We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Lam recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
I’ve come to realize that genuine confidence isn’t something you’re born with — it’s something that you have to earn. It’s built through experience, by showing up for yourself even when it’s hard, and by leaning into the fear instead of running from it.
For me, confidence was built every time I pushed myself beyond what felt comfortable. In high school, that meant running for president even though public speaking terrified me. In college, it meant creating vulnerable content about my struggles, even though a part of me feared that people would perceive me as “weak.” And now, a new grad, it means taking the leap to build an income outside the traditional 9-5 — challenging the belief I grew up with that success only comes from staying on the “stable” path.
Every challenge has taught me this: the more you trust yourself to do hard things, the more unshakable your confidence becomes.
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?
Over the course of my college career, I’ve worked with over 150 brands (including Nike, Victoria’s Secret PINK, Steve Madden, Tommy Hilfiger) and participated in nearly 40 different college ambassador programs. While balancing this part-time during school, I generated over $20K in income — enough to help me purchase my first car — by strategically leveraging brand partnerships.
Through this experience, I’ve developed a deep understanding of college marketing, personal branding, and user-generated content (UGC). Now, I’m using that expertise in two ways:
1 – Helping brands design and scale effective college ambassador programs that drive brand awareness and build early brand loyalty.
2 – Teaching college students how to monetize their social media platforms — even with as few as 2,000 followers — through brand sponsorships and strategic content creation.
In the coming months, I’ll be launching my own social media agency to help brands build impactful college ambassador programs — and creating digital products to help students successfully navigate the world of college ambassadorships.
Follow me @jess.ica.lam on Instagram for updates!
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 that made the biggest impact in my journey were: consistency, courage, and curiosity.
Consistency:
The reason I was able to land so many brand opportunities wasn’t because I had a massive following — I only had around 2K followers when I first started. It was because I consistently posted content and applied to several ambassador programs, over and over again. Brands wanted to work with me because I was always showing up and improving. And the more I applied, the higher my chances became of landing one of these roles. Over time, the small actions compounded into much bigger results.
Courage:
One of the hardest parts about creating content is having the courage to put yourself out there. There are always those “what ifs” — what if people think I’m cringe, what if my content isn’t good enough? Those doubts stop so many people from even starting. At some point, you just have to build up the courage and post the video. I never thought a few silly videos would lead me here — but it happened because I stopped allowing other people’s opinions of me dictate what I do and just started.
Curiosity:
Curiosity has led me to meet so many talented and ambitious creators and entrepreneurs. These connections opened up doors to brand opportunities I wouldn’t have found on my own. You never know which relationship might lead to your next opportunity — so stay curious, put yourself out there, and get to know people. You never know where it might take you.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
For brands, I’m currently looking to take on new clients for my digital marketing services! I offer:
– Social media management
– Content marketing
– UGC (user-generated content)
– Creator sourcing
– Copywriting
– College ambassador program strategy & execution
For students: I’ll be dropping FREE resources to help you start your college ambassador journey soon! I’m also opening up 1:1 coaching sessions for anyone who wants personalized guidance on landing brand deals and building a personal brand.
If you’re a brand looking to collaborate or a student looking for guidance, feel free to DM me on Instagram @jess.ica.lam or email me at [email protected] — would love to connect!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess.ica.lam/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-lam12/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jesslamfam/shorts
