We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Abigail Jarrell a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Abigail, appreciate you joining us today. Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?
I manage myself on all platforms. That being said, i recgocnize the benefits of representation as a lot of my friends and people I know in the industry are managed professionally. I’ve shopped around, taken meetings and definitely entertained the idea which could still be a very real possibility in the future for me. There are pros and cons to having a team versus being independent. The combined efforts and resources of multiple people could mean more exposure-Pro. This could also divide profits and result in a loss of complete creative control over your page/image- Con. I’ve turned down big brand deals and opportunities because they didn’t align with my vision and I didn’t want my likeness attached. If I had to consult with someone first, a social media manager may have viewed this as a poor business move because of the exposure I would have recieved had I accepted it. I don’t currently feel overwhelmed by my workload so I’m comfortable for now but again, this is subject to change if I came in contact with a team I truly fell in love with.
Abigail, 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?
Social media sort of fell into my lap by accident. I started getting really into health and fitness when I was about 19 years old after experiencing some personal struggles in my life. I started posting more photos in bathing suits and artistic-styled shots as I was becoming truly comfortable in my body for the first time in my life. A local swimwear brand approached me to model and create content for them and things snowballed from there. Other swimwear brands wanted to work with me, and I was traveling all over the state to pose for designers. That same year I shot my first swimwear calendar and traveled to my first Miami Swim Week representing that brand as a buyer. I was absolutely blown away, and had found my niche. Outside of just wearing and posting the products, I threw myself into understanding the marketing techniques and what goes on behind the scenes to catch people’s attention. I studied trends and catalogs and was held accountable for every piece I chose and its performance on the website and in the store. Being born and raised in FL, swimwear is often viewed as a saturated market. But understanding how to cater to the buyer is everything in sales. I’d argue my genuine passion for whatever product I’m advertising is what sets me apart from other influencers. I won’t wear or recommend anyone to buy something I wouldn’t feel good about myself in. I typically gravitate towards swimwear, activewear, and more recently skincare. It’s more important for me to believe what I’m selling than make a quick buck, More than anything I’d say I’m most proud of this. Even on a small scale as a micro-influencer, I’ve aimed to maintain integrity.
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
If you had told me 5 years ago that I’d be doing social media full-time now, I’m not sure I would have believed you. I was still in school and interviewing for corporate jobs around this time last year, which is the direction I’d always assumed my life would be headed. Modeling was always a strong side hustle, but not enough to fully support myself, especially through the winter months. I was fortunate enough to be doing an ad here and there and receiving complimentary PR products but I still wasn’t able to justify that alone as a career. I shifted my focus into building repour with brands who wanted long-term relationships with a few influencers at a time as opposed to one-off ads. Having multiple of these at a time on retainers was how I made the switch. My regular work with a lingerie company is what attracted major names like Playboy to want to work with me. Long story short, I’d say becoming a Playboy Centerfold was one of my biggest milestones to date. It elevated my exposure level and the amount of income I bring in exponentially. But there was a domino effect of other milestones prior to that happening that steered me in that direction. Everything happens for a reason!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LIKE YOU AND THAT IS OKAY. This was hard to learn in real life as well as social media. You have nothing to lose when reaching out to brands, no matter how big they are or how ridiculous it might feel. you never know what a brand is seeking. Sometimes they actually prefer micro-influencers! The number of campaigns I didn’t get, shows I wanted and didn’t walk in, brand deals that went in a different direction..the list goes on. Don’t take it personally and continue to work hard. What’s meant for you will find you, one way or another.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.playboy.com/abigail.jarrell
- Instagram: @abbbyylee