Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Bailey Haines. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Bailey, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

The biggest risk I have taken was in January 2022 when I quit my 9-5 position as an Organizing Specialist to pursue content creation full-time. I have always had a job, whether that was as a Day Camp Counselor during the summer when I was in high school to working multiple jobs in college to get by. But one day I came to the realization that life is too short to not do something that brings you joy. I didn’t really have a plan – I knew what I wanted to do so I started working towards it. I have always had a passion for making content. I grew up making videos with my sister at our aunt and uncle’s cabin, I created a YouTube channel where I would make music videos by myself or with friends, and in high school I made a joint YouTube channel with my best friend, Meagan. In college, I wanted to start filming videos again but thought that my life wasn’t interesting enough to post, so I stopped after making a few videos. It’s safe to say I have always loved documenting parts of my life and being in front of the camera. After pushing myself, I started creating. I made countless TikToks, Reels, and took photos – of EVERYTHING. I was tagging brands that I have always loved and started to get recognized by some. I was emailing brands every day asking if they wanted to work together and eventually, the collaborations started to come in. If you were to tell my 12 year old self that I would one day be working with Conair, there is no way she would believe you. I have had so many opportunities this past year and I know it is only just the beginning. Even though I am nowhere near where I want to be, I am so proud of myself for putting myself first and following my dreams.

Bailey, 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?

I am a 26-year old content creator living in Seattle, WA who runs on coffee and country music (with some Harry Styles in the mix, of course). I have always loved creating content, so I just picked up my phone and started creating. I made sure to post videos using trending audio, connected with others in the same industry, and reached out to brands that fit my niche. However, it is not always smooth sailing. A few weeks ago my Instagram was randomly disabled and I couldn’t get it back, so that meant I had to start all over. Of course I was bummed and I might have shedded a tear or two because it felt like all of my hard work was just gone, but I took it as a sign of starting fresh because I have a feeling a lot is going to change for me this year. If I can handle starting all over on Instagram, I can handle potentially moving to a new state, right? Moving is one of my big goals this year that I wish to accomplish sooner rather than later. I currently work for a start-up marketing agency part-time, but I have been interviewing for social media jobs since January. The dream is to work full-time for a well-known brand creating content for them, still work part-time with the marketing agency, and do content creation in my spare time. But, that could all change. In the meantime I have been gaining clients on UpWork and I also create UGC for brands. I think if I was more disciplined with doing that, I could be really successful. As long as I am creating content, I will be happy wherever that will take me.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is being able to make connections with my audience. When you make relatable content, individuals who might be in the same boat are more than likely to engage and even follow you. No, that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to post a video of you crying on TikTok (although, I have done that before). I mean it’s okay to show the non-glamourous parts of your life because in reality, we all have those moments no matter who we are. At the end of the day, we are all human and I think it’s important to show that.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients for me so far has been UpWork. But, my advice is to just put yourself out there as much as possible because the worst anyone can say to you is no. Email those brands, message those CEOs, and never give up. I recently reached out to a business asking if they were hiring and the owner emailed me back saying she needed help managing her Instagram and doing some admin work. Bottom line, if you really want something, you will stop at nothing to get there.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://baileelizabethh.my.canva.site/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsbaileyehaines/
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsbaileyehaines