460. Thrifting, TikTok, and the Truth About Influencer Life with Amber Smith
Oct 2, 2023
auto_awesome
Amber Smith, a digital creator known for her viral TikToks about thrifting, talks about the challenges and misconceptions of being an influencer. They discuss the financial potential of thrifting, negotiating deals, and handling negative comments. They also reflect on their motivation as an influencer and transitioning industries with changing life stages.
Becoming a social influencer requires consistent effort, adaptability, and careful consideration of personal and financial goals.
Thrifting and reselling can provide additional income and financial benefits, but having a traditional nine-to-five job can provide stability and security.
Going viral can attract media attention and open doors for opportunities, but the impact of fame and recognition can also affect personal relationships.
Deep dives
Becoming a Social Influencer: Viable or Not?
Becoming a social influencer has become a viable profession for many people over the last decade. The rise of influencers has led to an increasing number of content creators hoping to become the next viral sensation. However, the question remains whether this is a viable way to make a living and achieve financial independence. Amber Smith, a successful digital creator and influencer, shares her journey into the world of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. She started with a passion for thrifting, sharing her finds and reselling them to make extra money. As her following grew, she began to explore other content beyond thrifting and found viral success in her dating stories. Despite her success, Amber is still hesitant to leave her nine-to-five job in tech and fully commit to being an influencer. She values the stability and financial security provided by her job while enjoying the additional income and opportunities that come with influencing. Amber acknowledges the challenges and pressures of being an influencer, including handling negative comments and the constant need to create engaging content. She also highlights the importance of finding a balance between marketing and maintaining authenticity. Although she may consider pursuing full-time influencing in the future, she wants to ensure she has multiple streams of income to support her lifestyle and financial goals. Overall, becoming a social influencer is a viable option, but it requires consistent effort, adaptability, and careful consideration of personal and financial goals.
The Journey to Becoming an Influencer
Amber Smith initially started sharing her thrift finds and reselling journey on Instagram as a way to connect with like-minded people in the thrifting community. As she expanded her content to include other aspects of her life, such as dating experiences, her following and engagement grew. Amber talks about the financial benefits of thrifting and reselling, which provided additional income during periods of unemployment. She also discusses the consideration of pursuing influencing as a full-time job and the advantages of having a traditional nine-to-five job to ensure stability and financial security. While she acknowledges the appeal of potentially making more money as a full-time influencer, she values the freedom to enjoy her side business without financial pressure.
The Ups and Downs of Going Viral
Amber shares her experience of going viral for her dating content, specifically a video about going on a date at Target. While she didn't make money directly from the viral video, it attracted media attention and opened doors for interviews and appearances. She also discusses the unpredictability of virality and the difference between content that goes viral and content that may not experience the same level of engagement. Amber mentions the impact of going viral on her follower count and how it helped her gain recognition beyond the thrift community. Additionally, she explores the effects of gaining fame and recognition, particularly in relation to dating and personal relationships.
Navigating the Influencer Industry
Amber shares insights into the influencer industry and the various ways influencers can monetize their platforms. She highlights the importance of establishing relationships with brands and being selective about the partnerships she accepts to maintain authenticity with her audience. Amber discusses the lack of transparency regarding influencer rates and the challenges of determining fair compensation. She mentions the potential benefits and drawbacks of working with agencies and the need for careful consideration before entering such agreements. Despite the uncertainties and imposter syndrome that come with being an influencer, Amber remains focused on building her presence on social media platforms while continuing to evaluate the viability of pursuing influencing as a full-time profession.
Considering Financial Independence as a Social Influencer
Amber explores the connection between being a social influencer and achieving financial independence. She discusses the income potential of being an influencer and how multiple streams of income, such as branded campaigns, views, and affiliate marketing, contribute to financial stability. While she sees the appeal of transitioning to full-time influencing, Amber is cautious about relying solely on that income source and emphasizes the importance of having other sources of income to provide security and support financial goals. She recognizes the need for balance and strategic planning to navigate the changing landscape of the influencer industry.
In this episode, we sit down with Amber Smith, a digital creator who's made waves on TikTok with her viral videos about dating, lifestyle, and thrifting. Amber shares her dream of one day leaving her regular 9-to-5 job to becoming a full-fledged influencer, discussing the challenges and misconceptions along the way. We delve into the realities of life as an influencer, exploring whether it's a viable career option and how to make it work.
