We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Annessa Stephens a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Annessa, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Usually, when I am having a hard time being creative, it’s coming from my brain going a million miles a minute and thinking about everything all at once. I love doing brain dumps. Everything that I am thinking, I write it down. This has been a great way for me to declutter my mind to allow fresh ideas to come in. I also like to talk about the ideas that are in my head with a friend who creates content as well. This helps me dig for ideas and stay creative. Bouncing ideas between each other always helps and keeps things fresh. Pinterest is also a very good tool. It is full of creative ideas, especially because you can see what it is that you are looking to create. Lastly, a fresh walk never fails me. There is something about the outside air and sun that helps get my mind going, and in this case, I am thankful for my phone that has a notes app to write down the ideas that are coming to me.
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?
I’m a curvy fashion content creator. I share how I style my body as a curvy woman who’s had two babies. I originally started my online presence with blogging, but I transitioned into creating more videos and found my sweet spot. My goal in creating this type of content is to encourage women who are shaped like me that just because you are plus size doesn’t mean that you can’t dress cute. Styling your body is just a matter of knowing what flatters your body the most. I have always had a love for fashion. I even modeled for a while for a small boutique. Fashion is just second nature for me. I also create beauty content and share my skincare routine. I’m a beginner in the makeup world, but I also share my journey in getting started with that and what I am enjoying learning and not so much. You will also see lifestyle content on my page as well, specifically including my family. I am married with two little boys, who are 3 and 1. There is never a dull moment, to say the least. I post content on Instagram, YouTube (once a week), and TikTok.
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?
1. Authenticity & Confidence in Niche: Embracing curvy fashion and beauty as a niche allowed you to carve out a unique space in a competitive industry. Your authenticity in representing your style, body positivity, and confidence in sharing your journey made your content relatable and impactful to your audience.
2. Consistency & Adaptability: Consistently posting on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok while adapting your strategy across platforms to meet your audience’s interests played a significant role in your growth. From creating a posting schedule to generating 30 days of content for LTK, maintaining consistency helped build trust and engagement.
3. Content Creation & Marketing Skills: Understanding how to blend creativity with strategic marketing is crucial. Whether it’s creating reels, carousel posts, or flat lays, your skills in creating visually appealing content, combined with analyzing performance metrics like impressions and engagement rates, have allowed you to tailor your content for maximum impact.
-Embrace Authenticity: The key to building a strong brand is staying true to who you are. Identify your niche and stick to it. Whether it’s curvy fashion, beauty, or lifestyle, find a topic that resonates with you and reflects your passions. Share your personal experiences, struggles, and successes to connect deeply with your audience. The more genuine you are, the easier it is to build a loyal community.
Tip: Engage with your audience regularly. Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and show that you’re listening to them. Building relationships with your followers helps strengthen your brand.
-Focus on Consistency & Improvement: Success doesn’t come overnight, so consistency is essential. Set realistic goals for how often you’ll post, and gradually increase your output as you build momentum. This will help you develop a workflow and improve your content creation skills over time.
Tip: Create a content calendar and stick to it. You don’t have to post every day at the beginning, but make a consistent effort to show up on your platforms. Over time, consistency will help build your brand and audience.
-Develop Content Creation & Marketing Skills: Learn the basics of content creation, including photography, videography, and editing. Knowing how to create visually appealing content is key, but understanding how to market it is just as important. Study your platform’s algorithms, track performance metrics (like impressions, views, and engagement), and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Tip: Experiment with different types of content to see what resonates most with your audience. Pay attention to what gets the best engagement and adjust your style and strategy based on data. Also, take advantage of free resources online to improve your editing, marketing, and branding skills.
Ultimately, growing as a content creator requires patience, experimentation, and ongoing learning.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am looking to collaborate with clothing brands that provide sizes for plus-size women. I am always looking to collaborate with other content creators who are in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle niche. Grocery stores and hotels are brands that I’d also love the opportunity to collaborate with as well because I would be able to include my family in those.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifewithnesstephens?igsh=bGx6bm9xdjRubWt6&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@lifewithnesstephens?si=M-KL7F7qGivxlYkU
Image Credits
N/A
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
