Meet Taryn Lewis

We were lucky to catch up with Taryn Lewis recently and have shared our conversation below.

Taryn, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

Honestly? Some days, I don’t.

I used to think creativity was an endless flame—that if you loved something enough, the spark would never fade. But no one tells you what happens after burnout, after trauma, after the algorithm tanks your reach and your confidence in the same week.

When I first started, ideas came easy. Transitions. GRWMs. Acting voiceovers. Dance trends. I had twenty ideas by breakfast and filmed five before lunch. I wasn’t thinking about strategy or reach—I was just filming for fun. Building something from nothing. Creating because I wanted to.

But over time, strategy crept in: brand guidelines, analytics, deadlines, grid aesthetics, niche pressure. After leaving my 9-to-5, relocating states, and carrying the emotional weight of starting over, that creative well ran dry.

Sometimes, creativity looks like filming when I’m exhausted. Turning the camera on during a hard mental health day—not to perform, but to connect. Remembering I don’t have to reinvent every time. Sometimes, just reframing is enough.

Now? I still love it—but I’ve had to fight for it. I’ve had to redefine what creativity means to me. I’ve learned creativity isn’t a magical well—it’s a muscle. And I’ve had to train it, especially when I’m not inspired. When I’m overwhelmed. When the numbers dip. When the inbox is quiet.

I keep my creativity alive by going back to basics. I reflect on why I started. I remember what it felt like to make videos in my bedroom for twelve people. I create for her—the girl who downloaded TikTok on a whim and bought a ring light 24 hours later because something inside her sparked.

I look to my audience for inspiration. Some of my best content always comes from connection. From a single comment like “I needed this today.” Or “Can you show us a tutorial?” I’m not creating at my community—I’m creating with them. They’re my mirror. My muse.

I keep it alive by romanticizing the small things. The tap of serum. Natural light on my cheek. Swatching lipsticks just for joy. I shoot without pressure. Build in Notion. Lean into curiosity. And I consume less—because comparison kills more creativity than failure ever could.

I also protect my creativity by refusing to box myself into one niche. One day it’s a beauty PR haul. The next, a spiral on my Story. Or a creator tip in a messy bun. My content reflects my life. I’ve never been just one thing.

And sometimes? Creativity isn’t output at all. It’s choosing to rest. To go quiet. To take a walk without filming it. To rewatch a campaign I’m proud of and whisper, Oh right. I did that.

Because keeping creativity alive isn’t just about making something new. Sometimes, it’s about remembering who you were before the pressure. And finding your way back to her.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Hey, I’m Taryn—better known online as @tiktoktare. I’m an East Coast-based content creator, aspiring actress, and former fed turned full-time content girly.

My journey started unexpectedly. I was working full-time for the FBI during COVID when I downloaded TikTok on a whim. What began as a creative escape turned into a digital safe haven—one that helped me heal from burnout and trauma while building an audience of over 100K beautiful souls.

Since then, I’ve partnered with over 130 industry giants—amika, L’Oréal, Ellis Brooklyn, Prada Beauty and Victoria’s Secret. I’ve been honored as a 2025 Cheer Choice Awards nominee, featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, shot with CoverGirl, and hosted my own brand event with Aerie.

I never imagined it would evolve into a full-time career, but over time, my little corner of the internet became a community. A safe space. A platform built on honesty, humor, and a whole lot of hustle.

What makes my work special isn’t just the visuals—it’s the vulnerability. It’s raw. Real. Ever-evolving. It holds space for the mess, the pivot, the joy, the pain, and the glow-up in progress.

I create across multiple niches—fashion, beauty, lifestyle, wellness—and I’m not afraid to show the messy, unfiltered parts. You’ll find polished campaigns and chaotic vlogs side by side. I love cinematic edits just as much as Story rants in a hoodie.

Off-screen, you’ll probably find me reading romantasy, wandering a local farmers market, or writing steamy little stories for fun. Right now, my brand is evolving. I’m still sharing bold beauty and unhinged vlogs, but also leaning into storytelling, BookTok, and acting. I’m exploring minimalism, softness, slowness—and how those things can coexist with ambition.

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?

The three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are: initiative, emotional intelligence and resilience.

Initiative

No one handed me a blueprint. I didn’t wait to get signed, scouted, or discovered. I took initiative.

I’m self-taught through trial and error. In the beginning, I didn’t have courses, templates, or a mentor—I had curiosity, questions and Google. I learned everything from scratch. Filming. Editing. Pitching. Lighting. Copywriting. Audience research. Brand deal management. Every skill I have, I earned through experimentation.

In 2021, I was healing from PTSD and had no clue how to get brands to notice me. I assumed you needed a massive following to land collabs. Ambassador programs, sponsorship platforms, pitch decks—it all felt like a foreign language. Every pitch felt like shouting into the void. Half the time, I lost my templates in my camera roll. The other half, I never heard back. It felt like everyone else had a secret roadmap I didn’t.

But I kept going. Even when it wasn’t perfect. Even when I was scared. I built it piece by piece, figuring it out as I went. Initiative doesn’t mean you always know what you’re doing—it means you move anyway. I wasn’t afraid to try, fail, and try again.

I created my first media kit in Canva. Learned CapCut through trial and error. Cold-pitched brands before I even had the confidence to call myself a “Creator.” I stayed up late Googling SEO tips, scouting brand contacts, planning pitches—just figuring it out as I went. That initiative is what separates hobby from career.

I told myself the worst they could say was “no”—and I’d treat it like “not yet.” That mindset changed everything. I reverse-engineered every rejection into a refined pitch. And slowly? The doors opened.

If I hadn’t pushed through the silence and self-doubt, I never would’ve landed dream collabs like amika or American Eagle. The truth? 90% of my collabs didn’t happen because a brand found me. They happened because I made the first move.

If you’re just starting out: don’t wait until you feel “ready.” You learn by doing. Start scared. Send the pitch. Film the draft. Learn as you go. Invest in Creator resources. Most people don’t fail because they aren’t talented—they fail because they never begin.

Emotional Intelligence

This one gets overlooked but it’s everything. I wouldn’t be where I am without the ability to read a room, build real relationships, or communicate clearly with brands and collaborators.

Everything I’ve built—from community to client trust—comes down to emotional intelligence. Whether I’m filming a GRWM that hits someone mid-spiral, negotiating a brand deal, or showing up raw on my Stories because I know someone out there needs it too—I’ve learned how to tune into energy and communicate in a way that builds trust.

That trust is what turns content into connection. It’s what lets me show up as a human, not just a highlight reel. What helped me build a community, not just an audience. Creating content isn’t about chasing virality—it’s about making people feel something. And the best way to do that? Listen. Lead with empathy. Stay rooted in why you’re showing up.

If you’re just starting out and you want longevity, learn to listen. Develop your self-awareness. Pay attention to what your people need. Learn how to pivot a message without losing your voice. Treat every brand and follower like a person—not a number. That’s how you build trust. And trust is what keeps people coming back.

Resilience

My path hasn’t been linear. I’ve had to pivot—hard. Leaving my 9–5. Recovering from burnout. Starting over after trauma. Losing momentum. Gaining it back. Reinventing what success even means. I’ve had to remain resilient.

This industry loves to spotlight the wins, but what we don’t see is the hundreds of no’s, the trial-and-error, the months that feel like you’re moving backwards.

You can do everything “right” and still see no results for weeks. Or months. That’s why resilience matters, especially in the quiet seasons. When a video flops. When a brand ghosts. When everyone else is growing and you feel stuck. That’s when it tests you. And teaches you.

I’ve had to be patient with the process and persistent with myself. Especially during transitions, when I left my 9–5, moved states, shifted niches, or took a creative break—I had to believe the payoff was still coming, even when there was no proof yet.

I went from working for the FBI to becoming a full-time creator. I’ve burned out, started over, paused, rebranded, relocated—and every single time, I’ve come back stronger. Every evolved version of me enhanced my story. Every setback taught me something. I turned every loss into a lesson.

Resilience isn’t just about pushing through, it’s also knowing when to pivot. When to pause. When to let go. And the choosing to try again. Reinvention is a skill I’ve had to practice over and over again—professionally, creatively, emotionally.

If you’re early in your journey, hear this: you’re allowed to evolve. You’re allowed to outgrow things, change your mind, take a break, burn it all down and rebuild. Take the failure. Turn it into feedback. Let it sharpen you. Don’t quit just because it’s quiet. Keep showing up. Keep believing in what you’re building, even if no one claps yet. Especially then.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Right now, I’m especially looking to partner with fashion, beauty, and wellness brands—whether it’s for campaigns, events, or product launches. If you’re an Influencer Partnerships Coordinator, a talent or PR agency, or a brand rep who values long-term partnerships, I’d love to hear from you.

I’m also open to press and storytelling opportunities—podcasts, magazine features, blog interviews, contributor work—anything that creates meaningful conversation or lets me share my journey in a way that resonates. For anyone working in media—Podcast hosts, Producers, Magazine Editors, Contributors—my inbox is open.

Outside the influencer space, I’m actively pursuing acting opportunities—so if you’re a Casting Director or Creative lead looking for fresh talent, I’d love to connect.

You can reach me via Instagram @tiktoktare or through the contact form on my website (https://tiktoktare.com/brand-home).

Contact Info:

Image Credits

@m3mediadc Meg Maffey

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