25-year-old Brittany Lyons’ Instagram account is basically the digital equivalent of a ray of sunshine. With the goal of incorporating positivity into every aspect of her life – both online and off – it’s impossible not to feel it rubbing off on you as you scroll through her content. But life isn’t perfect, and Brittany also make sure to share the before and afters with her followers, lest anyone feel put down by a virtual smokescreen – that’s not what we’re about, here!
Her Campus: Tell us about your site/platform and why you launched it.
Brittany Lyons: I am a quirky NY based colorful lifestyle content creator who strives to incorporate positivity into my life, both offline and online. My content conveys blissfully unique and vibrant visuals while showcasing my creativity and photography interest. My main objective is to provide a welcoming, empowering and inspiring environment for my audience. I started my platform to make the world wide web happier and more positive as a place in general.
HC: What do you hope your followers get out of following you?
BL: I hope my followers feel inspired and empowered to lead a creative life. I hope that they turn to my page when they’re feeling defeated so that they can be uplifted either through my content, or in my direct messages. I never want my followers to compare themselves to me, so I’m very transparent in sharing my bloopers and “before and afters” in terms of content creation and photo editing, so they can see through the filters on my feed that my life isn’t perfect.
HC: What does your week currently entail?
BL: My day-to-day can change depending on what needs to be done for the week. During my week I make time to: create content with my DSLR camera and Behind the Scenes Reels with my intern, edit said content which can take up to a full day depending on how many concepts I need to edit, post Instagram content and engage with my audience every day for an hour or more, and answer brand emails at least twice a week.
HC: What’s the best and worst part about being an influencer?
BL: It’s really hard to find a balance between work and play. Most people are taught that social media isn’t considered a job – although that’s luckily been changing.
The best parts are meeting new people and building a community that revolves around friendship and trust. Social media has lead me to so many amazing people that I wouldn’t know of, had I not taken the leap to start creating.
HC: Is running your platforms your full time job or a side hustle? Why did you make that decision?
BL: I made the jump to make content creation my full-time job one year ago. I tried the 9-5 job for 3 years and I just found myself feeling more and more unfulfilled every day. I wanted to chase my dreams and encourage others to do so as well.
HC: Which people have had the most influence on you, and why?
BL: My favorite people to follow are: @Lindsay.Adkinson, @AutumRainn, @thatssosofi, @Kamryn.Law and @thegracemattei to name a few! I never close myself off to any inspirations, because creativity can strike at any moment! The people that have had the most influence on me out of those named above are probably Kamryn Law and Autum Rainn. They use their platforms for genuine love and kindness, and show nothing but grace to their audiences. I think there’s been a lot of negativity online lately. Some influencers have even been caught belittling their followers, and I just don’t feel that it’s right. I think everyone should be treated with respect and kindness – even if they don’t necessarily deserve it – and Kamryn and Autum are perfect examples of that.
HC: How has being an influencer affected your friendships and relationships?
BL: I’m more cautious about who I choose to involve in my life and a little less trusting offline. I’ve had some unfortunate experiences that have led me to be aware of others. I’ve also had to set aside time for a romantic relationship, because working from your phone constantly can make your significant other feel detached. It’s a lot of work, but it’s rewarding and I try my best to not be on my phone during the times when I’m with my husband, family and/or friends.
HC: What has been the most surreal thing that’s happened to you as an influencer?
BL: I’ve been invited to a few events that have been really cool, such as Amazon Prime, Bethel Woods Holiday Lights Festival + Adore Me In-Store Shopping Experience for Breast Cancer Awareness. I love experiences much more than receiving free items, because you get to make memories with some close friends and meet new people as well!
HC: What are your three favorite tools for content creation?
BL: Equipment – My Canon 6d MARK II camera makes all of my content creation possible. This year I invested in myself and took a course on “how to shoot in manual” that has drastically changed the way I create my content in the best way!
Props – I consider props to be anything from your actual body (with posing) to an object you’d like to incorporate to clothing or even your location. I believe the concepts are limitless because no 2 people can create the same image, even with the same pose, clothing item, location, or color theme.
Editing – I love Adobe products for editing. I currently use my own formulated presets in Lightroom, and I do the “tough” editing in Photoshop. In my opinion, the true magic is created at this step and is crucial to finalizing your image!
HC: What does the future of influencing look like for you? What’s next for you personally?
BL: I’m hoping to be able to support my family full time on content creation alone. I’m hoping to turn content creation into a stable business so that I can pursue other endeavors with the tools I’ve learned from leading a career on social media. I would also love to have two children, and be able to spend time with them at home, and content creation would allow me to have that flexible lifestyle for them.
Behind the Feed is a weekly series showcasing a different member of the InfluenceHer Collective every week. Are you an influencer? Apply to join the IHC, and you could be featured in the future!