We recently connected with Lorraine C, Ladish and have shared our conversation below.

Lorraine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

Once in a while, I still toy with the idea of having a regular job, and keep in mind I’m 62 and have been working for myself for over 40 years. Of course, by now I know that I am not cut out for a regular job, and also, at my age, it would most likely be hard to be hired. It usually happens during a tough month: clients are late paying, gigs are slow, I’m overwhelmed, you name it. From what I know, almost every person who works for themselves or has a business feels this way from time to time. Thankfully, I know it’s fleeting and that I’m happiest working for 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 background and context?

I’ve always been a creative: I started out adapting US sitcoms to Spanish way back in my 20s, and eventually I became a published author at 30, continued writing and publishing books – mostly non-fiction, about things I’d gone through like an eating disorder, pregnancy and childbirth, parenting, and so on. In 2006, I started a blog – Success Diaries – written at the most unsuccessful time in my life. In 2009, I was a single mom on welfare with no work, but I’d been a reporter for La Palma, the Spanish version of The Palm Beach Post, for four years, and contacts I made back then led me to the digital publication world. I became the editor in chief of a website for Latina moms, and at 50, I launched my own website, VivaFifty.com. The business model is built around sponsorships, and those eventually migrated to social media, namely my Instagram handle @lorrainecladish, and the rest is history. Most people who follow me on Instagram probably have no idea I’m a book author, or that I manage a website and now a Substack, AgingLikeALegend.com, or that I make a living full-time with my digital presence, and that’s ok. I also still write for other publications, such as Business Insider. I enjoy sharing essays about active aging and how, at 62, I’m still pushing the envelope. Case in point, I got my first unassisted pull-up at 61, and now my goal is to go from 3 to 5 pull-ups by the end of the year. My brand is bigger than just my Instagram page, YouTube channel,l or even my website. I already have my next book in my head: now it’s time to get it down on paper.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built it slowly, over time. I’ve had my Instagram handle @lorrainecladish since August 2011, so my growth is not meteoric by any means. Right now, I’m at 58,000 followers there, which isn’t a lot at all considering how long I’ve been online. But potential sponsors like what I post, how I post it, and they also notice the quality of my interactions. I’ve never participated in engagement pods or bought fake followers (you’d be surprised at how many people do this), and that’s an asset. In the end, what matters for a digital influencer/content creator is our ability to connect with people and tell stories that resonate. For people starting out, I’d say remember followers are people, not just a number. The more you realize this, the easier it is to communicate with them.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

My online presence. Brands and potential sponsors or clients find me through Google searches. Maybe they need a mature woman who is into fitness and health, or a bilingual (Spanish/English) older spokesperson. Perhaps they are searching for someone over 50 or, in my case, 60, who is achieving new goals like a handstand or pull-ups. Word of mouth also works. If a PR or brand is happy with me, they will definitely give my name to other PRs and brands.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lorrainecladish.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorrainecladish
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorrainecladish
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorrainecladish/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LorraineCLadish
• Other: https://www.vivafifty.com

  https://www.aginglikealegend.com

Image Credits

Phillippe Diederich