We recently connected with Christine Juhas and have shared our conversation below.

Christine , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Making videos as a content creator started as a way to make people laugh and also to utilize my creativity and turn all my ideas into actual finished products and content. That still is the #1 overall goal but about a month after my video went viral I did start to realize there were many avenues to make money as a content creator. There are brand deals, merch products, YouTube ad sense money, etc. I’ve worked with some major companies over the past three years including Dunkin, Airheads, Warner Brothers and more making content for their social media campaigns and promoting products/services. Not only can you make money by making videos themselves but also by licensing them out to these companies for them to use on their own social media pages.

Learning the business side of the content creator space has been a constant self-education in the entertainment industry. It’s a constant learning curve as the idea of making money off a social media presence is still a relatively new concept. At the same time the tools and practices used to do so are forever changing with new technology, new apps, and new capabilities.

At the beginning, for example, I was so confused about doing brand deals or sponsored ads. Suddenly I had companies reaching out with offers for work but I didn’t understand contract jargon or licensing rights. And I definitely didn’t know what to charge. Through multiple deals, doing research, asking friends, and of course a couple mistakes along the way, I just slowly learned how to do the business side of making content. It’s been equally stressful and rewarding but I am no where near done learning. Believe me, there’s been plenty of times after I’ve sent an email I’m just sitting at my desk thinking, “Am I even doing this right?”

I’ve essentially had to learn how to run my own business while building my brand at the same time – something I never saw myself doing a couple years ago. It’s a lot of responsibility but overall I enjoy being very hands-on and every successful project I work on is another experience under my belt.

Christine , 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’m a content creator and comedian born and raised in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. I have a bachelor’s degree in Radio/TV/Film production and I went to college to pursue a career as a TV writer for sitcoms and comedies. After college, I moved back to my hometown and started posting videos to TikTok. In high school and college I would always post funny videos and skits for friends to see on Snapchat but some co-workers of mine suggested I make them public so the world could see. In February of 2020 I had a video go viral overnight – a quick rant of me in my bathroom talking to myself about how I was going to take care of a cactus I had just bought. The video gained mored than 20 million views and within a week I gained over 1 million followers on TikTok. Ever since then, I’ve ran with the opportunity and my ideas and I’ve been posting my content daily. With finding more success, I’ve expanded my audience to other social media apps such as YouTube and Instagram under the name “Christines Snaps”. I now am able to make a living as a content creator. My type of content consists of funny videos, daily life commentary, skits, and funny bits.

I’m most proud of all the work I’ve put into the past (coming up on) three years of building this community and fan base. I am so thankful for the encouragement and constant interest in my videos from fans and followers. I wouldn’t be able to have a job like this without people giving me and my content a chance. My goal with every post is just to make people laugh and to find the humor in everyday situations.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect for me is really just making people laugh. If people consider “laughing” a hobby I consider it my BIGGEST hobby. I love being around people having a good time and it feels amazing when you are part of what is putting a smile on their face. Seeing comments and meeting people in person who watch my videos and are excited to meet me blows my mind every time. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that millions of people across the world are watching my stuff. It is an incredibly rewarding opportunity that not many people get.

I also find it very rewarding by just putting my face and body on the internet constantly and having a following I represent people who look like me. I’m a person, I have flaws, and that’s okay.

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

I definitely got lucky with my big break on social media when my viral video kickstarted my career.. But I’ve been able to grow my audience 5 times what it initially was in the past couple years with creativity, consistency, and staying true to my brand. I think the best mindset to have when trying to build a social media presence around yourself or your life is that you should know who you are off camera. When I started my current career I was 24. I like to think at that age I had discovered the roots of who I was at a person – my morals, my feelings about certain topics, and what I thought were the best social media practices. Once you know how you want to present yourself in real life you can do a better job of creating an online presence. I also think being consistent with your content is major. Social media algorithms love when you pump out content daily but also showing your audience that you are coming up with ideas and putting in the effort shows them that they should keep checking back for more. You are building trust.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://christinessnaps.weebly.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christines_snapss/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinesSnaps
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christines_snaps