We were lucky to catch up with Maranda Evans recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Maranda with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My work ethic comes from my mother. I watched her as a child work two jobs as a single mother to take care of me. I was raised by my grandparents and godfather, who also taught me I had to work hard to get to where I wanted to be in life. They taught me that nothing in life is free or handed to you, but with faith and dedication, you can achieve your goals. I’ve been working since the age of 14. I wanted to be independent and help my mom by paying for things myself. Coming from a low-income household, I know what it’s like to struggle and I never wanted that for myself or my family. I used to, and still do, always tell my mom, “You’re going to retire by 50 and I’m going to take care of you.” Although I’ve missed my “deadline”, I am still set on making those words come true.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
As an author, publisher, accountant, entrepreneur, nonprofit founder, and vlogger, it’s hard to choose one to talk about, but I will speak about my life as a vlogger.
I posted my first YouTube video on November 28, 2015, right after I released my first book, Troubled. I spoke about my abuse, the loss of my father to domestic violence, and growing up as a promiscuous teenager. I didn’t plan to become a YouTuber then, I just wanted my story to be heard and others to know that they can also release their silence. I posted a few videos here and there throughout the years, but in 2019 I decided to create an official YouTube show called, “Motivation with ME.” I would post one episode a week on a specific topic. Abuse, relationships, motivation, spirituality, racial equality, and more.
The show lasted a little over a year until my cousin Ashley told me I should start vlogging my day. Now in 2023, not only am I monetized after 8 years, but I enjoy being, “The Unfiltered Motivator.” I post vlogs, car chats, motivation videos, reaction videos, and more. I’ve expanded the things that I post and although it isn’t suitable for kids, it allows me to be the creative artist I’ve always wanted to be.
My other businesses are Evans Financial Solutions, Victorian Publishing, and my nonprofit, The Troubled Movement.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three qualities I believe everyone should have is faith, passion, and dedication. Those are the qualities that have gotten me through my hardest time. Faith is the skill that will push you to start something you’ve always wanted to do. If you experience fear, it means your faith has been activated. If it doesn’t scare you, it’s not worth doing. Faith is doing it anyway. Passion is what keeps you going. When you’re passionate about something you can’t help but do it. When you don’t, you feel incomplete or empty. Passion is your, “why.” Dedication is the hardest because it will sometimes feel like it’s easier to give up. Dedication is your power. It’s the mentality that you won’t be defeated.
As another bonus, I will say patience. Blessings come to those who wait.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
My biggest area of growth in the past year would be my creativity. Being a vlogger in 2023, or even the past 10 years since social media became a thing, isn’t easy. There’s a lot of competition so you have to create something that stands out. As previously stated, I posted an episode once a week on YouTube and made it very specific. Now as I’ve grown, I post a variety of videos that cater to my audience. I learned more about quality (you should see the webcam quality I used to have), editing, and how to make people laugh. I gained monetization status in July 2023 after 5 years of constant and consistent posting and dedication.
Contact Info:
- Website: marandaevans.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/elementsofme
- Facebook: facebook.com/marandamotivates
- Youtube: youtube.com/marandaevans
- Other: victorianpublishing.com thetroubledmovement.org
Image Credits
Racquel Hegert, Clearshutter Photography
