How I Got Started in Social Media/Influencing

One of the most common questions I get asked is, "How did you get started in social media and become an influencer?" The answer truly is simple: it was an accident. Ever since I was little, I have been making and editing videos with friends. In elementary-middle school, I would make and film music videos and fake YouTube videos with friends on apps like iMovie, VideoFX, and Video Star. In middle school, I started a beauty Instagram with a couple friends and became obsessed with filming, editing, and designing the overall branding for our page. Towards the end of my high school career, some choir friends and I made some TikToks and all agreed we would download the app and post them to try to "go viral." I thought the concept of TikTok was dumb at the time but followed my friends and downloaded the app. I ended up making a couple other videos with choir friends that DID go viral several days later, and quickly was "bit by the TikTok bug" and fell in love with making videos for fun.

How I Got Started

When COVID-19 hit in late 2019-early 2020, I gained over 15k followers within a couple months by making nostalgic music challenges and posting my journey as I was undergoing hip surgery to treat my genetic condition hip dysplasia. I never tried to become "famous" or even make this into a career, It truly was purely accidental and not expected. My page quickly began to explode and as I was entering college, I decided to create an Instagram page for my brand and officially attempt to become an influencer. I took an old middle school account that I used to post art projects on, completely cleared it out, and started from scratch. I will never forget sitting in the parking lot of Five Below at my local mall with my high school friend and saying, "What if I became an INFLUENCER?" She smiled and without hesitation said, "Do it. Why not! Just. Do. It!"

From there, I began posting, got my first brand deal with the brand Halara, and everything continued from there. One company and opportunity led to another, and before I knew it, it became my full time job as a full time college student!

Criticism at School

Because I received A LOT of hate and criticism in high school when I started posting on TikTok, I came into college convinced I wouldn't tell ANYONE that I had a social media following. I was so worried about getting made fun of and teased again that I didn't want to even have to deal with it. I didn't even tell my own freshman year ROOMMATE about my following, but eventually she found out when her friends back home recognized me on their "For You Pages." Eventually, I gave up trying to hide it and fully embraced my passion and career. While I still faced A LOT of judgment and even hatred at times from professors, students, and even (former) friends in college, I began to realize that not everyone will understand my passion or my job. (Disclaimer: I still face this, it doesn't just vanish). Criticism and judgment unfortunately is around us everyday and we all have a choice to handle it with kindness, grace, and respect even if it's hurtful. If there's one piece of advice I could give, it would be to JUST. KEEP. GOING. You never know where it could take you and where you will end up!

Blessed and Grateful

I am so incredibly blessed to be able to have over 135k+ followers on TikTok and over 50k+ followers on Instagram. I have had the privilege to work with hundreds of brands, businesses, celebrities, and people all across the world. While I am just your "average" girl from Indiana, I am a motivated, driven, and a hard working individual that is so excited to see where this social media journey will take me! I am so grateful you are here, for your support, and your interest in my journey! Thank you for taking the time to read this and learn a little bit about me and how I got started!

XOXO,

Hannah Mullen