We were lucky to catch up with Lacey Payne recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lacey thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally since I was very young. I found interests in photography and video editing and gained more skills as I grew older. After high school, I attended the University of North Carolina Greensboro and began my undergraduate program there in Marketing. I knew I always wanted to pursue a career in marketing, more specifically within social media. During my time in my undergraduate studies, I worked as a social media director for the North Carolina Entrepreneurship Center, and was also signed to a campus digital marketing agency called The Campus Agency. I worked with many well-known brands like First Aid Beauty, Vince Camuto, Pretty Little Things, etc… I was a campus ambassador helping brands with their initiatives for college students and to raise more awareness to their brands. I knew marketing was my true passion, and that I wanted to start exploring roles in that field after I graduated college. Since graduating, I have worked many roles within marketing, more specifically in merchandising, which have leveraged my skills within the field as a whole. I have also began to be more consistent with my content creator journey and have had the opportunity to create content for various brands.

Lacey , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Lacey Payne and I am originally from Dallas, TX, but currently reside in Charlotte, NC. I currently work in the social media marketing industry where I work as an Social Media Intern for a digital marketing agency called Pinckney Harmon. I am also a content creator and produce faith, fashion, beauty and lifestyle videos for my audience. One thing that about myself that I am most proud of, that I do not shine enough light on, is starting my own e-commerce women’s boutique called Lace Luxe Boutique in 2020. I have always been a fashion connoisseur since a very young age and had dreams of starting my own brand. I took a break from my brand for a few years, however I do plan on doing a full rebrand by the end of 2024.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Since beginning my journey on social media, I have always been more concerned on my connection with my audience more than anything. I originally began making fashion and beauty content, showing my followers new beauty and fashion trends and how-to videos. A lot of my followers really enjoyed my fashion content, so that is what I primarily focused on. At one point I noticed lifestyle mini vlogs were becoming a big trend, and I was told by a lot of my followers that they wanted to see more lifestyle content from me. My day in the life and come with me content is what helped me gain more followers and more engagement on Instagram, and I was very surprised because I was not expecting that many people to be invested in what I do on a daily. I just recently began including faith-based content due to me growing and strengthening my relationship with God. Faith-based content has really boosted my engagement and has helped me build a community within my platform. My advice for those just starting to build their social media presence is to stay true to yourself, remain consistent with position your content, and focus on strategy more than anything the likes and views will come. As long as you are providing value to your audience, everything else you want out of this journey will come.

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

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is being able to connect with my audience and inspire them through my content. I’ve seen how a simple post or video can resonate deeply with my audience, sparking conversations and fostering a sense of community. Additionally, seeing my ideas come to life and receiving positive feedback from my audience is incredibly fulfilling.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.laceluxeboutique.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lacelace05_/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lacey-payne/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaceyPayne_/

Image Credits
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