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

Libby, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

During my second year of pharmacy school, I was struggling to balance my studies with my personal life and knew I wasn’t alone in this struggle. I wanted to create a social media platform that helps students maximize their time and helps me review past material. I debated between Study with Libby and Learn with Libby. So like the nerd I am, I looked up the definitions of the two words. Studying is to read, memorize, and complete other activities with the intention of learning. Learning is to gain knowledge or skill. I wanted my peers to gain knowledge from me, not just read or memorize. I want my content to leave an impact that lasts longer than the few seconds it takes to consume. I knew that I wouldn’t have all the answers. I wanted others to learn WITH me. We are on this pharmacy journey TOGETHER. I want students to feel empowered, inspired, and supported by my content. And that’s how Learn with Libby came to be!

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?

Going through pharmacy school (pre-pharmacy and the PharmD program) as a black first-generation college student was hard. A lot of my classmates knew a pharmacist or had a family full of them and I knew none going into the pre-pharmacy program. I didn’t have a lot of guidance, but I was able to successfully navigate pre-pharmacy. Once I got into pharmacy school, I signed up to be a peer mentor within the College of Pharmacy. I absolutely loved it! I was able to be the mentor that I wish I had during my pre-pharmacy years. Fast forward to now, I have started a business mentoring aspiring and current pharmacy students while partnering with other businesses to make resources accessible to these students. I love when I hop on a coaching call to help a student that is unsure of their path and we develop a personalized action plan. Not only do they leave our meeting with the resources they need, but they feel empowered and know they have someone in their corner. Of course, I want to help each student thrive and meet their goals, but my biggest win is seeing their confidence grow throughout the call. It rises exponentially once they realize their goals are attainable and they have the support to make it happen. On the other end, I partner with brands advocating for discounts and giveaways because I know that student budgets are tight. I don’t believe finances should be a barrier to resources or opportunities that could change one’s trajectory. I want students to know that when they do a coaching call with me, attend one of my workshops, or just follow me on social media, they will feel empowered, inspired, and supported.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Did you notice that Learn with Libby was initially supposed to be educational pharmacy content but has transformed into a platform for me to share my journey and support others? Let’s talk about that. During my second year of pharmacy school, I was itching to get more involved with the community around me. I was finally learning relevant material like how to treat diabetes and healthy lifestyle modifications. I wanted to do something with all the knowledge I was gaining. I started taking on all sorts of leadership roles and worked three jobs then. Ultimately I was spending so much time giving to others that I could not focus on my passion project, Learn with Libby. Making content was extremely time-consuming, especially when I had to review and study beforehand. So I abandoned Learn with Libby. I felt like I had failed my peers. I felt selfish for not being able to “do it all”. After brainstorming how I could still serve my peers in a way that wouldn’t require me to lose sleep, I revived Learn with Libby. I realized I needed to pivot, not abandon the idea. I could share my journey and life lessons. It would be just as valuable (if not more), without requiring me to study before making a post. With this pivot, I stayed true to my original mission of serving other students and found a therapeutic creative outlet for me.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media is constantly changing. The algorithms on the platforms are always preferring a new trend, a new sound, a new type of content, or something else. It can be so hard to keep up with it. I found a few content creator coaches to follow, but it really is trial and error.

The two things that always resonate with people are showing up consistently and authentically. Our brains are wired to find connections. People want someone they trust and can relate to. When you consistently show up on social media, people expect to see you and know what to seek you for. When you show up as yourself, imperfections and all… people notice. They feel that they can relate and they see you as human. Being consistent and authentic has helped me build a community of friends, mentors, and mentees on social media. I am so grateful for my platform and the opportunities that have come to me as a result. I encourage everyone to keep showing up even when it’s hard and even when it’s not perfect. This is how you establish a connection with those you serve.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.learnwithlibby.com
• Instagram: @learnwithlibby.rx
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/libertyshelton/

Image Credits
Kailan Carter