We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christina Ledezma a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Christina, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

One word: consistency. The social media world is a rollercoaster of highs and lows. It’s a lot more difficult than people think it is. People want to get into social media now more than ever, which is a blessing and a curse. It’s great because there’s more representation, but it’s challenging because you are competing with more creators to “make it.” I’ve experienced my fair share of lows to the point where I was gonna give up my career altogether. I remember one moment, I was getting thousands of likes and followers, and then the algorithm changed. After that, I was struggling to get likes, and I was losing followers like crazy. I took it very personally, and it even made me depressed. But if I can give any advice on how to be successful, it’s to keep pushing forward and keep being consistent. Never stop posting because you’ll never know who will see your content. I am so thankful I never gave up because I’ve accomplished so much. So don’t stop! Keep pushing, especially through the hard times, and I promise that you will see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Christina, 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?

Well, for those of you who don’t know me, I am a digital creator based in Los Angeles, California. My main focus is on beauty, but I’ve slowly started to tap into the lifestyle and food niche. I got into social media at the end of 2020 (my four-year anniversary of becoming a creator is coming up), and I simply did it because I was super bored. The pandemic played a huge role in my career because I was stuck at home doing online classes. Before that, I had a lot of people telling me to get into social media, but at the time, I was super busy. I was a full-time student, worked on campus part-time, and was a part of student government, the student communication association and I was in a sorority (and I had a leadership role in each org). Also, I just wanted to enjoy my college years and just go out with friends. But of course, when COVID hit, my life did a huge 180, so I figured what better time to do it than during quarantine. Many people don’t know this, but I wasn’t planning on continuing social media. I was only going to do it until things started to open up again, and I was able to go out and live a normal life. I loved social media so much that I decided to pursue it full-time. Now, four years later, here I am doing this interview and pursuing what I love. It’s a very full-circle moment, and I am so proud to see how far I’ve come.

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

I think the most rewarding part is the engagement and the reach my content gets. As a creator, I put so much time, effort, and love into my craft. So, when I see others enjoy the content I put out, it means so much to me. Especially when it’s a brand that engages in my content because it can be pretty difficult to catch the attention of big companies, it’s a sign saying I did something right. It’s the same way when a beauty brand reaches out to me about a paid partnership. I think to myself, “Wow, this brand enjoys my content to the point they want to pay me.” it’s something very special. That part will always be my favorite thing about being a creator: getting paid to do what I love.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Growing your audience is the trickiest thing about social media and is still something I struggle with. But the best way to build your audience is to put out content for the type of people you want to attract. For example, I wanted my audience to be primarily beauty lovers who are either Gen Z or Millennials. So, I tailored my content to attract that and tried to figure out how to connect with new people. Another helpful tip that I recommend is following other creators who are on a similar level as you and who are in the same niche. As a micro beauty influencer, I follow other micro creators and show them support, too! Everyone pursuing social media has one goal, and that is building their audience, so what better way than to support and connect with those within your community? Also, bonus tip: engage in their content, too, because chances are they are more willing to show support back since you did it, too. But with that being said, be meaningful in your engagement. Don’t comment or like someone’s post because you want something in return. Be genuine and show love regardless of if you get the same in return. If you like how someone did their makeup, then let them know! Always be nice & remember, we are all trying to grow.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/my_life_as_christy/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@my_life_as_christy