We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Hughes a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica , thanks for joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I absolutely love the fact that I have been fortunate enough to pursue my creative passions. I actually did have a “normal job” for the last 10+ years. I was working primarily as a patient care coordinator in plastic surgery but always found myself wanting to pursue my creative side. Even with my past jobs I found myself gravitating towards social media, graphic design or anything where I could let my creativity shine! In March of this year I decided to take a leap of faith and pursue art and social media management full time! I can honestly say that I have never been happier than I am right now! I still am able to work in the plastic surgery industry – just on my own terms as a freelance social media manager!

Jessica , 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?

My name is Jess Hughes, I am originally from southern California and have been in Texas for about 15 years now. I knew I always wanted to have a career doing something where I can let my creativity shine! I went to college at the Art Institute of Houston but my major was fashion and retail management – I had such an amazing time here really being able to hone my creative skills. I did eventually decide however this was not the path I wanted to go and stumbled into plastic surgery where I spent the last 10+ years! I absolutely loved being in this industry, surrounded by these amazing minds who had such an aesthetic eye. This is where I began my social media journey! When I started in plastics, social media was not nearly as big as it is today – It’s amazing to see how it evolved and I love to see the curiosity surrounding aesthetics. I began running the social media accounts at different offices – I was putting together before and after photos, recording surgery and creating videos from this as well as creating marketing materials – and I LOVED it! It was a way to let my creative side shine and really show what I was capable of. I decided earlier this year to branch off and pursue my passions and became a freelance social media manager for aesthetics practices as well as restaurants! Having more free time I was also able to get back into painting which is a passion I have had my whole life. It feels amazing to finally be allowed to pursue my passions full time and work with like minded individuals.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me the most rewarding part of being an artist/creative is the freedom. I finally am able to create what I want to and how I want to with no restrictions. Of course when it comes to running another persons social media account I maintain their voice and vision but have some creative freedom to help them grow. I love having the free time to really focus on my artwork as well.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Over the years I have had several different Instagram accounts – lots of trial and error! I had a very successful modeling page a few years back but when the Covid lockdown hit I decided to delete that account and take some time away from social media. When we were able to somewhat get back to our normal lives, I knew I wanted to start another account but this time I wanted to be behind the camera! I had always taken photos of my food and I had noticed how this new era of “food influencers” was really taking off! I originally started my current page as an art page but pivoted to a foodie page after some time. In my opinion, the way to grow a following these days – Consistency and Engagement! Instagram is so different than it was several years ago, you used to jus be able to post a cool photo and that was it! Now, reels rule and Instagram has shifted more towards videos. Staying on top of what is trending and trending audio will help!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @jesscreates.htx