Hey guys, what's up? Thanks for tuning in to today's episode. Hey, hit me up on Instagram LinkedIn or Facebook and let me know where you're listening in from. This is absolute 10. And today. I had a llama guy on the show or more commonly known on socials as L pearls and my first female guest Alana is a full-time Beauty vlogger influencer on YouTube and Instagram, we had a really insightful chat and to what it's like being a digital.Our influencer in the online space a lot of super open and honest about some of the challenges and struggles as well as all the kind of exciting perks and joys that come with the unique job like this. Hope you're going to enjoy this episode and like I said get in touch at love to hear from you. Let's jump in. So Ilana, thanks for jumping on the podcast. You're my first female guests. So it's a pleasure to have you on so you want to maybe introduce yourself. Tell us a bit about what you do? Yeah. Yeah, my name is Elena on my social platforms. It's a tell pearls or on Instagram. YouTube itself pearls actually never remember what my name is on. I think you can search me without pearls or land epic early, but that's a bit of a hard one to spell. So yeah, I guess what is what is the term anymore of like what I'm called a social influences social influencer digital influencer. Yeah. I don't even know an influencer and the yeah. That's what I do. I create content on YouTube and I think that just morphed into Instagram and any other kind of platform that just shows a little bit of my life. I've been doing it for I should know these numbers. I've been doing it for three and a half years. Yeah, three and a half years and I've been full time for two and a half to nice. Yeah. But yeah, it didn't come like overnight. I worked two full-time jobs on top of creating two videos a week for nine months before I had my first paid. Yeah, that was definitely not enough to to see it through. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's just so passionate about so I'm very very fortunate to have it as my career. Yeah. Okay. No. Quality, I wonder if you remove the rewind back then prior to you kind of moving into this space and touch on I guess, you know, did you go to school and then College after that or what did that look like for you? Yeah, fun fact, I was home-schooled until grade A. No I nice. Yeah, that's 13. I know that grade systems a bit different here in the UK. So great. Yeah. I went to high school and then Then after high school, I was very hesitant on what to do. I didn't really know I come from my mom's quite creative. But my dad is like in a science background so they both have to demick, you know schooling so they obviously we're very pushing on go to university. It doesn't matter what you go for it. Just go kind of yeah, and I was very my older brother hadn't gone yet. So it was like I was the first born in the sense of oh, I don't know what to do. Like, I genuinely don't want to waste your money my money on something that I'm Not actually use. Yeah, so it was so last-minute that my mom was like well, why don't you go for marketing? It's a little bit of creative little bit of business that so I went for a year of marketing and loved it. I don't know if it's because school legs hurt instead of you know being away, but it was great. It just wasn't the fit. I think I was just doing it to do it. So I didn't complete that decided to take a year off and Yes actually was working as a server in a restaurant and I loved doing that nice low, but I guess to like kind of bring in what the future had in store was I was always doing people's hair and makeup from a very young age I kind of just always was that creative person whether it was doing my brother's like face paint. When do you want me to when he was little to like yeah, all of my cousin's cutting their hair and you know coming up with New before and after photos that would just impress them on Prom day doing like six of my friends hair and makeup and just you know, always being that go-to girl which kind of went into college. I was always the oh, can you do this for me? And I think I kind of gained a little bit of trust in that field. Yeah, which is why I kind of transitioned transitioned well into what I do and I had the trusted everyone around me. It wasn't like why is she doing this? She doesn't even know what she's doing. It was like, oh, this is so Well Suited yeah, this makes sense so took the year off and then I was like, what do I do? Bobby I love fashion makeup all this I didn't want to go to school for makeup because I felt like I just I was passionate about and I was actually good at it that I was like and I didn't want to learn the theory of it or something. Yeah. You know fashion marketing might be fun because there's a little bit of everything and it's not super like fashion where you're making clothes all the time, but you're putting on shows you're creating Windows. There's a lot of like creative aspects of it. And so I did that course and I loved and I'm really glad I did I learned a lot of things from it, but from that I basically kind of started doing hair and makeup for weddings. I worked in a lot of stores and did you know a lot of fashion kind of things but it just wasn't like Fulfilling, you know like that transition state of stage of like I know I want to do something where I want to be creative and I kind of always had that problem where whenever I worked I got super hyped. I was so excited. I love going into our guide high energy and then it kind of went into. Oh my gosh. I'm doing the same thing every day with the same people like yeah. I meant to work with people. Yeah. Yeah. You know, it's locked in of like what could be doing and I feel like I'm just such a freestyle kind of thinker that I just seems like I got bored like I was like this is so you know in the box. So yeah, I did her makeup on the week isn't that was kind of like my creative like, oh I get to do what I want meet new people all the time. Like I was a part of people's most special day, right? Yeah, and that's exciting. Very personable side. So I really love getting to meet new people all the time, which was great. And then that kind of led into a job where I became a regional trainer and pro artist for a really break big makeup brand in North America called No, Anastasia Beverly Hills, which is now worldwide, but it was amazing in the sense where I kept going to different locations of big stores Sephora's and training people. So I had like then the the technical teacher side of things like, you know showing how to do certain things but it was still within what I loved which was makeup. So I realized quickly like, oh, maybe it's because my mom's a teacher baek anything to do with teaching as like no. No, I just want to create just like, oh no, I'm actually really good at explaining how something is being done or how you do it, but I'm not like this is right and this is wrong because when it comes to anything art why Is even make up its your expression of it's how you decide to do it, which I was very open to so I think I had a good balance which you know, I did well in that job, but then there was always just something whereas like there's just something I'm still working under someone. I'm still having to go to some locations that I've been to before and as a kind of bored like that was yeah be honest. I just got bored sometimes. Yeah, so I was obsessed with you too obsessed with watching YouTube all the ogs on it. Just Tanya prayers. The wallet Chloe mirela all those people have been on for years. I yeah. Oh my gosh, I could do this like I'm pretty confident. Like I like what I do and I feel like I could make videos and I remember an online magazine in Canada. I reached out and asked if I could do some you know content for them. So I kind of like dip my toes in it where I you know did little tutorials or like little makeup steps for them. And then I just kind of literally told myself in January you know you how you make Union resin Year's resolutions. Yeah travel. I'm going to start a YouTube channel. Nice. Literally January 1st. I did it and then I stuck with it and hear ya um, is that how many years ago was up in January? 2016 15 15. Yeah. So we're 250 at that stage was YouTubers obviously like Super popular, but was it was it still sort of early days for the kind of nice that you're in? Yeah, totally and I think that yeah thing where you feel fortunate we're thinking of starting today is very overwhelming to me like yeah. Imagine it is so saturated. I feel like everyone in their dog has a channel and it's a little bit intimidating. And so I think I was a little bit, you know, I was at the cusp I think a year later you could have gotten to but I think I was at the right time. Started and I'm glad it did but I also wasn't like, oh, I'll put up a video like I was really determined and I honestly job seriously what I did and it wasn't even anything where I could have thought it would have turned into a job or you know my career because I had two jobs on the side that I was, you know maintaining and then I was like, oh I was just so excited to film two videos for this channel that took me five months to get a thousand subscribers. Do 99. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I remember I was actually here in Northern Ireland when I reached a thousand and it was so exciting. I'm big monster. Yeah. It's so funny. But yeah, yeah, and and then it was one year and I had 60,000. So yeah, it was really exciting. It was really good cool it. I think it always sort of I think you mentioned everybody, you know, you didn't ever expect it to become a full-time job or career and I think that's always sort of the keys or at least with you know, the people who turn out to be successful Mick whatever it is. That they're passionate about our business. I think that's the key to the successful because there's a full-time like passion. It's not just like you say. Oh, I'm going to make some videos because I'm sure a lot of people have this kind of thought so your movie speak about the commitment, you know effort and energy that it took to like two videos a week. I can imagine even up that is getting significant in terms of workload. Well, like you mentioned I think passion Well is like such a drive and it because I really I think there was also a part of me and maybe I'm speaking for myself in this but I think because it came from parents who had academic careers and did so well, I almost wanted to like prove that I could make it in a creative career that I did for myself at that time wasn't very popular or like you do what like yeah wasn't even considered a career. Yeah YouTube like Yeah, yeah, it was very. It was almost like I think I have a little bit of a stubbornness where I was like, I'm going to prove that this can work out for me. And um, yeah because you know being the one in the family being like Oh, I want to be in hair makeup. They're like, okay, sweetie, but what do you want a little bit of it? Yeah, but like what do you actually want to be a kind of but it genuinely was always me and so like I previously mentioned because I had the trust of a lot of people already and my name was already reaching with, you know, the makeup jobs that I was already doing it was It was an easy transition where people are like, oh, yeah, that girl is really good at that because she's done this for me before like told their friends and it was all right amount and for me and I didn't have any struggle with loyalty with any followers or whatnot, but one of the main things I tell people whenever they're like, oh, I'm going to start a blog or want to start a YouTube channel or start an Instagram or something. I say, it's great to want to start it, but you have to really want it like you have to like your there's only so much. Can put out without heart behind it because yeah, laughs and honestly with algorithm not nowadays and just the amount of creators out there and content out there. Yeah to stay consistent. It's so yeah, it's a 24/7 hustle. It really isn't it's kind of what you take from it. If you're if you're single person go for it like headfirst, but I also have a family now and it's like, okay, what are my priorities like it still job. I'm you know maintaining it. But it's like okay like flip this is something that could easily take over your life. Yeah, but yeah consistency is the biggest thing I would ever recommend to someone and also like don't do it to do it because like it's so transparent. It's so transparent if you're just forcing it and you're yeah. Well, that's so cool that someone can stay at home and take pictures is what it probably seems to some. Yeah, but I know I think I think I don't think people Realized the half of the amide of work and effort that goes into being or doing what you're doing. You know, I can just imagine this year might give time and have first names. Yeah, but yeah, I think I think a lot of people maybe would it be fair to say criticize the industry or the influencer space and I think it's completely unjustified because of the amount of effort and energy that actually does go in behind the scenes that they They just see like, you know a food that goes up and they're like they have it so easy, but actually it's totally not true. Yeah. Well, I think it's like two things I think one is maybe misunderstanding it or you know, they just maybe from a different generation or whatever totally a weird job. If you really think about it so fair, I'm totally up to sitting down with someone and explaining what my day looks like and well I have videos on my channel. Yeah, but then there's the other side where I think some people are maybe jealous that someone's actually doing what they love. I think that's another aspect of maybe someone being a little bit spiteful to an influencer is owner actually doing they risked a lot with like maybe not taking a job that could have been a better pay or this or that yeah, really put everything on the line for something they're passionate about and really love because maybe they didn't do that and they wish they did so there's a little bit of you know No MV which isn't any kind of job, I won't say that it's just for influencing. But yeah, it's a scary situation because we don't have like we have no security in the feel like what's going to happen if it's not even a thing and it's YouTube dies. Yeah, but I think but I think I'm sure you're already doing and thinking of this in terms of diversifying until their platforms and always being kind of aware and keeping your eyes. Eyes open can of I think there's a big kind of business guy that I follow and he says, you know, he's obviously going all-in on the me and platforms like YouTube and Instagram and whatnot. But he's always kissing these other ones just making sure you know that he's keeping his hand and you know those kind of pies and he has one of those is the new Instagram or YouTube, you know, so it's hard to know because like I feel like there's been a couple since I've started a couple, you know, oh get this out quick everyone, you know down. Loads it and then you never hear of it again. Yeah, it just flops after week. Yeah, I think Instagram and YouTube definitely have the hierarchy right now, but you just you really never known. Mm-hmm. I wondered and can we talk to on you mentioned? You know, you got that first kind of paid rule or you know sponsorship or whatever you want to call it. But you know after that was it just a series of those were they kind of trickling in or did you actively kind of seek out those Partnerships and relationships? Yeah, so I was super naive with like how YouTube worked. I didn't really understand like like how do I make this a job or anything? So there would always be like random emails you get from networks being like Oh hook up to us link up to us and we'll sort you out money-wise kind of like an AdSense thing, but they are getting a cut from it. But like they obviously would help you out with that, you know sponsorships and If like that, so I like that because I was naive didn't know anything. So I linked up with a network and I was only with them for I think only a year not even no not even a year. No year. Yeah. It was just nothing came from it. I got like a monthly payout from them for my views. So that's like obviously the main source of income if you're not doing sponsored content, which I wasn't yet because it It really a thing yet to do good things. It wasn't as popular. It was slowly beginning but it was mostly based off of like your views on your channel out of all of your videos your monthly views and then you get a cut from whatever this network was giving you. So I got out of that contract ankle and then linked with the new network that was like a very well-known one for beauty even lifestyle YouTubers and whatnot. And I just actually stopped with them, but they're amazing and My management is with one of them and she's awesome. But yeah, so that was like the kind of start of it was with a network, but I guess you could just link with AdSense. Like that's what I'm doing now because I don't have a Network anymore. Yeah, but it kind of depends on like what's your aim for it? Do you want to just be strictly a channel? That's not going to do a lot of sponsored content and you're going to drive it with views and that those views will be enough to like, you know. I think it depends on how many ads you have on your video and all that stuff for do you want to be channel that you know has a lot of sponsored moments and it whether it's integrated whether it's you know completely by a certain brand, you know, it's kind of up to you and yeah, it was going towards like I'm sure Gamers don't have sponsored content as much unless it's from a game, right? Yeah. Yeah. I would have more sponsored content like wouldn't just be strict on views because mine involves a lot of product and a lot of reviewing and a lot of you know showing different things. So it's more. Oh, yeah friends of friends. But yeah, that's what if you wanted to go into different ways of earning money to make it a career. So you have your your views so your monthly views allocated to you. Yeah, then you have anything sponsored wise? Yeah. This is probably how most people can make today. I'm going to eat. Yeah, when you say sense for those a kind of maybe don't know that are listening. That's where Google who's the owner of YouTube puts like a sponsored kind of tan second Ah, that's the kind of odd that we see scattered in amongst videos or at the starter and right. Yeah, and then you're in charge of your ad so you sometimes yeah the beginning and then depending on the length we videos which are seem to only be getting longer. There's more ads slotted end. Which yeah, you watch most of the time you can't skip it. Those are payment. They say yeah. Yeah nice one. And so if you were to put a percentage on our movies don't want to but roughly, you know, where you even more for that kind of sponsored monthly like AdSense stuff or you more open to working with bronze, and I honestly haven't really thought of that if you If I really think about it, I'm just kind of set a rule. I would get a lot of emails from Brands and I really go through to see what fits my you know image and what would work really with what I do because you're gonna be males real like have you even looked at my yeah. Do you have Fitness to you when I'm pregnant? There's I think you know Yeah, so yeah, I kind of think I'm like equal like I don't know like some months or lower than others and it's just such a up and down kind of career where you could have set like in marketing like Christmastime is so busy with product push out and everything. So that's a really long time for influencers with like all this Christmas stuff and guides and this and that and what to get. What do you know? So that's a big-time in but then there's like a lull right after like in Yeah about doing has any money. Yeah, totally so. I think every or what is it Christmas like vlogging everyday and Christmas to make enough views for January because the low level lower months, right? So yeah, please refer back to 31 days in December 31 days 30 days in December. Thirty Days Has September. Yeah 31 31 December 31st. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, so Yeah, it's kind of up to you. But then yeah, so you have your views you have sponsored content, which you have to figure out your own right card and whatnot. Unless you have a manager that can do that with you and negotiate and then there's affiliate code. So if you see someone like, you know recommending a product and if you use my code, you know L pearls you can get 20% off as five dollar five pounds of anything like that and sometimes not all the time. But sometimes there is, you know, a percentage that goes to that influencer then and then you have just yeah, it's normally just an affiliate code or swipe up legs, but you have to be transparent with that obviously. Yeah. Yeah, so I think it should be everywhere because it's a little annoying when you follow people and other places near like is that cause I'm out. Hey for yeah, I thought it was. Their business like I'm being truthful anyways, but obviously there's people that aren't truthful. It's actually I really am so glad that it's the way it is. Yeah. I think it's good. It just makes it transpired then everyone's on the same page, right? Yeah, but I think initially I was like when I go into Topshop, they're not like oh I get this amount of pay for that. Yeah. Yeah job is so transparent with what is a paid position? Yeah. Oh that's a little silly unless it's like a sponsored post and you like obviously have to be open about that. But now I'm like, oh no, that's fair because if someone feels like they're buying something and I'm getting a percentage of their you know money spent you should let them know. Yeah, and I totally went in terms of them the content that you produce do you have a team is already mentioned briefly a manager there you have a team or a Content producer, you know, do you edit all of your YouTube videos and Instagram posts and everything is that Ye or do you have other people? Yeah, so I got a manager which was within my network and she's actually from Northern Ireland, but she lives in London nice and I got her as soon as I had all of so that was 15 months ago. And it was the best decision I ever made one of the worst things not worst. But if you're about at time management emails are awful because I was getting emails being like did you check my email from? A week ago and you're like crap. I know it. Yeah kind of piling up. You look like I in this industry, you don't get you know, Matt leave. So I'm trying to be on top of something I've created but then also be with my new board. Yes. I'm pretty fond enough to like give myself enough time to live a slowly come back to the light here, but getting a manager was so helpful because any email that I received it just is forwarded on and the last thing I get like so, you know, email me being like, oh they're asking this. What are you thinking and you know get little updates here. There but it's basically she's so good so good at negotiating and she even when we meet up she's like there's not one contract Elena that I've had to demand like not one like everything has always had to be changed when Michael slept I should have got you wasting her because I definitely find things. As you do being naive in something that's new and exciting. You're like, oh, yeah. Yeah, I get a paycheck for something I love right? Yeah naturally. So if you're listening and your new content creator read those contracts, yeah well, so I'm intrigued like what's an example of where that's movie Gone Wrong or been annoying or too many times to tell Basically a year contract and you know, this is pre management or anything and the number was obviously really, oh that's a good number. So what I thought it was but then not seeing the amount of exclusivity to that brand was a kind of ruining other opportunities, which I yeah backed and then it was because it was so Couldn't literally add anything else to the videos that involve that brand it made it so hard to be creative with video ideas. And then I was like very forced almost felt. So Force the felt so sponsored which I was like, this is like losing on both ends, which is a massive brand should know that if they want sales they should have like the influencer be natural about it. And yeah, well integrated. Yeah. Yeah show-off that product in the best way possible and like such a force specific wording like oh, yeah, I'm people are started jumping. I was just missing people people aren't fools like I think so many people can read through that and especially if they are like a long-term follower of you they'll be like, this is not the Alana. We know like she's forcing this product on her throat rather than for another product where you're like actually really like this and it's it's me and blah blah blah. Agency that was like the in-between person of the brand like she was even like struggling with ideas and she felt bad for me to shoot ya. Like I know what you mean. Like, I'm going to try my best to see what we can do. And so that was one situation and then the other one was another brand that worked with big influencers for a product and payment didn't come for like ten months and Patti had to go in to like a dispute with them and it was just so it's and it Took forever. It was quite a lump sum as well. It came in the end. So I can't say anything there but a very long awaited time for you know, something's obviously this is my income and because salary isn't like an every two weeks situation. I have to like budget budget and yeah told work it accordingly. Yeah, it came at a good time because it came right around tax season. Yeah. Yeah. It was a bit stressful. Yeah, I'm sure sure and so in terms of the content and is that all all you behind the scenes? Well, I think it's pretty easy. No, my content is very just girl-next-door realistic nothing theatrical or perfected about it. There's channels that are so beautifully edited and everything and that is great. I love watching it, but it's just not me and it was it's not even what I would like to go into I've had you know opportunities to get better cameras or better backdrops are going to Studios and the reason I started YouTube. Was because I loved that. Oh, I feel like I'm watching them in front of me do something and it was very relatable. I think that's what I wanted to make sure was my Foundation was that I was relatable and people could like play and pause my videos and feel like they're a part of it. Yeah, and they've transitioned over the years because my life has changed so much since you know starting and so it might not be so beauty related anymore. I think my whole platform is more lifestyle, which is is good because people prefer that more than like a dedicated video your makeup or your hair people just are so nosy and what I know everything about yeah, it's more Vlog base 10, you know interactive with people in my life and people feel like they're a part of it a little bit more now so long as I feel like people don't love Vlog unless your video to inspire you or something. Yeah, I think there's something real. Yeah, like you're a part of that life like, oh I've been to that place so I know where that is. And yeah feel like you're you're friends with the person you're watching a little bit. Yeah, and I think people appreciate this in that in fact, you are a completely normal person and like, you know parties on the sofa snoring or whatever. Thank you. Sometimes this star him and Olive people come back. That's it. Yeah, and so sorry. No, I don't although recently. I did hire a friend just to help with some more creative aspects with it. So she comes over every so often to help film something but no patties my photographer for the most part. Yeah. He probably got a full-time rules not kidding. I mean on the side, you know as a photographer. Yeah, let's go. So what is the what is the feature kind of look for you in terms of the vlogging spear some YouTube and Instagram and all that. Yeah fault already changed so much in four years, but I think if I'm being, you know life's only going to get busier because I'm sure we will try to expand the family and whatnot. But I know I would love to start a Under product or even do a collab with a you know, well-liked student brand for me. I don't know something where I'm putting something out there for the consumer of like yeah audience because I do have quite a loyal audience as yeah, you know, whatever. I put out the do trust my opinion and something and that means a lot to me. So yeah, I don't know a product a brand something. That's definitely Definitely been on our minds for the last year. So it's just where we do we go. What do we do? What is it? What will you know work? Well because you know smart being a North American in a country. That's a very small business Run Country. It's just beneficial to bring it a bigger audience to you know, a smaller place. So yeah, there's the foot in the door for something. It's just what is it? So yeah. Yes who you are originally. Only Commodore North American yes can cut down on ya any plans to have backup direction or you firmly kind of in the UK and on are in luck? Here, I've never say no like a firm. No, but I can't I genuinely can't see it for a while. I know if any of my friends in Canada listen to this will be like, yeah. I'm so happy here. It's home is wherever your heart is in my heart. I do love it here and I couldn't imagine raising our daughter anywhere else. Yeah, yeah totally cool. Well, maybe this wrap up with a couple of different questions that I like to kind of finish with until you quit quickfire. I guess. Do you have any kind of mentors or people that you have followed or look up to you over the past kind of five ten years when you say mentors? Well, my manager Jody is amazing. She's just as great input, but I feel like in this. This job. It's just inspiration. Like the reason I started was another girl who just decided to pick up the camera and do something they love so I kind of just am inspired by you know, the community that I am in like I don't maybe personally know them or physically know them. Yeah, you can send their content totally but they're the reason I'm doing what I'm doing and I'm able to do it and live from it. So yeah. Yeah just say that people. I started watching from forever ago. So Tanya Burr, Chloe Morello all those girls just yeah, I really inspiring because they're still doing it. They're still making it clear. They didn't just stop or you know something maybe they have different opportunities now, but yeah, I think it's just really very inspiring like what they do. Yeah, cool cool. And what's been maybe the biggest struggle through all of this over the past couple of years starting YouTube channel. Is it that consistency piece? So we talked a little earlier about their yeah. Well definitely having a baby. Yeah, I can imagine I didn't think it would change me so much for the good in also there was hard times just I think because you're so this is such an not as selfish job, but you're just you're your own brand right? Like it's a personal brand totally and I think you know, obviously my He's was so shifted and then it was like, oh do I still want to do this? I was questioning a little bit more and I was like, what do I do? And I think vlogging really kind of ignited my love for it again because I was like, I don't have time to set up lights. I don't have time to set up there like DSLR camera sit down. I don't even have the time to do that because she's ready to feed together. You know, I mean like yeah, I just it just wasn't working. I don't have I didn't have an assistant and having it, you know any help it was just me. So I was like, how do I make this? This work. So it was a little trying at times. I think I you know lowered my content a little bit last year, but it took about, you know, six to eight months for me to really realize okay. Let's shift gears here. It doesn't need to be so dedicated on a specific, you know topic anymore. It can be a little bit more open because people are interested in my life. Like I am a Canadian Living over here having a baby. It's very, you know, these are Big Life moments and there's a lot of people that just want to know what it was like because they're heading in They just came from it. They're thinking about it. You know, I mean, so yeah people really reacted well to just me opening up and I never really was a vlogger quite before it was more formal type videos. So yeah, it's been really exciting to just get more into like a weekly Vlog because I do not know how people do it daily. Yeah, and so, is that what you're doing though? Is it is it just once a week sort of longer? Yeah. So my rhythm and it kind of breaks here and there okay this week. It's like a weekly Vlog that goes live on a Monday evening. And then I would have a more formal video in the later week like a makeup tutorial or something. That's a little bit more Beauty passionately did. Yeah. I love it. I can hit both of my audiences the people that come for the Vlogs and the people that don't yeah. Yeah. And so what's the most interesting thing about you that we wouldn't let me learn from you know, all the Vlogs or Instagram or is there anything that's kind of hidden? To Patti about this because I was like, like, how do you answer that about yourself? Right because yeah, I forget like I know everything about me but yeah, but is there something that's not in a video? They only see what 25 minutes of a week, you know, so yeah, like how do you like? What would you say? It was like that you Irish dance? Well, did you say all these things? Yeah, yeah, I did actually. Yeah. Well, that's one thing then like people have never seen it. No, I'm an awful singer, but I would love love to learn how to harmonize. I don't care about the Melody. I just want the harmony like you just want the fucking truck. Yeah, I would do anything and I can't my mind cannot my mind has the note but my mouth does not. Yeah. Yeah. I'm the same like I'm singing in the shower and everything. So it's so good and then You know, if something gets recorded, you're like no way I signed that bad. You know, I'm dying to song do but it just sounds so awful Chuckles listen to bite the bullet and maybe go to singing lessons, but I'm it would be weird if I came it was like I don't want to sing the Melody. I just want the harmony. But yeah, I need someone else so I can harmonize. Yeah, I think and then sure a lot of people would say this obviously, I don't record all like the super tough times or when I'm having a moment of meltdown or you know, yeah, there's sometimes I'm a little bit more open and whatnot. But I think that's Mike my and keeping that for me because I think as soon as I open that door and opening the door to a lot more maybe intense comments and my channels are controversial hype and yeah, do you know uplift people and really bring people joy and that's really what you know, I am to a core so it's Those moments but there's still very much there. I'm putting my me out there for people to project. I signed up to that Foley, right? Yeah, you know, sometimes it can be just a little even though I don't get hate comments. It's just, you know comparing or just getting down on myself because I should be working more but I should also be you know present with my daughter and it's just, you know, all these things that I'm sure yeah working moms do but it can be overwhelming and times. For sure. Yeah, definitely you kind of touched on up there and you've kind of answered as well. But do you get any kind of heaters or people who are nasty if you like he always you well as soon as there's always going to be right. Yeah keyboard Warriors. You open a door for anything online you're opening the door for people's opinions and comments. So Everyone's entitled to and to be honest because initially my channel is really Beauty focused. You didn't like the way I did my makeup. You're not going to hurt my feelings. It's really just make up and it comes off at night, but I think because now my channel is a little bit more open with my life and what I do and my opinions on some things. No, I really Ali I really don't get negative comments I even caught a comment once this was a while ago and it was like she obviously deletes all of her negative comments because she hardly has any and I was like, yeah, you're like no it's the truth. Nice comment. But yeah, I can't I can't be like no I didn't because obviously it's one person over another but yeah don't like Like I mentioned I'm not controversial like there's so many people in the beauty industry that just have so many issues at the moment and I just I don't it's not for me like if you if I really don't like someone up something in you no makeup or a product or a piece of clothing. I just won't use it. I won't show it like as soon as I do and Bash it. I don't know if someone watching has always loved it because their mom always loved it or you know, a dear friend and like, I don't know anyone elses story or Nation ship was something on that like it's not like I do. I just don't use it. Like I don't need to talk about it. Yeah. Yeah, that's my Approach but you know some people thrive on a little bit of controversy and it kind of grows it but I don't want to have a fast pace following or you know grow a lot of subscribers over something negative rather have a slow growth with positive and loyal trusting critical. Yeah. Yeah, cool. And so, where do you get your kind of best ideas? Or inspiration and on top of that, you know, do you like networking events or you know connect with other people outside of the like outside of online, you know and realized to get inspiration Riders were totally and networking events. Well, I guess you could say like events in general are networking. So when I first moved over I was a little timid I don't think anyone knew I really existed over here. We're not really and but I slowly got into the scene got on more, you know PR lists or you know invitations to different things. So I definitely have grown a little Community here with other local bloggers YouTubers media. And yeah, it's been a slow growth with it here because I still still get people being like, where do you live? Yeah. Yeah. So ya know I'm really trying to grow like my UK audience because I still might North American audiences the biggest which is great for you know, working opportunities with Brands because it's the biggest consuming area. But yeah, I just want to really grow that local kind of follower growth and I feel really privileged because I was just nominated for best beauty blogger influencer of the year for the ni Beauty Awards so nice look, The plug before years is a nice cool. So last question when you think of the word successful who's the person that kind of comes to mind and why the big one so literally when I read that question because you sent me some questions beforehand, which I actually completely forgot. Like look at the quickness done before help. I'm so glad I did because sometimes I get things in my head and I don't you know free flow. So I'm glad I didn't look back at them. But I remember that question being like instantly when I read it I thought of the person and then I was the month. Yep, and I ask Patty. I'm like, who would you like think for me? And he was like, oh well wouldn't you think of the YouTubers that inspired you and all this and like, yeah, I guess so, but when I think of see success and this is a little bit cheesy, but my younger brother Michael is 26 and two years ago two and a half years ago. He came over and he's very much in the art field. He was always creative very personable great with people and he was interning at a tattoo shop. So he'd been tattooing for at the time seven months like hardly like literally no note. Meaning no even talking of tattooing before. Yeah people over and he was challenged me is like yeah, I think I'm going to open up a shop in Toronto Toronto Canada. So I was like, okay cool and like told my mom and dad are like, yeah, he said that but you know, he's kind of a dreamer and he would say things but like what happened sure enough in November of that year. He opened it and nice just opened a third shop. Whoa to really, you know, high end apartments and Tron oh, no, he is so, you know creative and has a charity with it and is so Innovative and he's grown so much in three years even his and MGP tattoos on Instagram if you want to plug business-minded, but very smart where he knows how to Add on to his group he wrote like I want to say a hundred and fifty page manual to teach new tattoo artist. So people coming in. He's like kind of the teacher. So again, we kind of stem from the same like we love our creative side, but we love teaching how to do it as well. So I think that yeah, we're good at but I just think oh my goodness like he was what 24 at the time when he thought of this and now he has three tattoo shops which are in the top. Top top range in Toronto a major city in the entire world that is because it's so Innovative and it was just him and a friend and now they have a third business partner a hole through multiple tattoo artist and no it's not my specific field, but it's still a creative field and power to him. So I'm very proud of him and I think he's a very special guy and I just get, you know a good fuel from seeing him succeed and do well. Yeah. That's awesome - he did good University. I will say that so don't don't not go. Yeah. Yeah nice. Yeah, kill. Well, hey lol. Thanks so much for coming on the podcast. Really appreciate you taking the time to help us out for having me as the first woman. I feel very appreciated enough. Yeah. Yeah, he's done a good job for the for the ladies. Nice. Well, yeah, that's it. Where's the best place people can and follow up with he or following connect with you? Yeah. Well on Instagram is @l pearls pearls is in the necklace and you can search Same thing on YouTube and I'll pop up eisel cool. Excellent. Thanks again. Perfect. Thanks so much smile. If you haven't subscribed yet to my podcast. What are you waiting for? Please hit that subscribe button and leave me a review to let me know what you think about the podcast.
 "Don't just do it to do it" This is episode 10! Today Niall had his first female guest on the show - Elle Pearles, a beauty enthusiast and digital influencer! In this interview, Elanna shares her experience as a full time vlogger and influencer, the struggles she's faced throughout the process and how she's managed to start from a few hundred subscribers on YouTube to now having over 300,000 loyal fans across Instagram & YouTube! Maintaining consistency and being passionate about what you do is Elanna's advice for anyone thinking of starting their own online brand. I hope you enjoy this first mini milestone of the Young Professional Podcast! Find Elle here:  Instagram: @ellepearls  Youtube: Elanna Pecherle  Twitter: @ellepearls ____________________  Welcome to the Young Professional Podcast - my name is Niall Lawther and I’m hugely passionate about business and entrepreneurship. I started this podcast because I wanted to connect with and learn from successful entrepreneurs and business owners, and share their stories and insights. I hope these episodes allow you to learn, grow and level up in your life! Thanks for listening - please consider subscribing and leave a review, it'll make my day! US listeners: Get a free trial of Audible! **Disclosure: The above are affiliate links - please note I will receive a small commission if you sign up to the free trial, at no additional cost to you. 