We recently connected with Darea Rolle and have shared our conversation below.

Darea, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? I Have been able to make a full time living as a creator in The Bahamas and I am still in awe but so grateful.

If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
Have you ever had a dream that felt both possible but not reachable or realistic when looking at your current circumstance? This is how I felt. I always wanted to be a content creator. I love makeup, art, sharing information and making people feel empowered. However, I was not always confident in myself to do so, also coupled with the fact that I grew up In The. Bahamas where social media influencing/ content creation isn’t an industry I kept that dream on the back burner.
I was full time student and employee when I graduated high school but the desire remained. I simply used the excuse of school and work to justify my reason for not starting. When the pandemic came I was laid off from my Job, and so I decided to start making videos and posting them for fun. After a few months of doing this as a hobby I decided that i wanted to get paid and eventually make it my full Time job. There is a saying that says “Nothing good comes over night” and that was never more true. In the beginning it was rough navigating the global creator space without a local blueprint. However, I remained consistent ad authentic. My videos began performing well, but I wasn’t generating an income so I decided to get a Job until I was able to rely on creating fully. In the process of creating I focused on forging relationships with brands organically, which then turned into strong working relations and eventually partnerships. I began creating with a business mindset! I invested in material to assist in my new journey as a creator such as courses with Sidewalker Daily and was more intentional about featuring brands I love in a way that was recyclable, educational, relatable and entertaining. This resulted in more exposure and brands began trickling in my inbox. It was not easy in the beginning but after 6 months of creating and working at my new Job, I was making my more than my monthly salary from one video sponsor. I was growing quickly, and partnering consistently with dream brands. I decided that I wanted to become a full time creator, so I began creating a 3 month exit strategy to begin my influencer career. September 2022 I quit my job and fulfilled my dream of becoming a full time creator.

If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Some major steps I could have taken was being more intentional about the content I was creating and niching my content so that I could have been discoverable by brands. My platform was very broad and my niche were not easily identifiable. I had 0 credibility or desirability to brands because the content I created was not beneficial for the algorithm, my audience or brands. I feel if I had streamlined what I wanted to do earlier I may have seen progress sooner.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Darea Danielle Rolle, I am a small island girl born and raised in Nassau Bahamas. I have always had a passion for the arts. I was in arts and craft from a young age and in every school I attended. This is also the foundation for my love for makeup. Blending, shading, colors and tones were a safe space for me. A way to express without saying a word but somehow still being able to invoke an emotion upon completion. It was my oasis and safe space. I learned makeup by simply practicing with my pens and coloring pencils. I was not allowed to wear makeup until I was out of school son I practiced on blending and sketching brows on my hands and face charts a lot! I was always confident that when I got out of School I’d be a pro. I was not lol ! There was so much more to learn and I was happy to soak it all in. I would always watch the YouTube girls share their tips and tricks online while also being loved by their communities and I wanted that one day. I was shy but I knew I had it in me to do it and one way that developed was by going to college. College really developed my people skills and stirred my social skills. My mom always said I could sell ice to an Eskimo but college made me more open, sharper and a more seasoned business professional. This was translated in the way I began showing up on camera.

what problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others. What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.

As a beauty creator I am most proud of the community I have created. One that celebrates women and helps them to embrace and enhance their inner an outer beauty. I enjoy sharing my tips, tricks and advice to women of all ages to help them feel confident in their Yah(God) given beauty and uniqueness. I am also proud of the visual content I am able to supply brands that help to propel their brand, while giving representation in the beauty space. As a small island Caribbean girl, we aren’t as prominent in this community as being from 3rd world countries limit our abilities to truly show up. However, I am grateful to be an example of defying odds, walking in purpose and allowing what’s for me to come to me. I address beauty related pain points and share ways they can address them at home. My videos are curated with simplicity in mind. I like for girls and women of ALL AGES to be able to relate, understand or at least have a takeaway from my content.

I Enjoy giving back so one thing I love doing Is hosting philanthropic efforts such as my feed a family initiative where 15% of all earning made during the fall months is used towards feeding the less fortunate on thanksgiving and on Christmas Day. In 2022 my family and I fed over 150 people in Nassau Bahamas. I believe these are two days that everyone should feel love and have a hot plate of food! I also enjoy giving back to my online community by adopting kids for back to school preparations, and hosting giveaways from brands to my followers.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative for me is the freedom of creating and expressing myself without bounds. There is n limitation to my creativity or even my process. While I do have a standard and guideline in place, my freedom of expression is limitless. I get to share and create what I love in a way that helps those around me. Whether with their business, enhancing their appearance, personal life, or mental health I am able to impart an impact without limitation and in the most authentic way possible. I love having the freedom to create and curate in a way that feels like home to me.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy has been creating authentically, exclusively and with the viewer in mind. A content strategy I employ is creating content that is in alignment with my personality while in alignment with the brands persona. As a creator, you have to think go you content as product to a buyer. When selling something you appeal to the buyer(brand or viewer) you have to appeal to their needs, current position and demonstrate why this product is an investment worth watching. purchasing or reusing. A big part of my growth has been due to my personality and witty commentary. I keep this consistent in all of my videos/ outreach content. So brands/viewers will have an understanding what my product is like at a glance. I remain relatable to my audience. Instead of trying to create the perfect video I create in a way that’s of quality but relatable. sharing the ups and downs, and overcoming stories. Sharing fails and solutions.

When trying to grow brand clientele, I have learned to keep the brand in mind. curating in a way that allows the brand to be highlighted organically. Ensuring to create in a way that a brand Is able to reuse my content or repost my content. I also have learned to study brand platforms and pitch ideas I haven’t seen executed and explain the need for it to be done. This has allowed me to forge healthy mutually beneficial relationships with brands and viewers.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: DareaDanielle
• Facebook: Darea Rolle
• Twitter: DareaDanielle
• Youtube: DareaDanielle
• Tiktok: DareaDanielle