Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Riley Huseby. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Riley, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Honestly I never thought I would be the person to experience imposter syndrome. Before you become an entrepreneur and enter social media, you don’t realize how scary it is to prove yourself with little to no experience. I am still learning, but over years of doing free work, communicating with clients and creating confidence through myself I am finally building a platform I am stable on. The best advice I can give is that the most successful people I have met are standing on a mountain of L’s, and every loss brings them closer to a win. The more they try and fail, the closer they get to success. So my advice is to keep trying and failing, because passing on opportunities because you think you aren’t good enough will ensure failure.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I started my journey in content creation when I was five. I picked up my first camera and ran around taking pictures of everything, but after years of doing this randomly I decided to try something different. When I was 15 I invested in myself and picked up my first real camera, I threw myself into the uncomfortable, and started doing as many things as possible (paid or free). A couple years after my first camera I felt like I had enough experience to build a portfolio and sell my service.
My next chapter was a shift to social media. I wanted to help people do what I was doing, but also show my work and get more clients. My main platform was and still is Instagram, and I have been building it for more than two years now. I started shifting from photography, to UGC and brand partnerships after my accounts gained traction.
Today I am very proud to say that I am a full time content creator. I get to work with brands like RedBull and ULace, as well as build a community around what I do. I am still a full time student in college, and hoping to build my own brand and use my platform and experience to launch my own products.
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?
My most important qualities are discipline, social skills, and my knowledge in social media.
Over years of content creation I realized that consistency is one of the most important skills to have. Not only do social media algorithms favor high quantity content, but the more content you make the better it will get over time. The easiest way to do this, and what I did to start is to get a group of people and start a challenge. For me this was a 30-day post challenge where the group held each other accountable and we all worked together.
Social skills are a huge advantage in the social media space. Knowing how to handle interactions, and network with others is an important thing to work on and be good at. Being able to promote myself in public has gotten me many lifelong friends and brand deals. I would recommend taking a sales class if you are in college, or just force yourself to get out in public and talk to people.
The last one comes with years of practice, but actually having knowledge of what works is really important. I’ve failed plenty of times, but I take the time to find out what went wrong so I can improve for next time. The best way to learn is to fail, so if you want to do something, just start and be ok with failing. Learning what to post, how to interact with brands and creators, and knowing how to strategize is a valuable skill to have.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I am always looking to connect with other creators and clients. I love working with companies in need of UGC, partnership posts, and product photography. I am looking to connect and collaborate with creators who love spreading positivity in any way.
Reach out to me by email or through Instagram if you are one of these people, I would love to meet you!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rileyhmedia.my.canva.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rileyhmedia/profilecard/?igsh=OWd1dnRleW5objFy
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riley-huseby-b9018a286?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
