Dads & gallery co-curators Quajay Donnell & Richard Colon are building community & leading by example

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Dads & gallery co-curators Quajay Donnell & Richard Colon are building community & leading by example

Years ago, I interviewed both Quajay Donnell and Richard Colon for my passion project, I Heart ROC. We’ve all experienced a lot of life changes since then, and our friendships have grown too, so I was excited to check in five years later for a podcast interview! We talk about how photography has helped them better get to know Rochester, their journey to founding Behind the Glass Gallery, and their experiences as dads. At the end of the day, sometimes you’ve just gotta jump in the bounce house, even if you’re in your 40s and you know your legs will hurt the next day!

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Jon-Stephen Stansel on creativity & humor as a social media pro and dad

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Jon-Stephen Stansel on creativity & humor as a social media pro and dad

I’ve followed the work of social media consultant Jon-Stephen Stansel for years, so I was thrilled when he agreed to chat with me for the It’s a Lot podcast. After getting his start doing social media at higher ed institutions and government agencies, his online connections led to him working with brands like Invincible, Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, Hazbin Hotel, Sausage Party: Foodtopia, and Avatar: The Way of Water. In this conversation, we talk about the joys of being creative and funny on social media, how AI lacks taste that’s necessary to succeed as a social media manager, the dark pits of the internet, and more. In the second half of the show, we also explore Jon-Stephen’s life as a dad and the joys he’s finding on his parenthood journey.

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LinkedIn influencer Jayde Powell is ditching outdated notions of 'professionalism'

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LinkedIn influencer Jayde Powell is ditching outdated notions of 'professionalism'

Five years ago, I interviewed Jayde Powell here on the Serve Me the Sky blog, long before she became a sought after LinkedIn influencer! Jayde has been building her personal brand for a long time; now, she’s getting $20,000 brand deals for her LinkedIn content and earning over $200k per year from her influencer work. I was stoked to catch up with her for the It’s a Lot podcast. In this episode, we got into the nitty gritty of brand deals (including red flags she’s learned to suss out ASAP), her plans for retiring from social media by 40, what her different income streams look like, how she’s breaking free from the limiting box of ‘professionalism,’ and more. I find Jayde super inspiring, and I hope you will too.

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Illustrator Anoosha Syed says you have to know your "why" when it comes to social media

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Illustrator Anoosha Syed says you have to know your "why" when it comes to social media

This week, I was thrilled to chat with children’s book author/illustrator Anoosha Syed. She’s had a fascinating career path so far and she’s an incredibly talented artist, and she’s a new mom as well! We had a great conversation about content creation, building a brand online, letting go of dreams you once had for your career, and how damn hard it is to balance freelance work and motherhood.

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Therapist & content creator Alaina Brubaker talks performative posting on It's a Lot podcast

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Therapist & content creator Alaina Brubaker talks performative posting on It's a Lot podcast

This week, I launched my podcast, It’s a Lot, where I have honest conversations about social media, parenthood, and other things that are a lot. My first guest was therapist and content creator Alaina Brubaker. Five years ago, I interviewed her here on the Serve Me the Sky blog about starting her therapy Instagram, what inspired her to start creating content, how she developed her aesthetic, how she’s grown a following, and more.

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A Conversation with Dr. Fran: Educating the Public & Combating Medical Misinformation via TikTok

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A Conversation with Dr. Fran: Educating the Public & Combating Medical Misinformation via TikTok

This post is a continuation of the “A Conversation With” series, where I interview smart humans about their experiences in social media and content creation. You can read past features here.

This month, I interviewed Dr. Fran Haydanek, an OBGYN and content creator who has grown a large following on TikTok. In this blog post, we explore how to decide what to share, why it’s worthwhile for physicians to show up online, navigating and combating medical misinformation, and more. 

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What I've Learned from Posting Twice a Day on TikTok for 2 Years

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What I've Learned from Posting Twice a Day on TikTok for 2 Years

For the past 2 years, I’ve posted twice a day on TikTok, once in the morning and once in the evening. It was a long and fascinating journey that helped me learn a lot about this unique, ever-evolving platform. Looking to enhance your own TikTok strategy? Here are 5 things I learned from posting on TikTok twice a day for 2 years. 

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A Conversation with Alex Lopez: On Growing a TikTok Following, Pivoting Your Strategy, & Staying True to Yourself

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A Conversation with Alex Lopez: On Growing a TikTok Following, Pivoting Your Strategy, & Staying True to Yourself

This is the 18th post in the “A Conversation With” series, where I interview smart humans about their experiences in communications, social media, and content creation. You can read past features here.

This month, I interviewed Alex Lopez, a writer and content creator who has grown a large following on TikTok over the past few years. In this blog post, we explore tips for going viral, pivoting your TikTok strategy, content creation as a career path, and more. 

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The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 8: Posting Only 3 Minute Videos for a Week

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The TikTok Experiments, Vol. 8: Posting Only 3 Minute Videos for a Week

All year long, I’ve been conducting a series of TikTok experiments in order to understand what kind of content the powerful TikTok algorithm prioritizes. I’ve tried an SEO trick, CapCut templates, shorter videos, a higher posting frequency, and more. In July, I experimented with longer videos, sharing only 3 minute videos for one week. The result? It worked better than I anticipated! Here’s what I learned from sharing longer videos on TikTok for a week.

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A Conversation with Megan Prather: Why Vulnerability on TikTok is Worthwhile

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A Conversation with Megan Prather: Why Vulnerability on TikTok is Worthwhile

This is the 16th post in the “A Conversation With” series, where I interview smart humans about their experiences in marketing and social media. You can read past features here.

This month, I interviewed Megan Prather, a certified coach who shares vulnerably about difficult parent relationships on her TikTok, where she has a following of 21,000. In this blog post, we dive into her approach to TikTok, why it’s worth getting vulnerable online, and how to balance content creation with caring for your mental health. 

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