Today we’d like to introduce you to Cara Clinton.
Hi Cara, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started creating content at the beginning of January 2021, hoping to become an influencer! But if we want to go way back, I used to make videos dancing to Lady Gaga in my room at the age of 11, which probably set the stage for where I’m at now.
In June 2021, I decided to go a different route with content creation and started offering that as a service to brands, which turns out– there’s a huge need for it.
I’ve always known I’ve wanted to work for myself and in a creative environment, but I genuinely wasn’t even sure where to start since I never finished my college degree. I grew up right outside of Nashville, TN, and one of my first failed business endeavors was a small online record shop at the beginning of 2020. I had so much shame about it failing due to finances then, but I truly take pride in how I was able to gain social media attraction, the idea, and supporting independent musicians.
I’ve always had a strong work ethic because I’ve been thrown a lot of hard balls in life with both of my parents being addicted to alcohol, and although these experiences have been heartbreaking– I truly don’t think I would’ve developed compassion or the life experience it takes to run a small content creation business.
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 definitely hasn’t been entirely easy! You’re in the business of creativity and people, and neither of those categories are always easy, haha. Creativity can be selective, and people are flawed, so you have to learn to accept them as they are.
For instance, I recently ended a contract with a brand because they were unethical, and they refused to pay me after I delivered all their content. So that stinks. A lot of creators have this problem in this industry, unfortunately.
But another challenge is that if you want to build your own personal brand, you have to post consistently on your own social media– so there are days where I feel like there is so much content and not enough time to create it.
I also live in a one bedroom one bath apartment with my husband and 1 year old (our lease is up in March, so we’re almost through the thick of it, haha), and trying to get aesthetic content without great lighting or good lighting for only a few minutes, or voiceovers with no noise in the background is the biggest challenge I face, but I take a lot of pride in the fact that I always make it work somehow and clients are happy.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
So, I am a full-time user-generated content creator–meaning that I specialize in creating paid and organic content for small businesses/brands to boost their sales and build trust with their audience. They can take this content and post on their social media or run the content as ads on any social networking platform.
If you ever see those cheesy Facebook reels of people saying, “hey, you’ve GOT to try this thing!” I do that– but in a cooler way. (I hope)
I also help other aspiring creators do what I do and get paid for it. I believe UGC is a skill that can be learned, and it’s a great opportunity for those who have a creative drive, want to stay home with their kids, or leave their current work situation.
I’m most proud of creating content that brands love. It always amazes me when new clients see my previous work, and they’re like, “We love your work! Let’s work together!” because I struggle with imposter syndrome and think there are so many other creators better than I am! It’s funny because I’ve made a career out of this, but I still get nervous sending in content for approval.
I think what sets me apart from others is that I’m really transparent about my journey and how I got to where I am.
I believe anyone can do what I’m doing because 8 months ago me and my husband were deciding if we should buy gas or groceries and barely getting by with his paychecks, and I think a lot of other people can relate to that.
We still joke about the time we had $4 in our account. It wasn’t funny then, but we just can’t believe how much our life has changed since I started doing UGC full-time. I think everyone deserves the opportunity I currently have, so my goal is to provide as much free information on how to get started as possible.
As for being set apart as a creator– I’m not too sure! It goes back to the imposter syndrome, honestly. I’m not sure why businesses and brands like my work, but I’m really glad they do! I’m a great communicator. Maybe that’s it.
What’s next?
Future plans– I currently have a newsletter for creators, brands, and marketing teams to get top-performing ads in their niche sent to their inbox, and I have 51 subscribers! I hope to continue to provide a lot of value there and see sales/video views go up for everyone implementing my advice!
I’d really love to go to some networking and influencer events and work with local businesses in the triangle! Social media can be puzzling for some, but if you outsource someone who knows what they’re doing — it can be a huge game changer for your business.
I also plan to put together a webinar or live workshop to teach people email etiquette and video editing skills which are two huge factors when wanting to UGC.
I really am looking forward to building a team– hiring an editor, virtual assistant– so that long term, I can become a resource for brands looking for creators and vice versa.
I’d still like to become an influencer with a big following and build a great community! Maybe one day!
Pricing:
- All of my pricing is in my portfolio (website linked below), but I’m incredibly open to working with your own budget and putting together custom packages that make sense for your content needs.
- $25 per coaching session for aspiring creators
Contact Info:
- Website: https://caraclintoncreative.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caraclintoncreative/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/caralclinton?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@caraclintoncreates
