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

Maddie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I really wish I would’ve started my path as a content creator sooner. It all started when I used to make videos on my family video camera for fun as a child, like 9 or 10, and I knew it was something I was passionate about, but I never thought it was a realistic career path for me. I would write scripts, create skits, make vlogs, and even made my own mini “talk show” interviewing different family members – these still exist and are on VHS tapes that will probably never see the internet. As I got a little older – like in middle school, I got my own digital camera and continued experimenting with video creation and even dabbled into photography/modeling. The only problem was that I didn’t believe in myself. I was my biggest critic. I also grew up in the midwest where it seemed like everyone had a “traditional” career path that they wanted to follow and I never knew what I wanted to do – well, I knew, but I didn’t think it was possible for someone like me. I thought to myself “I’m not pretty enough; no one will like my videos; I’ll get made fun of; etc.” I also just had the thought in my head that I “had” to live in a place like LA or NYC in order to be successful. It took me until my early 20s to actually believe in myself – I finally decided to take modeling more seriously and started to commit to making YouTube videos. I’m 26 now, and if I could I would go back in time to when I was in high school and post every single video I made – because I made them, I just never posted them because I was so scared of what kids at school would say. It’s a lot harder to grow on social media now and I wish I just would have believed in myself sooner. However, everything happens for a reason and I trust that the universe has something better in store for me.

Maddie, 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?

Hey, I’m Maddie! I consider myself a natural creative and visual artist. I’ve had an interest in content creation since I was about 9 years old, but didn’t really try to pursue it until my 20s. I thrive most when modeling, making YouTube videos, and creating social media content. My style is versatile and I can model a wide variety of looks, but my specialty is looking “fierce” which is why I got the nickname “Maddie Tha Baddie.” I’m not just known for my looks though, as my vibrant personality shines through in my YouTube videos – whether I’m vlogging, storytelling, or just goofing around – I’m able to make the viewer feel like we’re friends just hanging out. My favorite part is being able to connect with new people and spark some inspiration within them.

What makes me different? I elevate any project I’m apart of – I’m far from the “average” model. From magazine and marketing shoots, to fashion content or video creation – I’m full of innovative ideas, creative energy, and genuine authenticity. I am passionate about the work I do and never disappoint. I will leave an unforgettable imprint in the industry – proving you don’t have to be the “average supermodel” to be successful.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The biggest lesson I had to unlearn is self-comparison. This is what held me back for SO long. I got so caught up in what everyone else was doing, I lost sight of who I was or what I wanted to do. It always seemed like everyone else had their lives together with a game plan and I just didn’t. The thing I had to finally realize is that there will always be someone doing something that you want to do or you wish you could do, but there will never be another YOU, period. I held myself back from posting YouTube videos for so long because I cared too much what others would think and on top of that, I would think to myself “well, this person already does it, so why should I start?” There will always be someone prettier, more successful, have a larger following, etc. but those things should not hold you back from putting yourself out there. It doesn’t matter who’s doing what because it hasn’t been done by you yet – so add your own flare.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My whole journey is built on resilience, that’s the reason I’m still going today. When you deal with mental heath issues, such as depression and anxiety, a lot of times your hardest battles are fought in your own mind. I’ve wanted to drop everything and quit so many times. Usually it’s because of analytics – a video didn’t do as well as I thought or get as many views as I want or I receive negative comments. It used to really get to me and to be real still gets to me every once in a while. There was one time I broke down crying and questioned my credentials all because of numbers. But then I remember why I started. This is my passion. No matter what anyone says or how little views I get on a video, at the end of the day I know myself and know I’m following my heart and I refuse to give up on myself. That’s what builds the resilience within me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://maddiejenkins.webnode.page
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoitzmaddie/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@yoitzmaddie
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yoitzmaddie_

Image Credits
@_leesphotos, @betzel_creative, @caelabear101, @maddiescreation