Becoming Your Own Biggest Advocate with Jayde Powell

Jayde: 00:00:45

What you guys are seeing online is probably like 10% of my life and the other 90%, no one knows. I prefer to keep it that way. I could be married and y' all would never even know.

Emily: 00:00:57

That's amazing! I have mad respect for that.

Hello, and welcome to It's A Lot, a podcast about things that are a lot.

On this show, we have honest conversations about the highs and lows of things that are a lot. Social media, parenthood, and more. When it comes to complex topics, sometimes the online discourse can lack nuance and empathy.

So we're leaning into deep conversations and making space for conflicting, messy feelings and trying to keep it real about how we feel. We could all use a little more of that sometimes. I'm your host, Emily Hessney Lynch, and today I'm really excited to talk to Jayde Powell.

Jayde Powell is a freelance social strategist, creator, speaker, and LinkedIn influencer extraordinaire based in Atlanta. She's also the founder of the Em Dash Co., host of Creator Tea Talk, and Co-Founder of Weed for Black Women.

You can follow Jayde on the briefcase app, which is a term she coined and popularized, and you can also follow her on Instagram, @jaydeipowell. That's Jayde with a Y. Jayde, welcome to the show.

Jayde: 00:01:57

Thank you so much for having me. I'm happy to be here.

Emily: 00:02:00

Yeah, I'm excited to dive in. Just for starters, I think some of the audience will be here just to hear from you. But for people who aren't familiar, can you tell us a little bit about your brand, what you do, and just like the elevator pitch for all things Jayde Powell?

Jayde: 00:02:14

Yeah. I am a social strategist and content creator, but because I own my own agency, I like to call myself a creatorpreneur. So I'm part entrepreneur and part creator, and I feel like a lot of my world just kind of overlaps between those two dynamics. So that's me in a very short nutshell.

Emily: 00:02:31

I love that creatorpreneur term. That's perfect for you. I thought of one thing today that I wanted to add to our questions list. I was thinking about how you seem so authentic online, but when I think about I actually don't know that much about your life offline. So how do you balance protecting your privacy offline but also, like, keeping it real online with your personal brand?

Jayde: 00:02:55

It's very intentional. I don't talk a lot about my personal life publicly. I do in, like, just, like, tiny little tidbits. But for the most part, what everyone sees online is exactly who I am, but it's just a small part of who I am. So I like to tell people that what you guys are seeing online is probably like 10% of my life. And the other 90%, no one knows what's going on, and I prefer to keep it that way.

I think, you know, my relationship with social media, especially as someone who's been working in marketing and advertising for 12 years now, is very complicated. And I think the best way to protect my mental health and my sanity is by keeping certain parts of my life offline.

And I think that is kind of what I keep in mind when I'm managing that balance and figuring out what that looks like as I grow and evolve. But, yeah, for the most part, I always joke with people. I'm like, I could be married and I would never even know.

Emily: 00:03:52

That's amazing. I have mad respect for that. It's hard to maintain that kind of privacy these days.

Jayde: 00:03:59

I definitely want to be able to, like, live my life very freely without, you know, anyone thinking that they have complete access to me. I think boundaries are important, for sure.

Emily: 00:04:10

Did you ever have a time when you learned the hard way that you shouldn't share too much online, or were you always pretty locked down from the start?

Jayde: 00:04:17

I think I was always pretty locked down, but honestly, I think, again, working in social media, I just kind of have seen the impact in real time of what happens when you make your life a little bit more accessible. I think we're just in an odd space as a society where it's like we're desiring human connection.

We want to be close people, we want to meet new people. But at the same time, the, the more that you expose yourself, the more that you kind of open yourself up for just a lot of, like, unwarranted opinions on your life. And sometimes it's okay. Sometimes it can be beneficial, but other times it can be actually really detrimental. And I just know that, for me, I don't want to be in a position where people feel super comfortable telling me what I should do in any sense.

Emily: 00:05:02

People have so many opinions. It's hard to get away from that.

Jayde: 00:05:06

Absolutely. So for me, that's why I keep the boundaries in place.

Emily: 00:05:09

Very wise. So I would love to hear a little bit more about how you've built your business and kind of a breakdown of where all your income comes from. I know you've got your social media freelance work and you do brand deals as well and speaking engagements. So how does that kind of break down?

Jayde: 00:05:24

So I have four main streams of income. One of those is what you mentioned, my social media work. I own a social media creative agency called the Em Dash Co, like you mentioned.

And there I essentially support brands and agencies and help them bring their social to life. So that's like my trade. It's what I've been doing for years, social media marketing. And then I also have my income stream as a creator influencer.

So everything that people are seeing across my social media channels, that is a way that I earn income through brand partnerships and my relationships that I gain through those channels. And then I also, what I have what I like to call kind of like my education bucket.

So that's where I do, like, my courses and my webinars and my digital downloads. Anything that I'm providing to my community to be a resource or kind of a content piece for education, that's what I consider my education bucket.

And then I also do public speaking. So brands, conferences, they'll invite me to come speak at their events and I'll just get on the stage and yap with them.

Like, I might get paid to do that, which is nice.

Emily: 00:06:34

I think you've shared before that you weren't always so comfortable with public speaking. So what helped you start to get more confident doing that?

Jayde: 00:06:42

I just got over myself. I think I was just like, you know, I think this is something that is a little bit a part of the job.

So I think early, early on I remember I was like, I'm gonna take every opportunity I can to yap. Whether that was a podcast, someone interviewing me for a written blog, like, whatever it looked like, I was like, I'm gonna do it. And I think over time, I just got more comfortable. And I think it truly is one of those things where it's like a muscle that needs to be exercised. You just get more comfortable as you do it.

That's not to say that I never have fears, because every time I hit the stage, I'm like, always wanting to, like, cry and throw up. But I, like, have learned how to push through that, that, you know, desire to cry and throw up and just, like, get through it. And I always end up having a great time.

Emily: 00:07:30

That's awesome. Yeah. And it's good to know that that fear is still there sometimes, the crying, throwing up. Because so many people think like, "oh, she must be so confident. Doesn't even care. It doesn't phase her." But not necessarily true behind the scenes.

Jayde: 00:07:44

No, that's not the case at all. If anything, I feel like I'm still trying to get a handle on it because one thing I've noticed too, when I get on the stage is that like, I will literally stop breathing. So my manager is like, you have to breathe every time. And then like, once I get into the flow, I'm like, okay, I can breathe again. But like, it's, it's actually really scary.

Emily: 00:08:05

Sometimes it's the buildup until you're in it that is so much worse than the actual thing. I find.

Jayde: 00:08:10

Absolutely. But what I've learned in the process is that there are certain types of speaking engagements that I feel like, more comfortable and confident doing.

Like, I love being on a panel or I love moderating a panel, but when you stick me up there by myself, I'm like, "oh my God, stop looking at me."

Emily: 00:08:26

Whole different ball game. It's interesting. I teach college students social media and like writing for digital media, and I've noticed that this generation is so much more afraid to put themselves out there online. They're really worried about being judged, being perceived, all of that. Do you have advice for the younger generation about how to put yourself out there?

Jayde: 00:08:46

I would say just like, start with what you feel most comfortable with. I think even a lot of like, my early wins on social media were because I was writing and I wasn't really like super public facing.

I think that's even why I was able to build such a strong community on Twitter, because Twitter was all about written words and it was great and I didn't really have to be seen. So. So start with what you're comfortable with. For some people that may be like, you know, just picking up the.

Your camera and creating a quick video without even thinking about it. For other people that may be writing the newsletter, for other people that may be designing whatever that looks like.

I think there's always going to be some form of putting your work out there and therefore putting yourself out there. But like I was saying before, it's also like again, a muscle that can be exercised. So the more, the more you do it, the more comfortable you will be.

Emily: 00:09:37

In terms of like, the things you enjoy most about your work. Can you tell me a little bit more about anything that you really, really love about it? Or maybe there are things you don't love as much, but it's profitable to do it, so you do keep doing it?

Jayde: 00:09:48

I mean, honestly, I, I love the freedom. I think one of the things that kind of drove me to this point now was that I just did not want to work a 40 hour work week.

That just in my mind was like, why do I have to work 40 hours to, like, show that I'm valuable to an employer that was like, not something that ever really connected to me. And I also just, like, didn't want to be employed by another person, to be honest. So I think the freedom was really important for me.

And just the ability to wake up and kind of go at my own pace and at my own flow, that truly is my favorite part of my job.

And even in times where I'm not, like, pulling in as much money or I'm feeling like, oh, shit, I'm a little bit broke right now, the ability to kind of just like, rest in that in between is also really nice.

And I think it just allowed me to create a pace for myself and a lifestyle for myself that I actually desire, which has been tremendous for my mental health. So I'm honestly so grateful for that. Like, the freedom of it all is incredible. Can't recommend it enough.

Emily: 00:10:52

That's amazing. What does your work week look like now? Like, how many hours would you estimate you're working?

Jayde: 00:10:57

I don't think I work more than 30 hours a week, to be honest. Usually it's between 10 and 30, depending on how much I have going on. But it always varies. Like, currently I have two clients where.

Well, I have one client that's a little bit more meeting heavy. So I actually have like 30 meetings every single day. But they're like chill meetings because they're like just brainstorm sessions.

You're just throwing out ideas and they'll be like, okay, go work on this when you. When you can. And that's really it. And then I have another client who I never had meetings with them.

They literally just send me what they need over slack and then I get it done. So I think between my client work and then my brand partnerships, like, it's pretty well balanced.

And there are often times throughout the year where there's like months where I have a little bit kind of like a project that is a little bit more strenuous, but it just really depends on what I'm working on and when.

Emily: 00:11:49

Sounds like such a nice balance. Seems like you set it up well.

Jayde: 00:11:53

I really like it. It works for me, truly. I feel like when I think back on just working corporately and the traditional 9 to 5, I really struggled.

It's really hard for me to just, like, say, yes, I'm going to come to the office and like, work between these hours and feel productive. But, like, I feel like I'm just like, in a space now where I'm in product. I'm very productive, but just like, at my own, at my own pace, which is really nice.

Emily: 00:12:17

's perfect. I left day job in: 2019

Like, I probably worked 25 to 30 hours a week until having my baby last year. And now it's like, patchworking together as much work as I can and as little time as possible. So it's challenging, but it's nice to have that level of flexibility, and I definitely feel lucky and privileged that I can do it.

Jayde: 00:12:39

Absolutely, completely agree.

Emily: 00:12:42

I'm curious, looking back to, like, those earlier days in your career, like we first talked when you were at Delta, are there any, like, lessons you learned from those eras in the past, or is there anything you miss about that chapter of your life?

Jayde: 00:12:53

Um, to be honest, I think the lessons learned were just, like, getting more comfortable advocating for myself. I think early on in my career, that was just, like, not something I really understood that I had to do.

And then I also wasn't super familiar with, like, navigating the complexities of, like, corporate America because no one in my family had worked in corporate America. So I was kind of, like the first one, and. And I was, like, thrown into it and kind of, like, figured it out along the way, fresh out of college.

So for me, when I look back on that period of time, for me, it wasn't like, my greatest experience. Not at Delta specifically, but just, like, across the board. I had, like, about four or five jobs during that period, so it was a lot going on.

But I think I look back and I'm just like, wow. I wish, like, younger me knew that it was okay to advocate for herself and. And have opinions and feel very strongly about, like, what she felt. But I, I am also grateful for, grateful for the journey, because I feel like a lot of what I learned early on in my career propelled me to get where I am now.

So I don't feel like any of it was in vain. I just think it was, you know, a slightly unnecessarily painful experience that had to go through to.

To be able to learn and have, like, growth from there from those points. So. So I'm grateful. But again, advocating for myself, I think is, like, the biggest lesson learned.

And also just in terms of a professional kind of growth and what I actually wanted to be doing, I think all of those jobs made me realize I did not want to be a social media manager. Hence why I'm a social strategist now. So, yes.

Emily: 00:14:31

Love that for you. What was it? Or, like, who did you go to during that chapter when you needed support and had a hard time navigating things, was it like, internet friends, real life friends, mentors?

Jayde: 00:14:44

Yeah, it was definitely internet friends. Like, that's something I was very grateful to have this kind of community of, like, fellow marketers and social media pros who really understood the work and what I was experiencing. And it made me feel, like, less crazy. Like, I know in, like, marketing, we say it a lot. We're like, "there's power in community," but, like, there's a lot of power and community, even outside of marketing and social. And I was so grateful to have, like, people that I can just call and lean on to really just validate my feelings and be like, "yes, I'm crashing out because I have to, like, spend one hour proving why I should write this tweet." Like, yes, that is causing me to crotch out, and it's valid.

So I was very grateful to have that community support from just like other industry professionals. Like, even though we never worked together and we weren't even in the same state, like, it was just really beautiful to have that.

Emily: 00:15:39

was such a nice era in, like,: 2016

Jayde: 00:15:53

We will always remember you marketing Twitter.

Emily: 00:15:55

Are you still on X or did you leave that one?

Jayde: 00:15:59

I'm still on, but it's more, like, historical. Yeah, it's like an archive at this point. I don't really use it anymore.

Emily: 00:16:06

Probably for the best. It's kind of scary over there.

Jayde: 00:16:09

Agree.

Emily: 00:16:11

So I'm sure, like, this current chapter of your career is not all sunshine and roses. What are some of the challenges you're going through right now?

Jayde: 00:16:19

I feel like the challenge is, like, mainly knowing when to pause. Like, I think when you are an entrepreneur and you know this, like, it's hard to because you're constantly chasing after the next thing.

It's hard to know when it's like, okay, it's time to sit down, because you don't really feel like you can because you're constantly running after what's next. So I feel like my challenge currently is, like, trying to figure out what moments of pause look like.

For me, this year has been, like, the most insane year I've ever had in my life. Like, when I tell you I'm just taking it one day at a time because that's literally all I can do.

But I was talking to a brand partner and friend of mine earlier and she was like, what is your break? And I was like, it's literally in December.

She got, like, several more months of, like, activities to do, and then I literally won't be able to take a break until December. But I will say, like, looking back on this year has been a wonderful sprint.

Sprint and a lesson learned on just, like, what I do want to be spending my time doing and what I don't want to be spending my time doing.

One of the, I guess, largest kind of things that I'm still working through is just, like, the chaos of, like, my home life currently, because I'm, like, constantly out of go and effectively living out of a suitcase at all times. Like, my house is, like, never clean. And I'm, like, always struggling to, like, wash my dishes. And these days I'm, like, taking it one day at a time.

I'm like, okay, tomorrow I'm going to clean my bathroom. On Wednesday, I'm going to clean my bathroom, like, microdose the cleaning. And it's just, like, so much going on. But I've learned, I was just like, I'm not going to pressure myself anymore about having my home be spotless. It'll get clean when it can't be.

Emily: 00:17:58

That's something my husband and I keep saying. Like, it's so much work to be a human!

Like, how do we have to make food for ourselves every day and clean and cook, like, all the stuff, all the dishes? It's just relentless.

Jayde: 00:18:09

100%. It's a lot going on. Too much work to be. He's like, yeah, it's like, this is like the adulthood I was not prepared for when I was a kid.

Emily: 00:18:18

Yeah, we're like, leaning into popsicles on the porch, staying up late, letting the baby stay up late, and just, whatever, leave the dishes. But it's a lot.

Jayde: 00:18:26

Exactly.

Emily: 00:18:29

I'm curious, thinking about social media more broadly, what makes it worth staying? I know a lot of people are, like, ready to move on from this field and are totally over it. So why do you stay?

Jayde: 00:18:39

That's such an excellent question. I think I stay because ultimately I love the social of it all. Just the yapping with people, the meeting people, the easy way it is to connect with, like, people that you would probably never meet in real life. And that has been a testament of a lot of the relationships I have now. Some of my closest friends are people that I've met online.

And it's so odd to say that, but I just think there's something really beautiful and powerful about being able to have, like, this access to these platforms that give us like an opportunity to connect with people from miles away.

So even from like a marketing perspective, working in the industry, while we try to apply that to brand and sometimes it gets muddled because brands are very product pushy, there's still like those underlying moments where you get to see a brand like make a big impact just by talking to their customers or people, their love, they love. And I just think there's something so beautiful about that. Like, I love it so much.

And even though I, you know, I'm definitely on the fast track to retiring at 40, I definitely still am like, in it for the long how? For now. For now. But I love it for that reason.

Emily: 00:19:51

For a few years I worked for a children's television brand and one of my favorite parts was like messaging the parents back about the kids birthday parties that were like themed after the show and just wishing their kid a happy birthday and they would be so thrilled that the show wrote back. And it really is, like, special. Even though it's cheesy, those little human connections from social can be so meaningful for people.

Jayde: 00:20:10

It's so beautiful. Like, I just think at the end of the day, like, we all know that our basic human needs is to feel valued and seen.

And social can do that for so many people. And I think if it's used responsibly in a very healthy way, you can have such a beautiful kind of way of just like changing everything around us. I think that's like, really special.

Emily: 00:20:31

If there was something you could change about the platforms themselves, what would you change?

Jayde: 00:20:36

That's an excellent question. Honestly, I think about this often, especially because I'm a creator. I really wish there was a way for the platforms to allow people, like, whether they identify as creator, creators or not, just people in general, to, I would say, just track who the origin point is of a, like an idea, a trend, whatever that is.

Because we've gotten into a place now where like, being a creator is so appealing and then everyone is trying to trace trends that we're all just kind of repurposing ideas and thoughts. And I'm just like, this is still creative work at the end of the day.

And if we were like equating this to the world of like, art where people are painting, if you just went out and copied someone's painting, like, you would be shamed for that. But for some reason it doesn't apply to like social media.

So even something I try to get in a habit of doing is just like giving credit when I like you know, repurpose someone's ideas or get inspired by them. Like, I just feel like it's a. A little small thing that can go a long way. So I just wish platforms had a better way of tracking that.

Like, who was the origin of this idea or the originator of this idea? Who was the creator of this? Who started this trend?

Emily: 00:21:50

That's such an interesting answer. And I love that from, like, the cultural perspective, because people do deserve their roses now. Like, let's give them all credit for what they've done.

Jayde: 00:21:59

Absolutely. I completely agree. Like, I just think what saddens mean is, like, the stories I hear where it's like a brand will work with a creator because they get viral videos all the time, and then you find out their viral videos are just like, videos that they repurpose from other creators. But that actually drives me insane. And I'm just like, we have to be more responsible about this.

Like, I don't know what that looks like yet, but it just seems, like, so simplistic. Like, just give credit where credit's due.

Emily: 00:22:26

Yeah, it shouldn't be that hard.

Jayde: 00:22:28

Agreed.

Emily: 00:22:29

On the note of, like, trends and credit and all that, do you have any hot takes about things that are, like, overdone and overhyped or maybe something that's resonating right now that people don't realize?

Jayde: 00:22:40

I think, like, trending sounds are overhyped, I think. And obviously I feel like those have come to life through TikTok. It's just like the whole entire purpose of the platform.

But what happens is, I feel like. And this is like, kind of a separate conversation.

Like, even when I think about, like, the music industry, like, you'll hear a really beautiful song and then it kind of like, gets taken and mashed up and like, repurposed into this kind of, like, funny meme on TikTok. And it kind of takes away from, like, the meaning of the music.

And that's not to make me sound, like, very artsy fartsy, because I actually love memes and trends, obviously. Like, my whole thing is, like, humor on social, which I love. But I'm like, where is the balance in all of this?

Like, do we really have to remix everything and mash up everything? Like, can we just enjoy the pure nature of, like, what an artist created through music?

And I think that's just something interesting that I've been thinking a lot about lately because I feel like it sounds a little pretentious when I say it out loud, but at the same time, I'm just like, well, you know, music is supposed to be enjoyed, so I guess, like, that in the form of enjoyment. But at the same time, I'm like, I wonder what these artists feel like when they hear their songs kind of like, mashed up.

Like, when I think about Kendrick Lamar's last album and like, all these, like, white women on TikTok are, like, frolicking and, like, mashing up his music songs, I'm like, I bet you Kendrick did not desire this at all when he put this album out.

Emily: 00:24:09

Totally.

Jayde: 00:24:10

Yeah.

Emily: 00:24:10

Yeah. I remember the Kendrick memes after the super bowl too. And, like, some of them were funny at first, but a lot of them were just, like, brands trying so hard to force it and make it work. And I was like, you're completely missing the point of his whole performance and turning it into one silly moment to, like, sh. Or whatever.

Jayde: 00:24:27

Yes. I call it the. The TikTokification of music.

Emily: 00:24:31

Right. I did kind of like that one Pretty Little Baby song went really viral. And apparently that woman died. She was very old, and she was like, platinum at the beginning of her career. And then she went platinum at the end because of TikTok. I thought that was kind of nice.

Jayde: 00:24:45

Yeah, and that's what I mean, like, about, like, the, the social of it all. Because, like, those are the moments that I feel like are really beautiful. But obviously in our world, like, you can't have, like, just like a perfect thing that appeases everyone. I just think that's, you know, the nature of the world that we live in.

Emily: 00:25:03

So before we take a break, I want to ask one more question. There are just so many misconceptions out there about the world of social media and the world of influencing. Are there any misconceptions or myths that you want to bust?

Jayde: 00:25:15

I think that people think that the more visible you are, the more you get paid. And I don't think that's necessarily true.

I think as you grow your brand through influencing, of course you get more opportunities, but that doesn't mean those are always paid opportunities. And I think especially now, even for me, in my personal case, like, I talk a lot about, like, my growth, and I'm very transparent about, like, the, the income I make from my kind of influencing opportunities. But that does not mean I'm rich, I'm still middle class, I still have credit card debt, I still have student loans to pay.

So it's like, it's going to be a long journey before I can become debt free. And I feel like that's like a myth that we need to bust that, like, all the automatically that if you're an influencer, that means you're rich, because that's not the case.

Emily: 00:26:04

We'll make so many assumptions. I'm glad you're busting that myth because definitely not true.

Jayde: 00:26:10

But I will be! Stay tuned.

Emily: 00:26:12

Yeah, I am sure you will be! Let's get into influencing more after a quick break.

Emily: 00:27:22

Alright, Jayde, I would love to dive deeper on your LinkedIn influencing work. Can you share a little bit of your origin story for how you got started as an influencer on the briefcase app?

Jayde: 00:27:36

Yes. So I got my start on Twitter, which, you know, I was building community there, and then after a couple years, Elon Musk took over, and then things got really weird. I was like, super weird. So I was like, you know what? I need a new home.

And I had already been growing my presence on, like, Instagram, but I didn't feel like the community that I was specifically looking for, like, in terms of professionals. And LinkedIn kind of felt like the natural place to go to.

But the push was that I had a brand partner, Sprout Social, that I had been working with for a while, and I was actually going to launch this live series that I have called Creator Tea Talk on Twitter Spaces. And they were like, I don't think Twitter Spaces is the right space. And I was like, what about Clubhouse?

And they were like, clubhouse is on decline right now. I was like, well, where will I go? And they suggested LinkedIn Live audio live. And I was like, what is that? And it was essentially LinkedIn's equivalent to clubhouse and Twitter Spaces. And I launched that series there.

And I just kind of saw the impact in real time of people just kind of wanting to quite literally get the tea on just, like, topics relating to the creator, economy and social media. And once I launched there and saw, like, the kind of community I was growing, I was like, oh, I think I'll stay here for a while.

Which was really nice. And that's my, my LinkedIn origin on the briefcase app.

Emily: 00:29:02

I'm glad you got that nudge from Sprout because that was great feedback! I'm glad you ended up there.

Jayde: 00:29:07

Shout out to them. They are, like, the reason for this all. Honestly, I, I really credit them a lot to kind of helping me get through this journey as a LinkedIn creator, because they were one of my biggest brand partners when I first started. So very grateful to Sprout. Shout out to them.

Emily: 00:29:22

What are some of your favorite kinds of content to make for LinkedIn?

Jayde: 00:29:26

So, honestly, it's so funny because LinkedIn right now is prioritizing short form video. I know that, we all know that. But at the end of the day, I will always love a good old fashioned text only post because that's my origin.

Like I'm a writer at my heart and that is what I did when I was on Twitter. So it's just kind of the medium or format that I've always been super comfortable with. And I just like that at least, least for me. Like there's.

I don't really have to think too much about what I want to write on on LinkedIn. It's very simplistic. I can just go in with the random thoughts that come into my head and just spit them out. And that's very Twitter coded and I love it for that reason.

But lately I think, especially with my brand partners, when LinkedIn was prioritizing video at the start, a lot of my brand partners like all wanted videos. They were like, let's do video, let's do video.

But I think over time they kind of allowed me and other creators I knocked to kind of just explore different formats. So I'm also just kind of like regrounding myself in like good old fashioned photography.

Like I think if you have a really strong image, like it can actually have a very big impact. So text only favorite and then photos coming second after that.

Emily: 00:30:40

I love to watch videos on TikTok, but I usually don't watch videos that come up on my LinkedIn at least. Like I love a good taste only as a user and as someone who posts too.

Jayde: 00:30:50

I'm curious, are you more of like a LinkedIn mobile user or desktop?

Emily: 00:30:54

Mostly desktop. What about you?

Jayde: 00:30:55

Same. And I think that kind of like fits into the experience as well because they have designed their like video feed for mobile, but I'm more of like a LinkedIn like desktop user. So I'm just like, what's happening on my computer screen? Like that's what I want to see.

So I'm not even in their video feed often, but I do like videos on LinkedIn. I just think for me it's about like who the creator is. Like I'm more bought into the creator that's making video rather than just like video as a feed, if that makes sense.

Emily: 00:31:27

No, that totally makes sense because I would watch one if it was from you or someone else that I know or follow. But if it's like a random person, I'm not as likely to stay and watch.

Jayde: 00:31:35

Exactly. Completely agree.

Emily: 00:31:37

I'm curious about your process for, like, securing brand deals. So do you actively go out and pitch or do people tend to come to you? How does that usually work?

Jayde: 00:31:46

Both. So I will say a lot of the partnerships that I've had over time have been brands coming to me, but I'm also actively pitching. When I first started this, I was pitching myself, just kind of reaching out to people on the brand side, shooting up my shot, like, hey, can we spend some time to chat? And seeing where it would go. But I think over time, as I've grown my presence, a lot of brands are reaching out to me now, which is really great.

Honestly. I'm trying to do outreach, which is a good problem to have. But thankfully now I have my manager who supports me in that she's actively securing brand deals for me. And then for the ones that come inbound, she's also managing those as well.

So when they come to me, I'll say "looping in my manager, Tiff," and that's all I gotta do. And it's so great. Take a lot of the pressure off, which I really appreciate.

Emily: 00:32:34

When did you get a manager and what was, like, the impetus for that?

Jayde: 00:32:39

I was kind of noticing that my LinkedIn presence was kind of, like, skyrocketing a bit. And I think for me as a social media professional, like, I will never pretend like I know everything about the whole entire world of marketing, media and communications. Like, there's so many levers you can pull, but social media is my expertise.

I felt like I took social media and did something for my personal brand that was really strong, but I wanted to take it to the next level. And I knew that additional social media management, social media, like, wasn't going to do it. Like, I needed press.

And that was kind of like my kind of aha moment when I realized I need to hire a manager. And I remember I had ironically already had a conversation with at the time, who my manager is now, Tiff. She had reached out to me to have a conversation, and we were friends first. Like, actually, she had me on her podcast, just yapping. We're yapping about life.

And I remember one day she knew I was coming up to New York and she was like, hey, come to my place. We'll hang out on my rooftop and we'll eat empanadas. And that's literally we just ate empanadas on her rooftop. And it was great. And I remember, like, she was kind of, like, pitching me in a very, like, subtle way, but I was just like, my brain wasn't there. Yet I was just like, "okay, great. Like, this is great information to have." And then I remember one day I was just like, "Tiff, do you do this?" And she was like, "yes, I do!" And that's how our relationship started. And her and I have been together for about like, I want to say a little less than a year. Maybe around like nine to 10 months now.

Emily: 00:34:14

That's awesome. I love that it was such a chill, lowkey pitch.

Jayde: 00:34:17

Same. I think that's like who I am as a person. When someone comes in with a hard sell, I'm like, "please get away from me."

Emily: 00:34:23

Right, Valid. So in terms of like all the growth you've had, the brand deals, I know you had a $20,000 brand deal this year. Congratulations! That's incredible.

Jayde: 00:34:33

Thank you.

Emily: 00:34:34

How does something like that come about? And like, is it a lot more work or are you getting compensated more because you've grown so much? Like, tell me a little bit more.

Jayde: 00:34:44

It's a little bit of both. Definitely getting compensated more because I've grown and excuse me, also have a manager advocating for me, which I really appreciate. But I think that partnership, it came, they approached me and they were just like, hey, we're having this big brand moment and here's all the deliverables that we want. And it was like a shit ton of deliverables. And I was like, here's where we need to scale back and here's where he needs a plus up.

And fortunately they're, they're such a great partner. They were like, "okay, let's do what you're were comfortable with." But there was like kind of like separate parts of the engagement that kind of total, total to about like four posts. And then also some just kind of like live content happening during the the event. And that was just really exciting to kind of see. They wanted to work with me in that capacity.

So yeah, I feel like that was kind of like a big moment and win for me and my team because we were just like, "wow, this just means that there's so much more to come." And it's also kind of showcases to me that brands are willing to shell out that type of money because they see the value in the work that I work that I do, which is always very exciting for me.

Emily: 00:35:52

I can totally see the threads of like your past self learning the lesson of needing to advocate for yourself because now here you are doing it and doing a fantastic job. That's awesome to see.

Jayde: 00:36:02

It's been a journey and I also credit my therapist for that.

Emily: 00:36:07

Shout out to therapists.

Jayde: 00:36:08

Yeah, we love therapy!

Emily: 00:36:11

I've had a few instances this year where I send out a proposal and I'm like, "oh, that rate is too high. They're gonna say no." And then they say yes. And I'm like, "oh, shit. Like, I can get that?!" And I still, like, after all these years, tend to undervalue myself or worry that I'm charging too much. And then it's such good feedback to know what you can actually charge.

Jayde: 00:36:30

100%. And I think I'm getting into the mentality that if the number scares me, that means it's the right number, because it's like, sounds so simple, but it's literally just the worst they can say is no. And it's usually not that they're going to say no. They're going to try to find some, like, way to work with you.

And that has been my experience every single time. Like, brands don't really just say, "absolutely not. We don't want to do this." They're just like, "we can't do this. So let's talk about what's feasible."

Emily: 00:36:59

There's always some kind of middle ground. I feel like people who are newer to freelancing or negotiating are like, "oh, I'll just drop my rate if they can't afford it." And you don't have to do that.

Jayde: 00:37:08

Not at all. Don't have to do that.

Emily: 00:37:10

I'm curious, looking at brand deals you've been offered in the past, are there some that you've turned down because they're not a good fit? Like, how do you navigate all of that?

Jayde: 00:37:18

For sure. I mean, I kind of asked myself these three questions, and it's like, one, do I feel excited to, like, promote the product, service, or brand campaign that they're telling you about? Or two, is it something that I feel that will provide a lot of value to my audience?

So even if it's not something I'm using, is it something I feel that they should know about? And then three, is it a brand that I feel like aligns, like, with my values and, like, who I am as person and just also my general, personal brand?

Like, there's a lot of brands who can be very stuffy still. And when they approach, you know, me and other linked influencers, I know because we all talk, they'll be like, oh, we want to edit your copy, and we want. And I'm right, no, because you're paying for my voice, not yours. And some of them still haven't wrapped their heads around that, which is so crazy to me.

But one thing I will say is I'm finding that a lot of brands are at least like, open to hearing my thoughts because I like to remind them that even though I'm an influencer, I'm still a marketer. So I know what I'm talking about. And there will be times where like, I push back and they're like, okay, okay, we hear you.

So I think it's just like me getting comfortable with like, again, just like the, the advocacy and being able to say like, this either aligns with what I want to be doing or it doesn't. And feel free, very comfortable walking way. But I've definitely passed on a lot of opportunities.

Emily: 00:38:45

For sure, that's good that you can push back to sometimes and get some middle ground with what the creative is going to look like.

Jayde: 00:38:52

I mean, I think brand and creator relationships are just like any other relationship. They should be mutually beneficial. So I feel like, you know, if a brand isn't willing to be flexible or meet you where you are in some type of way and you shouldn't get into bed with them.

Emily: 00:39:11

Good advice from a creative standpoint. What are some of the favorite brand deals you've done?

Jayde: 00:39:17

Honestly, I have to give a shout out to hootsuite. So hootsuite, I feel, is like one of the first social media brands that has been really innovative in how they've approached influencer campaigns. Like, they always go for like the big splash, the big creative moments.

And I really love that because I think on a platform like LinkedIn, one, it's unexpected and then two, I think there's just this, like, understanding whether it's true or not that you feel like you have to approach B2B marketing in a very like, buttoned up way. And I just don't think that's true. So I love that Hootsuite has kind of been really exploring what B2B influencer campaigns can look like. They do things very, in a, in a very unique way.

And then I also have loved kind of my partnerships where honestly, like, they kind of invite you to like, more experiences like outside of just the sponsored content that you're creating with them. So one of my favorite brand partners is teachable.

We don't do a lot of sponsored content together because what they're doing is like inviting me to their events and helping me kind of improve as a creator. So one of the examples is that in New York they had kind of like a, what they called like a collective, a teachable collective.

And they brought like creators who use their platform together and the whole day was just Kind of like a conference, a mini conference where we talked about how we can, like, grow as creators. And it was really helpful for me because I launched my courses on their platform last year, but that was my first time ever launching a course.

I knew I didn't know what I was doing. I'm just operating on vibes. And I was like, sure, let's test this and see if it works.

But it wasn't until I was actually in a room full of other course creators, I was like, wow, Like, I see how you guys are scaling. This is like, they were so transparent.

Like, I remember I met this guy and he was like, yeah, my business pulled in like, two revenue, $2 million in revenue. And I was like, $2 million in revenue from courses?! Who are you?

Emily: 00:41:16

What kind of courses?

Jayde: 00:41:17

And that's he, so he works in the aviation industry. So everything that's about his courses is like teaching people about aviation. And I just remember being so shocked by that because I was like, my brain would have never even fathomed that because I've never heard of that before. So a brand like Teachable, putting me in the room to be able to have those experiences is also really valuable to me outside of just, like the money that they pay me.

Emily: 00:41:40

That's a really cool opportunity, it sounds like.

Jayde: 00:41:43

It was so cool. I was very grateful to be there, like, truly.

Emily: 00:41:46

And was hootsuite the one you did the photo shoot in the rented office space with, like, the boa and stuff?

Jayde: 00:41:51

Yes.

Emily: 00:41:52

Oh, I love those photos. That was amazing!

Jayde: 00:41:55

Yeah, that was one of my, my fun, my most fun shoots. When hootsuite approached me, they had the idea for the social media help desk and they kind of gave me a little bit of creative direction. Like, they had some photos in their brief that they wanted to reference, and it was kind of like people kind of like chilling at the office. But I was like, "I need this to be, like, super dramatic, like, to bring the creative energy with this."

So I like, very, like, literally the week before the deliverables were due, I was like, I called up my photographer and I was like, "we got a campaign to shoot, girl!" And I just pulled everything together so last minute.

But honestly, I feel like I work best under that, that time of fire, like, when I know I have to, like, meet a deadline rather quickly. I'm truly amazed at, like, what I'm able to accomplish in those moments. Imagine if I actually had more time.

Emily: 00:42:45

I love the behind the scenes you shared from it too, because it was really cool to see how it all came together.

Jayde: 00:42:49

I love sharing those moments because I think, like, every creator's process is very different. And I like to show, like, how I bring these moments to life. And also it's very helpful and just, like, kind of educating my brand partners on how I think about things and how I approach things so that when we do potentially work together, they know why I, like, operate the way that I do, and they're not shocked. Like, here's like, a literal proof case example why I need more time or why I need more money because I'm investing in more production.

Emily: 00:43:20

Yeah, you're not just shooting at home with your phone necessarily. It could be a lot more complex.

Jayde: 00:43:24

Exactly.

Emily: 00:43:25

So on the flip side of those awesome partnerships, are there any horror stories you could share about? Or maybe speak in more broadly if you can't tell us one, like, common bad behaviors?

Jayde: 00:43:35

One of my worst experiences that still haunts me to this day. I remember I had a conversation with a brand last year, and I was so excited to talk to them because I use their product, love their products, still use their product. And I had a conversation with their creative partnerships manager.

We talked, the conversation went really well, and we aligned on, like, a rate of, like, 10K, which, at the time, I was, like, so thrilled about. That would have been my. My first 10k partnership. And I was like, yeah, I can't believe it. And we talked, and I sent them a proposal, and they were like, "this looks great. Let's do it." And the moment I, I asked for the contract, the email communications, like, start dwindling. I was like, what is going on?

And I followed up, like, three times and never heard that. And they go see me. So that one's shocking to experience. Very wild. And I fear it happens often in this industry.

I hear from creators all the times telling us about how brands ghost them, and that's why I always, again, equate it to, like, romantic relationship. Very similarly, like, creators also ghost brands, but brands also ghost creators as well. But, yeah, that experience was so frustrating.

And I think what kind of made it hurt worse was that I then saw that same brand working with other creators I know in my. In my. My creator circle. So I was like, "do y' all just have beef with me? Like, what's going on?" It was really hard not to take it personal.

Emily: 00:45:06

I bet.

Emily: 00:45:07

Did you suspect or they were gonna, like, not pay what they said they were gonna pay or something? Like, did you ever hear from your creator friends if anything bad happened with that?

Jayde: 00:45:17

Well, honestly, some of them, the ones that I asked they just told me that they're a very chaotic brand partner to work with. Like they just don't have their shit together.

So honestly it probably helped me like avoid any frustration in the, in the long run because they were just like we, I would not work with them again. Each of them, they, they both said it.

Emily: 00:45:36

So maybe it's not bad intentions. They're just messy.

Jayde: 00:45:39

Yeah, they're just messy. That's all. That was great. So it was protection in the end.

Emily: 00:45:47

So before you mentioned retiring by 40, I want to hear more about like your vision for that next era of your life. Do you think you'll be like fully retired, not working at all, or retiring solely from social media? Like what's it going to look like?

Jayde: 00:46:00

It's definitely going to be more of a retirement from social media. I think there will always be a part of me that desires to like create in different ways.

I think it's just going to look a little bit differently than it does now. I'll definitely be offline and if I do still have a social media presence by then it won't be me, it will be my team. So it will be that.

But also I think that era of my career, I've thought a lot about writing a book and I also kind of have this desire to just like completely live off the land and be a gardener. To be honest, like I just want to move to Jamaica where my family's from and just be. That's all I want to do.

Write my books, invest in other creatives projects, do an occasional speaking engagement when I feel like it and just kind of vibe.

But I'm hoping that by then I'll be, be able to be debt free and be in a position financially, well where I can like kind of chill out for a little while and not have to work so much as I do now.

Emily: 00:46:57

That sounds amazing. And I wish more people when they got to like a financially stable point like that would just chill and not try to like meddle in politics or ruin the world, you know?

Jayde: 00:47:08

Completely agree. You do not have to worry about me because I will not be doing that.

Emily: 00:47:12

Yeah, we need more chill gardeners.

Jayde: 00:47:14

Agree.

Emily: 00:47:15

What is prompting your desire to get off of social media by 40?

Jayde: 00:47:19

I just think I've been in the industry for so long and when I say it out loud like 12 years, I'm sure doesn't seem like a long time to someone who's probably like 10 to 20 years older than me and has been in their field for like probably like 40 years.

But for me, I think when we recognize like the impact that social media has on our mental health and how addictive it can be, I'm just thinking about like my long term sustainability and what that looks like for my life and I just don't think being on my phone for the next 40 minutes of my life is healthy.

So if really I'm just doing it for my long term mental health, like, I just know there has to be a point where I stop and I'm committed to the bit for right now and I'm doing my best to kind of just like achieve some sense of balance because that's the work that I'm choosing right now. But I don't think it's healthy for me to be working in social media for like 20 years on. It just doesn't make sense.

And, and when I hit 40, which will be in eight years, that will be exactly 20 years in this industry. So that will be enough.

Emily: 00:48:17

I just got a Brick that came in the mail. The thing for like shutting your phone off and controlling yourself a little better. So I'm excited to try that because I find I lose so much time in the evenings to scrolling mindlessly after my child is in bed. And I think the physical aspect of it will hopefully help because the screentime limits are just so easy to ignore.

Jayde: 00:48:37

Oh, 100%, 100%. And please let me know how that goes, because I will. It's a lot. The phone is very addicting.

Emily: 00:48:45

It really is. Can you talk a little bit more about like the addiction and like the mental health aspects related to social media?

Jayde: 00:48:51

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I just think like one, it has like the physical impact on your health because of your eyes. Like, there was a period of time where I used to have really bad migraines because my eyeballs were a face glue to a certain screen and I literally had to go to an eye doctor and they were like, I get that this is your work, but like, you're literally going to ruin your eyesight if you keep doing this and you're going to continue having migraines. And then because of that, I start having to start like wearing blue light glasses for a year to just like ease the migraine.

So there's that, but also the mental health. I just think the social media world, it just like is a breeding ground for comparison and will literally make you feel like shit about yourself.

And if you, you are not someone that's like really grounded in who you are, it can like take you for a very wild ride, even if you are super grounded, like, you just never know where you'll end up in, like, senses of, like, in feelings of desperation. And just like, that dopamine hit. It literally is like a drug. And I know that.

So I think for me, again, I'm just thinking constantly about, like, okay, what do I need to be doing to make sure that I have, like, a little bit of a break? And right now, for, like, the past six or eight months, I've been taking art classes. That's like, my weekly time to, like, not be on my phone because I'm literally painting. So it's really nice to kind of just like, decompress and quiet my mind for a little bit, even in that. In that moment when I'm always having to be on my phone.

Emily: 00:50:21

I love that. That sounds so nice.

Jayde: 00:50:23

It's really, honestly great. Like, I love it too, because my, my manager was laughing at me because she was saying how, like, she's noticed, like, how I've really been adamant about going to my art classes because it is my moment of peace.

And I remember we were talking to a brand, and I was, like, getting them to confirm the dates that I had to be there because I was like, I'm gonna leave the day after my art class. They were like, they're on Wednesdays. And they were like, "yeah, you can come up on Wednesday or Thursday." I was like, "I'll do Thursday."

Emily: 00:50:52

Good for you!

Jayde: 00:50:53

So, like, really committed to the bit.

Emily: 00:50:55

I used to go for walks, at least without my phone, but now, like, with a child, I want to have my phone just in case anything happens. And also, he was so cute. I have to take a hundred pictures, and then I'm like, still not off my phone, but doing my best, whatever ways.

Jayde: 00:51:08

I can totally get that.

Emily: 00:51:11

With your influencer work, do you feel like there's a different mental health aspect or impact there compared to when you were, like, a social media manager at a company?

Jayde: 00:51:19

Oh, yeah, for sure. I feel like my influencer work allows me more flexibility. Flexibility and freedom, because I can, like, say no to projects if I don't want to. And I have a little bit more creator freedom, which is also important when working with brands.

I think it's like, you know, I have to report to someone so, like, they get the final step of approval, and they oftentimes dictate how things are going to move across social. While I'm the one that's just responsible for execution.

And even though I'm responsible for execution as an influencer, I at least have a little bit more control over the narrative, and then also how I do the execution, which I feel like is very important to me. It's again, that just like that freedom piece, like, it just allows me to kind of move in the way that I want to.

And I think at the time, kind of coming up earlier in my career, the resources just weren't really available for social media professionals. Like, it was just too early in the field of work.

And a lot of people, like executives in marketing, they just, like, didn't know what to do with their social media team. It will literally be like, "we heard we needed y'all. Here's one. So that's gonna do that. Plus also email marketing, SEO, and all the other things that catch digital." And then you just kind of, like, kind of suffer because it's like you're the only one on the team and no one gets what you do. It's, it's a hard job.

So definitely glad to kind of have more of a, a little bit more of a claim over, like, what I do now. And then also the type of, of social media work that I do now, which is more strategy and creative direction.

Emily: 00:52:49

Do you feel any kind of pressure as an influencer to, like, be perfect in some way or, like, avoid getting canceled? Like, do you worry about that kind of thing?

Jayde: 00:52:58

Oh, for sure. Yeah. I think especially because my income is so tied to the work. Like, I definitely think because of my personal values that I am pretty smart about, like, knowing what not to say. And also, just like, the stuff skill of social media.

Like, I've learned how to engage people online in a way that's not inflammatory, ironically, because, like, people are so inflammatory on social media, but because I think I've. I've done it for brands. It's like there's a part of my brain that automatically knows how to be brand safe.

But in that same regard, like, I'm still a person, and I know that I'm very prone to making mistakes and I'm very open to receiving critiques. So I think, like, I just tried to do what makes sense for me and feels, like, very organic to me. And I'll give an example.

Like, I want to say, what was this? Last year when we found out that Kamala Harris did not win the election, I was very disappointed. And I remember I posted something on LinkedIn about just, like, her experience kind of being reflective to a lot of black women in corporate America. Like, you can be very qualified for a job. You can already essentially have a job, and you still won't get the opportunity that you deserve.

And a lot of people were pissed off about that post on LinkedIn, but I think the people who know me and are in my community understood where I was coming from. And I think those are, like, you know, the things that we're told to, like, veer away from. Like, you don't talk about politics at work. You certainly don't do it on LinkedIn. But I'm like, everything is political, including work. So let's talk about it.

Emily: 00:54:33

Absolutely. I'm glad you made that post and that you knew it was right for you and totally fine and fair to do it. I appreciate that LinkedIn is, like, shifting a little bit and people are starting to speak out more about things that are important to them because it is also intertwined, and we don't need to keep it in some silly, neutral little box, because there's no neutral, really.

Jayde: 00:54:51

I completely agree. I just feel like it's very odd, like, this idea of professionalism and what that means and how it shows up for people. And I think it's a very unfortunate thing to kind of, like, put onto people. Like, you are a professional, and therefore you have to act in this way.

I think that's ridiculous and it doesn't make sense because we're all so different as people, and we know this logically, but for some reason, it's like we've convinced ourselves that we need to fit into these boxes in order to have value, in order to. To earn a living. And I just don't think that makes any sense. Which is why, honestly, a part of the reason why I show up the way that I do on, on LinkedIn.

I think knowing that I'm an entrepreneur and I don't really have an employer, I, I recognize that privilege and use that as an opportunity to say the things that I know other people want to say but can't. And, you know, that's not to say that I like, you know, I couldn't reap the concept with this because obviously I have brand partners and clients, but for the most part, like, I know that people who are engaging with me know exactly who they're getting, and that's what I want. And I love that, you know, people have messaged me and they'd be like, "I wish I could say this, but I'm glad that you said it." I'm like, that's like my little superpower, my give back to the community.

Emily: 00:56:09

Love that. I have used posts of yours as examples in presentations about personal brand, and when it's with students, they're always like, "I didn't know you could say things like that!" And I'm like, "yeah. I mean, proceed with caution, depending on your employer and everything. But you'll get an understanding of what works and what doesn't."

Jayde: 00:56:29

When the. How do we say I? When people do message me about, like, being authentic on LinkedIn, I'm just like, "do whatever the fuck you want. But also remember your employee handbook. If you have an employer read it, the social media policy."

Emily: 00:56:44

So when you think about going off the grid and leaving social media, do you worry about, like, the digital footprint you've left behind? Are you nervous that your face is just out there forever now?

Jayde: 00:56:54

Oh, for sure. I think about it often. I'm like, I have so much data on the Internet, like, even since, like, my MySpace days. Like, I, I am a child of the Internet, so I'm literally everywhere. And I, I like to kind of reframe it as, like, what will be left when I'm gone is, like, my digital legacy, and people can kind of take it for whatever. Whatever it is. It's years of me kind of evolving and growing and learning as a person, and I think you'll see that through a lot of my content.

Even if, like, again, you know, I keep a lot of my life private, you'll still see, like, this certain nuances of where I am in my life. Like, I think this, like, post Twitter era that I'm in right now on LinkedIn is very, like, a transformative era, because I think what you're seeing is a very free version of myself and someone that's very comfortable in who she is, which I think is why it resonates with people. But if you probably score back to, like, my Twitter several years ago, I'm sure you'll see, like, moments of insecurity and just like, who the fuck is this? Yeah.

Emily: 00:57:53

So many of us who grew up online. Yeah. And had that, like, digital evolution, I think that's just natural and we gotta own all the parts of it.

Jayde: 00:58:00

100%. And I think for me, that has been a big part of, like, becoming who I am now. Just, like, kind of ridding myself of that shame. Like, it's definitely so parts of me that will be there. But, like, for the most part, I think, like, I've gotten to a place where I'm quite comfortable with who I am, and I love that.

Emily: 00:58:19

For me, so many people think millennials are cringe, but, like, I am cringe, I am free.

Jayde: 00:58:22

Quite literally. Yeah. To be free is to be cringe. I completely agree.

Emily: 00:58:30

So thinking ahead about like the world of influencer marketing and social more broadly, what do you think is going to be changing in the next few years?

Jayde: 00:58:38

So I'm obviously very biased and like super excited about the world of LinkedIn. I know right now it's kind of feeling like a bit of a gold rush.

Like everyone's excited for the opportunities, but I think the next level is getting the B2C brands on LinkedIn. Like, I think we're going to start seeing a lot of more like lifestyle type content on LinkedIn, which I really look forward to. And I always give this example, like, because I'm also manifesting it in real time.

I am someone who talks a lot on stages, I'm interviewed for podcasts a lot and I'm always wearing makeup and I'm like, people always ask me what my blush is. So I'm like, why can't I talk about that on LinkedIn? Like, because it's a part of my brand. My purple hair is a part of my brand. It's not all just like, you know, this product is helping me be more efficient with my client. Like some people just want to know like about what I'm wearing or the things that I love, the products that I love. And I think there's room for like kind of that lifestyle influencing on LinkedIn. So I'm just kind of excited to see what that kind of looks like over the next couple of years and what opportunities come my way and to other creators on the platform.

Emily: 00:59:47

Very cool. Yeah, I would love to see lifestyle content from you and others on there. I think it'd be a lot more fun.

Jayde: 00:59:53

I agree.

Emily: 00:59:54

Well, thanks so much, Jayde, for sharing all these wonderful insights. I learned so much from you. I really appreciate you coming on the show!

Jayde: 01:00:01

Thank you for having me! This is fun. It's always a pleasure for talking to you. We have to do it again in five years.

Emily: 01:00:06

Yes. Oh my gosh, that would be so interesting.

Jayde: 01:00:08

2030! Let's do it.

Narrator: 01:00:16

This has been a presentation of the Lunchador Podcast Network.