How did you start?
I was working as a digital marketer for classic car dealerships, growing their online presence.
Where do you find inspiration?
From my wife and kids, other transparent entrepreneurs, and my followers of whom I serve!
What do you post about?
Men’s Fashion, personal development, entrepreneurship, business ventures, fitness, travel, and lifestyle.
What does your audience relate most to?
My journey as an entrepreneur, father, husband, son, etc., goal setting, and passion to dream big, while taking big action.
What has been your favorite experience as an Influencer:
Fossil – because I’ve always been a fan of their brand & they allowed me to pick from a list of products that I’d most like to share with my audience. It was a win-win for everyone.
What 3 things does anyone starting as an Influencer need to know?
1) You will have to work 3x as hard as you think you do. 2) Be consistent. 3) Ask yourself everyday: “How can I serve my followers today (by entertaining, educating, or inspiring) making their lives better? (be about the people first!)
What is the best thing about being an influencer?
Sharing my story with people who can relate. Products & material things are cool, but sharing a real life story of mine and encouraging someone to keep on hustling toward their goals and dreams is why I do what I do.
What’s the largest challenge you face as an influencer? How do you overcome it?
The roller-coaster of income. One month I could make $5k the next I could make $500. I overcame this by being more assertive when seeking out collaborations with the brands I desired. Also, created other streams of income to take the pressure off my influencer income. This allowed me to relax and make the right decisions in business rather than being solely focused on getting paid (which is the last thing you want to do when making a real connection with your audience).
Tell us about your proudest moment as an influencer?
When I started podcasting and sharing how others can start their path toward growing their personal brand as well across social media.
If you could start all over again, what would you do differently?
I would create a social media content marketing plan along with a content calendar. This would help with my consistency in the beginning. Also, I would invest more into hiring out services on a weekly basis, such as photographers, photo editors and a virtual assistant to handle the everyday things that would make my job easier.
What factors do you take into account for what you charge with a post?
Time commitment, photographer/videographer cost, current engagement rate compared to the market, quantity of content requested, the platforms shared to & length of time it takes to get paid out (ex. 30 days)
What is the best practice for Brands looking to work with Influencers?
Pick up the phone and call! We can save a lot of time this way.
How do you choose which campaigns you will and will not participate in?
I ask myself, would this be something I’d be excited about if I weren’t getting paid for it?
What do you do to encourage authentic engagements on your sponsored posts?
I ask questions, DM the post to people I’d know be interested, share across other social accounts and create a few stories to get the word out.
Where do you see the future of influencer marketing?
I strongly believe it will become as common of a profession as becoming a photographer or real estate agent. It will be right alongside those professions where you have to work to make a name for yourself & really take it seriously as any other professional would. Over the next 3-5 years I feel that the pros will separate themselves from the amateurs making it easier for both brands and influencers.
