"So, what exactly do you do?"
To be blunt -- I get asked this question almost daily, and almost daily, I have no idea how to describe "what I do".
This afternoon I was about to post this snap of my office in the midst of adding new inventory to Suite Little Muse, when I came to the realization that more than half of my followers don't know about my weekly work with the salon/boutique. Less than 5 minutes later, I receive a DM from one of the sweetest gals ending with "....and I love all of your photographs, what do you do for a living?" It's time to walk the walk and talk the talk. Let's get personal. Next week I turn 19. The past 6 months have brought an immense amount of self growth (that I did not see coming). I have found who I am, I know the kind of person I strive to be, and gained overall self confidence. This came with a price though. I got low, very low. I graduated high school and lost all sense of what I wanted in the world. I ran businesses, I went to the local meet-ups after my high school classes were let out, but everything I had worked for felt like it wasn't enough. I didn't have friends, everyone I knew had moved away for college years. It took a long time to find what really interested me, but all of the sudden, I made a connection. My art, my designs, my photographs, were beginning to somehow benefit companies. Then I got messages.. THEY wanted to send ME products to snap and post?! I was opened up to a whole new industry - social media marketing, and it felt so good. So who am I? What do I do?
Full-time: I am a social influencer. I connect and work with brands, creatives, organizations and companies across the nation through social channels, like Instagram. I supply photographic content and support brands through my own streams. This has resulted in so many great connections: Coach, The Horse, Parachute Home, Le Labo, and more!
I am a photographer. I work with two amazing companies: Darling Magazine and Flashstock. Within both, I am labeled as a "Contributing Photographer", these titles though, are defined as two different things. With Darling, I support their magazine by contributing my back-pocket content whenever I feel best fit, for them to utilize on their blog with credit. For Flashstock, I am put on photography product assignments with large corporations across the nation. I just wrapped up working with Blaze Pizza, Johnny Rockets, and next week I shoot for Folgers Coffee. Over the course of the last 4 years, I have additionally taken on freelance photography clients, although this has been suspended for the time being as my self-branding collaborations have taken priority.
I am a student. Beginning in January I made the decision to take a few classes at IUPUI, a college campus located in Downtown Indianapolis. In all honesty, this decision was in direct response to me trying anything to find who I was. But, in between all of the madness, I have met some of the most amazing people. I have made connections and friends that mean the world to me, that I never want to lose. And no, I haven't decided if this whole "college thing" is something I will continue in the Fall, or if it is for me at all. I find myself sometimes using it as an excuse to hold onto what feels like the final bits of childhood. Is that a good reason to continue it? Maybe, maybe not.
I am a Brand Strategist. On a weekly basis I do back-end product marketing, inventory, social planning and photography for the boutique/salon Suite Little Muse.
When it comes to the future. I am traveling A LOT. I have one more blog section opening as well as a multi-functioning online shop (#shopmaddycorbin). To top it all off -- next week I am happy to announce that I will be sharing my venture through self-branding in Indianapolis with Pattern Magazine, so stay tuned!
***If interested, all companies and individuals named in this piece are tagged in my Instagram post, so you can check them out there!***