Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rylan Benèt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Rylan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry? Any stories or anecdotes that illustrate why this matters?
When I look at Corporate America in modern day, 2022, I still see a huge issue with diversity and inclusivity.
This is coming from someone who has experienced being the only Black woman in a company that was the size of 50-85 employees.
You ever hear that phrase, “out of sight of mind…?”
Well, that’s how I feel a majority of companies are approaching this issue, especially when considering the biases they may have.
How does this relate to the larger industry as a whole? Just take a look at every major influencer, YouTuber, tv show host, there’s not much diversity there. This is a big factor that plays into how viewers give other creators of other ethnicities a chance. As an example, if a viewer is used to viewing content from only White cis males because that is the algorithm targeted towards that user, the chances of them seeing a Black creator are minimal.
I hope and look forward to seeing a future where giving credit and more opportunities to talented people of color is a social norm.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
Hiya, I am a visual artist, content creator, and digital marketing expert. My designs are hypnotic, fearless and is best enjoyed while chilling out after a long day.
I also started a YouTube channel several months ago that covers discussions on anime, nostalgia, ai generated art, and much more.
I also run an Atlanta art source that connects local artists with jobs, opportunities, news, and more. It’s called We Heart ATL Artists, and we have a dedicated Facebook group, Instagram, and newsletter.
My unique approaches to design and online marketing are influenced by my background in fashion, art, design, and eCommerce.
I began with experimenting with hypnotic, trippy and bold digital art about 2 years ago. My use of psychedelic illusions, Y2K, and being overall influenced by the internet has created a tame but wild aesthetic.
I was working at a tech start up where I designed email campaigns and developed Facebook ad campaigns for clients. I would design a lot of the content for our clients and came to this discovery on just how much I loved designing.
I could design 20% off promotions with ease but struggled with designing to express myself. To find my personal style I just started to create stuff mindlessly, I had no goals in mind, I just wanted to play around.
After a while I would start noticing similarities in my work, and similarities in my top performing posts too. I just continued to post consistently, find ways to expand, and engage with followers.
Creating is an outlet for me. When I’m struggling with depression, I turn to designing mindless shit again. When I see the finished product, it motivates me to continue going, to continue creating. All the love I receive from these posts continue to push me too, because never in my wildest dreams did I EVER think, I would make content that other people would like. I always felt like my art was too “off the wall, not unique, or not clear.” But you would be surprised to people’s openness. There’s an audience out there for everyone, literally, it just takes consistent effort to find them.
I also create the content for We Heart ATL Artists. I noticed that the art scene in Atlanta is missing a main source for finding art news, jobs, calls, and to connect. I tailor the content on this page for locals in Atlanta, artists, and all creatives alike.
Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)
Oooo fun question! I think NFTs could have had a better reputation and could have offered more opportunities for independent artists at one point. I even know some artists that were making cash from selling NFTs and it had great benefits for promoting their brand.
Now NFT’s sort of have a negative connotation attached to them.
I think too many people and corporations jumped on the NFT bandwagon too soon. It’s an industry that immediately became mainstream and it didn’t have the chance to build organically. It’s like a trend that quickly came and went, kind of like fidget spinners. Plus some of those companies that jumped into the NFT industry had a ton of controversies surrounding them, which added fuel to the complicated view I have on NFT’s. Sales continue to drop for them, so I would say the future of NFT’s is still undetermined.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Literally consistency. People will follow someone that posts consistently and has quality content.
I get so bored of seeing the same type of content on social media. I personally feel that the basic influencer aesthetic is dying off. People have an urge for authentic content that is unique, adds value, entertains, and informs. Content that seems staged, or even posting selfie after selfie after selfie can become predictable. Social media is an escapism tool, and should be used to inspire and share. If you’re not feeling good about what you’re seeing on your social feed, maybe consider going back to the drawing board on who you choose to follow.
I built my audience by finding creators that made similar content to mine and will engage with their followers. Another reason for low social media engagement is no one knows you exist. With social media, you have to put yourself out there, and you have to be okay with being seen. Others that view you will make an assumption about you, that’s unfortunately the judgemental society we live in. You have to be okay with that though, and always stay true to yourself, because no one really knows you but you and those closest to you. The trolls will come, just report them and move on.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rylanbenet.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rylanbenet/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/156540248262376
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rylan-ben%C3%A8t-a07a6071/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RylanBenet
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVB5wzM4z3DmbV5p06V24QQ