We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stella Speridon-violet. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stella below.

Stella, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

Gut Instinct Media was originally conceived by my now-business partner, Natalie McCarty. We connected on TikTok in 2023, and even before meeting in person, she reached out to me with an idea—one that would ultimately become Gut Instinct Media. Without hesitation, I agreed. At the time, I was publishing poetry and essays on a personal WordPress blog as a creative outlet. However, I had been searching for a way to share my work more widely and connect with like-minded women who shared my passion for writing. Within a month, Natalie and I had published our first set of articles—just the two of us. The experience was incredibly exciting and from there, I knew that this would be something that would grow from just the two of us, and into a team of likeminded individuals. Today, we have a team of over 17 amazing and inspiring writers, producing content daily. The past year has been an incredible journey, and watching this community flourish has been truly rewarding. I’m so thankful for everyone at Gut Instinct Media and for my Co-Founder and business partner, Natalie McCarty.

Stella, 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 first found love for writing in elementary school, I won my first poetry contest in first grade and didn’t think much of it at the time. I wrote silly songs in my bedroom and put on performances for my parents. From there, I just kept writing. I’ve filled up at least 15 journals and then once I graduated high school, I decided it was something I wanted to continue. I’m currently a senior at Arizona State University studying journalism with a minor in business. When I started college, I began posting poems and opinion-style articles online and the kind words I received through DM’s and iMessage made me truly understand that writing was something I could really do well with as a long-term career. Now with Gut Instinct Media I’m able to publish my work on a weekly basis and have in-depth discussions with readers, which is something I’m so grateful for and what I’m most proud of.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Building a community on social media is the most difficult, yet rewarding part of starting a business. It’s where you’re able to find your own community and an audience that you can growth with and resonate with. I’m so grateful that my tight-knit community across both Instagram and TikTok is filled with people I can have conversations with and uplift. I would say my biggest piece of advice for those starting to build a social media presence is to be as authentic as possible. From experience, the more transparent you are on social media, the more of a loyal following you’ll receive. And, to be unique because people are always looking for something new!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The biggest lesson I had to unlearn is what it means to follow the status quo. Whether that means following the latest fashion trends or feeling the need to uphold societal standards, I’ve had to learn that I should do what I feel is right, not what others think I should do. As a child I was always the odd one out, trying so desperately to fit in, begging my mom to get me the trendiest shoes or the most popular CD. However, one day, when I realized that people would judge me no matter what, I stopped caring. That’s when I figured out that I started receiving more positive attention for what I was wearing, listening to, and writing about. Having unique opinions and offering different perspectives made me stand out in my early-teens and into adulthood. It’s honestly what sets me apart from other writers and what keeps me motivated when crafting a new article. Sure, some people might not understand my vision, but those that do can really connect and appreciate my unique perspective.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gutinstinctmedia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gutinstinctmediaco/ https://www.instagram.com/stellalviolet/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gutinstinctmedia/posts/?feedView=all