Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alexandra Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Alexandra, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
If I’m being honest, in my experience, imposter syndrome never quite goes away. Any person who has tried to accomplish something is susceptible to comparison, insecurity, and self-doubt. It’s easy to doubt yourself when you’re looking at other people who have succeeded at what you’re striving for. For example, while I’m very grateful for the followers and engagement that I have, I sometimes come across Instagram pages that either have more followers or more engagement. Sometimes, these creators have achieved these things in less time than I took to reach my current followership and engagement; it can be easy to overthink about something like this.
But perspective is everything. I never thought that I would have thousands of followers across my social media pages. I never thought that I’d be someone that inspires people with all body types to find outfits that make them feel confident. I never thought that I’d get sponsorships from real life companies who are interested in collaborating with me. I’m very grateful to my online community for taking time out of their day to watch a video I post, or to save an outfit that I share with them. I’ve gotten so many encouraging messages from my audience; some people have told me that I’ve made them feel more confident in their skin.
Changing my perspective, even just for a moment, can help me feel not only grateful about where I am — but also, to feel like I belong in the space that I’m in.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Of course! My name is Alex, and I’m the creator of the midsize_finds brand on Instagram and alexandras_finds on TikTok. My IG profile is about finding outfits that are amenable to people of all different sizes, and styling them in a way where people that will be helpful and informative. So often, we come across clothes that we think are cute or cool — but we don’t know how they would fit on our body type. It can be disappointing and demoralizing to get these clothes delivered, only to find that the clothes don’t fit as they looked on websites models. I hope that my Instagram page can help people feel more represented and empowered to find clothes that fit their body types well. And on TikTok, I focus on sharing cool places to go in Baltimore, along with trying different home and beauty products. I think its important to find community online and to feel engaged and excited about the place you live in, so sharing recommendations on tiktok helps me celebrate our new chapter and all it has to offer.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I would probably say courage, trade knowledge, and creativity.
Standing in front of a camera can feel intimidating! You’re showing yourself to the world and opening yourself up to so many different kinds of people. It’s no secret that there are people on the internet who will try to tear others down just for the sport of it. Once I built up enough courage to start my accounts, I realized that I needed a hit of courage every time that I turned on that record button on my phone. Without the courage to put myself out there, I would not have experienced any of the success I’ve seen.
Another quality would probably be trade knowledge. My full-time job is in social media, which allows me to learn some of the ins and outs of how social media works. I know how to edit videos, I know about the ideal times to post, and I know how to navigate some of the more technical softwares. Part of my job includes keeping an eye on the trending audios, which I can then use for my own content. Trade knowledge has been really helpful for me throughout my personal social media journey.
The last quality would probably be creativity. This might seem kind of vague next to two concepts as abstract as courage and trade knowledge, but being creative is essential for success on any social media platform. You have to be willing to try and try again to reach your intended audience. Sometimes you may work hard on content that doesn’t reach as many people, or you may try a new trend and have a lot of success. You may make up a new niche that really helps, or find you’ve outgrown certain video styles. Being chronically online means you have to adapt all the time, and with consistently shifting algorithms, it can get wild sometimes!
Regarding advice to folks just starting, I would say to study the people that are doing what you’re doing. Some creators use a lot of music in their videos, which helps to boost their videos to the top of the online zeitgeist. Some creators lean on expensive/pricey clothes and rely on the interest factor to drive engagement. Do some research, find your brand, and tap into your inspiration. The research will equip you, the brand will direct you, and the inspiration will help ignite the courage necessary to get started!
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
Social media is an inherently fickle field. Trends rise and fall, creators blow up and fall off, and the definition of “cool” is a moving target. My biggest challenge has been trying to figure out what my accounts have in store for their next chapters. I have some other ideas that aren’t just clothes, so I’ve gotten started on places like TikTok, where I do more lifestyle content. But it’s important to figure out what the audience is looking for — and try to supply that need. When I got started on Instagram, there was a need for more midsize representation in online modeling. What are the needs now, though, in this world of body positivity? What do people need? I’ll have to go back to the drawing board to see how to continue innovating this brand.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexandras_finds
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midsize_finds/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=E54mpg-GYVg3mvJxlIbKTA&utm_source=ishare
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