Today we’d like to introduce you to Anita Barber.
Hi Anita, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always enjoyed dabbling in makeup, skincare and beauty products and I love fashion! In 2018, I decided to take the Facebook business page I had used to promote my Zumba Fitness classes for six years and repurpose it as a beauty, fashion and fitness blog (LiveFitFashionista). I reviewed various beauty products, shared fashion finds, and passed along deals I found on some of my favorite products. I also included health and wellness advice because I wanted to continue to support my followers in their wellness journeys.
For two years, I posted in my blog and tagged the brands as I went. I also joined Influenster, a community of product reviewers, and started sharing my reviews there. Eventually, I converted my Instagram to a business account and created a website. The blog seemed to generate some interest, mostly from family and friends, but I kept writing.
During this time, I was also caring for my mom who was diagnosed with early onset dementia in 2017. The blog ended up being somewhat of a lifeline for me, especially over the last three years I cared for her (she moved to a memory care facility last fall). I had a fairly active social life prior to becoming a caregiver, but all that changed as mom’s condition progressively got worse. It eventually got to the point where I could rarely leave the house other than to go to work or make a quick run to the grocery store. Blogging was my way of holding on to some sort of normalcy.
In March 2020, right after the pandemic began, I received an email from Influenster letting me know a major cosmetics company wanted to send me one of their new products in exchange for my honest opinion and an Instagram post! I was equal parts excited and scared. Everything was in lockdown, I was working 12-hour days as an essential worker, caring for mom and way overdue for hair color, lol! The timing couldn’t have been worse.
I bought boxed hair color for the first time in years, colored my hair (and of course, wrote a review about it) and put the portable phone tripod I had purchased several months prior to use. I wrote my review, posted to Instagram and held my breath. I’ve received steady work ever since creating content and reviewing products for major brands.
I’m now a member of several influencer marketing platforms and have also landed other types of jobs either directly or indirectly from the blog including penning a few fashion and beauty articles for a local magazine (Foothills Times), walking the runway at Greensboro Fashion Week, print and commercial modeling jobs for regional brands, including Kriegsman Boutique & Luxury Outerwear and Flow Automotive, and featured roles in music videos by local musicians & bands!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It’s been anything but smooth, however, I’m grateful for it. If things hadn’t happened the way they did, I may not be where I am today. The situations I was placed in forced me to step outside my comfort zone and take chances I might not have taken otherwise.
At the time of my “big break”, I was already questioning whether I wanted to throw in the towel and stop blogging altogether. I was tired, frustrated because my following wasn’t growing exponentially and basically felt defeated. Little did I know, my modest (and loyal) following was very appealing to brands. At the time, I had no idea nano-influencers were even a thing and quickly becoming the next “big thing” in the influencer marketing landscape.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in creating original content and providing honest and fair reviews for national and local brands. I also do product testing for companies before they launch new products, am a member of an advisory panel for a national clothing retailer and a brand ambassador for Express and Kitsch.
As for my “day job”, I work in marketing for a large automotive dealer group.
My niche is vegan, cruelty-free and sustainable beauty and my style is minimalist chic. I regularly feature fashion from brands such as Express, Shein, Loft and local designers / brands; I’ve also begun exploring conscious fashion. In regard to wellness and lifestyle, I try to provide information and share products that can help my followers regardless of where they are in their wellness journey.
I’m best known for my “bougie on a budget” approach – I love finding and sharing good deals on great products.
I’m most proud of my tenacity and willingness to take a chance before I felt I was ready. It’s my hope that people, especially those 40 and over, will find encouragement from my experience and realize that it’s never too late to go after your dreams!
I think what sets me apart is that I’m very selective about the brands and products I work with. If I don’t genuinely like a product, I won’t promote it. When creating, I try to provide content that is relevant to a diverse group of people. I have followers that range in age from late teens to early 60s, representing various ethnicities, and a fairly even ratio of women and men.
What matters most to you? Why?
My faith in God is the most important thing to me as it’s ultimately what brought me this far. Integrity is also very important and I want those that read my blog to know they can trust what I write is my honest opinion.
Lastly, I hope my story will inspire others who may be going through a difficult time or feel that the odds are stacked against them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://livefitfashionista.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livefitfashionista/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiveFitFashionista
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1t6ceZKpctZY7U-YupeFCg
