What Having Over 27,000 Followers Taught Me About Self Branding

My story on social media started during quarantine. I came on Instagram and TikTok with the mindset of having fun and posting to stay in touch with my friends. Social media has always been a fun outlet for my creativity, whether it's watching craft videos on how to crochet a new scarf for winter or starting my own slime store page for my classmates to follow and buy from. I've always stayed consistent and random with my posting because it's so fun. At first, I saw social media the same way everyone else does, as a place to consume. I followed creators, saved inspo, and tried to keep up. But somewhere in the spree of watching tutorials and vlogs by influencers in my area, I felt a spark to start my own journey online, not to idealize life or gain attention, but to connect with people I could've never met otherwise. Somehow, that shift from being a consumer to being a creator worked. My makeup looks started blowing up, my freshly dyed hair hit the explore page, and suddenly, I was seeing comments in languages I didn’t even understand. It was wild, seeing people across the world inspired by a version of me I’d built from my bedroom.

For many years after gaining this reach, I did absolutely nothing with the opportunities that were handed into my lap. I didn’t reach out to brands, I didn’t use the kind of connections most people would kill for, and I didn’t realize the kind of doors that could’ve opened if I took social media seriously. I was so scared, but not of failing: I was scared of looking like I was trying. Because trying felt embarrassing. Like the moment you start taking yourself seriously, people are just waiting to laugh.

Over time, though, I realized that most people aren’t paying as much attention as I thought. I was quite literally the only person holding myself back: it was my own fear of looking awkward or “too eager.” I had so much potential as someone willing to take initiative, yet I let the concern for others’ opinions dictate my actions. Then, like that, I stopped seeing effort and ambition as cringe-worthy and started recognizing them as acts of courage. Realizing "I cared far too much" didn’t just change the way I posted; it changed how I approached everything online. Why is it that I constrict myself solely on the notion of what others MIGHT think of me? I had close access to people achieving incredible things, access to brands in the city people dream of, yet I hadn’t taken meaningful action myself. That gap felt like a wake-up call. I began to see myself as someone actively shaping a brand with a voice and perspective. I saw that 27,000 followers could not make me a brand on its own; it became meaningful only because of the mindset I brought to it. How I present myself, my curiosity, my willingness to experiment, the way I communicate my passion with my audience, and the collaborations I pursue, all contribute to this brand I’m building.

This perspective alone has led me to so many new objectives and people in my life. I’ve met the absolutely coolest people who inspire me, challenge me, and push me to grow; some of them are even my closest friends today. To me, branding can never be just about aesthetics or numbers anymore. It’s my authenticity and the value I bring to the people around me. The energy I put out has come back in unexpected places in the most random ways. My own brand " Charmed by You" with incredibly successful, and this very blog, "That's Not Embarrassing," is the very proof of this.

Trying, creating, and putting yourself out there is essential for growth. Embarrassment aside, the biggest obstacle is almost always your own mind. And that’s the lesson I want to pass on in this blog today: you don’t need a million followers to make an impact. You don't need to be the most popular in school to start something passionately revolutionary. You don’t need everyone’s approval to take initiative. Trying new fields, being the first, and staying true to your vision are what set you apart. Start small, start messy, start unsure, but make sure you start. Because my journey to my personal “brand” was never perfect, nor is it anywhere close to that now, but I make sure the world sees who I am, one post, one connection, one moment at a time.