 00:52:40.420
[laughs] I just want to have my own space in Jamaica and just, like, garden and grow my mangoes and- Mm... live my life.

325
00:52:40.660 --> 00:52:53.209
So I think that will be, like, the whatever that medium ground is between living in Jamaica, being a garden, uh, and growing a garden, and then also just kind of, like, doing nonprofit work. That would be nice.

326
00:52:53.380 --> 00:52:59.430
[laughs] Being a garden, too, you know. Yes, being a garden. I don't know about that. Absolutely. You're gonna prune this fire. [laughs] Um, uh, real, really quick, community. Mm-hmm.

327
00:52:59.430 --> 00:53:06.240
I have noticed, like, you're really good at engaging with other people who are, like, part content creator, part marketer, or- Mm-hmm...

328
00:53:06.269 --> 00:53:15.320
you know, whatever, but part content creator, especially in the B2B space, LinkedIn posts I've seen where you're tagging, like, other people we've interviewed or ev- you know, just a bunch of people in the space.

329
00:53:15.440 --> 00:53:25.900
Um, tell us about the role that this kind of, like, creator community plays in your work and the way you approach this work. Yeah. It's such a big part of the work, and I'm so grateful for it.

330
00:53:26.060 --> 00:53:39.640
Like, I think having other people around you that do what you do, like, can do wonders for your mental health 'cause it, it's a constant reminder that you're not in this work alone, even though it can feel that way oftentimes.

331
00:53:39.720 --> 00:53:46.300
Um, and I think what I'm most grateful for is the transparency that this community has given me.

332
00:53:46.340 --> 00:53:52.680
It's so easy for me to text, you know, someone, another creator I know, and I'm like, "Hey, how much is this brand paying you?"

333
00:53:52.900 --> 00:53:57.650
And they'll be [laughs] very transparent and tell me, which I'm so grateful for, 'cause I think

334
00:53:58.560 --> 00:54:07.860
there is so much work to do in terms of in the creator economy in terms of equity and making sure Black creators especially are being paid fairly and in the same amount.

335
00:54:07.980 --> 00:54:15.980
So having that transparency from other creators, and especially creators who aren't Black, is very important to me, so I, I love that visibility.

336
00:54:16.120 --> 00:54:26.500
Um, but also it's just nice to talk about, like, the woes and also get a new frame of thinking around just, like, how I could be growing my business and what possibilities could look like.

337
00:54:26.900 --> 00:54:41.160
I think one of the most things that I was recently grateful for was that one of my brand partners, Teachable, they invited me to be a part of this collective of, like, creators who are using their platform of course, but, like, all of us were from very different industries.

338
00:54:41.200 --> 00:54:50.620
Like, I met this guy who is working in, like, aviation and someone else is doing, like, software engineering, so they're all teaching [laughs] their communities how to do these different things.

339
00:54:51.180 --> 00:55:03.959
And they were just talking about, like, how they were growing their businesses, how they were scaling, the marketing tools that they use, and it was just su- such a great thing for me to witness because while I know a lot, I don't know everything.

340
00:55:04.000 --> 00:55:11.980
So I think just having a different perspective on how people are building in the same industry, while the same creator economy, was very helpful for me.

341
00:55:12.240 --> 00:55:19.360
So I love it in that sense 'cause I feel like I'm constantly learning and able to evolve my business in the way that I need to because of it. That's amazing.

342
00:55:19.800 --> 00:55:30.460
I am curious, you being a part of all of these communities, very diverse communities, very diverse backgrounds, what is a piece of advice that has radically shifted the way you approach your business?

343
00:55:31.060 --> 00:55:42.580
And I'm also curious about a piece of actionable advice that you'd leave our audience too. Yeah. So this is an advi- a piece of advice that I got from my friend and fellow creator Gabby Beckford. We love her.

344
00:55:43.260 --> 00:55:55.240
Um, Gabby gave me permission, I think I wanna say earlier this year when I saw her, and she was like, "Jade, you need to crash out." And she was so right. [laughs] That's so real.

345
00:55:55.380 --> 00:56:12.732
[laughs] And it sounds so silly in theory, but I think because creative work is so personal and, you know, we're taught to, you know, "Just be professional, it's gonna be okay," and we're taught to just, like-Hold things and not hold like brands accountable.

346
00:56:12.742 --> 00:56:27.752
And I think Gabby really gave me this permission to crash out and remind me that anything that I ask for can and should be done, and if the brand doesn't wanna do it, then they are not the right partner for me [laughs]

347
00:56:27.792 --> 00:56:29.712
point blank, period.

348
00:56:29.812 --> 00:56:42.292
And I think as creators, because we're often the ones that aren't in the position of power, like we're looking to the brands to really like sign off on these like ideas that we have, and it's a very vulnerable process.

349
00:56:42.952 --> 00:56:49.072
Um, and not every brand is gonna be like excited to work with you, which is like a part of the work. I've always understood that.

350
00:56:49.172 --> 00:57:01.132
But I think, um, you know, because the industry is evolving so much, there's also a lot of nuance to like how to approach creators, and some brands genuinely do not know how to.

351
00:57:01.212 --> 00:57:12.652
So whether it's intentionally or not, they will play in your face. [laughs] And that advice has reminded me like, "Don't let these brands play in your face." So the crashing out, love that advice.

352
00:57:13.012 --> 00:57:21.752
I, I encourage more women especially to do it. Crash the fuck out. And then also, I think the advice that I give other creators is just post the content.

353
00:57:22.252 --> 00:57:34.092
I think a lot of creators, they get very much in their own way because they're like, "I have to have this like eight-part video series planned, and it has to be perfect, and I have to make sure all my graphics have the same text and font."

354
00:57:34.472 --> 00:57:45.012
No one cares. [laughs] But what they do care about is what you have to say, so just start. And then once you start, you can evolve over time. Like, literally nothing has to be perfect at first.

355
00:57:45.072 --> 00:57:55.692
Like, you can always change. A lot of things that I've implemented several years ago, I was like, "Wow." I look back and I'm like, "That was really ugly, Jade," but it got the job done [laughs] and it's okay.

356
00:57:56.212 --> 00:58:05.452
So just start. You don't have to wait until it's perfect. I agree. Just do it is the best piece of advice. Um- Mm-hmm... I think we'll wrap it up here. Jade, thank you for coming on. Is there anything you'd like to plug?

357
00:58:06.052 --> 00:58:12.492
Thank you for having me. I would just encourage people to follow me on LinkedIn, or as I like to call it, the briefcase app. You can follow me at Jade I.

358
00:58:12.512 --> 00:58:30.372
Powell, and then also subscribe to my newsletter at creatorttalk.com. Perfect. There we go. This was a great episode. Um, yeah. Mm-hmm. Listeners, we will see you next week. [outro music]