From Content Creator to Entrepreneur

The Journey of Instagram Influencers Turned Entrepreneurs

• Danny Austin started creating content online about 10 years ago while living in Austin, Texas.

• Danny's brother, Landon Austin, who is a musician, started on YouTube and suggested Danny start a channel as well.

• Danny signed with a manager and started collabing with other creators in LA.

• Danny learned about the back-end of brand deals and partnerships while working for her manager.

• Danny realized that she needed to get out of her contract and manage herself to build her own team.

• Danny's content is mainly on Instagram, with over 2.5 million followers across all platforms.

• Danny and her husband started Divi, a scalp and hair care brand.

• Divi was featured in a thread on Twitter about creators with successful businesses.

• Divi did approximately $40 million in revenue in its first year.

• Danny and her husband decided to create Divi after Danny started losing her hair in college.

• Divi's success allowed Danny and her husband to move away from solely relying on brand deals and influencer work.

• Danny and her husband are now able to share their lives online while also running their own successful business.How a YouTuber's Hair Loss Journey Led to a Successful Scalp Serum Business

• The YouTuber experienced hair loss due to stress and hair extensions.

• She tried to cover up the hair loss with extensions and bleaching, which made it worse.

• Her husband suggested trying wigs, and they found a wig shop in Los Angeles through another YouTuber.

• She initially kept wearing wigs a secret but later shared her experience with her audience, which led to the discovery of a hidden epidemic of hair loss among women.

• The YouTuber developed a scalp serum in her bathroom using natural ingredients and shared the recipe with her audience.

• The scalp serum gained popularity, and people started sharing their before-and-after pictures, leading to the launch of the YouTuber's business, Divi.

• Divi's scalp serum is a clean, natural product that detoxifies the scalp and promotes hair growth.

• The business, launched in October 2019, has seen explosive growth, generating $40 million in its first full year and on track to do $30-35 million in the current year.

• The inspiration for the business was to serve the YouTuber's audience, and the success was unexpected.

• Divi's success is due to the power of the community and the product's effectiveness.

• The YouTuber had previously considered launching a tech-based service but did not have a clear idea until she developed the scalp serum.

• The YouTuber's hair loss journey and the success of Divi have inspired other women to speak up about their hair loss experiences.Building a Relatable Brand: Lessons from Content Creators

• The process of building a brand can happen organically or through intentional efforts.

• Authenticity and relatability are key aspects of a successful brand.

• It takes time to develop a brand and become known for a specific thing.

• People often try too hard to be perfect, which can make them unrelatable.

• Making mistakes and sharing them can increase relatability and connection with an audience.

• The key to building a following is providing a transformation of emotion, not just information.

• Signature stories that define a person's life can become the mental shortcut for their brand.

• Meeting people who follow your content can feel like they know you personally.

• Podcasts can provide a hangout experience and motivation or inspiration for listeners.

• Staying humble and consistent is essential to maintaining authenticity and relatability.

• Protecting oneself from sponsored content and not becoming pompous is crucial for content creators.

• Starting out today, it is important to focus on the platform that best suits your content and to prioritize authenticity and relatability.How this influencer built a successful brand on Instagram

• The influencer started on various platforms but would now start on TikTok due to its viral potential.

• Focusing on unique content rather than trend-chasing is important for building a loyal audience.

• Creating characters within content is important for branding and relatability.

• The influencer's mother is a character called "Tornado" due to her energetic personality.

• The family's relatable everyday life is the focus of their content.

• The husband and wife dynamic works well for creating content together.

• Brand deals started with simple product promotions but evolved into a focus on providing the best deals and value for the audience.

• Combining brand deals with affiliates allows for more selectivity in choosing brands to work with.

• The influencer's team works in the house but tries to stay out of the content creation process.

• The influencer's brand prioritizes the audience first, then their business, and finally the brands they work with.

• The influencer successfully secured a promo code for Free People after years of trying, resulting in a significant increase in sales.

• The influencer's most successful brand deal was with Stanley water bottles, which they were the first to promote and resulted in a significant increase in sales.