We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Laurin Collar. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Laurin below.
Laurin, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
The number one question I get as a content creator/influencer: How do you monetize @thecollarfind? Becoming a full time influencer takes time, persistence and determination. Simple answer: I have cultivated a group of loyal followers/friends that look to me for finds, ideas, and recommendations. I work with businesses that I trust to share their products that I love with my followers. This saves the consumer time and helps the business gain exposure to a new group of potential customers.
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 background and context?
My love of a good find began years ago. As a broadcast journalist, I was sent out daily with a photographer and a microphone on the hunt for a good story. I soon realized that finding things–from a good lead for the 6 o’clock news or the best outfit to wear on the anchor desk that wouldn’t break the bank- was my gig. After I left that business, I never lost my love for the find.
After years of several people texting and asking for the best clothes for the season, gift ideas, and how to host a cocktail party with ease, I realized I was on to something. I launched TheCollarFind hoping to help others when they need a quick answer or tip. I do the work so they don’t have to!
Through TheCollarFind, I’m able to share all of my good finds with my followers. From the easiest recipe and the tastiest cocktail to styles for the closet and the home, places to explore and more. I also share some mom tips along the way including family travel adventures. Born and raised in Charleston, I’ll spill some insider tips on the Holy City too.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Top advice:
*Engage with your followers. It’s the only way to truly know what they are looking for and need.
*Be real. It’s much easier to relate to someone that is like you than someone putting up a perfect facade.
*Ask for help! Word of mouth is the BEST way to to get exposure and grow. Reach out to others in the industry.
*Show your face! This is important for business social media pages as well.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
Oh yes! Content creation is not a clear cut path, and many have a hard time understanding how it works. Often times, people see the outfits, events, excursions and think that is all an influencer does. What they don’t see is the hustle, the proposals, the contract negotiations, the filming, the editing, the caption writing, the billing, the networking, the website developing, it goes on and on. Social media is 24/7, much like my first career in television news. It is super fun, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a lot of work behind the scenes that many do not see.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecollarfind.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecollarfind/
- Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thecollarfind/
Image Credits
Kim Graham