“At this point in my life I realize you have to do what makes you happy”.
1. What inspired you to become a beauty influencer and blogger?
I was inspired to dive into the beauty influencer and blogger space
when I was leaving my “dream” job of being a professional ballet dancer.
I have always been surrounded by the arts growing up, I loved to dance,
sing, draw, anything you could think of! Fast forward to after college
and I had realized performing wasn’t inspiring me as much as it once
used to. I found my love for performing was starting to shift towards
teaching other aspiring dancers. While I was still trying to figure out
the next steps for my career I really found a passion for makeup and the
beauty industry. When I realized the idea of making a career out of
being a
blogger and influencer was something that could actually be obtained, I
knew I wanted to pursue it for myself. Following many inspiring makeup
artists on Youtube and Instagram, I was watching these influencers
create their own careers through social media. Personal happiness is a
huge factor in my life, when I started really focusing on my social
media I found myself spending so many hours creating content, editing
and filming. No matter the length of time I spent working I enjoyed
creating content to share with my audience. Much like performing, I was
sharing something I loved with a group of people. I finally realized if I
really wanted to give this career path a shot I would have to stop
thinking of what negativity I might receive and just put my all into it.
Thankfully I have had a wonderful support system of family and friends
through what I hope is just the beginning of my journey. It is scary to
put yourself out there but I want to encourage people to go for their
dreams. My goal is to continue doing what I love and sharing that with
people.
2. What did you do prior to becoming an influencer and how did you transition into the business of advising consumers?
Prior to pursing the career of an influencer I was a professional ballet dancer. I grew up dancing all different styles and received my BA in Performing Arts at Point Park University. I danced with a company for a few years and taught at multiple dance studios in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During that time I worked many part time jobs one being Sephora. I think that was really a turning point for me, realizing how much I enjoyed working in the beauty industry.Working with such amazing artists really inspired me to start transforming my own Instagram to a dedicated page of makeup related content. I realized how impactful working in the industry was when I could see a client’s confidence transform in front of my eyes, their smile becoming bigger and having them tell you they feel beautiful is something I won’t ever forget. Once I left Sephora I knew I wanted to create a way to connect with others whether they were customers, other makeup artists, or followers. I decided to take on the task of transitioning my page and blog from purely makeup to being more relatable to a larger audience.
3. How do you communicate to your followers? What type of information do you provide and what mediums (i.e., newsletter, blog, etc.) do you utilize?
I connect with my followers mainly on my Instagram _lindsayburke and through my recently launched blog LBbeauty.blog. My social media platforms focus on sharing beauty product reviews, fashion related topics, advice, and lifestyle blogs. I find that being as authentic as possible and including more content that feels “real” is something that will make your account stand out. I focus on making my content as versatile as possible while reviewing a large range of topics. I want to make sure I provide feedback on products that everyone can use. I recently have been working on sharing my skincare routines, product reviews, experiences, and clothing brands I am currently loving. I hold myself to a high standard of being honest in my reviews. I want to share things that I believe others would also enjoy and love, I think it is extremely important to always be transparent with what I am recommending to my followers.
4. Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently when you first started as an influencer?
Knowing what I know now, I wish I would have told myself to just go for it years back. I think I always have a little self doubt, that maybe the content I put out could be better, look better, sound better… At this point in my life I realize you have to do what makes you happy. As cliche as it sounds it couldn’t be more true. The only thing that will ever hold you back in going after your dream or your career is yourself. To believe in yourself allows people to gravitate towards your positivity and happiness. It is something I still have to tell myself everyday as I pursue this dream!
5. In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself up?
In times of self-doubt or adversity I have to tell myself tomorrow is a new and different day. To make everything count. If a post or a photo doesn’t turn out to be as “liked” or “viewed” I have to remind myself, I posted it because I enjoyed it. In this industry there is so much competition that there is no way to please everyone. If you get stuck in a cycle of only producing what you think people will want, you will end up losing some of your passion behind creating. In a world that can seem so oversaturated with beauty gurus or style influencers you can’t give up on yourself just because of uncertainty. If my posts or blogs can bring one person a feeling of happiness or give them the inspiration to start their own journey that is the most rewarding thing.
6. What is your professional or personal motto in life
My motto would have to be: faith is greater than fear. I read this phrase years back and it is one that has always stuck with me. Everyone can have a different meaning of what faith is. Whether it is believing, having hope, finding inspiration. Faith has been defined as having complete trust or confidence in something or someone. I have to remind myself that in this career you will never succeed and grow if you allow the fear of what others may think hold you back. There is a certain carefree aspect that you have to carry when putting your work out there whether you are a blogger, a makeup artist, a photographer, a writer etc. There will be people who build you up and inspire you, as well as those who are not a fan of your work. As of right now I could call my blog and social media outlets a “hobby” but I hope to make it into a career in the future. Nothing is ever guaranteed but for now I will continue to work hard and enjoy sharing content I love with others.
7. Name someone, past or present, whom you admire and look up to.
I have to say the person I admire the most is my boyfriend, Zach. We met back in 2011 in college and ever since he has been there to push me to go for my dreams. There has never been a time that this idea of being an influencer has been questioned by him, yet we both know that this career is not always guaranteed. Regardless of far it will take me, I know I can always count on him to celebrate my successes with me as if they were his own. I find when I am lacking inspiration his work ethic and perseverance motivate me. His ability to light up a room with smiles and conversation push me to step out of my comfort zone. He truly makes me a better person in ways I never imagined. Zach has allowed me to see the value in my hard work, given me the courage to share my ideas with others and most importantly helped me believe in myself.
8. What does success mean to you?
To me success is defined by happiness. Knowing I can help a follower feel connected by something I have written or a photo I posted is success to me. My goal is to create a space for my followers to take a 5-10 minute break from their day and either learn something new, share a laugh or just feel connected. I want to be a role model and an inspiration for others to follow their dreams. With so much diversity in the world today I want to help people feel connected even if it is just over a topic of beauty. Beauty is something that can also have so many definitions and meanings. One being a combination of qualities, or in my eyes a combination of people being connected. I want my blog and social media too be encouraging and motivating. As long as I continue to feel fulfilled by sharing my work with others I have been successful.
Social Media handles:
Instagram – _lindsayburke
Blog- https://lbbeauty.blog
This post was originally posted on The Muse