Miss EmpowHer Blog

How to Get PAID Brand Deals as a Small Influencer

@alexisbarber Getting started as a paid social media influencer is extremely overwhelming when you are a content creator with a small following. It is often hard to find useful advice on paid brand deals as a small content creator because so many content creators give incorrect or outdated advice. I recently came across Alexis Barber’s Tik Tok page. She is a 22-year old lifestyle content creator known for her realistic fashion, finance, and career videos. From Tik Tok, I found her YouTube channel where she has a video called “how to get PAID brand deals as a small influencer”. As someone who has watched hundreds of micro-influencer advice videos and worked on paid brand partnerships, this video is the best one I have seen so far for small creators. Here are my top 8 takeaways from the video. I have linked the full video below for you to watch. Choose a Platform that you want to focus on and build a content strategy around what works best for that platform and what works best for your audience on your targeted platform. Different Niches get paid different amounts. Create Consistent Content Get an Email & Check it so you can get access to opportunities. Make a list of the brands you are interested in working with that fall within your niche and would resonate with your audience. Use audience recommendations to pitch to brands. Ask your audience what brands they want to see. Leverage the data from the original content you create and use it in your pitch to brands for partnership deals Charge for extras. Make sure you charge the brands for using your content for paid social media ads. Charge for exclusivity if they say you can’t work with other brands. Post 80 percent regular content and 20 percent sponsored content. Watch: how to get PAID brand deals as a small influencer: Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Summer is Gone, But Color is Here to Stay!

We love summer for the bright colors, increased vitamin D and longer days but unfortunately it's coming to an end. Here’s how you can incorporate color into the new season. Graphic Liner Graphic Liner is way more fun than your basic black wing. Creating different shapes with various colors offers a way to be expressive with makeup and incorporate summer’s fun. @emilynnrose Nail Designs Who doesn’t love a new set? Bring your nail looks into the fall season with deep moody shade like crimson and burnt orange. If you can let go of summer just yet incorporate fun designs and monochromatic colors into a French set. @overglowedit Hair Switch it up! Let your curls bounce. Incorporating new hair colors is always exciting and Copper is a definitely in season. Don’t shy away from your honey browns too! @angelicablick I hope this sparked ideas of how you can bring colors into the new season!

5 Tips for Crushing Your Next Interview

@driamurphy In order to land your dream job or get that promotion you’ve been working for, you have to approach your interviews and networking conversations with confidence as well as competence. Check out our tips for presenting your most confident, authentic, and capable self at your next interview. 1. Practice meditation Interviews can be nerve-wracking. Most everyone gets nervous before important interviews, but this can hinder your ability to put your best foot forward and utilize the preparation you’ve done. Practice relaxation and meditation techniques before your interview by focusing on your breathing and thinking positive thoughts. 2. Be in the moment In an interview setting, it can be easy to always be thinking ahead about the next question you might be asked or how the interview is going. However, worrying about the next part of the interview doesn't allow you to be present with the interviewer and enjoy the opportunity to learn more. Focus on staying present, and you will present yourself as a calm, collected individual. 3. Demonstrate enthusiasm Most of us don’t look forward to interviews. However, it is important to be positive and enthusiastic during the interview process, which makes you seem more approachable and eager about the role. Make sure to smile and be expressive when meeting an interviewer and telling them about your experiences. Make them realize how wonderful you are to be around in a workplace setting! 4. Practice confident body language A lot of what we communicate about ourselves in an interview doesn’t even have to do with our answers to interviewers’ questions. Our body language, tone, and gestures can signal confidence and assertiveness, or it can signal insecurity. Speaking loudly and clearly, making intentional gestures, and making eye contact throughout the interview can make you stand out as a candidate. 5. Ask great questions Great candidates stand out because they are truly engaged with the company they are interviewing with and are eager to learn more about it. Come prepared with specific and unique questions to ask your interviewer about their experiences, and connect their comments to why you would be a great addition to their team. Remember that you are getting the opportunity to interview because you deserve it! Enjoy the connections you make and be yourself, and your interviewers will appreciate the chance to get to know you. You got this!

How To Rebuild Your Confidence After Experiencing Failure

@onlybells_ In life, I’ve been blessed with many opportunities, but I’ve also experienced a lot of failures. In high school, I failed to make the high school varsity soccer team. In college, I failed to secure a full-ride scholarship, I’ve been rejected from top companies, and I’ve failed to make it out of the “talking stage”. I’m not going to lie at the time, it sucked. Rejection sucks. Failing sucks. But the reality is, in life, we will experience failure. But we have the power to choose how failure affects us. For example, after failing, I realized I had to choose whether I would allow these failures to cause me to doubt myself and doubt my worth. So I decided to shift my perspective. Just because I failed does not mean I’m less worthy. I chose to remind myself of all that I had to offer. I would handle rejection in healthier ways, telling myself things like: This opportunity is not the right fit for me What is meant for me will not miss me You need more time to develop personally or professionally These tips have helped me build my confidence over the years and combat feelings of self-doubt after experiencing failure, and I hope they help you. Let me know if you found these tips helpful. Follow me on Instagram & share this post with a friend!

Moving From Idea to Action

@beyonce “Don’t just talk about it, be about it”- Beyoncé. When I heard Beyoncé say this a few months ago, I knew I had to make some changes in my life. I realized that if I wanted to become the best version of myself, I couldn’t just say that I wanted to be better, but I had to quit doing the things that were holding me back and needed to start taking action. 7 Things I Did To Transition From Being A Dreamer to A Doer I stopped focusing on obstacles and started looking for opportunities I stopped trying to please everyone I stopped making excuses and took accountability I stopped overthinking, prioritized progress over perfection I stopped being afraid and took risks I stopped sacrificing happiness, learned to prioritize self-care and cherish my relationships I stopped fearing change, embraced personal and professional growth even when it felt uncomfortable What will you do to move from idea to action? Let me know if you found these tips helpful. Follow me on Instagram & share this post with a friend!

Alana’s Fitness Journey: Waist Beads For Weight Loss & Body Awareness

@alanamauree Growing up, I always played sports and maintained my healthy lifestyle that way. Once I got to college, I struggled with prioritizing my wellness on top of both professional and educational responsibilities. I found myself focusing on everything else but me; and I found my mental and physical health diminished. As soon as COVID-19 hit, and we were sent home for summer break; I began to reflect on my current being and chose to make a change. I signed up with my now trainer, Preston, off of a referral from my friend on May 11, 2020. I soon fell in love with the gym, and started working out five/six times a week and often did two a day workouts. Weight training in the morning and then an evening run or walk. The gym and working out served as therapy as well. As important as working out is, your diet is the most important aspect of trying to lose weight/toning up. Protein is your best friend. Another special thing that has helped me along my fitness journey is my waist beads from Miss Empowher. I have worn waist beads from Miss EmpowHer throughout my entire fitness journey. They have helped me stay away from the scale and instead focus on tracking my inches around my waist as that is a huge target area for me as well. The scale can be disheartening as muscle weighs more than fat, so as you tone, the scale might not reflect the actual fat you’ve lost. However, the waist beads function in a way that as you lose inches and fat around your waist and stomach, the waist beads drop. I’ve gone through three different waist beads as they’ve loosened up due to my weight loss requiring me to purchase some more. I absolutely love my waist beads from Miss EmpowHer! They are very stylish and functional as well! My fitness journey would not have been the same without them. Follow along on Alana’s fitness journey on Instagram at @livfitlana. She also does lash extensions in the Chapel-Hill/Durham area. Follow her @lashbylana to see her work.

3 Ways LinkedIn Helped Me Overcome the Obstacles of Being a Minority Entrepreneur

@caitlynkumi When I launched Miss EmpowHer, I had a vision for the brand, but I had no idea how to execute my vision. I needed advice from experienced professionals, and I needed funding to get started. However, I was met with challenges. In the early days, I struggled to find advisors that understood the obstacles I faced as a minority entrepreneur. I became filled with self-doubt and anxiety and questioned if Miss EmpowHer was even a viable business. I decided that it was time to pivot and leverage the power of LinkedIn to achieve the entrepreneurial success I desired. 1. Built a network of mentors & sponsors How do you become the best you can be? You have to learn from the best and make the most of opportunities. LinkedIn allowed me to connect with experienced professionals at top companies and then apply the knowledge I learned from my 15-minute zoom chats into my business. Sometimes these one-time zoom chats turned into a long-term relationship and helped me get media features in notable publications such as Buzzfeed and Good Morning America. However, the most important thing to remember when networking on LinkedIn is to be authentic and intentional rather than transactional and self-serving. 2. Learned About New Funding Opportunities When I started Miss EmpowHer, I knew I would not be receiving any funding from my parents, so I needed to find a way to fund my new venture. I started connecting with people in the entrepreneurial community on LinkedIn. I noticed that my feed became flooded with grant opportunities, pitch competitions, and stories about entrepreneurs that had received funding for their ventures. I was fortunate enough to discover Launch Chapel Hill’s business accelerator program and receive funding to grow Miss EmpowHer in June 2021. However, the reality is less than 3% of women receive venture capital funding, and less than 1% of black women receive venture capital funding for their businesses. If you want funding opportunities, start connecting with people and using LinkedIn to learn the strategies and opportunities minority entrepreneurs use to fund their ventures. 3. Recruited Top Talent To Grow My Business To accelerate the growth of Miss EmpowHer, I knew I needed to attract strong talent for my remote internship program. I used LinkedIn to introduce people to my brand and to share the benefits of our internship program. As a result, I was able to attract quality applicants each application cycle. Let me know if you found these tips helpful. Follow me on Instagram & share this post with a friend!

Here's What You Need To Pack For Your Next Vacation

Packing for your much-anticipated summer vacation can be tricky and overwhelming. We know the feeling of wanting to look perfect on your trip and while being comfortable enough to enjoy it. We've put together a few vacation must-haves below that are perfect for your summer plans. Waist beads Don’t forget your Miss EmpowHer waist beads. They take any swimsuit or outfit to the next level and are perfect for personalizing your vacation look. @alanamauree Bucket hats Try a bucket hat with a fun color or a summery pattern. Stay protected from the sun and liven up your daytime outfit or swimsuit! @INHhair Matching sets Wear a matching set at night that’s both comfortable and cute. It’s an easy outfit that still makes you look stylish and put-together. @angelnyan Fun sunglasses Whether you’re reading on the beach or shopping in town, a fun pair of sunglasses makes any outfit a showstopper. @styledtokill Disposable camera Want to make memories without feeling glued to your phone? Try taking a disposable camera or using a disposable camera app on vacation and enjoy the pictures after they’ve developed – no retakes and no filters! @urbanoutfitters Colorful reusable water bottle While out and about on vacation, don’t forget to stay hydrated and protect the environment from unnecessary plastic waste with a fun reusable water bottle. @kitschandcolor Make the most of your vacation with your favorite fun and functional outfits and accessories!

Celebrities Are Using their Platforms to Spread Body-Positive Messages

For years, celebrities, especially female celebrities, have been viewed as representative of beauty ideals unattainable for the average person. Some, however, are now using their platforms do combat this perception of celebrities and influencers as perfect. Celebrities such as Anne Hathaway and Ashley Graham are encouraging body positivity from their followers through honest posts and motivating words. Ashley Graham encouraged her followers to embrace their bodies this summer, writing on Instagram “Believe me when i say your body is beautiful, and i know it's easy to tell yourself the lie that you're not good enough, thin enough, sexy enough, 'flawless' enough to wear a tank top or a swimsuit, but it's hot out there and so are you.” @ashleygraham Hilary Duff also shared on Instagram a photo of her in a swimsuit with a body-positive caption: “Ladies, let’s be proud of what we’ve got and stop wasting precious time in the day wishing we were different, better, and unflawed.” Amy Schumer expressed gratitude for her post-pregnancy body on Instagram, writing in her comments to followers “I am loving my warm soft post baby body. Grateful to be feeling so strong again!” Serena Williams shared a photo of her daughter and celebrated her strength and beauty with her caption: “I was looking at my daughter (OMG, yes, I have a daughter 😳) and she has my arms and legs! My exact same strong, muscular, powerful, sensational arms and body. I don’t know how I would react if she has to go through what I’ve gone through since I was a 15 year old and even to this day….” @serenawilliams Lena Dunham shared a nude photo of herself and encouraged her followers to practice self-love with the caption “Any negativity that comes your way is just an excuse to love yourself even more, right? Comment below with a reason you love yourself.” On Instagram, Anne Hathaway commented on the unrealistic expectations that new mothers face. She shares “There is no shame in gaining weight during pregnancy (or ever). There is no shame if it takes longer than you think it will to lose the weight (if you want to lose it at all). There is no shame in finally breaking down and making your own jean shorts because last summer‘s are just too dang short for this summer’s thighs. Bodies change. Bodies grow. Bodies shrink. It’s all love (don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.)” Danielle Brooks expressed gratitude for her body on Instagram, too, writing “Why I am grateful for MY BODY: The body is your ride or die, literally. So I’m thankful for Good Health!! I’m thankful that my body functions at 💯 regardless of the imperfections the world might see. It holds me up. It sustains me through long work weeks. It takes me on trips around the world, and carries me through my most stressful days and my most exciting. My body has my back, because it knows that I am learning to listen to what it needs to have it function at its best. I don’t take my body for granted, so thank you body for taking me on an incredible ride this year!” @daniebb3 This summer, follow celebrities and influencers who inspire you to feel confident and celebrate your summer body and share your body positive posts with us on Instagram!

5 Quotes by Women on Body Image

@gabby3shabby “One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. I wear colors that I really like, I wear makeup that makes me feel pretty, and it really helps. It doesn’t have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see.” -Gabourey Sidibe, American actress @kendalljenner “What people don’t understand is calling someone too skinny is the same as calling someone too fat.” -Kendall Jenner, American model @ashleygraham “When you look in the mirror and say, 'I'm ugly, I'm hideous, I'm fat,' at the end of the day, you are going to become ugly or fat [in your eyes]." -Ashley Graham, American model @lupitanyongo “You can’t eat beauty; it doesn’t sustain you. What is fundamentally beautiful is compassion, for yourself and those around you. That kind of beauty enflames the heart and enchants the soul.” -Lupita Nyong’o, Kenyan-Mexican actress @drewbarrymore “My limbs work, so I’m not going to complain about how my body is shaped.” -Drew Barrymore, American actress

5 Quotes by Black Women on Success

@serenawilliams “The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all humble.” -Serena Williams, Professional Tennis Player @cmgworldwide “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” -Maya Angelou, American poet and civil rights activist @nickiminaj “You want to know what scares people? Success. When you don’t make moves and when you don’t climb up the ladder, everybody loves you because you aren’t competition.” -Nicki Minaj, Trinidadian rapper @halleberry “There have been so many people who have said to me, ‘You can’t do that,’ but I’ve had an innate belief that they were wrong. Be unwavering and relentless in your approach.” -Halle Berry, American actress @iyanlavanzant “The way you achieve your own success is to be willing to help somebody else get it first.” -Iyanla Vanzant, American inspirational speaker

Feel Like an Imposter? Don't Worry, You’re Not Alone.

My Journey Have you ever felt like in whichever setting or place you’re in, you do not belong? Like those around you will somehow one day discover you’re an imposter who does not deserve any of the accomplishments you have achieved? If so, I am here to tell you that you’re not alone. Having grown up in the South to immigrant parents from Mexico, I was never able to receive the guidance and mentorship I needed throughout my educational experience. As a result, my experience was filled with the pursuit of self-discovery all while also trying to navigate things like learning to read and write in English to going through the college application process. Throughout my educational experience, I always felt as if there was a need for me to go above and beyond in order to be at the same academic level as my classmates. However, even when doing so and being rewarded for it, I felt as if my efforts were only recognized for the pure sake of being the only Latinx student in my classes. This feeling continued into college where I often heard things like “you only got in because you’re Hispanic” and as much as I hate to say it, it got to me. I had (and continue to) struggle participating in class given the fear of saying something incorrect even when part of me knows that I’m not. However, if there is one thing college has taught me is that neither I nor you are alone. This cruel and hard to combat feeling is nothing other than the imposter syndrome. Imposter Syndrome? What does that look like? The imposter syndrome is a psychological phenomenon referring to a pattern of behavior in which individuals doubt their accomplishments and have a consistent, often internalized fear of being exposed as an imposter. Often people with imposter syndrome attribute luck or good timing to the accomplishments they have achieved. Not only that, but they often dismiss others who believe that they are more intelligent and competent than they actually are. Essentially, they remain convinced that they are not capable and do not deserve the success or position they are in. Now, with this, let’s take a look at some common signs of imposter syndrome which include: Self-Doubt Fear of being discovered Attributing own success to external factors Constant fear of not living up to expectations Negative self-talk Overachieving Constant comparison to other people Setting challenging goals and feeling disappointed when falling short Irrational fears of the future Now that I know what it is, How can I combat it? It is without a doubt that learning to overcome imposter syndrome can be challenging. However, here are some small steps you can take to combat it: Recognize imposter feelings when they emerge Remember that success is subjective Take ownership of your success Refrain failure as a learning opportunity Accept that perfectionism is impossible Set boundaries away from systems or individuals who do not contribute to your personal wellness and growth Have consistent self-care check-ins where you are kind to yourself Here's what you can do to support those with Imposter Syndrome: As someone who has been battling this syndrome for years now, I have recognized the importance of having a strong support system around me. Sharing feelings with trusted loved ones such as your parents and teachers, who have more experience, can reassure you that you’re worthy and capable of anything. Don’t let the fear of others finding out you’re a “fraud” get in the way of you seeking help. Let your guard down and let others who you trust see the real you. It is important that you recognize the symptoms of imposter syndrome amongst others. Listen to them whenever they are ready to open up but most importantly, reassure them that you’re proud and that you know they are capable of achieving all of their dreams. A Message from ME to YOU Remember that if you are ever feeling like an imposter, it means that you have achieved some form of success in your life that you’re simply neglecting. Instead, turn that feeling into gratitude and look at all that you have accomplished in life. Most individuals experience moments of doubt, and that is normal. However, we must not let that doubt control our actions. It is okay to have an imposter moment, but not an imposter life.