We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gillian Jean. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gillian below.

Gillian, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

The digital marketing landscape is always changing, so what’s trending today will be entirely different a month later. As I write this, Threads has already disrupted the social media landscape, Twitter has become X, and, of course, the utilization of more AI tools has rapidly come into the fold in both the corporate and creative space. I have musician clients who are already using AI tools to create their next music videos.

I think music will continue to be an integral part of all marketing and content creation. From TikTok launching TikTok Music to compete with Apple Music and Spotify, to the graphic design platform Canva, partnering with digital music distributor Symphonic. Starting in the fall, Canva users will now be able to add music from Symphonic’s catalog to their designs.

It took a while for social media platforms to initially incorporate music into their interface, but over the last few years music has been one of the largest driving forces propelling viral content and trends, especially on TikTok.

I’m interested in seeing how AI continues to disrupt industries and drive social media trends. We’ve already seen its influence with ChaptGPT and Lensa, which created AI portraits of users who uploaded photos of themselves onto the platform. This of course, is only the beginning of where this technology will take us.

Gillian, 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?

Gillian Jean Creative brings stories to life through digital marketing including social media, brand partnerships, and tailored events.

From an early age, I found myself gravitating toward art and music, and I always knew I wanted to pursue a creative career in some form.

My long appreciation for art has helped me to develop a strong visual sense for things when it comes to image, branding and content creation. The visual narrative plays an important role in supporting the story, vision, and values a brand or artist wants to communicate,

I find it really fun and rewarding to generate and execute these ideas, and apply my creative thinking and marketing background to help a client reach their goals.

I started out at Central Park SummerStage in New York, followed by the jazz label Motema Music. I then started organizing music showcases featuring local talent in New York and Austin. For nearly ten years now, I’ve curated showcases in Austin, TX during the SXSW music festival.

From musicians, to filmmakers, and more, I’ve been grateful to work with a variety of creatives on developing their strategy, or planning an event in support of album releases, film premieres, app launches, and more.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

As an entrepreneur, I think pivoting comes with the territory. You’re constantly learning what works for you and what doesn’t, and keeping in tune with the needs of your clients. As industries and tools evolve, the client needs can shift over time.

I recently pivoted last year when I rebranded my business. It was time to refresh my message and refine my services so that I was operating in a way that works best for me, and speaks to the type of clients I’m interested in attracting.

Earlier in my business, I offered a wider range of services to accommodate the needs of a larger pool of clients. However, I found this led to burnout and juggling too many things at once. Refining my services has allowed me to set boundaries for myself and operate in the areas that feel best.

I worked with a business coach for three months to help with the success of the transition and it was the best decision. I’ve been in such a good flow ever since. When you do find yourself needing to pivot, whether it’s a coach, a friend, or whomever, I think getting support can help bring clarity in how to take those next steps forward.

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

If you’re just starting to build a social media presence, my best advice is planning ahead.

Set aside time each month to create a content calendar outline for the following month and commit to consistency. How many times a month will you be posting? What will the content look like? What are the content themes? Create realistic goals that you can honestly implement, in order to avoid bursts of activity on social media followed by periods of inactivity. This is an important step in building the foundation for a consistent presence and community within your niche on social media.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gillianjean.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gillianjeancreative/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilliand

Image Credits
Lauren Slusher, photo 1
Breezy Ritter Photography, 2, 6, 7, 8
Megan Edgemond of Saltrock Studios, 3, 4, 5