We were lucky to catch up with Mei Tham recently and have shared our conversation below.
Mei, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
When I was a freshman in high school, I decided to take a risk that felt far bigger than it looked from the outside: I started posting content online. At the time, I was fascinated by makeup and skincare, and I saw posting about my fascination as a chance to share something fun and personal in my own voice. It may sound silly that posting hauls and products reviews could ever be “risky”. But at 14, I was well aware of high school’s unspoken rule: don’t stand out too much, and don’t give people a reason to talk. And content creation was basically handing everyone a reason. I was making the choice to stand out.
I remember filming my first video with my phone propped on a stack of books and the window as my only source of light. It wasn’t polished or perfect. But it was freeing to use my voice in a way I wholeheartedly enjoyed. The harder part came after editing, staring at the “post” button for what felt like an hour, replaying the worst-case scenarios in my head: people laughing at me in the hallways, getting texts with screenshots of my video, or being written off as “trying too hard.”
And some of those fears came true. Many times, I heard side comments sharp enough to sting but never blunt enough to call out. People mimicked my videos in the hallways, their laughter echoing long after I’d walked away. More than once, I found myself sitting in the stairwell with tears, wishing I could take it all back. It was uncomfortable and slightly embarrassing, but it also taught me something about judgment. The people who mocked me for putting myself out there weren’t really the people I wanted to be surrounded by in the first place. If creating and sharing made me “cringe” to them, then maybe that wasn’t the circle I needed to fit into.
Once I let that sink in, the risk started to feel more like freedom. I leaned into it. I kept posting, experimenting, and slowly finding people who cared more about creativity than conformity. That first leap gave me the confidence to keep taking bigger ones. I now mentor girls through my nonprofit, Confidence Through Creation, helping them launch their own passion projects. Alongside that, I’ve collaborated on video campaigns with companies like Uber, Windsor, and Sephora brands, and shared my story on platforms I never imagined a freshman with a phone camera could one day reach—including the New York Post.
Looking back now, pressing upload as a nervous freshman wasn’t just about making content. It was about learning to draw the line between voices that try to shrink you and voices that push you forward. And that lesson, more than anything, has shaped the way I move through high school and the kind of community I’m building around me. It has also fueled my drive to create spaces where others feel safe enough to put themselves out there too. Although high school is a space where people are the most judgmental, I want to share how what started as a shaky act of self-expression has made me committed to helping others take risks of their own and embrace the confidence and community where creativity is louder than judgment.
Mei, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
About Me & How I Started
I first stepped into the digital space as a 14-year-old with a phone camera and a fascination for beauty. What began as small makeup hauls and skincare reviews was my way of expressing myself at a time when standing out in high school felt risky. Those first videos weren’t perfect, but they taught me how powerful it can be to use your voice even when people doubt you. Over time, that risk transformed into a platform, and eventually into a personal brand rooted in confidence, creativity, and community.
My Work & What I Provide
Today, I run Confidence Through Creation, a nonprofit dedicated to mentoring girls and helping them launch their own passion projects. Through one-on-one support, I guide students in turning ideas into real initiatives, whether that’s a blog, a fundraiser, or a tech project. By sharing my own messy journey, I’m able to connect with girls who were unsure about their ideas and projects, helping them take that first step anyway. Since launching, we have built a community with over 40,000 impressions, mentored 57 girls across 7 countries, and helped bring more than 20 projects to life. Some girls have published articles Ron gender equity awareness on TNS News, started initiatives impacting immigrant and minority communities, or started school clubs to explore their niche passions.
Beyond my nonprofit work, I’ve also built a creative space on TikTok and YouTube where I share pieces of my world and connect with others through storytelling. What started as simple videos grew into collaborations with over 20 global brands—including Uber, Windsor, Sol de Janeiro, and Medicube—with my work being featured in major outlets like The New York Post. But what means the most to me is knowing that my voice, once something I hesitated to share, is now part of campaigns and communities that reach people worldwide.
I take a lot of pride in being a student leader because it allows me to live out the same values that shaped my journey online—building confidence, community, and opportunities for others. As a state officer for the Georgia Association of Student Councils, I’ve hosted statewide leadership conferences at the University of Georgia with 400+ attendees and led a year-long mental health campaign in over 100 schools. I’ve carried that same commitment to empowerment into technology, running hackathons at Georgia Tech where 120+ students transformed ideas into projects. Beyond events, I dedicate my creative skills to advancing equity in male-dominated fields by volunteering with organizations like Girl Up and Women in Technology, where I publish articles and podcasts to amplify conversations that inspire change. In every space—whether student leadership, tech, or advocacy—my focus remains the same: creating environments where people, especially girls, feel confident enough to use their voices and bold enough to lead.
The Problems I Solve
At its core, everything I do is about helping people step into confidence and create something meaningful. That has taken different forms. Whether it’s in a classroom, online, or on a bigger stage, my focus is always the same: turning moments of hesitation into opportunities for expression, leadership, and impact. For me, it’s not just about the projects themselves—it’s about showing that with the right support, anyone can take risks, use their voice, and create change that lasts.
What Sets Me Apart
What sets me apart is that I started young and stayed real. I know firsthand what it’s like to be on the other side of doubt, criticism, and “you can’t do that at your age.” Instead of hiding from that, I turned it into fuel. Every campaign I take on and every girl I mentor carries that same energy: proving that age, background, or fear of judgment should never be barriers to impact.
What I’m Most Proud Of
I’m most proud of seeing the ripple effect of my work—watching the girls I mentor launch projects that inspire their communities, and knowing that something I created gave them the push to start. I’m also proud of building partnerships with companies that once felt out of reach, showing that even a teenager’s voice can hold weight in big spaces. Beyond that, I’m proud of the moments that don’t make headlines: the late-night planning sessions, the quiet encouragements that spark someone else’s confidence, and the communities I’ve helped bring together where creativity outweighs judgment. What fulfills me most is not just what I’ve built for myself, but what I’ve helped others believe they can build for themselves—and seeing that impact multiply far beyond what I imagined when I first pressed “upload.”
What I Want People to Know
At the core, my mission is about confidence through creativity. I want people to know that my work is not just about beauty or content—it’s about helping others see the value in their voice, their ideas, and their ability to make an impact. Whether you’re a follower, a collaborator, or someone just discovering my work, my goal is simple: to create spaces where creativity is louder than judgment, and where people feel safe to take risks of their own.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
My very first video was called “Popular Products That I Think Are Worth Your Money.” It was rapid-fire, blunt, and straight to the point. I didn’t expect much, but it ended up hitting 1.9 million views and was even commented on by Patrick Starr, the founder of ONE/SIZE Beauty. From this, I took away one thing: people connected with honesty.
From there, my content continued on the same trend. The same blunt, quick-fire reviews that drew people in began to spark more and more engagement. I realized then that social media isn’t about trying to sound like everyone else—it’s about finding the voice that only you can bring. But it’s also not about being so “unique” that you can’t relate to anyone. You have to find a balance: a niche that feels authentic to you but is still wide enough to invite others in.
What I learned quickly after hitting a period of “shadow ban” is that consistency mattered more than motivation. Motivation comes and goes, but grit—showing up on the days you don’t feel like posting—is what keeps momentum alive. That’s why your niche has to be something you genuinely enjoy. If you don’t care about it, you’ll burn out the second motivation fades.
I also realized that building a personal brand starts with showcasing you. Not just the polished content, but the things you like, the way you talk, the quirks that make you different. People don’t want a highlight reel—they want to feel like they’re hearing from a real person. And that’s where engagement comes in. There’s a huge difference between passively filming a video and actively speaking and connecting with your audience.
Looking back, what started as a single blunt beauty video grew into a platform because I leaned into honesty, stayed consistent, and treated my audience like a community instead of viewers. That’s the advice I’d give to anyone just starting out: don’t wait for motivation, don’t try to copy someone else’s path, and don’t forget that the most powerful thing you can share is you.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I started high school at a STEM magnet school, carrying the mindset that paths had to be narrow and specialized. If you were interested in computer science, you stayed in tech. If you wanted to be taken seriously, you focused on coding, competitions, or research. The idea was that straying into areas like marketing, design, or creative expression meant you weren’t “serious enough.”
Through creating content, building my nonprofit, and exploring beyond pure tech, I realized the truth: other people’s paths are not mine. I don’t need to shrink into a single box to belong. My confidence hasn’t come from staying on the straight STEM track but comes from weaving together technology, storytelling, and community-building into something uniquely my own. What I once dismissed as “distractions” turned out to be the very things that make my work feel most authentic, because coding, creating, and connecting with people are the foundation of who I am.
I had to unlearn the belief that success meant choosing a single lane. My path is not about fitting into someone else’s definition of “serious” or “successful”—it’s about making space for all the parts of me, even when they don’t traditionally go together. And in that mix—of tech, marketing, and creativity—I’ve found not just my confidence, but the voice I want to share with others.
Contact Info:
- Website: confidencethroughcreation.org
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meiyingtham/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@meicji
- Other: TIkTok (main social media): https://www.tiktok.com/@meitham
New York Post article: https://nypost.com/2024/01/09/lifestyle/silent-reviews-are-all-the-rage-tiktok-users-call-it-the-new-get-ready-with-me-trend/
Girl Up USA article: https://girlup.org/voices/celebrating-ordinary-women
Image Credits
Meagan Skerchock, Aneesh Chintala, Briana Cordescu