We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Megan Hawthorne. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Megan below.

Megan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I had worked in social media marketing for 5+ years when I found myself in a completely different role and position. Once my company realized my expertise, they added the brand’s social media presence to my list of responsibilities. I was thrilled at first, but quickly realized that they weren’t going to allow me to utilize the knowledge and experience I had in the field as they should have.

I found myself resentful of my new position and was looking for a creative outlet that allowed me to use the skills I had built and share my love of affordable + tall-friendly fashion with the world. So, The Belle of the Budget was born!

I dove headfirst into sharing fashion finds, lifestyle, and everything in between with the (online) world. Within 3 months I began receiving paid opportunities and realized that while my page was born from my need for a creative outlet, it could become a legitimate, lucrative side-gig.

Fast forward a few years and I am now able to live comfortably as an underpaid teacher due to the financial gains I’m achieving as a part time blogger. I can see now, much to my surprise, that if/when I decide to, I can take my little ol’ side gig full time. Knowing that I have the opportunity to do something I love and work for myself full time is a huge relief, especially in today’s rocky teacher climate.

Megan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a size 12, 5’11” blogger, and I say this with pride. There aren’t many people online with my size stats and I’m proud to represent the midsize woman!

4 years ago I was in a creative rut and frustrated with my experience shopping the links of some of my favorite influencers, only to find that the items were way too short or too small for my tall and size 10/12 frame. With the support of my husband and a little push from a close friend, I started my own Instagram page with the hopes of helping tall and midsize women on a budget shop with confidence.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be able to support other women in the way I do today; we share and chat about everything from stain remover tips and teacher struggles to home DIY projects and mental health. The community we have at The Belle of the Budget is incredibly supportive and kind. I’m proud to be an example of a “real girl, real size, real budget” for women my age and the generations to come.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Don’t be a stranger! If we’ve inspired you or helped you in any way, let us know! As creatives, we thrive off of helping and impacting others. This life isn’t always the easiest or most consistent, so hearing from you means the world.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

What you see (whether it’s a social media post, website update, new artwork, etc.) is the final product. What you don’t see are the hours, days, and weeks spent creating the end product you’re seeing now. Creatives spend so much time behind the scenes working, editing, and fine-tuning. No job is as easy-breezy as it looks. Speaking from my experience, becoming an “Instagram influencer” isn’t as simple as posting pretty pictures and getting free stuff. It takes a long time to reap the benefits of your hard work, so it requires resilience, commitment, and many failures before success is achieved. Every creative out there put in hundreds, if not thousands, of unpaid hours before seeing it (literally) pay off.

Contact Info:

• Website: thebelleofthebudget.org
• Instagram: @thebelleofthebudget