Social Changed Forever When We All We Invested In Each Other's Sourdough Starters

When I first meet with a new client or start a presentation, I always ask what the goal of their social media marketing is.

And one of the top three answers is always: "More engagement!!!!"

To which I counter question- but are you engaging with others' content?

They avoid looking at me. 🙃

For a while now I keep seeing people complaining that you can't build a community on social media and I disagree.

Building a community is possible, but you also need to be contributing to that community in a non-sales way.

Hear me out- I want you to think back to the wild times of 2020. The days when we didn’t know what exactly was going on with the world. The days where we were inside of our homes and the only connection we had outside of our covid bubble was the people we were connected to on social media. 

And what we were doing on social media was sharing updates about the sourdough starters we were starting or we were sharing about the plants we would bring home from those now risky grocery store runs. 

Sourdough is how we all bonded when we didn't know what was going on in the world. We asked our communities what we should name our sourdough starters. We were asking our communities what do if we missed feeding our sourdough starters.

We commented name ideas for said sourdough. We offered "discard" recipes, we saved their discard recipes. We created a relationship and essentially a community around a stranger on the internet's sourdough starter.

Basically, the sourdough starter is what transformed us from Pinterest/photoshoot quality visuals to the raw user generated visuals that are now scroll stopping. It was the Tomodachi, and we were all invested in it's daily or weekly updates like it was our own.

What a time that was.

Want more engagement- brainstorm around how we all acted with the sourdough starters. What is going to get people to stop lurking and join a conversation?

Because that's how you build the foundation for a community.

Channel the sourdough. 🍞

Did you have a sourdough starter in 2020?

Breaking the Social Media Mold: Why Your Life Experience Voice Matters

One of the first things that I hear in any consulting or speaking session with a new person is “I hate social media”. 

And yes social media can be an extremely toxic place. The curated looking everything, the only sharing of the highlights of an otherwise messy life. 

I get it.

But I also love it because social media can be anything you want it to be. 

You could literally do and post almost anything you wanted to within the terms and conditions of the platform.

And yet instead we all are doing it the same way.

We are all editing videos the same, we’re using the same audios when they are popping off even if the song does not relate to our brands at all. We are taking photos in the same places. 

It’s truly become difficult to find anything creative and new- and also to tell who’s who in my scroll. 

Which brings me to a week that changed everything. 

Late last year I was nominated for a Better Business Bureau Torch award, in recognition of my ethics in running Maven and Muse.  The awards luncheon wa a couple weeks ago. 

It was an honor to even be nominated and seen for the transparency I’m attempting to bring to my little corner of the internet because it’s not often these days that you hear the word ethics and marketing in the same sentences. 

But also the day after the luncheon I spoke to the Women In Business Association at Colorado State- and in the room where women are about to get a degree in social media marketing. (Wild since I feel I’ve only been in this space for a few years.)

And something happened that night in that presentation. 

Every time I speak, right before I sneak off to the restroom or somewhere quiet and I send up a prayer to use me and speak whatever needs to be said to the room.

There's been some real hummdingers that has come out of this mouth.

But that night I told a room full of 20 year old women about my social media induced mental breakdown of 2018 when I almost threw Maven & Muse away. 

I didn't mean to. 

It wasn't in the script.

I had an entire deck of inspiring memes to get through!

But I got asked how I do it mentally- how do I deal when my content fails?

I've barely ever talked about it, especially to a group of strangers.

It was so weird.

But I told them.

And since we’re in mental health awareness month I’ll share it now on here.

 I told them how I compared myself and lack of babies to everyones babies.  How I compared my career+part time barista job to those making 10k a day and that I was failing. How I compared my failed dating life with those getting married and all their happy relationship stories.

Then the followup question quietly and bravely when I acknowledged her she asked "how did you move on from it?"

And I told them all of them, therapy, a now annual digital detox and my inner circle. 

But I also said this, we are each on own journey, and that no opportunity or nothing meant for you is ever going to miss you.

Social media can absolutely  be the worst- but you are stronger and braver than social media- even on the days you don't feel like you are. 

You are a human walking earth- social media is a made up place that is plugged into a wall that we put so much pressure on ourselves to perform and be creative on. 

Everything you experience is because of how you perceive it. Meaning if you HATE social then the things you hate about social are going to keep presenting themselves to you.  If you flip the script and start doing social your way instead of how everyone else is- I wonder if your mindset towards it will shift to. 

Stay in your lane.

The best is yet to come.

Making Blossom Browsing Happen On Social

Social media and the internet loses their minds for fall.

There are charts that track when peak leaf peeping will happen. There are specialty drinks, the hats and scarves come out.

Almost every post in the month of October has something to do with leaves.

We all know the drill. Come September, our feeds transform into an endless scroll of:

"It's finally sweater weather, besties!" captioning photos of people frolicking in pumpkin patches.

"Nature's showing off today" accompanying the fifteenth nearly identical shot of red and orange trees.

"This crisp air is everything" paired with videos of boots crunching through fallen leaves.

The fall aesthetic has its own vocabulary: cozy, hygge, flannel, PSL. Fall leaf peeping has become an established cultural ritual, complete with travel guides, peak foliage trackers, and dedicated hashtags that garner millions of posts.

But I’ve been on the socials awhile and meanwhile, spring blooms arrive with considerably less fanfare. Sure, cherry blossom season gets its moment, but the brief explosion of diverse florals deserves the same level of coordinated appreciation that autumn receives. 

Spring peek petal peeping offers everything fall leaf peeping does, but with a fresh twist:

Instead of earth tones, you get vibrant pinks, purples, yellows, and whites dotting landscapes like nature's confetti.

Rather than the melancholy of things ending, you experience the optimism of new beginnings.

Where fall offers crisp air and crunchy leaves, spring delivers fragrant breezes and the satisfying squish of rain-softened earth.

To me it is also one of the most magical times of the year- it’s the literal defrosting of the earth but gets zero social cred. 

I was never a big spring person until I moved to Portland and now spring is ingrained in me. Portland in the spring literally everything is pink, purple, yellow, orange and white. It’s like a magical land of pink snow petal covered sidewalks and yards when the wind blows. 

Btw- what are petals even made of anyway? 

I didn’t have much hope for how Colorado would look in the spring, but since moving here I have been pleasantly surprised. So much so that I decided to grab a cherry hot cocoa and take a walk around Ft. Collins for some peak blossom browsing. 

I’m trying to make blossom browsing happen- to elevate spring peek petal peeping to its rightful cultural status, we need the same level of commitment that autumn enthusiasts bring:

1. Document the ephemeral beauty of spring blooms with the same reverence reserved for turning leaves.

2. Develop our own vocabulary: "bloom basking," "petal pursuits," or "blossom browsing."

3. Create seasonal traditions: flower crown picnics, botanical garden tours, and neighborhood flower hikes.

4. Embrace spring's version of cozy—think lightweight cardigans, floral prints, and botanical-infused beverages.

What makes fall leaf peeping so appealing to content creators is its perceived authenticity—connecting with nature, slowing down, appreciating simple pleasures. Spring peek petal peeping offers these same values but without the oversaturation.

While everyone and their pumpkin-spiced grandmother heads to the same Vermont byways or Rocky Mountain overlooks, you could be pioneering routes through Texas bluebonnet fields or admiring neighborhood crab apple and tulip studded garden beds from the sidewalk.

Fall leaf peeping isn't going anywhere, nor should it. But spring deserves its moment too. So while the autumn enthusiasts pack away their flannel until next September, I'll be here mapping out bloom schedules, crafting the perfect spring peek petal peeping playlist, and waiting for the day when "spring girlies" flood our feeds with the same enthusiasm as their fall counterparts.

Who's with me? The petals are peeping, and they're waiting for you to notice. Let’s make blossom browsing happen on social. 

Stop Selling, Start Storytelling: What Passover & Puppies Taught Me About Content

I'd like to blame the five glasses of seder wine that I feel are still in my system for what I am about to say, but let's be real—we all know that I would have said them without the wine.

And no, it does not have to do with the AI-generated action figurines that every business account has decided to make in the past two weeks (I have thoughts, though). It has to do with how, every year at this time, I can't stop thinking about storytelling.

The Universal Power of Stories

How important is storytelling to us? It's not just important—it's ingrained in our DNA, and far too many businesses could be utilizing it but aren't.

This time of year (Passover/Easter) is the highlight of storytelling season.

In Jewish culture, the story of the Exodus from Pharaoh is told and celebrated with bitter herbs, a feast, and glasses of wine.

In Christianity, the story of the rising from death is told and celebrated with an egg hunt, feast, and glasses of wine.

Both events are stories shared and handed down from generation to generation that we still tell and celebrate today.

Because, at our core—we humans love stories.

And here in the present day, our stories translate to digital content.

This got me thinking about why we all fell in love with social media in the first place.

In my opinion, it's because of the lifestyle content we all used to share before we decided that we needed to monetize every new hobby we picked up.

If you've ever been to one of my presentations, then you already know I say your biggest competition on socials is always:

1. The news cycle &

2. Dog videos.

In consulting sessions, I always joke that if you want more engagement on Instagram, you should put the product next to a puppy or a baby because that's a guaranteed scroll stop.

But in all seriousness, lifestyle content is what we love the most. It's why we fell in love with social media in the first place.

We want to know you beyond what you do.

We fall in love with brands and become loyal fans by feeling like we know them and belong in their community.

Because we aren't your followers. We are the members of your community.

So take this as your sign to invite us into your world... a smidge (we don't need all the dirty deets).

Stop constantly selling us your product, your affiliate links, and how sensational you are.

When you share a story, that's where the magic and, eventually, sales happen.

When Websites Die but Business Cards Survive: A Digital Marketer's Awakening

This weekend, I embarked on what seemed like a simple task: cleaning out four years of accumulated papers for a local shredding event. Little did I know, this mundane chore would evolve into a fascinating exploration of networking, digital presence, and the surprising staying power of print in our increasingly virtual world.

Among the credit card offers and utility bills destined for destruction, I discovered a forgotten treasure trove: approximately 40 random business cards collected over four years of networking events, conferences, and chance encounters.

Rather than simply tossing these relics into the box for the shredder, curiosity got the better of me. I decided to track down these connections on LinkedIn, sending what must have been some of the most authentically awkward connection requests ever written:

"Hi! I was cleaning and found your business card, and I thought we should connect since we do something similar."

But hey, at least these messages were obviously not AI-generated. Score one for authentic human awkwardness.

What I discovered during this impromptu networking archaeology experiment was revealing:

• Multiple websites listed on cards no longer existed

• Several professionals had held two concurrent positions at the time

• Many had relocated to different zip codes

• Some had completely changed industries

This exercise highlighted something important for digital marketers: while digital content is infinitely scalable and editable, it's also surprisingly ephemeral. Websites disappear, links break, and online profiles change.

My physical stack of rogue business cards—despite being outdated—provided a tangible record that survived four years in a drawer. Meanwhile, their digital counterparts had often vanished into the ether.

This experience made me reconsider the modern push toward digital-only business cards. While QR codes and digital card apps are undeniably convenient, they create a fundamentally different user experience:

When someone scans your QR code that information typically exists only briefly in their browser history. Once they clear their cache or simply navigate elsewhere, your contact information essentially disappears unless they've taken specific actions to save it.

There's no physical artifact left behind to rediscover years later during a cleaning spree.

This brings me to a broader point about digital marketing: In our rush to adopt the latest platforms and formats, we often create content that looks remarkably similar to everyone else's. We follow the same templates, use the same filters, and chase the same trends.

The result? Digital homogeneity that makes individual brands and screen names increasingly difficult to remember.

My business card collection—with its varied paper stocks, unusual shapes, and distinctive designs—demonstrated how physical media can create memorable touchpoints in ways digital sometimes struggles to achieve.

Maybe we're witnessing the early stages of a print renaissance in marketing. Not as a replacement for digital, but as a complementary channel that offers:

1. Tangibility: Physical items create stronger memory associations

2. Permanence: Print doesn't disappear when someone closes their browser

3. Distinctiveness: In a digital-dominated world, physical marketing materials stand out

4. Trust: There's something inherently trustworthy about a company willing to invest in quality printed materials

The lesson isn't that businesses abandon modern digital techniques and retreat to print-only strategies. Rather, it's that we should be thoughtful about creating balanced marketing ecosystems that leverage the strengths of both approaches.

Consider how your digital marketing strategy could be enhanced by strategic physical touchpoints. Maybe it's a beautifully designed direct mail piece that drives users to a landing page, or perhaps it's a memorable business card that makes networking connections last.

In a world where everyone is zigging toward all-digital-all-the-time, there might be competitive advantage in the occasional zag back to tangible marketing assets.

After all, no one ever rediscovers your post while cleaning out their desk drawer four years later.

Navigating the May Madness: How to Effectively Promote Your Events on Social Media

It's April, which means we are only a few weeks away from May, which historically is just as busy as the month of December. I'm not sure where I ever heard that, but when I did, something in my brain clicked, and it all made sense. Yes, the month of May always has just as many, if not more, events than the month of December.

May is also the kickoff to the summer months and all of the events that make summer well. There needs to be enough notice to gain awareness and attendance for weekend festivals, vintage shows, outdoor concerts, whatever it is. 

In my opinion, nothing is worse than finding out about an event on social media after the event has happened. 

As of this writing (April 2025), the social media algorithms are set to 72 hours. However, for this blog's sake, I will focus specifically on the Instagram algorithm.

This means that people who interact with your posts regularly will see them. These are the 5-7 people who regularly like your posts and stories. Then, for the next 70 hours, your content slowly trickles down to the people who are a part of your community but are not interacting with your content regularly. Typically, they do not see your posts up to 72 hours after you post them.

Because of this, it is extremely important NOT to include words like "tomorrow" or "this weekend" in your posts because, well, people might see them after "tomorrow" or "this weekend." Instead, it is important to write out the specifics, like the exact date of the event.

It's also extremely important to give enough notice. Typically, I advise people to begin talking about the event as soon as they have the specifics set for it—even if that's months in advance. But if this can't be the case, the minimum time to begin marketing and posting about an event is three weeks before. People are busier than ever these days and making plans further and further out. 

So, more notice is always better than no notice, especially when it comes to social media and the amount of content posted daily. 

One month to three weeks is the minimum time to begin creating Facebook events and Meetups and posting them on whatever social platforms you are on. 

Typically, publications need at least four weeks' notice before an event to add it to their calendar and publication, but some might even need longer than that. So it's always good to check with whatever publication you want to add your event to about their timelines and deadlines so you can get the word out in their communities. 

For more specifics on marketing your events on social media, I wrote a guide for you to DOWNLOAD.

Algorithms, Schmalgos: Why Your Social Media Strategy is the Real MVP

We need these posts to go viral." "The algorithm hates me." Almost every business owner with a social media platform.

If you've been around these parts for a while, then you know that my marketing philosophy does not involve posting to go viral or blaming the algorithm for your content's distribution or lack of distribution. 

Going viral is not a strategy; it is a side effect of a well-executed social strategy. Also, no one truly knows what the wild inner workings of the internet will deem worthy of going viral.

So, on whatever day you are reading this, congratulations. You are about to have a few social media posts from whatever "experts" debunked.

Starting with that, the algorithm is the gatekeeper of your content visibility. 

I've honestly lost track of how many times I have heard entrepreneurs and business owners complain, "The algorithm doesn't show my content" or "Instagram is killing my reach".

When I do hear them, these statements reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of how social media truly works. Algorithms are not your enemy—they're actually sophisticated tools designed to show users the most relevant and engaging content.

If you speak what you want into existence, at the very least, the ad algorithms will hear you. 

The algorithms are written and coded to show you more of what you like. Ever find it low-key creepy that when you go into your explore tab on Instagram, it has posts related to whatever show you are currently binge-watching on whatever streaming service or ads of whatever stain remover you were talking about at happy hour show up a few hours later in your feed?

If those two examples alone do not resonate with you as evidence that those businesses have a strategy in place, stop reading and book an appointment with me right now. Because, friend, you have some basics to learn about this whole world of social media.

Let's be crystal clear: your content STRATEGY is the primary driver of your social media success. Here's why:

1. Quality Over Quantity

Algorithms are fundamentally designed to reward high-quality, engaging content. This means:

• Creating content that genuinely provides value and sticks to your messaging for your community

• Developing posts that spark conversation and interaction

• Producing visually appealing and laser-focused hooks to get the scroll-stop content

2. Consistent Engagement Matters More Than Tricks

Successful social media isn't about beating the algorithm but building genuine connections. This is the part SO many business owners miss because they focus on more and adding new members to their communities. But doing this effectively includes:

• Responding to comments promptly

• Creating content that encourages meaningful interactions

• Understanding and speaking to your audience's actual needs and pain points 

3. Strategic Content Planning

Instead of viewing algorithms as obstacles, treat them as tools that amplify well-crafted content:

• Develop a content calendar that tells a cohesive story, not just create post concepts that are "trending"

• Understand the unique language and style of each platform

• Create content that naturally encourages shares, saves, and comments. You know, tell a story. 

Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn have sophisticated algorithms that want to help good content succeed. They prioritize:

• Content with high engagement rates

• Posts that keep users on the platform longer

• Material that provides genuine value to viewers

Basic Steps For Social Strategy Success

1. Know Your Audience Deeply: Create content that speaks directly to their needs, challenges, and aspirations. (Spoiler: Many of you reading have NO idea who is in your community)

2. Experiment and Analyze: Use platform insights to understand what resonates with your audience.

3. Diversify Your Content: Mix educational, entertaining, and promotional content strategically.

4. Engage Authentically: Interact with your audience and other creators in your niche.

It's 2025, and it is truly time to stop blaming the algorithm and start owning that your social media strategy is nonexistent.

The most successful businesses aren't lucky—they're strategic, know who is in their community, don't constantly chase the viral or add new members, are consistent, and are genuinely committed to providing value.

Algorithms are just the delivery mechanism. Your strategy is the message.

Not sure if your business is even communicating it's message effectively, let's chat.

More Than Just Scents: How TikTok's Cologne Trend Reveals Marketing's Influence on Teen Culture

This article is inspired by the afternoon I spent with my teenage nephew spraying various colognes thanks to TikTok and the message that we need to have more ethics when it comes to marketing.

Saddle up.

I'm going to start by saying that I legitimately felt that overwhelming annoyance from the workers at Sephora as they braced themselves and their noses the second they saw a teenage boy head toward the cologne section. Why? They are about to spray all the ones they have seen on TikTok, which they think the person doing the "review" has paid for. (I'm using the word review here loosely) 

Over the years- I have had many discussions with my nephew about how 80% of things on social media are fake-all the platforms. We've had the conversation many times because he, like many other juvenile social consumers and grown adults, will even fall back into believing that everything on social media is real. And in case you need the reminder again today, most social media is a highlight reel, and while not intentionally meant to make you feel like garbage about your life, you sometimes feel like garbage about your life.  

I reminded him that, like a Jedi, I needed to decide early in my career whether to use my storytelling and marketing powers for good or evil. I chose good because, well, the dark side of marketing borders on manipulation.

Manipulation is what is happening with most of these influencer "reviews."

Most people, especially juveniles and teens, do not understand that most successful cologne influencers aren't spending thousands of dollars building their collections.

Once creators reach certain follower thresholds, they typically receive:

• Free product shipments: Fragrance companies regularly send complimentary full-sized bottles to creators with engaged audiences

• PR packages: Curated collections of new or seasonal releases sent specifically for content creation

• Affiliate partnerships: Custom discount codes that earn influencers commission when their followers purchase

Now, this is not only for cologne; it is pretty much the foundation of any marketing and PR campaign around anything. All those big box store hauls—sometimes the store pays them to do them, and other times, if the account isn't big enough to get paid or things are free, people are buying the things, trying them on at home, and then returning them. 

These arrangements create a misleading impression about the accessibility of extensive cologne collections and well everything. While creators might showcase dozens of premium fragrances (collectively worth thousands of dollars), they've often acquired them through their content creation for FREE rather than personal purchases.

I'm going to keep using the cologne example, but this can apply to so many other consumable things because we all need to understand what exactly is happening in these videos and why they have captured Gen Z's and every other social consumer's attention.

This trend is fascinating because it has evolved beyond mere product showcasing. Creative spinoffs include "scent profiles," where teens match cologne to different personalities, cologne review challenges, and even "scent storytelling," where creators craft narratives around different fragrances. (I watched them for an hour; that's an hour of my life I'm never getting back.)

Why Teens Are Drawn to This Trend

The cologne trend represents several aspects of teen culture converging:

1. Identity formation: For many young men, cologne represents an accessible entry point into personal grooming and the development of a signature style.

2. Social validation: Comments sections overflow with peer approval, with phrases like "that's fire" or "absolute W" (win), validating choices and boosting social standing.

3. Aspiration: Teens associate certain fragrances with maturity, sophistication, and attractiveness - qualities particularly appealing during adolescence.

4. Community: The shared language, rituals, and inside jokes create a sense of belonging.

The TikTok cologne phenomenon represents more than just teenagers obsessing over smelling good. It illustrates how social media transforms ordinary consumer products into vehicles for self-expression, community building, and identity formation - hallmarks of adolescence that have simply found a new digital home.

So, how can we build a community around a consumer product and keep it ethical?

For Brands and Marketers:

• Transparency requirements: Forward-thinking brands can stand out by requiring clear disclosure of gifted products in all content. if you are a business who has affiliate programs like this and it is in your creator contract that they need to disclose it is sponsored or paid you’ve gotta stay up to date on the content they are posting, because well you’re part of the problem too.

• Accessibility initiatives: Create sampling programs or smaller-sized options that make quality fragrances accessible to teen budgets.

For Parents and Educators:

• Media literacy curriculum: Use cologne TikTok as a case study for teaching teens to identify sponsored content even when the person is not disclosing it is sponsored content.

• Consumer education: Encourage conversations about value, quality versus quantity, and responsible consumption.

• Entrepreneurship lessons: Discuss how teens might ethically monetize their interests through content creation if this is the avenue they want to take.

What Parents Should Consider

For parents observing this trend, there are several considerations:

• Cost awareness: Premium colognes can be expensive, making this an opportunity to discuss budgeting and financial priorities.

• Moderation conversations: Many videos glorify excessive application, which can be overwhelming in real-life settings like classrooms.

• Positive aspects: This trend encourages personal hygiene and grooming - generally positive habits for teenagers to develop.

• Media literacy: Help teens understand that influencers often receive free products, creating unrealistic expectations about what constitutes a "normal" collection.

• Influencer economics: Explain how content creators monetize their platforms through partnerships, making their collections more business investments than personal splurges.

While the cologne trend will eventually fade (as all trends do), the underlying social dynamics it reveals about teenage development in the digital age are worth noting. For now, parents need to have honest conversations about influencer marketing, realistic budgeting, and the difference between curated social media personas and everyday reality. And if you're not a parent, you might need to look in the mirror and have that conversation with yourself. The things you are being sold will not make you happier, a better person, or love you back.

They are things; if you are buying into all of the hype, it's time for some self-reflection. It's time to stop letting an algorithm tell you what you like and how you are supposed to feel because the majority of the content is sponsored, but people are not disclosing that as they need to.

Trust Is The New Currency: A Raw 2025 Digital Marketing Truth Bomb

I need to be real with you about what's happening in content marketing right now. After a decade in this space, what I've witnessed in the past 30 days is unprecedented. If someone's trying to sell you their "proven framework" for lead optimization in 2025, they're completely disconnected from the ground reality of social platforms.

Here's what's actually happening: Trust has become the new digital currency. Full Stop.

Let's drop the marketing speak for a minute. Content isn't for lead generation anymore – it's for trust generation. And if you're still chasing leads while ignoring trust, you're fighting yesterday's battle.

Think about why you follow your favorite creators or brands. Is it because they offered you some flashy discount code or a free PDF? Or is it because they consistently show up in your feed with content that actually makes your life better?

Yeah, I thought so.

Here's what nobody else is telling you:

• A lead without trust is just an unsubscribe waiting to happen

• Trust without an immediate conversion is an investment in future growth

• Gated content might build your email list, but trusted content builds your empire

Why is lead generation dwindling? Simple. People are exhausted.

They're tired of:

• Random "experts" sliding into their DMs

• Being sold to every time they open social media

• Handing over their email for another useless PDF

• The constant barrage of "valuable content" that offers zero value

Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Too many people have been burned by digital marketers. You know the type – the ones posting about making "$20k a month" who sell you a vague template that doesn't work. When you seek help, they either ghost you or blame your "mindset."

Now you're stuck with:

• Trust issues with marketers

• A feeling of failure because their "proven methods" didn't work

• Skepticism about content creation because "what's the point?"

• Hesitation to invest in content because you've been burned before

Want to know if you're on the right track? Answer these questions honestly:

1. Is your content actually worth saving and sharing?

2. Are you hoarding your best insights behind lead magnets?

3. Do you have real relationships in your DMs, or just a database?

If your answers are No, Yes, and No – we need to talk.

Here's why trustworthy organic content isn't an expense – it's your most valuable digital asset:

• It becomes reference material for your industry

• It documents your journey and expertise

• It builds credibility that compounds over time

• It works for you 24/7, unlike ads that die when you stop paying

While others are still doing trust-breaking marketing in 2025, you have a choice. You can:

• Keep chasing vanishing leads

• Keep buying into "proven frameworks"

• Keep wondering why your content isn't converting

Or...

You can start building something that actually matters – trust that translates into lasting influence.

The truth is, every piece of content you create is either building or breaking trust. There's no middle ground anymore.

If you're tired of:

• Following outdated playbooks

• Chasing leads that go nowhere

• Creating content that doesn't convert

• Watching your competitors build real relationships

Then it's time we talked. Because while everyone else is optimizing for algorithms, we could be optimizing for trust.

The real question isn't "Can you afford to invest in trust-building content?"

It's "Can you afford not to?"

The future of digital marketing isn't about who can generate the most leads. It's about who can generate the most trust. Where do you want to be?

Storytelling, Authenticity, and Martha: The Roots of Modern Content Creation

Before Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, there was MARTHA - the original influencer who revolutionized lifestyle content before "content creation" was even a term.

Over the weekend, I watched the Martha Stewart documentary, and it hit me: she literally invented the influencer playbook decades before social media existed. Think about it - Martha created aspirational content, built a lifestyle brand, and monetized personal expertise WAY before anyone else.

What Martha understood maybe before anyone else:

• Personal brand is everything

• People don't just want products - they want a lifestyle

• Authenticity and expertise are the ultimate currency

• Turning domestic skills into a multi-million-dollar empire

There were plenty of Martha Stewart magazines floating around my house growing up, and looking back now, putting two and two together, that style of photography definitely influenced the way that I saw the world and objects. My mom would see things in Living and then search for them at the antique stores and flea markets she took me and my brother to. Then, she would mimic the way it was styled in the magazine when we got back home. 

While the original Living magazines discussed antique finds in Connecticut shops and then brought dupes to the aisles of Kmart to make it attainable for those who lived outside of Connecticut, the lifestyle influencers of today are showing you that you can attain the same aesthetic from your local thrift stores. 

At one of the vision boarding get-togethers I went to a few years ago, I did take a completely intact 2002 Living magazine, and for some reason, it's made all of the moves I've had since then. But when I went searching for it after I watched the documentary and flipped through it while eating leftover pie, I got to a page that looked like what my Explore page on Instagram looks like right before a holiday.  

And how powerful is it that page 228 of a 2002 magazine still has the same aesthetic that was so groundbreaking 22 years ago? 

She wasn't just selling recipes or home decor—she was selling an entire aesthetic, a way of LIVING. Martha Stewart was doing flatlays, tutorial content, and lifestyle branding before we had filters, follower counts, or even a term to call what she was doing. She was literally the prototype and the architect for every lifestyle influencer you follow or are suggested to follow today. 

From magazine spreads to TV shows and cookbooks to product lines - Martha didn't just create content; she created an entire ecosystem around her personal brand- which, when you talk to almost any younger millennial or Gen Z, is what they are trying to attain, with their podcasts, substack subscriptions, social feeds, affiliate links, and merch drops.

Talk about being ahead of her time.

The difference, however, is that Martha wanted people to get back to a time of enjoying life surrounded by pretty things and flavorful food. The lifestyle brands of today, it seems, want the world to live as they do because their way is the only way to do it correctly.

But the way the energy feels moving toward next year, at least from a marketing perspective, is that this one foundational value from the booming Living days holds true. Authenticity and expertise are the ultimate currency. 

AKA storytelling.

Marketing to build an empire is truly storytelling; hell, everything that is marketing is storytelling. 

In my experience of monitoring post analytics, the best-performing posts have been the ones when the business gets vulnerable and shares something real—not some "Today was the best Thanksgiving ever, my family is better than your family" type stuff. 

Something where it walks the fine line of oversharing and just enough to touch on a similar experience that a scroller can also relate to.

If I have noticed anything in the last nine months of my daily life on social media, it's that people are truly beginning to see through the facade of the overstyled photo and cutesy caption and craving something real and relatable.

So, if you have been feeling uninspired lately and want to get back to the roots of personal branding, find the documentary or look through the magazines at your local thrift store or library donation table. If there's a Living there, pick it up and flip through it. Then, let me know what you think about it all.

All of this, however, has brought up my next question—is this also where our need to post only aesthetically perfect photos along with happy captions began?  Blog coming soon.