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

Hi Kim, thanks for joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

One of the most life-changing risks I have taken was when I decided to travel solo to Costa Rica to complete my 200hr yoga teacher training. This was a dream of mine for many years. It was something deep down in my heart that I really wanted to do. But for a long time, I didn’t take the leap and it felt like there was so much resistance. Traveling alone to a foreign country at such a young age seemed so daunting. Until one day, I decided: “this is it, I am going to do it” and so a couple of months later, I packed a suitcase, gathered the courage, and finally took a leap at my dream. I share this story because my experience in Costa Rica has completely shifted and impacted who I am today. Taking this risk was one of the greatest gifts I have ever given myself. My time in yoga school challenged me to completely get out of my comfort zone and redefine myself as a young woman. My experience turned out even better than I had imagined. I connected deeply with myself, met the most amazing people, and turned my dream into a full-force reality. Taking this risk has taught me that in life, you always have two choices: evolve or remain. If you choose to remain, life will meet you with the same lessons, people, and circumstances until you are ready to grow. If you choose to evolve, you will come face to face with uncertainty and change, which will ultimately lead you down your most fulfilling path.

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

Deep down inside, I always knew I wanted to create content. I remember at 11 years old, I would film videos in my room and self-taught myself how to edit on Final Cut Pro. Being in front of the camera always felt natural to me, and sharing my story was something I always connected with. Yet, once I reached high school, it seemed as if this passion subsided. I became consumed with insecurities, self-doubt, and judgment. This eventually developed into sickness, both mentally and physically, as I battled disordered eating, depression, a broken heart, and anxiety. I didn’t know who I was, or who I wanted to be.

Once I graduated high school, I embarked on a healing journey. I was ready to change my life for the better and come home to myself. This was when I started practicing yoga, meditating, and educating myself on holistic health. I began reading books like “The Power of Now” and gratitude journaling every morning. Slowly, but surely, I began to feel like a new version of myself. I healed from the inside out.

See in a way, I needed to lose myself in order to find myself all over again, which leads me to where I am today. Around a year ago, in the midst of my self-discovery, I began to share videos on TikTok. I started with 3 followers, posting content about personal development, wellness, and mental health. In a way, creating content that inspired others ended up empowering me as well. I stayed consistent with my videos, showing up every single day. Now, in 2023, I am so grateful to share that I have an incredible community of over 150,000 followers. I am also the host of Claim Your Power, a leading self-development podcast, and the author of the book, Miracle Mantras.

So here are my words of wisdom: one day your struggles will become somebody else’s survival guide and source of inspiration. One day the things that held you back, will become your success story.

I intend to continue sharing my content online, in the hopes of inspiring others. I am not exactly sure where the journey will lead me, but I do know deep in my heart that if I remain open and loving, then life will take me down an incredible path.

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

I think the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the way you’re truly able to make an impact on others. I receive daily messages from people who share their personal stories with me and how my content has impacted them. I try to read every message I receive; it fulfills me so much. It is honestly a full-circle moment for me, to see how my videos and podcast episodes can influence people worldwide. It truly fills my heart in unimaginable ways.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I have two words for you – consistency and authenticity. I think the way you can truly connect to people and build a community online is by being your truest self. You need to be so authentically you that it inspires others to be themselves too. For many years, much of our society has idolized celebrities. I think now when it comes to my generation, and the rise of platforms like TikTok and Instagram, we have made a shift; people want to follow and invest energy into creators who genuinely inspire, entertain, or provide us with some source of value. And if you can do all three through your content, that is basically the golden ticket to building an audience.

My biggest advice is to connect to your WHY. Truly define within yourself the reason that you want to build a community. Content creation is all about being intentional and consistent. At the end of the day, you aren’t going to wake up every day feeling motivated and inspired to post. Some days you will, and other days you won’t. Yet, consistency is key. And if you have a strong passion for what you do and the videos you’re sharing, then that will be the thing that motivates you to keep going.

Energy never lies. People who consume your content can feel if it is coming from a place of genuine passion or a surface-level desire. If you can authentically show up to your audience not because you want “followers and likes” but because you truly want to share your wisdom with others, then that will take you very far.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @kimperetz
• Youtube: @kimperetzz
• Other: TikTok: @kimperetzz