Rebecca Banda is on the way to become Houston’s coolest girl with her growing social media presence. Whether she’s taking you through her favorite neighborhoods in Houston, recommending some of the cutest places to grab an iced coffee, or showcasing hidden gems around the area, it’s likely that you’ve come across her content online. We’ve seen her love letters to Houston — now it’s time to meet the girl writing them!
Banda is a content creator and entrepreneur; however, she didn’t start out in this field. “I actually graduated with a B.S. in Occupational Health and Safety and spent years working in the corporate world,” Banda said. Social media was initially a side hustle for Banda, until she decided to make a major change. “Eventually, I decided to take a leap and go all in on social media. It felt like a big risk at the time, but it gave me the chance to be creative every day and start building something of my own,” Banda said.
Banda’s content is candid, often showcasing her lifestyle and love for Houston. “I would describe my content as authentic,” Banda said. “I always make sure to post things I genuinely enjoy.”
For Banda, getting likes and views isn’t a big part of why she posts. “I never want it to feel like I am just chasing what will get the most attention,” Banda said. “My goal is to show the Houston Cool Girls community what our city has to offer, from local spots to unique experiences.”
Banda has always been involved with social media in some way, even before doing it full time. “At first I was just posting on my personal page, sharing little things I was doing or making aesthetic videos for fun. I really started on the fashion side since Aritzia was my go to place at the time,” she said. Once she got more comfortable doing social media, she decided to change the type of content she was making. “I started a second page, @rebeccabanduh, and that is when I began posting more about my life and what I was doing. From there it slowly grew into more than just posting for myself.”
Inspiration for content creation seemed to surround her. “I did not have one specific inspiration because I was pulling ideas from everywhere, whether it was other creators, brands I liked, or just moments in my own life.” Banda said.
Starting a new career can seem scary at times, and social media is no exception. “My biggest fear when I first started was definitely recording in public. We have all seen a table next to us at a restaurant stand up to take an overhead shot or watched a mini photoshoot happen on the sidewalk for an outfit picture,” Banda said. “At first, I felt so self-conscious, like everyone was staring at me and thinking I was weird. I do not know if you ever fully get over that feeling, but you do get used to it. After doing it hundreds and hundreds of times, I have become desensitized to it and now it just feels like part of the process.”
Like any profession, being a content creator comes with both rewards and challenges. For Banda, one of the best parts about her job is the connections she is able to make. “It means so much to know there are people out there who connect with what I am sharing,” Banda said. “One of the best feelings is hearing that someone got out of their comfort zone to try something new because they saw it on my page. That kind of support and connection is what keeps me going. I like to think of myself more as someone who shares stories and builds community through content.”
One of Banda’s biggest goals when it comes to doing social media is building a community. “I really want Houston Cool Girl to keep growing so that every girl can have a piece of it and feel like they are part of something bigger,” she said. “I love the idea that someone can walk into a coffee shop with a Houston Cool Girl tote and instantly feel connected to the girl at the next table wearing a Houston Cool Girl hat. I want this community to always feel like friendship and belonging.”
When it comes to the downsides of doing social media, one of the biggest challenges is the numbers, which is expected for a job that relies so heavily on user interaction. “Sometimes I’ll spend days working on a post I’m really proud of, share it, and then check the insights the next day only to see very little interaction. It can be tough not to let that discourage you.” Banda said.
Views and interactions aren’t the only numbers Banda has to worry about. “Another gritty part of being a content creator is managing paid partnerships,” she said. “Unlike a traditional job, you don’t get a paycheck every two weeks. Most partnerships are net 30 or net 60, which means I can put in hours — even days — of work, but not see payment until months later because of how contracts are structured. Learning how to navigate that side of things is definitely part of the journey.”
As a content creator, the opportunities for partnerships happen naturally. “Once I put my work email in my bio, the inquiries started coming in pretty quickly.” Banda said. “From there my business partner and I go through the emails together, look at which brands we actually like or want to work with, and then negotiate the details. I always try to keep my partnerships aligned with what feels genuine to me,” Banda said.
There’s various ways Banda creates content for a partnership. “The work itself can look really different depending on the partnership,” Banda said. “Sometimes I create content to post on my own accounts, other times I create content just for the brand to use on their pages, and there are also times where I come up with ideas that the brand runs completely on their own without me being tagged or credited.”
Banda says brand deals can be as rewarding as they are difficult. “The biggest benefit of brand deals is that they allow me to actually make this a career while also giving me opportunities I never would have imagined,” Banda said. “Some of my favorite experiences have been things like working with Kendra Scott at the Houston Rodeo, going to private concerts at venues around the city, or being part of fun gifting events with companies like Tecovas. Those are the kinds of moments that make me step back and realize how unique this path really is.”
Not only does Banda work with companies to create content — she also manages her own. “When I was working in the corporate world I realized pretty quickly that it just was not for me. I wanted the freedom to be my own boss, set my own rules, and live life the way I imagined it,” she said. “That pushed me to put all of my time and energy into Rebecca Banduh and from there, I built two different companies. One is Houston Cool Girl, which has become the merch side that so many people have supported. The other is Banduh Media, which is focused on user generated content where I create and sometimes manage social media for different businesses.”
One of the titles of her company was based on a social media series of hers. “Houston Cool Girl started as a fun series I created on my socials where I would share spots around Houston that I thought the cool girls would love,” Banda said. “It was really just my way of curating places I loved and building a sense of community around that.”
Once she built a community on her social media accounts, Banda had an idea: “What if this community had something they could actually own and wear, something that would connect them in real life?” Banda said. “From there I teamed up with my business partner and some of my family, and we designed and printed merchandise like hats, stickers, shirts, tank tops, and tote bags. It has been so fun seeing people wear Houston Cool Girl pieces and feel like they are part of something bigger.”
One of the first steps of starting her own business was Banda changing the way she viewed and did social media. “At first it was just me creating content and posting for fun, but once I decided to leave the corporate world I treated it like a business. I set up Banduh Media as the foundation, which meant everything from creating a name, filing the paperwork, and learning how to handle invoices and contracts,” she said. “From there it grew into two branches. Banduh Media focuses on user generated content and social media management for businesses, while Houston Cool Girl became the merch side that was born from a series I created online.”
Starting her own company was no easy task; there were a ton of risks that came with it, especially financially. “The biggest risk with starting Houston Cool Girl was definitely the thought of putting money and effort into creating merchandise and then nobody showing up to buy it,” Banda said.
Despite her fears, she continued to work towards her dream and began to design and create her own merchandise. “My very first piece was a red hat with Houston Cool Girl on the front and a love letter on the side,” she said. “It pulled together two of my favorite series, Where the Houston Cool Girls are Going and my Love Letter series where I highlight different neighborhoods in the city, like Love Letter to the Heights.”
Banda’s perseverance paid off. “The benefits [of taking the risk and starting my own company] became clear the day of my first drop,” Banda said. “I partnered with my friends at Ozzirys, a boutique inside Ironworks, and hosted the launch there. People were literally waiting in line outside the store just to buy the hat. It was overwhelming in the best way, and seeing that kind of support made me realize the benefits far outweighed the risks. From that moment, I knew I had to go all in.”
Banda is as grateful as she is surprised at the love she has received. “I am so grateful for all the support. Like I mentioned before, I was surprised when people started recognizing me and connecting with me outside of family and friends, so it still feels surreal. I love this community, and I honestly cannot believe the audience I have built just from recording and posting on my little iPhone,” Banda said. “Moments like seeing people line up for the first Houston Cool Girl drop or hearing that someone tried something new because of one of my posts remind me how special this all is. The support means everything to me, and it is what keeps me motivated to keep creating.”
It’s no surprise that more people are becoming interested in this upcoming career path at a time where social media and technology is more influential than ever. It makes sense — creating content for a living seems easy. On top of that, being a content creator is often romanticized– what’s not to love about being able to go on unforgettable brand trips, receiving free products from your favorite companies, and being a well-known person on the internet? However, it’s important to remember that there’s a lot more to being a content creator than it seems. “Understand that this is not a traditional route. You do not get to clock in and out and know a paycheck will hit every two weeks. It is hard work,” Banda said. “You are waking up early to focus on emails, contracts, and invoicing, while also editing videos and photos, and at the same time planning out your day to create even more content or shoot partnership campaigns.”Despite the demanding nature of the job, it’s important to remember that having passion for what you do should always outweigh the pressure.
Banda has simple yet powerful words of advice for any aspiring content creators: everyone has a place online. “Social media is for everyone. There are no rules about who gets to post or what they get to post. If you want it, go after it. Do not wait and wake up ten years later wondering what would have happened if you had just tried. Building community has been one of the most rewarding parts of this job,” Banda said. “Take out your phone, hit record, hit upload, and show the world how cool you are! You never know where it might take you.”