SummaryEmily, a small-town mom from Tennessee, has amassed over 500,000 followers on TikTok by being authentic and relatable. Despite her growing platform, she has chosen to maintain her day job for stability. She has had some of her content reposted by big platforms like ESPN and Barstool, but they don't pay her for it. Emily has also faced challenges being non-religious in a religious small town, but she has found a supportive community online. Her loyal following has defended her against online trolls. Despite her success, Emily remains humble and down-to-earth. In this conversation, Emily discusses the future of building a platform and staying relevant as a creator. She mentions the importance of being a trendsetter and finding unique ways to tell stories. Emily also shares her experience of starting on TikTok and the personal stories that resonated with her audience. She talks about overcoming the fear of judgment and embracing her true self on the platform. The conversation also touches on the idea of branching out into different content areas and the role of technical skills in creating captivating content. Emily expresses her love for her supportive following and the impact of TikTok on her small town community. She mentions the possibility of hiring a manager in the future and the importance of staying true to oneself while creating content. KeywordsTikTok, small-town mom, authenticity, platform, reposted content, brand deals, TikTok Shop, stability, non-religious, online community, loyal following, challenges, online trolls, platform building, staying relevant, trendsetter, storytelling, personal stories, TikTok, overcoming fear, branching out, technical skills, supportive following, small town community, hiring a manager, staying true to oneself Takeaways Authenticity and relatability are key to building a following on TikTok. Reposted content by big platforms does not always result in payment for the creator. Maintaining a day job alongside a growing platform can provide stability and security. Being non-religious in a religious small town can be challenging, but finding a supportive online community can help. Having a loyal following can provide a strong support system against online trolls. Success on TikTok does not always translate to significant financial gain. To stay relevant as a creator, it's important to be a trendsetter and find unique ways to tell stories. Personal stories that resonate with the audience can help build a following. Overcoming the fear of judgment and embracing one's true self is crucial for success on social media platforms. Branching out into different content areas can be done within the same profile and doesn't necessarily require starting a new one. Technical skills, such as camera positioning and editing, can enhance the quality and captivation of content. Having a supportive following can create a sense of belonging and connection. Hiring a manager may be necessary to handle the overwhelming tasks of content creation and engagement. Staying true to oneself and being passionate about the content being created is key to long-term success. Sound Bites "Just a small town girl from Tennessee" "Be who you are and be proud" "You can come at me all day long, I do not care. You can even talk about Alan, that's fine. But my kids..." "What will people do to stay relevant for a long time?" "It's all about finding what you do, putting your little spin on it, and staying relevant by inventing new ways to storytell." "It's about building connections with people and finding like-minded people." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Generosity 03:13 The Future of People with Platforms 06:25 Mindset When Starting to Post Content 09:44 Reposted Content and Lack of Payment 10:29 Being Recognized in Public 12:18 Building a Following Through Authenticity and Relatability 13:51 The Challenges of Being Non-Religious in a Religious Small Town 16:17 The Genius of Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches 18