We were lucky to catch up with Courtney Quickstad recently and have shared our conversation below.

Courtney, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

Creating content and starting my own Instagram page has been something I have been toying with for years. It wasn’t until this year that I decided to take the plunge, rebrand my IG, and go full force into content creating. My one regret is definitely not starting sooner. I often wonder why I didn’t just take the risk and start doing this years ago?

I think the market can get very oversaturated, so that’s where my regret sets in. Creating content takes lots of time, patience, and tons of practice. So the sooner you start, the better ;) Who knows where my content creating journey may have been at this point in time had I just started sooner! I am learning to get out of my own way and do things for myself rather than worry about what others might think.

All in all, everything happens for a reason and I try not to live with too much regret, but you can’t help but wonder!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a Midwest mom of two, in my early thirties, and I create content on the side for fun! I work directly with various brands as well as utilize third party websites to pitch content ideas to companies and try to match with them for different campaigns/projects. My passions involve DIY, home projects, home design, lifestyle, parenting, and fashion. Those may seem like a bunch of broad topics, but they really spill over into each category seamlessly. Taking great pride in your home aesthetic as well as your own personal style really goes hand in hand, and that’s where I think I’m most talented!

To explain content creating… a brand sends me their product(s) to try out, I create content for them – either photos, videos and/or Reels – then they use that content for marketing purposes on their website and social media platforms. Sometimes brands also offer payment along with the free product, or credit for other products on their website.

The best part of this work for me is the creative aspect! I have always been a creative person, as well as very tech savvy. I thrive on coming up with new concepts and presenting them in fun and innovative ways.

I hope my social media and content inspires other busy moms like me, and gives them ideas on how to elevate their space and their life! I really love to challenge myself to work on a budget and show people what they can do for very little money.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I want to prove to myself and to my family that I can do this and succeed in it. My husband and children are always my biggest motivators and cheerleaders, and they support me so well :) I’m really lucky to have them.

I have some monetary goals I’d like to hit, as well as some DREAM brand collabs! I won’t stop until I reach those goals. Something about me is if I set my mind to something, and I truly want it, I will make it happen. I really look forward to what the future of content creation will bring, and I have nothing but a positive mindset!

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I will not gatekeep ;) I think that third party content creating websites are key in getting brand deals! My favorite website to utilize is Cohley. They are constantly adding new brand partnerships – all you have to do is apply and submit examples of your work! I would recommend staying very consistent and applying for campaigns often, as it can take some time to build rapport.

I wish I had discovered Cohley years ago! It’s an amazing website and tool, and an absolute MUST as a content creator.

Other websites I’d look into: Trend.io, Amazon Associates, CreatorIQ, Popular Pays

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesuburbanmidwestmom/
• Other: Tik tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_suburbanmidwestmom
  Email: [email protected]

Image Credits

n/a