We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brianna Fornes. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brianna below.
Brianna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?
I manage all my social media platforms myself and have been doing so for over five years. As a freelancer, I’ve learned and grown significantly, which has taught me the importance of having systems in place to manage everything efficiently. One of the biggest game-changers for me has been the Airtable spreadsheet I created with my boyfriend. It serves as my Creator Studio, allowing me to track analytics, map out strategies, and run my business seamlessly as a content creator.
The results have been fantastic—being able to monitor my social media performance in real-time helps me identify what’s working and adapt quickly. This approach has enabled me to double down on strategies that drive growth and manage multiple platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn. By staying organized, I’ve been able to build a strong personal brand that consistently attracts new opportunities, whether through UGC collaborations, influencer brand deals, or affiliate marketing.
For other business owners considering how to approach managing social media, my advice is to invest time in setting up systems that keep you organized and save time. Whether you’re tracking content folders, hashtags, or captions, having a centralized system helps streamline your workflow. Growth comes from analyzing your efforts, making necessary adjustments, and staying consistent—and with the right tools, it becomes much easier to accomplish more in less time.
Brianna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m Brianna Fornes, a UGC creator, social media influencer, and creative strategist. My journey into this industry began in 2018 when I started building my personal brand across platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn. Over the years, I’ve cultivated a strong online presence and community by consistently producing engaging content that resonates with a diverse audience. This passion for creating and connecting naturally transitioned into a career where I now work with brands to produce high-quality content and impactful marketing strategies.
In my role as a freelancer, I’ve collaborated with over 150 direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands across lifestyle, wellness, beauty, fashion, and SaaS niches. I manage end-to-end content production, from ideation to scripting, filming, editing, and optimizing, ensuring that each piece aligns with the brand’s message and engages its target audience. I also perform in-depth research and competitor analysis to refine strategies, helping brands improve performance through organic content, ads, and affiliate campaigns.
What truly drives me is my love for building community and fostering connections. I thrive on creating meaningful relationships with both audiences and brands, using my work to inspire, educate, and bring people together. Networking and collaboration are at the heart of what I do, and I take pride in being a go-getter who’s always looking for ways to grow, innovate, and take on new challenges.
What I’m most proud of is the ability to combine creativity with strategy to deliver measurable results for brands while inspiring other creators to grow and scale their businesses. My work isn’t just about creating content—it’s about building systems, fostering connections, and staying at the forefront of an ever-evolving industry.
For potential clients, followers, or collaborators, I want them to know that my mission is to deliver authentic, high-quality work that drives real results. Whether it’s through UGC content, influencer campaigns, or innovative strategies, I strive to make an impact that’s both meaningful and measurable.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
My journey into building an audience on social media started right after I graduated high school. I had always loved the idea of being a YouTube vlogger, so I began with vacation vlogs during the summer and later transitioned to documenting my college life over four years. My content focused on productive vlogs, lifestyle routines, and niche topics like fashion, beauty, and wellness. During this time, my passion for content creation grew, and I decided to explore TikTok as well. I wanted to see if my love for creating could turn into something bigger, and that decision changed everything.
As I continued, I took three platforms seriously—YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok—setting big goals to work with brands and monetize my content. When the pandemic hit, I dedicated time to learning, researching, and applying everything I could to improve my craft, all while maintaining my studies as a full-time student. After graduating, I embarked on my UGC (user-generated content) journey. I built a portfolio, created UGC-dedicated Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, and started networking with brands. Within a few months, I attracted enough opportunities to leave my restaurant job and pursue content creation full-time.
My advice for anyone starting their social media journey is simple: never give up. My growth wasn’t overnight—it’s been over five years of consistent effort, learning, and adapting. Today, I’m proud of the progress I’ve made, from the brands I’ve worked with to my income and social media growth. However, I’ll be the first to admit that it’s not always easy. Social media is a rollercoaster, full of highs and lows—imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and bad days are part of the process. But through it all, I’ve never wanted to get off the ride.
If you’re serious about building a presence, treat it like the business you want it to become. Set goals, stay consistent, and be willing to put in the work. Remember, dreams don’t work unless you do. Social media has changed my life in the best way possible, and while it takes dedication and perseverance, the journey is absolutely worth it. Enjoy the ride!
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
Yes, my side hustle has absolutely turned into my full-time career, and it’s been an incredible journey to get to where I am today. I started creating content during my college years, and what began as a passion for YouTube vlogs expanded into managing multiple platforms—TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube—and collaborating with brands through UGC and influencer deals. While I had already transitioned to full-time content creation, I’ve always prioritized finding new ways to diversify my income. In 2024, I added TikTok Shop to my revenue streams, which became one of my most successful ventures yet.
I began focusing on TikTok Shop in August, and by the end of Q4, it became the highest-paying quarter of my career. November was a standout month with $121K GMV generated on TikTok Shop alone and over 4.1 million product views. This success came from my dedication to learning, analyzing trends, and doubling down on strategies that converted well. Several viral videos from September and October continue to generate commissions even now, proving the long-term impact of a focused content strategy.
Some of the key milestones in my journey include transitioning from a part-time creator during college to a full-time content creator after graduation, building a UGC portfolio to attract brand partnerships, and scaling TikTok Shop into a significant income stream. These achievements were only possible through persistence, adaptability, and consistently treating content creation like a business.
Looking ahead to 2025, I’m excited about continuing this growth and exploring new opportunities to further scale my business. For anyone looking to turn their side hustle into a career, my advice is to stay committed, focus on learning and adapting, and always look for ways to expand and diversify. Success doesn’t happen overnight, but with dedication and strategy, you can achieve results that far exceed your initial expectations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://briannafornes.com/home/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannafornes_/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannafornes/
- Twitter: https://x.com/BriannaFornes
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BriannaFornes
- Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@briannafornes_
airtable interest form for my upcoming digital product (airtable spreadsheet template): https://airtable.com/appkNKkW9pH9XFyAt/pagjsKrg9jBuZQUuJ/form
