Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Macy Mariano. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Macy, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
Yes, I have been able to earn a living from my creative work! I first started as an aspiring model in Miami. I tried in Miami and NYC to find representation at the time, but no one took me in. I started to see how others were partnering with companies on Instagram and decided to merge into that industry. Six years later, I have worked with many notable brands such as Revolve, H&M, Pacsun and more! The rest is history. Everything that I know now is self-taught. It has all been from experience. From making media kits, emailing, creating content, to knowing how to negotiate with brands; I have accumulated this knowledge by routine experience in the influencer marketing industry.
Macy, 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?
Hi, I’m Macy and I am a full time influencer + influencer manager. I first started out as a travel influencer! I have worked with many hotels and resorts such as W Punta Mita, Four Season St. Kitts & Nevis, Bobby Hotel Nashville, Mykonos Panormos Villas & many more! I was dedicated to my travel niche and created an abundance of travel content. Then, in March 2020, Covid hit. As you can imagine, I had to quickly transition and it was not easy. Now, I like to think of my social channels as universal, catering to all kinds of brands. I now work with fashion, beauty, home decor, travel and fitness brands on a reoccurring basis. It is my passion to create content for brands that will inspire others. I like to work with brands that resonate with me and that I can use/wear on a daily basis that fit into my routine. That way, content becomes nothing but easy-peasy!
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I started posting my modeling portfolio six years ago. Did a lot of test shoots, so I would be posting content every day. Then I saw what people were doing on social media and what they were doing with brands; how they were getting involved. I reached out by email and DM. To grow, I started out doing some gifting from brands to create content. I even ordered from my favorite stores, would do the content, then return the clothing! From all of the content that I made, I posted and tagged the brand so that they’d notice and hoped for a repost on their socials. As my follower count went up, I decided to make a media kit + rates and started to charge for my content. Ever since then, I have transitioned, changed, and adapted my profile and content. I remain to stay authentic and post what I love in hopes it will inspire others.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect is when I come home from shooting content all day, the client/brand loves what I created for them! It’s so satisfying and makes me want to work even harder.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wanderwithmacy.com
- Instagram: @wanderwithmacy/@macysnook
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/macy-mariano-a83ab075/
- Other: Tiktok: @macymariano1