We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alicia Rounds. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alicia below.

Alright, Alicia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

The process of going from idea to execution, for me, was getting over the fear of starting and getting over the fear of what other people would think, trying to be perfect, and comparing myself to others. I got the idea to become a social media influencer in 2013 just from watching YouTube videos of other beauty influencers. I had no idea how passionate I was about content creation until I seen it. I remember saying “God, I want to do this. I want to be an influencer”. For 3 years I carried around a notebook with tons of video ideas I wanted to record and would practice in the mirror lol. I did not actually begin creating content until 2016. I did that for about a year. Despite the positive feedback I received from others, I still was not confident with my work. It was a constant mental battle. I decided to take a year off to get my mindset together and get into a quiet place with God to see if this is what He wanted for me and not just something I wanted for myself. I struggled with growing my following, the views, everything. It was discouraging at times, but the idea just would not leave my heart. To get started again I knew I had to develop a plan of being consistent and confident. I had to figure out a niche based off of what my audience liked. Decide the best days and times to upload. I did tons of research, took some free online courses, and followed trends. I invested lots of time and money only in the end to realize I just needed to be myself. So I began creating again in 2018 and haven’t stopped since. From 2018 until now I have grown tremendously. Not just in numbers but mentally and spiritually as well. I help people on and offline. I create Christian based content on TikTok, hair and makeup on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube, work a 9-5 job, and I’m a mother of a 2 year old boy. I am also currently working on starting a nonprofit within the next year. Overall, I had to learn quality over quantity. It did not matter if I had 100 followers or 1,000 I was still reaching people. I never knew I would become so deeply passionate and moved on how my voice and content would be so powerful and impactful, or how my skills with hair and makeup could be so influential until I saw what others seen in me and most importantly what God saw in me and understood His plans for my life.

Alicia , 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 am from a small town in Arkansas called Dumas. I got into content creation in 2013 when I realized I had a passion for it. I had no idea I could do makeup until I started. That sparked my interest. People love my ability to be creative and try different colors with makeup. I mostly provide online tutorials on my social media accounts but I do connect with my followers via text, direct messages, and in person. They often ask me about what makeup products they should try, some beginner friendly products they can purchase to get started themselves, and where to purchase products. I think what sets me apart from others is actually taking the time out to connect with the people who follow me. To get to know them and find out how to meet their needs because what I’m doing is not just for me. It is to help them. Sharing my personal experiences and how I have overcome them helps as well. I believe we go through things to help other people. Me not being afraid to be open, honest, and vulnerable creates lasting relationships and keeps them coming back. The main thing I want my potential followers to know is it is okay to be your true, authentic self. It is what sets you apart from the rest. Be true to yourself and to your craft and the rest will find you. Also as mentioned earlier, I am planning to start a nonprofit that is centered around the youth. I plan to incorporate fashion, beauty, mental health, and other things with my business. I want to have a positive impact on the world and what better way to start with the next generation. I am also working towards creating a faith based brand as well. I am most proud of how I impact people. For people to tell me they see how God is working through me to reach other people is the most amazing thing ever. Someone commented on a TikTok video I made and she said she found my page at her lowest moment and it changed her life. This is bigger than me. It still amazes me that this all started with makeup.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I think the most awarding aspect of being a creative is knowing how I have helped someone or how I have made someone day better. I always say my main goal is to give back and that is what I plan to do with my nonprofit. I love being a resource and I genuinely love helping people.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Building your audience may be hard for some and easy for others. For me, it was hard. It was one of my biggest struggles, especially on Instagram. Being transparent, it’s still hard. Over 50% of my following are males and they cannot relate to the content I was put out. My audience reach on Instagram was over 50% women and my insights were over 400k. Building your audience takes time and lots of patience. I highly recommend using hashtags on everything, and most importantly developing a relationship with your audience. Figure out what they need and how to provide resources for them. Posting high quality content is so important and if you can invest in the equipment, buy it. It helps.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/aliciasharel
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliciasharel/
• Facebook: Alicia Sharel
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjIbqlhnz1HCA6DQw0Uop5Q

Image Credits
I own all images.