Okay friend, let’s get real.

Because is the *actual* truth about becoming a full-time creator.

Not the sugar-coated Instagram version, not the “go viral overnight” fantasy, but what it really feels like to build a life and business around your content.

Ready bay-bee?

Grab your coffee and let’s dive in. ☕️

 

 

Related Reads:

• 7 Passive Income Ideas for Introverts Who Hate the Camera
• How to Organize Your Squiggly Creative Brain
• How to Start a Profitable Blog in 2025

 

 

For my visual learners:  

 

 

 

You’re Not Starting a Hobby. You’re Starting a Business.

When you start creating content with the dream of going full-time, you’re not “just” creating videos or writing posts… you’re building an online business.

And that is pretty coolio. 💫

So this means you’re officially an entrepreneur. Congrats!

But it also means you need to learn about things like:

• Marketing
• Building an audience
• Making money from your content
• Online business basics

If you want this to be more than a hobby, you have to treat it like more than a hobby, k? 🥰 

 

 

It Gets SUPER Lonely (Even for us Introverts)

Here’s something I wasn’t prepared for: how lonely the creator journey can feel.

Like seriously lonely (in addition to those crickets when you first start posting online).

HELLO?

*said with echo*

And I’m an introvert so I really do love my cozy alone time, but when I left my music industry job to go all-in on my blog, I missed having coworkers, conversations, and those little day-to-day interactions.

Even introverts crave connection.

What helps:

• Leave your house once a day (yes, even if it’s just to say hi to the barista)
• Reach out to online friends who “get it”
• Join or build communities with fellow creators who understand email lists, content struggles, and algorithms

It’s not about being social 24/7; it’s about not isolating yourself.

Just because you love being alone doesn’t mean you want to feel lonely, right?

 

 

You’re Probably Not Going To Go Viral

“Going viral” is exciting to watch on TikTok or YouTube, but it’s not the norm… It’s the exception.

I’ve been in business 7 years.

I’ve gone “viral” a few times, but it brought in the *wrong audience*… and honestly?

It just made me feel overwhelmed.

I even shut down one of my Instagram accounts because it grew in a direction I didn’t want.

Real talk:

• Virality is NOT a strategy
• Slow, cozy, consistent growth is where the magic happens✨
• Patience + consistency >>> social media lottery hopes 

Focus on showing up for your people, even when no one’s listening.

 

 

Money Speeds Things Up (But It’s Not Required)

I wish I could say you don’t need to invest a cent to grow.

But the truth is, money can speed up any process.

With resources, you can:

• Hire help (a VA, an editor)
• Run ads to grow your email list
• Buy tools that save you hours of time

But hear me: you don’t *need* money to succeed, it just changes the pace.

Whether you have a big or zero budget, the business model is the same: build an audience and sell them something.

 

 

Your Content Isn’t Really For You

Ready for some tough love? ❤️‍🩹

Your content is for your audience, not for you.

Yes, it should be fun to create.

Yes, it should light you up.

But its real purpose? Helping someone else.

Think about:

• What problem does this solve?
• What will my audience take away from this?
• Why is this worth their time?
• When you focus on *them*, your content connects deeper, and eventually, it sells

 

 

Everyone is Wingin’ It (Seriously)

Entrepreneurship is messy.

Content creation is messy.

And what do ya know? There is no perfect formula.

Every creator you follow started out not knowing what they were doing, either.

We’re all just testing, pivoting, and learning as we go.

(Seriously, we have no idea what we’re doing, we’re all just throwing spaghetti lol)

The only thing that makes your content stand out is *you*: your story, your personality, your perspective.

✨Lean into that!✨

 

 

Your Brain Will Try to Stop You

One more thing: your brain wants you to stay cozy, safe, and pretty much invisible lol.

Your inner Regina George will whisper silly things like:

• “Don’t post that, people will judge you.”
• “You’re not ready.”
• “Maybe next week…”

That’s just fear and that silly little brain of yours talking!

Your job is to hit publish anyway.

And you can do it.

Grab the courage and tell Regina George to take a hike!

 

 

The Money Comes Later

This one’s important: money doesn’t come on day one.

Anyone who tells you can make money online straight away is most likely lying to your cutie face.

The business model is simple:

1. Build an audience (people before profits)
2. Create offers for them
3. Sell

That’s it. ✨

But you need the people first.

People over profits.

Focus on your community.

Focus on your people.

The money is the byproduct of that, not the starting point, k?

You’re GOING to make money online, but for that to happen, you need people to sell to.

 

 

Final Thoughts

Being a full-time creator is not easy, but it’s worth it.

It’s lonely, messy, slow, and sometimes scary.

But it’s also creative, freeing, and full of possibility.

So keep going!!!

Keep showing up and building your community, and let the money follow.