We were lucky to catch up with Erin Goldman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Erin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I am very happy as a creative, however the job appears to look easier than it is. So often with positions in social media, we tend to see the highlight reels and not the struggles, or behind the scenes and it can get pretty dark especially is you struggle with perfectionism like I do. Whenever it gets tough or I experience an extreme low creatively in my profession, I always start to wonder about switching back to a “regular job”/9-5 or doing that part time. I come from a corporate background and worked in real estate and property management for eight years. It was secure but it wasn’t very creative and I felt my soul longing and yearning for more, as my creativity is such a huge part of who I am. I decided to quit my job in order to pursue something creative though I wasn’t sure quite yet what medium that would be. I had a degree in Drama from the Claire Trevor School of the Arts in Irvine and was “friends with” Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Disneyland so I knew I wanted to be able to utilize my skills from both. I decided to go back to school during the pandemic, which was right when I left my job. I had started a blog years prior but took a break from it to focus on my mental health. I ended up getting a certificate in social media and digital marketing and when I couldn’t find a job in that area, I decided to take control of my own fate and go all in as a full time digital content creator with my brand Iridescent Scarab. I started to find my voice through creating content and loved dressing up and being different characters in order to heal my inner child and escape the harsh aspects of reality.

This didn’t come without challenges though. I was a few years behind on learning short-form video content as I was too afraid to put myself out there in 2020. I had to take a lot of risks and experiment with different styles of content and I had a lot of pieces of content tank and fail. Most of them in fact. However, I never stopped or gave up and I gained a ton of practice. Currently, I have made about 500 short-form pieces of video content and I have been posting consistently at least 5 times a week for the past two years. I’ve seen exponential growth but with the ability to compare myself to others so easily, my additcion to my phone, and the algorithms always changing it has been tough to find consistency in this industry. Additionally, the security of getting payment every two weeks with a regular job is something I miss, as I have to hustle very hard to make sure I have enough gigs lined up. That is the most stressful part.

However, when I think of my ability to create my own schedule and work from anywhere I want, plus the fact that I get to be creative, tell stories and come up with ideas every day while spreading mental health awareness, I wouldn’t change a thing. I am so lucky to have a supportive community and to be able to get to do what I love. Though the caveat is that I live in expensive Los Angeles and the reason why I get to do this is because I am living at home while I save up for my own place.

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

Yes, I’m Erin and I’m a digital content creator. I create humorous and relatable content for introverted millennials struggling with anxiety and depression. I am a self-love and mental-health advocate and I have been raising awareness for the past ten years. I started out by creating my own blog Iridescent Scarab in 2014, as a way to find creativity in the midst of my very non-creative 9-5. It was an outlet to share my story, connect with others and authentically share my voice and my style. In 2019, I couldn’t get control over comparing myself to others and my negative self-talk took the forefront. I was in a dark place and I was having a very difficult time putting myself out there. I stepped back from posting consistently for three years to improve my mental health and in 2022 I found that creating short-form video content not only helped me deal with and process my own mental health struggles but also connected me to a community of other people going through the same thing.

The biggest reason why I post content about mental health and why that is the focus of my brand, is because I remember being a young girl experiencing such severe anxiety but I never spoke up about it because I didn’t know how to and I wasn’t even certain of what I was experiencing. There is much more information about it now. But I will never forget the loneliness, isolation and fear I felt which is why I use my platforms and have devoted my life to advocacy in order to encourage others to tell their stories and speak up so others don’t feel alone.

I am very proud of myself for taking very serious and difficult subject matters and using dark humor to talk about it and make it more palatable. I am also proud of the colorful feed I have provided in order to help people viewing it feel a little bit happier throughout their busy and stressful days. The way I use dance to advocate for mental health is something I believe makes me stand out amongst other creators in my niche. I hope my page can provide a sense of fun and relief for those that are going through it and that people know they have a friend in me when they are feeling lonely.

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

There are a lot of rewarding aspects of being a creative. I think a lot of the time, because we are doing so many things by ourselves, we forget how much reach we actually get. For me the process is that I come up with an idea, create the content, edit and then send it out into the world when I post. After that I try to release it and not attach any self-worth to the way it performs. But its always incredible to me how many messages I get where people have reached out to me saying that my content has had a positive impact on their lives. Someone told me my videos helped them get through their cancer treatment. Another person reached out and said they felt so seen as a Hypersensitive Person from watching one of my videos. Even when people reach out thanking me for my recommendations. I read every message, every comment and every e-mail and it never fails to touch my heart on a deep level. There are a lot of negative things about social media but finding connection during a time where so many people are feeling very lonely in the world is definitely something that is incredibly powerful.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think there are many assumptions and misconceptions non-creatives make when trying to understand the journey as a creative. First, I find there is a lot they don’t understand which often leads to judgement. Additionally, I don’t think they understand how much work actually goes into it. Creatives without management are doing everything themselves and this includes administrative work in addition to the creative aspect. So some days, we are spending the entire day answering e-mails, pitching to brands, and searching for paid opportunities. Other days we are batch creating content which includes coming up with creative ideas, sourcing trending audios, filming the content, editing the content, writing the copy for the content all while making sure we are implementing a strategy. People often think its just “posting silly little videos” but it requires a massive amount of consistency and self-discipline in order to succeed, as well as being your own best friend and not berating yourself based on the performance of your content. There are also some days where I work longer than I would in a 9-5 and there are times where I have a very hard time setting boundaries and cutting off my work such as weekends and holidays. The thing about social media is that its 24/7 and it doesn’t ever stop.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.iridescentscarab.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iridescentscarab/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iridescentscarab
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-ashley-goldman/
• Twitter: https://x.com/iridescenterin
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA3TlLKUiJOJat3Pq6ELxXw
• Other: https://www.threads.net/@iridescentscarab