We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Karla Melgarejo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Karla below.
Hi Karla, thanks for joining us today. Alright, let’s jump into one of the most exciting parts of starting a new venture – how did you get your first client who was not a friend or family?
I had just moved to the US, I had to start from zero, with no contacts, and no one knew my work or what I had to offer. I remember knocking on every door with my portfolio (at the time I was doing photography) to showcase my work and offer my services. I ended up getting 100 NOs and yes I did count and have them all tracked and written down in a notebook. I remember telling myself “I’ll keep track until one says YES” I never imagined I’d write down ONE HUNDRED! But after a year of disappointment and feeling that imposter syndrome hit hard I saw an ad on FB for Portland Fashion Week and they were looking for photographers to apply and be the official photographers of the show. After 100 NOs what could I lose, I applied…AND GOT IN! I remember walking into that runway with my camera and meeting all these seasoned and well-recognized photographers and somehow I had made it there too. After the event, I tagged the different designers on the photos I took and next thing you know I was flying to LA to photograph a special launch campaign for one of the designers. I went from 0 to hero and it’s because I never gave up even after 100 people closed the doors on me I kept going. After that opportunity, I began growing my photography business at the time and many of those who were on the 100 list that closed the door on me were now on my waiting list waiting to work with me.
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 am Karla Melgarejo, originally from Bolivia but hustling in Seattle, WA. I first started my business as a fashion photographer and soon realized a lot of the brands I was working with were telling me “I love the photos, how should I post them?” I began guiding them on their marketing approach with the photos they received and how to present them on their online channels. Soon I was offering photos with a marketing plan and once Covid-19 hit I had to pause my photography business and pivot more into the marketing scene. During that pandemic I got to mentor over 1,000 business owners and content creators on how to build their online presence and brands, I got to work and mentor social media teams for companies like Smartsheet, Coca-Cola, Samsung, Amazon, among others. I was able to share my story on stage and slowly grow my community and online presence. Today, I continue to focus on the Latinx market helping them build their online presence, personal brands, and content through different courses and mentoring.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I think my fuel is my 2 daughters, as an immigrant and Latina I want to make sure I open those doors for her and future generations. I want to be able to be that example that no matter how hard things might be at times, or we have to work twice as hard to get to where we want, or how impossible that opportunity looks cause there isn’t a Latina in that room that they can always be the first ones in, that they can make it despite it all and that no door is too small and no table is too full, there is always room for them.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I was sharing the unfiltered way before it was “cool.” Today we hear more about sharing that unfiltered life and we celebrate it more, however back in 2015 everything was covered with those ‘aesthetic’ (but not really) filters IG had launched and flat-lays, coffee photos, and perfect outfits. Not my account though, I was going through 100 NOs of trying to get clients and I was sharing that process. I was sharing those unfiltered moments, those vulnerable moments of me not having the best day because of all of it and stories weren’t a thing so that was all on my wall, the good, the bad, the amazing, the tears, and I began without even looking for it grow a community that was invested in my story, in my humor, in my space.
The best advice I can give to anyone starting is SHOW YOURSELF AS YOU ARE, trying to be and do what everyone else is doing on social won’t get you there, that story that you might be embarrassed to tell is the story that will relate with thousands, that messy room you are willing to clean because you want your stories to be perfect I swear more people would rather see it messy and know they aren’t the only ones with a REAL home. Don’t let IG fool you into being someone you are not. OWN WHO YOU ARE and show yourself unapologetically YOU!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://karlamelgarejo.podia.com/masterclass-creadoras
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/communityoveralgorithm/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karla-melgarejo/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@communityoveralgorithm?lang=en
Image Credits
Photographer for Seattle Business babes and personal photos: @marcellarphoto Photographer for Style Summit: Vivian Hsu. (@vivianhsuphoto)