5 Stages Every Influencer Goes Through (and how YOU can get to the next level)

When I first started Instagram, the possibility of traveling the world and getting paid 5 figures to create content for popular brands was nowhere in my realm of possibilities.

Fast forward and it is hard to believe that this is exactly what I am doing (and more)!

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Recently, I was looking back on my journey as a content creator and it reminded me that so much can change in just a few years. From going on paid trips to even landing a brand deal where the total payout was an entire year’s worth of my salary as an associate designer in NYC, is something I never thought was possible.

I now have over 5 years of experience as an influencer, creator, and an entrepreneur under my belt. It was certainly a whirlwind getting here but I would not change it for the world. Upon reflection, I realized there are generally 5 different stages every creator naturally goes through. When I was at each different stage in my career, I always found it hard to visualize the next steps.

In today’s episode, I wanted to break down the 5 stages every influencer goes through so you can further understand where you are currently at and what sort of mindset shifts you need to make to get to the next level.

1. Private Party.

The first stage is dubbed Private Party, as in you have just a small, private account where you are only really posting to the people you feel comfortable with. When looking back at myself at this stage, I was posting to just my close circle of friends on Facebook (circa 2011 - 2012) but I was certainly warming up to the idea of sharing more. For instance, when I was a fashion student in Paris, I had the fun idea of sharing 30 different outfits in a span of 30 days on Facebook. This was my first dabble into putting content out online!

At this Private Party stage, there can be a lot of pent up fear about starting, the fear of not being perfect, and the fear of being judged. But once you let go of these preconceptions holding you back, you already jumped over the hardest hurdle.

Mindset Shift: You need to ask yourself what do I really have to lose? What am I even waiting for? Let me tell you, there is no such thing as ready. There is only DOING. Stop waiting and hoping. Stop being a dreamer and start being a doer because the only way you can elevate to the next level is through practice.

2. Transition Time.

As you gradually make the switch from more personal content to influencer type content, you are now entering the second stage that I call, Transition Time. This is when your friends and family start to witness you pivot the content you put out online. This is also the optimal opportunity to start experimenting and trying different things. It might be new and may even make you uncomfortable. This is completely normal!

If you find that it is hard to niche down during this phase… Why not start with no niche?! When you are just starting out and still trying to find your voice, you can always begin broad. Eventually, you will create enough content and will have a better feel for what you are most comfortable with so you can hone in, niche down, and develop your own voice.

Mindset Shift: The Transition Time stage is all about being a sponge and soaking in all the information. You may even want to take this time to research and invest in education that provides the proper tools to help you propel forward in your social media career.

Remember, you may encounter people that judge you. This is by no means a reflection of you. It is best to put your blinders on and keep going! After all, these people will not laugh once you continue to level up to all 5 stages!

3. Grow & Network.

Now that you zoned in on your niche, this is the time to improve and build a system that helps you to streamline your content production. For instance, creating a habit to batch create on the weekend so you can stay consistent and maximize your time.

This is also when you priortize building relationships with other creators and PR companies. In this Grow & Network stage, you might even start getting invited to events and establishing multiple paid brand deals. This point in time also welcomes a lot of firsts. You may experience dopamine hits such as having a Reel going viral or even gaining 1K followers in a day!

Mindset Shift: These moments of big wins are amazing. But it is important to remember that those who stay consistent will be able to have better longevity. Always remember to keep going despite any lulls or dips (Valley of Disappointment) in numbers after a viral moment. After all, if you stay consistent, you will come out on top!

4. Full-Time Influencer.

The 4th stage is when you become a full-fledged content creator and influencer without having to do much outreach because you already set the foundation. I love this stage because it finally feels comfortable as in it feels natural to keep creating content and you have successfully established yourself in your niche.

It took me about 3 years to get to this point of having a healthy income and getting recognized as a voice of authority. But let me remind you that there is absolutely NO shame if it takes longer. Trust me, you are not alone. Almost every single influencer goes through these stages but as long as you continue to be consistent and be authentic, you will make it!

Mindset Shift: If you are still experiencing Imposter Syndrome at this point in your social media career, just remember that you have worked SO hard to get to this point. It is important to recognize all the amazing work you have done thus far. Even if some brands do not want to pay you for your worth, stand your ground and know your worth!

5. BYOB (Be Your Own Boss).

When you go beyond just having a large following on social media and multiple revenue streams, you are entering the fifth stage, BYOB, aka Being Your Own Boss. This is when you start your own business and offer a product, which could be be digital or physical.

This could be building a brand that is beyond your personal brand or maybe even an extension of your personal brand. For me, this was when I started my two educational courses, Full-Time Influencer and Reels Rocket Ship and my business acumen was forced to quantum leap. I learned about everything from marketing to sales to automation funnels and more!

Mindset Shift: Time management is the second level up within this stage. To maximize your own previous time, it is imperative to learn to outsource as much as you can. Try this exercise: write down all your tasks that need to be done for your business and label if these are within your zone of genius and if you enjoy it. If there is any task you do not resonate with, this is your signal to outsource to optimize your time.

6. BYOB and Beyond!

This is separate from the 5 stages every influencer goes through because it goes beyond the personal brand. I noticed that many content creators start to detach their personal brand from another brand they create. This allows them to completely outsource their work and potentially sell this business in the future, while still maintaining their own personal brand.

Let me know what stage you are at! If you are still within the first couple of stages, remember to not get discouraged! We all have the innate ability to be content creators - it is just a matter of honing in on your voice, getting better at the content creation process, and finding a system that works best for you. These things take time, practice, and learning!