🎬 Community Spotlight - Kate Schwanke

 

Check out the first installment of our brand new blog series! This piece spotlights our friend and amazing Influencer, Kate Schwanke!

Kate is an "Army Wife" and a mama to three little boys. She loves to make video reviews on YouTube and write about motherhood, her favorite products (JJB is on the list 😍), DIY projects and latest food creations!

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You have so much amazing content from your blog, to YouTube, to Instagram and more - how did you first get started? 

Thank you so much! I first started my Youtube Channel because I was encouraged by one of my friends to make a packing video for my Ju-Ju-Be Be Prepared as a Hospital bag for our second baby. After I made my first video, I just started posting videos here and there, and then I started posting weekly packing videos and reviews! My goal was to help other moms find the best way to pack their bags to help make life a little easier. I started my Instagram a couple of years after I started my Channel, but it has been a much easier way to communicate with my viewers, share my life a little more and also share my content with a wider range of people. My Blog just launched last year and I am loving it! Blogging is very different from YouTube, but it’s one of my favorite ways to share content.

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Was there a certain point in time where you knew it was what you wanted to do?

I didn’t start out with wanting to be an Influencer. In fact, I didn’t even know such a thing existed back then! I just wanted to help people make their lives easier by recommending products, bags and baby gear that would really help them as parents. There was a point when I reached around 300 subscribers that I felt like I might be able to make what I was doing become successful. I started making more videos, reaching out to brands for collaborations and also stepping more out of my comfort zone with content.

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What do you enjoy most about being an Influencer?

Oh wow, my favorite thing about being an influencer is trying out new products, discovering new brands and sharing them with my viewers! If there is an amazing new product that can help simplify your life and make being a parent just a little easier, then I want to share it with you! 

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How do you juggle family time, mommy duties, and everything else while creating so much content for your followers on a daily basis?

 I do get this question quite often as most of my community knows that we are a Military family. I would say about 90% of the time I single parent all three of my boys, and that can really complicate things as far as my content goes (and many other things too lol)! When my hubby is home from deployments and training, I put my content on a back burner, as I am sure a lot of my followers notice. Priorities first though! My family will always come first. When I do have time to myself, which is usually during nap time for my littlest, that is when I film my videos, take photos, and work on my Blog. That gives me about 3 hours a day to work on content without interruption, however that is also the ONLY alone time I have the entire day. Sometimes I will just take that time to pamper myself or enjoy a show. It’s all about balance. You can’t just work, work, work! Take time for yourself :)

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What type of content is your most favorite to create?

I wish I could say one thing in particular, but honestly, my favorite type of content is content that is useful, helpful and inspiring. I love to create content that people find helpful! That people can look back on for reference or suggest to their friends. That’s one of the reasons I love making DIY content on my Blog and Reviews on my Channel.

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What inspires you?

It really depends! Sometimes other influencers can trigger an idea or thought for content, sometimes Pinterest can inspire me, and sometimes I inspire my own ideas! I am a naturally creative person and I love to create original content.

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If someone wanted to get started, what advice do you have for them on where to begin?

My advice for anyone looking to start a Youtube Channel or a Blog is first and foremost: make content you are passionate about! Have an idea/niche in mind that you would like to fit into and then get started. Always be sincere and transparent when you share your content. If you would not use a product for yourself or recommend it, do not promote it. Also, don’t just have a Youtube Channel, make an Instagram and a Facebook Page to also share content on. You will have a much wider reach for people to see and find your content that way!

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Anything else you want to share with our wonderful communities?

Of course! I know that social media can be overwhelming, you can start comparing yourself to others, feel like you’re falling behind everyone else who may be growing their audience or brand fast than you. Please don’t feel that way. Take a step back and realize you are YOU. No one else can be compared to you and you can’t compare yourself to them. We are all unique! Go at your own pace and focus on creating content that is helpful and inspiring and you will see growth! You can do this!

 

If you haven’t already, give Kate a follow:

Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Facebook  |  Pinterest  |  YouTube