We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Caiti Mackenzie a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Caiti, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today 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 is moving out of my hometown alone to Hawaii. Post graduating high school, I knew I was looking for something new and exciting & it wasn’t college for me. This resulted in packing up my bags and moving away from everything I had ever known and loved in Georgia, and setting sail to a new life. I moved to Oahu without knowing anyone and without having ever stepped foot on the island. It was exactly what I needed at the time, a fresh start. After 4 months of living on island I decided I got what I came for and headed on my next journey. Moving to Florida was next on the to-do list because clearly, exploration is something that I need out of life!
Caiti, 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?
My name is Caiti Mackenzie and I am a Lifestyle Social Media influencer. I got started posting YouTube videos 12 years ago, filming arts & crafts on an iPod touch and posting for no one to watch. I had always loved the camera and needed someone to talk to, and video was always there for me. Over the next few years, My channel began to grow, and as I got older, more people became interested in going through life with me. Whether it was high school outfit videos, workouts with me, or moving content I was always recording and walking through life with my viewers. Now I live in Florida and document my sunny life living at the beach, reading, working out & spending time with the people I love most. I love that all my viewers have stuck around and grown with me across all platforms watching my life unfold together.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Growing a following for me has been about consistency and authenticity. People have to see your face continuously, to recognize you and want to stick around. Authenticity comes when you truly love what you do, so I have been blessed to be successful in that category. Nobody wants to watch a fake influencer put up a front in their videos, so for me, what you see is what you get! Laundry on the floor and chipped nails are real life, & my followers appreciate that from me.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When my YouTube channel started taking off in high school, I faced a lot of bullying and harassment from fellow classmates and peers. They assumed because I had followers that I was rude or entitled, and I got treated very poorly by numerous students. Food thrown at me, hurtful comments thrown around, and hateful notes left in my bookbag were only the beginning. I went from feeling so seen and heard online, to being a shadow of a person in school, which meant I had a big decision to make. Continue to do what I love despite the harassment, or quit, and give up on the one thing that was bringing me joy. And as tough as a decision as it was, I chose the latter, because clearly I am sitting here writing this interview. In hindsight, the bullying I received was simply immature teenagers who felt the need to tear me down and were not at all worth giving up my dreams. I thank God every day for allowing me to see the light at the end of the tunnel & for not letting me give up on my passions.
Contact information:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Caiti_Mackenzie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caiti_mackenzie/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiti_mackenzie?lang=en
