At 28, I thought I was building the life I’d always dreamed of. I got engaged, shared it with my audience, and then brought them along on the journey. Over 10 million people watched my “Get Married With Me” video across my platforms. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life, magnified by the fact that I had built this level of trust and connection with my community. But a year later, I wasn’t preparing for another celebration. I was preparing for a divorce. The person I had married misrepresented who they were on nearly every level. […]

Every January, I sit down to write my predictions for the year ahead in social media and consumer behavior. And this year, one trend stood out to me more than anything else: the rise of customers as influencers. In the past 18 months, we’ve seen people boycotting brands, blocking campaigns, and becoming much more marketing literate. We know how influencer deals work, we see the behind-the-scenes, and in many cases we now view influencers as brands themselves. That changes how we trust them, and how we want to engage. It’s made me stop and think: what if customers are the […]