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Welcome to Founders and Fortitude, the podcast where passion meets perseverance. Hosted by Audrie Dollins — a marketing strategist, retired professional photographer, visionary entrepreneur, and founder of AD Media Group, a renowned influencer and brand marketing firm — this podcast uncovers the stories behind extraordinary lives and thriving businesses.
Through authentic conversations and impactful storytelling, each episode explores the entrepreneurial journey, sharing the highs, lows, and actionable strategies for success. Gain expert advice, business insights, and inspiration from trailblazers who have turned aspirations into reality.
Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or taking the first step, Founders and Fortitude offers the tools, motivation, and community you need to build, grow, and thrive in today’s dynamic business landscape.
Tune in weekly to discover the grit, grace, and fortitude it takes to succeed and leave a lasting impact.
Welcome to Founders and Fortitude Conversations with Audrey Dahlins, a podcast where we uncover the raw realities of being a founder, celebrating the brilliance of the teams, individuals, and families working tirelessly behind the scenes, and explore the fortitude, the unwavering determination it takes to navigate the twists, turns, and triumphs of entrepreneurship and life itself. Each week, we will share candid conversations, actionable insights, and inspiring stories to empower you on your journey. Whether you're building a brand, scaling a business, an online creator and influencer, or pursuing your passions with relentless drive, let's dive into the grit, grace, and growth it takes to thrive. Let's get into it. Hi, friends.
Audrie:I am so excited that not only did I interrupt Chelsea's day, but that I did interrupt Chelsea's day because Chelsea is I'm just so thankful that you are a part of the AD Media Group team. And so, like, when I say I interrupt interrupted the day, if we have clients that are watching this, she'll get back to you shortly. Because you do amazing things. Thank you. And I am so glad that we are blessed to have you a part of our team and we are so grateful and you have, in this short of time that you've been here, you have made such a positive impact.
Audrie:Thank you. And I just wanna follow that up on, you know, I think there's words that like, oh, toxic work environment or stressful work environment. Right. We all make up a work environment. Sure.
Audrie:And when you came in, it just built on to the positivity, the goals, like when people align. And so I I'm just beyond grateful and just excited. But I can't find words. I'm just gonna gush about you. That's what the whole podcast is about folks.
Audrie:At the end of the Gushing about Chelsea. But tell us a little bit about yourself Yeah. And like your background Okay. And then we can kind of talk about how we connected with people that we know Right. And how like God just opens doors like that when he's ready to open them.
Chelsea:Yeah. Absolutely. Well, thank you first and foremost. I'm so grateful to be here and just to sit here and talk with you and just to be at this company. My husband and I moved here from Arizona just gosh.
Chelsea:It hasn't even been two years. So it's been like a pretty short amount of time and we laugh because we always felt Dallas on our hearts, but we thought we were gonna, like, grow old in Arizona. In fact, we had just bought a house eight months prior to moving here, so that was a quick quick turnaround. I'm not moving again is
Audrie:what I told No more moving.
Chelsea:We're not gonna let you. Yeah. Anyways, so we always felt Dallas on our hearts and the opportunity kind of opened up to move here. And so we picked up and we came and we don't have kids yet. We are praying for kids.
Chelsea:We are speaking out loud for Kids are coming. Kids are coming. I'm pregnant. I'm a mom.
Audrie:They're on their way.
Chelsea:But we just didn't have really anything besides our family and friends, which we hold so dear to our hearts, of course, in Arizona, but it was the perfect time to come to Dallas. So we came here and we dove in head first with our church community and just trying to build up that community. And it didn't quite work out how we thought when we first got here, but God has shown us so much since we've been here in that short amount of time as to why we needed to come out here, and I'm so grateful. It's been so much fun.
Audrie:Well, love how you tapped on like, we all have these ideas and these plans Right. And then God's like It's always messy. It's always messy. Like, you think that you have it and then God's like, I always used to say, I had plans and God laughs. Yes.
Audrie:Like, I have plans and God laughs. Cause he's like, no, I'm gonna build you in this way. Yeah. Because we think we're in control. No.
Audrie:Like, isn't that funny? At all. I wish he would take control when I'm veering over to Chick fil A though. Same. But can you just swerve me back?
Audrie:Yeah. But just just Nope. Take the wheel. Jesus, take the wheel. Take the put the pizza down.
Audrie:But I love that and I love that you came to Texas and you were searching for your church family and you found that and your church family
Chelsea:Mhmm.
Audrie:Actually pointed you here Yes. Which was like a blessing. Total god moment. Perfect timing for us. Perfect timing for you.
Audrie:Yeah. It wasn't in a package that you were looking for. Right. I mean, it just happened. Yeah.
Audrie:And we literally, like, we weren't certain like, we weren't searching but it happened. It happened. Because someone within your group Right. My bible study. Your bible study.
Audrie:I just met her. Yeah. And I have known her and from, like, my personal life Yeah. Cause I don't really intertwine my personal life with business. Yeah.
Audrie:Like, it's not like you bring I mean, maybe people bring their best friends to work day. I should do that. Maybe I should I bring Fendi. She's a best friend. My best friend, I think she'd be like, what is it that you do?
Audrie:What's doing here? It's like city mouse and country mouse. So cute. It's so fun. But like I love it.
Audrie:We don't you know, anyway, my friend refer and it just worked out so great.
Chelsea:It did. With my background in marketing and everything, I love being creative, but I also love the influencing side of things. So it was
Audrie:it was Well, and that's what was, like, the check mark because as soon as our mutual friends Right. Introduce you, I, of course, do what any person does and stalk them on social media.
Chelsea:Of course.
Audrie:Because you can learn a lot about someone and what I was so taken by is that your strength to tell your story. Thank you. And that is brave and because we leave ourselves open for a lot of things and I think it's so important as creators, as I started out as a photographer, understanding what it's like to be on the other side of the camera. Right. Every process that we offer in this digital marketing space
Chelsea:Yeah.
Audrie:I have put myself in. Yeah. And so when I saw that you did this and that you had, you know, a present and that how you were approaching, how your content looked, how elevated it looked Mhmm. And then the the story you were telling, was like, this can connect with our clients. This can connect with people.
Audrie:Yeah. This is what trust marketing is about. Completely. What made you feel confident, brave? Did you pray about what give gave you, you know what?
Audrie:I'm gonna tell people my story about infertility. What made you say, I'm gonna open up like, go for it. Yeah. Because a lot I mean, I hide my children a little bit. I share them like, them coming on the podcast Yeah.
Audrie:Was a big deal. Yeah. Like, my kids aren't on so they are but they're not. Yeah. You know?
Audrie:Yeah. My husband's just, like, he's on, like, Facebook. What's is it for sale? Is there a boat for Yes. He's like Buying things?
Audrie:Yes. He's selling things, buying things, like, there a boat for sale? You know, that's what he does on social media, you know?
Chelsea:It's different for everybody.
Audrie:Yeah. So what made you go like, I'm gonna share?
Chelsea:Do it. Yeah. I I mean, ever since I was a little girl, I've always loved, like, fashion and beauty and I'm such a girly girl. That's my whole thing. I just love to share that with my friends and stuff.
Chelsea:And it was kind of in 2020, '20 '19, so it was just like, you know, I was working from home, and I wasn't really sure, like, is this a space I wanna be in? And so I just took the leap, and I started sharing fashion and beauty. Well, it was so saturated already with fashion and beauty and different things like that. It was great. It was fun.
Chelsea:But around 2020, my husband, DJ, I started trying to get pregnant. And that was a whole thing I didn't expect to go through of struggling to get pregnant. And I don't love to say infertility, I love calling it like my fertility journey. Okay.
Audrie:It's okay. See and I'm learning this is why it's so important because I learn. Because I don't don't know. You learned.
Chelsea:Yeah. Yeah. It's like I didn't expect to go through this,
Audrie:you know?
Chelsea:And here we are, you know, five years later. But within those five years, I decided I met some really cool women online that are just like the Instagram community of women. And just when you find like those people, that is so much fun to connect with those girls. And like they become like your Instagram besties and it's really cool to just get to know them. Mhmm.
Chelsea:But also, you know like what they're walking through too, both in person and online, so it's kind of fun. But all I have to say is I met a girl and she was sharing her journey. Mhmm. And so it inspired me to start sharing our journey. And as I was starting to share our journey, our faith journey started to grow too.
Chelsea:So my husband and I got rebaptized in 2019, and from there it was just I felt this immense calling to share with other women what we were going through and also bring them closer to Jesus and just how I was struggling to go through this infertility fertility Sorry.
Audrie:Yes. No.
Chelsea:I even catch myself still
Audrie:to say. Yeah. Because you gotta leave with a positive grateful mindset. Right. Like, it's the even in the lowest, you have to be grateful.
Audrie:Right. Yeah. And even in the darkest times. And, like, I have suffered immense, you know, tragic loss. Yeah.
Audrie:But I remember being weirdly grateful.
Chelsea:It's a piece
Audrie:of shit. Isn't it crazy how grateful you you were sitting in such like, am I living this reality? But yet I sat in such gratitude and the grief. Right. It's so strange.
Audrie:It's a piece. It's a, like, my heart is torn open
Chelsea:Right.
Audrie:But like, look at all this beauty. Look at this little, you know, oh, lessons and all the things. Right. But I can see how that I've experienced that I should Oh totally. But it's leading in gratuity gratuity gratitude Yeah.
Audrie:And positivity. Yeah. I think we should make that a word
Chelsea:but Gratitude. I like it.
Audrie:But leading in positivity Yeah. Is where it's not in fertility, it's fertility. Right. It's we yeah. Because it's going to happen.
Audrie:Right. It may not look like this journey or this I had a plan. But you know what's, like, really amazing and the craziness of it all is even if, like, my I had a so called quote unquote normal pregnancy Mhmm. But even those were different. Even those were scary.
Audrie:Right. Even the things that happened to me. You know, my daughter was came out purple, like Oh goodness. Just she didn't get enough oxygen. Even though it's the same process Yeah.
Audrie:Everybody's journey is different. Totally different. Even if, like, you're a whatever normal, which there is no such thing as normal.
Chelsea:I just need
Audrie:to let No. Know. We're all not normal. There's a journey in that. Yeah.
Audrie:There was there's fear. There's, you know, different things like what you were at your first pregnancy, it's not gonna be the same as the second. Like, journey is different and so every journey is different in the fertility Right,
Chelsea:and I just, I felt like I was, like my mindset was getting in, like, a very dark place because it's a sensitive and it's hard and it's something that is so painful. Yeah. And I didn't want it to become my whole identity of, I'm not just this girl that's struggling to get pregnant. Like, I'm so much more than that. I love the fashion.
Chelsea:I love the beauty. It's for me to have that joy for things and enjoy things that, you know, God is doing in your life and people and all the fun things that you have, but also be suffering and struggling and walking through this journey to grow at the end.
Audrie:But you're nailing it and I love it because even when because we're you are. When once the baby gets here Yes. Amen. You still are gonna want things for yourself. Right.
Audrie:And you're still going to want to have fashion and career. Right. And I think a lot of the time as women and I heard, oh, heard this on a podcast the other day, Erin Andrews was talking about her journey Yeah. That they worked so hard to have their son
Chelsea:Yeah.
Audrie:And then here it was. It's like the super all of these things and then it's hockey season for her husband and they have their little one and she feels so guilty but then she had to slow her mind down and be like, everybody's fine. Right. He's healthy. Right.
Audrie:Like, everything is she can even though she prayed for it, it is not a bad thing Right. To still have a career. So even when baby gets here Yeah. All the mom guilt we're all gonna have it Yeah. But just slow the mind down Yeah.
Audrie:And just Yeah. Just it's day by day Yeah. Step by step. Exactly. And then that let's circle back, that leads you here.
Chelsea:Yes. It led me here. It led you here. It's literally because you're
Audrie:pushing through Pushing through. And you and I think that your journey is like many people's journey because you said what sparked me was you said like connecting and you saw someone else's journey. Right. I think about body positivity. Absolutely.
Audrie:I think of several creators and brands that we work with where it impacts that trust marketing where we all have our body things or our we use this makeup because maybe it's wrinkles, maybe it's acne, maybe it's and then clothing with fashion, maybe it's I'm a curvy girl. Right. I've always been real stalky and curvy. So I always look to, like, certain fashions that help me with bust and hips. Yes.
Audrie:And so and even and I and I wanna give, like, homage to the the cute petite girls, like Yeah. Well, I mean, we're cute and curvy too, but but, like, there are creators that have connections because they are short or they're a size zero or they're a size fourteen or a sixteen. All of that is where social media to me along with your fertility journey is where that connection Absolutely. And that brave way to connect with people. Totally.
Audrie:That's been my favorite part about it is, okay,
Chelsea:now I've opened a door to pour into other women that are also struggling with this. Like, don't get emotional about it, but it's such a beautiful thing that God put me in that position to be able to connect with other women. And I can imagine that that how our creators feel too of like they're making connections because it's real, it's authentic, it's their brand and it's who
Audrie:they They hold it up and you know it, you see They hold they do not they are intelligent about the brands they work with. They get it. They hold their audience. Yeah. The authenticity, I mean, it's here.
Audrie:We all see, like, on TV or social media, like, these fake influencers or Of course. Brands that they do this. I don't think anybody's perfect by any means. But we are so blessed to work with clients that are so authentic and they care about their audience. Yeah.
Audrie:And I think that's why it was so important to me, like, when I saw you, was like, she will understand them. Yeah. And then, you will understand what the, you know, that understanding what the brand's looking for Yeah. Understanding how the influencer is holding their consumer close to their heart.
Chelsea:Yeah. Completely.
Audrie:Yeah. And we connect with them for certain reasons. Totally. I me and you laugh about this a lot because Okay. Brands Yes.
Audrie:When they're, like, requesting something that's Yeah. Out of the box of what that influencer would Yes. Always. It's funny because we're like, you have to trust that creator or the influencer. Okay, question.
Audrie:Let's just clear this up. Are they creators? Are they influencers? I have an answer for it but I wanna know what your thought is. Are they influencers?
Chelsea:Are they creators? What are they? I okay. I've seen this come and go of like an influencer almost has, I'm gonna say it, almost has this like stigma where people don't take them seriously. I feel and I don't like that because I think an influencer like, that's a salesperson.
Chelsea:They're selling. Yes. And they're doing good. They're making They're putting an influence on you. Yes.
Chelsea:They're influencing you to buy things. Of course, it's much like, you know, you're watching TV and you see a commercial. It's no different. They're doing the same thing. Yes.
Chelsea:So I think it's a great term, influencer. But then content creator is the one that I hear more often. And I think people can like digest that one a
Audrie:little bit Oh, you
Chelsea:create content.
Audrie:They put a little yes. For whatever reason. Yes. So And I think they can be used in certain situations Yeah. And and all of that.
Audrie:I always catch myself bouncing back and forth and I wonder if people catch that because Yeah. I think I think there is a negative little bit of twist on influencer. I don't know. Because I I think with all things I think with all things, someone takes it too far Completely. Or someone makes a mistake and it is hyper focused.
Audrie:That
Chelsea:word. Yeah.
Audrie:Like, the whole cancel culture
Chelsea:Yeah.
Audrie:Type of thing. Yep. And it is real. It is. We had somebody on where they were getting trolled on TikTok and it affected them.
Audrie:I mean, people were calling. It was bad. Like, leaving things on their porch, like, they the TikTok community and then it then it was a mistake. Like, then they had to do a retracted statement. So Okay.
Audrie:But I I think that this whole cancel culture and then someone made, you know It takes off. It takes off. Snowballs. And then I think a content creator, I think it's kind of the same thing but I'm like you, as a brand, I you know, like, what are you looking for? Right.
Audrie:And then as what what do you want to be known for? Because there's also being famous and infamous. Right? Right. So I think it's kind of can play in those Yeah.
Audrie:You know Yeah. Celebrity and celebrity kind of Like, there's this type of celebrity and then there's Yeah. So I think that's kind of what I look at it as but I I have respect for all of it.
Chelsea:I do too. It falls under the same umbrella Yeah. Very technically for us because we're in that world but I think it's just
Audrie:To the audience and consumers Exactly. I always I used to say this too because as a photographer, like, everybody was a photographer and I used to be like, but I'm a good one. Oh my god. I can So kinda like yeah, like, I'm really good though. Like, I You are.
Audrie:I didn't give myself enough credit back in the day. You're good. I don't think I did. But kinda like with influencers, it's like Yeah. But I'm a good one.
Audrie:Yeah. You know what I mean? Like You
Chelsea:have to justify it.
Audrie:You have to justify it. I wonder why we have to do that because we live we live and breathe this Right. Obviously. Yeah. And and I think that's what I'm, like, getting to is to tell the brands, like, you are hiring this creator Yeah.
Audrie:For their audience and they know their audience. Yes. Yeah. And and let them shine.
Chelsea:Right. Let them be free and creative and let them
Audrie:That's where they thrive. And their and your brand will go with them. Yeah. And if you allow that let's let's tap on this too. Okay.
Chelsea:Love it.
Audrie:Gifting. Gifting. It's a thing. It's a thing. It's a thing.
Audrie:Oh, I have so much to lead in on this. I know. I'll be quiet. Let me sip and let you yeah.
Chelsea:I have so much I, like, can't even get my thoughts together on it. I think gifting can go two ways. It can be a good one and it can be a bad one. Mhmm. So let's go the good direction first.
Chelsea:I feel like gifting, if you really wanna work with a brand or, you know, that's a really good way to get your foot in the door. Show the brand that you can make the sales. Show the brand you can the content, how you're gonna make the content. Like I think it goes really well hand in hand in that way. And I think it's a good like meet and greet opportunity.
Audrie:%.
Chelsea:I think it's wonderful.
Audrie:Especially if
Chelsea:you like the brand and you wanna work with them. Yes.
Audrie:It's free. It's free. I'm sorry. Nike, were you sending over a pair of shoes? Like, hey.
Audrie:I'm gonna photograph this every day. Yes. Yes. Exactly. And I am gonna share this with my audience
Chelsea:every day. Yeah. I think where it goes too far is where brands take advantage of the gifting opportunities because at the end of the day, it's a content creator's job. Yes. And they're stepping on boundaries and crossing the line a little bit of like they want x y and z for gifting.
Chelsea:And it's like, no, no, no. This is their career. Yes. So A hundred percent two directions there.
Audrie:Yes. And I also think on the flip side as the brand, it's like if you are only giving gifting, you get what you get. Mhmm. And if you want to see and you want to have a little bit of control as far as I wouldn't say you need to and here's where it's at. If you are doing influencer campaigns Yes.
Audrie:It depends on what you're using that creator for. Yes. So there's some word differentiation right there from influencer campaigns and creator content. Yes. So there there's a little bit to kind of explain the difference.
Audrie:There you go. And with that, it's like, okay, why are you hiring this creator? Now, you can have control over, I want you to do stories, I want you to do reels, and I want you to do a blog and newsletter for me. That's the control you have. Right.
Audrie:What they do and how they create it for their audience, that's the control they have thus for makes it a collaboration for success. Yep. If you try to control every scenario and put them in a location that does not look like them, it is not going to work.
Chelsea:No. It's not gonna look good on either end and then it's just like a broken relationship at that point where nobody wants to work together and that and it just doesn't happen. It's kind of a bummer.
Audrie:And then when you make it stressful, they're gonna be like, you know what? I am so busy. I can do this and do this and make up for and not have to deal with all those demands. Exactly. Yes.
Audrie:And then, like, social media. So kind of tapping that in with social media. We talk about this all the time. So we're talking about collaborations and our story and we see creators going on these influencer trips could be a whole other episode.
Chelsea:Whole other episode. And we're
Audrie:gonna have 80 media group round tables. We're gonna get more people in here.
Chelsea:Let's get a panel. We're gonna
Audrie:get a panel and we're gonna talk about that's gonna be like a next episode.
Chelsea:Oh, I
Audrie:love it. Creator like events. Yes. Because I'm obsessed with them. Yes.
Audrie:But they can back backfire.
Chelsea:They can backfire. They have backfired.
Audrie:They have. There's been some things. There has been some things. It's been some things. And it is it worth it?
Audrie:Yeah. Yeah. How much did what was that ROI? Right. I mean Yeah.
Audrie:How much
Chelsea:money was dropped. Yeah. In those. And do It's amazing. Yeah.
Audrie:I have so many questions Okay. That I think about. Yeah. Yeah. Let's
Chelsea:save those. Because those are stupid. I'm like, no We'll go for two more hours.
Audrie:Yep. Letting that go. Swish. It's gone. Imposter syndrome.
Chelsea:Yeah.
Audrie:So, like, this person got a collaboration, this person got a Yeah. And it's not necessarily that our clients, like, call it out and, like, hey, didn't get that but, like No. They still notice. Right. Like, I am doing the exact same thing.
Audrie:I have more following. I have more of this which is not about following. We know about that. No. It's about conversion Correct.
Audrie:In some type of manner Yeah. From engagement to fall like to the Right. The throw over you can do to the brand. Right. And ultimately, we're in this for money.
Audrie:Yeah. Every business, like
Chelsea:What's wrong?
Audrie:Everybody wants to make money. So if a brand's hiring you Yeah. Impostor syndrome. Yeah. Oh.
Audrie:I I get it.
Chelsea:I get it. I get it. That's one I think do we need to stop? Oh, sorry. I
Audrie:get it. I get it. I get it. I get it. You get it.
Chelsea:I got it. That's one I think that we struggle with that in everyday life, whether you're on social media or not, you know, like, okay, New moms. You know what I mean? Sure that there is going to be a moment where I'm like, my body doesn't feel like my body. She looks amazing.
Chelsea:She just had a baby. Why don't I look like that? You know?
Audrie:I'm 41, had my babies years ago, and I'm so Right?
Chelsea:We just compare ourselves and it's that's one thing that I'm working on where I'm like that's where I'm trying to train my mind of like, no, I am pregnant, I'm a mom, I'm going through a fertility journey, I'm not infertile. Like that's where your heart is so powerful. But also, I think that on social media when we're scrolling, you could be scrolling for inspiration and it's so much fun and it's such a great place to be creative, but it also that's where the comparison just strikes you immediately like what we were talking about. And I was talking to a creator one time and she said, before I scroll, I make sure I post at least one reel, one story, and an LTK post or something. Like she hits these deliverables for herself Mhmm.
Chelsea:Before she allows herself to open up, you know, that space whether she's looking to be creative or something because it's just such a heavy place to be sometimes.
Audrie:Mhmm. No. For sure. And I think that and we we've talked about this before. When you are a creator and an influencer, you have to treat it like a job.
Audrie:Right. And if when you go on and you're doing it for work, you can get caught up in that because Right. Think about it. I I do. I am what is what does Holly call it?
Audrie:The doom doom where? Doomsday? Doom Like Doomscrolling. Doomscrolling. What is it?
Audrie:Like, doomsday forever. Where am at? But I do that at night. Yeah. I literally can cry.
Audrie:It's like brain rot. Like, I can cry. Yes. And then I will be dying laughing. Yes.
Audrie:I have done had a Pinterest meal. Like, I have gone from every emotion Yeah. Within three minutes. Because they are fifteen to thirty seconds. Yes.
Audrie:Within three minutes Yes. I'm in love with my husband. I love my best friend, and then there's, like, a fart. Yeah. You know?
Audrie:It is.
Chelsea:It's such a quick hit.
Audrie:I think it's like a Berlin and it's like a negative thing. Right. It's like negative, positive, crying, laughing. It's a rollercoaster. It is.
Audrie:It is. I've never thought about it that way. It really is. It need TikTok needs Tick especially. Yeah.
Audrie:But I I mean, I love it. Right. Right? I love it but it's the way that you approach it. Absolutely.
Audrie:And I've always said that. How you approach social media because, yes, do people sometimes do spiteful posting Sure. And lead lead with negativity? Of course. I might have been guilty of it once or twice way back in the day.
Audrie:You know, like It's behind a screen. Know, like, the the passive aggressiveness of a of a quote or something. Right. Way back in the day, and I I hate that. Right?
Audrie:We're all guilty of some type of things.
Chelsea:Sure.
Audrie:But I think it's how you approach social media. Mhmm. You know, how do because I do, post quotes that motivate now. Right. That is I wanna be motivational.
Audrie:I wanna be con I want people to see me as Right. Driven, helpful, and a resource. Right. I love But you could also flip the script. Mhmm.
Audrie:And I think that I say the same thing. Get on there to do what you need to do if that is your job. Right. But I say that all the time to my friends. I wouldn't be on social media if it wasn't for my job.
Audrie:Right. Because I'm on there to post for my family, my kids, like, have one platform that that is my family that I because I've lived, Kansas, my son lives in North Carolina, I have family all over. Okay. Family and friends. So I wanna share my kids on Sure.
Audrie:And them growing. Yeah. But I think when it's your job and you have to see like, okay, what's trending? Yeah. You know, it is thinking about, okay, am I we all wanted to be the cool kid in high school.
Audrie:Oh, yeah. I was Not at all. I was I don't even gonna begin to try to reflect who I thought I was in high school. Blurb that one out. Yeah.
Audrie:Separate podcast. But yes, I mean we all try we wanna be trending, we wanna go viral because that ultimately results in Right. Good for business. Right. You wanna be relevant and
Chelsea:when you're treating your page like a business, of course those things are important to think about.
Audrie:A %. Navigating it. And so can you give me like, if you know someone that wants to be a creator or, like, if someone is a creator, wants to be one, what three tips would you give them? Okay. I know we came up with these
Chelsea:Yes, we did.
Audrie:And we've talked about them because I love them.
Chelsea:Yes. I think the first one was consistency which we hated that word.
Audrie:We laughed. Oh, so overused. It's because But I wanna be on why that is. Right. Because the answer every time is gonna be consistency.
Audrie:Right. Of course. To what? Because people will say, do social media. Well, be consistent.
Audrie:How? What does
Chelsea:that does consistency mean to you? I think to me and to 80 media, it's showing up in whatever manner. So it doesn't mean posting a reel every single day. Like, of course, there should be content going likely every single day. But, you know, it's showing up on stories.
Chelsea:It's showing up on different areas and engaging and just consistently being present. And I a % agree because this is when
Audrie:we are talking about consistency means showing up because if you treat social media Right. And if this is your career Right. You treat it like a job. Right. Because you wouldn't not show up to your job one day Right.
Audrie:For no rhyme or reason Exactly. Because you just didn't feel like it. Exactly. And now some people do but I don't know if how that's working out for them. Yeah.
Audrie:But if you if you treat it like a job Yeah. You show up to your job every day. Right. Yeah. So we like, we treat it like a business.
Audrie:Yeah. So, like, if you don't show up for work, that's that's a problem. Right. You know? Big issue.
Audrie:Unless you work part time, then that's okay. But if you don't show up Right. Then there's then you will not have that consistent paycheck at your job if you don't show up. Right. And so approaching social media as a job Right.
Audrie:Whether that's a content creator and even a brand, like Right. You have to tell that story. You have to show up every day.
Chelsea:Right. And that was what I think that was that next one we were talking about was like monetization. So, okay, actually treating it like a full time business and Mhmm. Getting the best use out of, okay, you're this wonderful creator and your niche is here and how can you get those brands to work with you? And then from monetization, it's getting a support team so that you don't have to learn everything.
Chelsea:Like, you're the you're the excitement and the dreamer and, like, the fun creative person. Mhmm. Let's get someone in that can handle analytics for you, that can do the LTK posting, that
Audrie:can do all the Amazon behind the scenes because that's seven different jobs right there. No. A %. It's Yeah. It is delegating because you may be the most amazing content creator but you may not be a great accountant and you kinda need to be that.
Audrie:Right. And you kinda need to understand your analytics. Right. And take that time to look at your business as a whole. Mhmm.
Audrie:And that is why AD Media Group was formed because I was watching I had first hand watching everybody balancing all these You know, even with collaborations Yeah. It's so funny because if you say something nice about me, like, I blush. You know, like, I'm like, oh, so when you're trying someone's trying to work on your behalf Yeah. And you're like, no, this person deserves more Right. Could I can't see myself going, I mean, I will.
Audrie:When my back's up against the wall, I'm gonna tell you because I am confident in how hard I work and how I will show up because I do show up at my job, you know Yeah. Forty hours a day. Yeah. A day. A day.
Audrie:Actually. I work twelve hours a day.
Chelsea:You have stayed the night. You can attest to that.
Audrie:And may I think wild deodorant Exactly. May I think wild deodorant kept me Clean. Kept me clean. Yes. Because I I am so dedicated that way but I also delegate things that I am not Right.
Audrie:A, don't have the time for. Right. Doesn't mean I can't do it. Right. It means I need help.
Audrie:Right. And then someone that can focus that full time. Yep. Because then they become experts at
Chelsea:it. Completely.
Audrie:And then I think that's so important. Right. Is delegating, planning, and creating that structure Yeah. Because when you are consistent, showing up every day, having that authentic marketing approach, that's your monetization because you're connecting that trust marketing Yep. And knowing that niche.
Audrie:And I think where people are everybody's like, they say don't niche down. Don't niche down or niche down. They say don't niche down. They say niche down. There's different little reasons why.
Audrie:Yeah. I I don't think you I think that you need to niche down in your process, not overdoing it and delegating it.
Chelsea:I love it.
Audrie:But you can approach and do anything you want. Completely. Love sports. I own a business. I love bows and pink.
Audrie:Right. Like, I'm a mom but I'm also a wife. I love going to the Rangers game but you can see me in a Stars game. I love it all.
Chelsea:You're a human being. That's something that as we started of, like, I'm not just this fashion and beauty and that's all I do or I'm not just this girl struggling to get pregnant. Like, there's layers Yes. To people. And I love that.
Chelsea:That's why we love them.
Audrie:Yes. And I think the only thing, like, I wrote a blog, I'm not trying to, like, push my blog, it's called the core four and you can be in the and I I was highlighting, like, health and fitness.
Chelsea:Right.
Audrie:And if that's your key, because, like, I love sports, etcetera, but, like, if that's your there's so many things that come off of that. Sure. So if health and fitness is that, you still have to wear clothes. Yeah. You still have to wear tennis shoes.
Chelsea:The avenues.
Audrie:What's the skincare that you do off of that? What's food that you do off of that? What's this? So you can still create that spider web and you have a niche Right. But don't niche down so much Agree.
Audrie:Where you're calling yourself this because I did that at the very beginning. I called myself this and I was like, I just need to be me. Right. I don't need to be sweet memory photography. Oh, yeah.
Audrie:I need to be Audrey Dahlins.
Chelsea:That'd be you.
Audrie:And so many things come out of Audrey Dahlins. I experienced so much Right.
Chelsea:Not sweet memory photography. I listen. I had a different handle.
Audrie:Don't know what was your handle. Oh my gosh.
Chelsea:I started off and I was like in this realm where I was like, okay. DJ and I are gonna travel and I'm just gonna do all the things. So my handle was jet set pretty. That's true though. Like, I loved it.
Audrie:I a sweet memory. It makes me cringe. Jet set pretty. I love that.
Chelsea:It feels like an old AOL instant messenger screen name to me now. Loved it at the time.
Audrie:I so wanna like o l AOL message y right now. Het Septitty. Yeah.
Chelsea:It had no connection to me at all.
Audrie:But isn't that crazy? Like, you can be you and still go on these trips Right. And then still be Right. Going through this. And I think that's why when people are branding with us and creating things, I'm like Yeah.
Audrie:Don't call yourself that. Right. Because you may not be that. Right. We go through seasons.
Audrie:You may not be that. Right. Because I was, like, the mom Right. All I I don't my kids drive themselves now. Like, it I was sweet memory photography because I had memories of my kids and da da da.
Audrie:I'm not in that season. Yeah. It changes. I'll never forget. I was with Cassie with with High Sugar Plum
Chelsea:and she said That's my favorite one still to this day though. It can be you can have a handle that is not your name, to be clear. Yes. You can have it. Ones out there.
Chelsea:Mine was
Audrie:one of I was with Cassie and she said, give me your phone. And she literally changed my name on Instagram. Like, she's like, we are changing it. Like, Annie Leibovitz was not called She's gone. Like, it's like, she's already gone now.
Audrie:And I was so grateful for that because that that brand and my name, you know Right. Is it can be so many things. Right. But I love that because that means you are who you are online. Yeah.
Audrie:You're trusting, you're marketing, you're connecting with the trust marketing. Yeah. And I think that's what makes the creators we work with so successful.
Chelsea:Totally. Awesome.
Audrie:And then you're so great with connecting with them because you've you've sat there. Yeah. You've had people connect with you in so many ways of what you're going through. You're not alone. Yeah.
Audrie:That's what social media is about.
Chelsea:It is. I love knowing both sides of it too. Like, I love tapping into that marketing, like, negotiating side. Like, my husband sends me in to negotiate the cars. Yes.
Chelsea:Because I love doing it. Like, I just love go back going back and forth and, like, see what we can get.
Audrie:I I love that too. My husband leaves me in there because he's, like, not putting up with that. But you're the, I just need to bring you next time. He was like, oh, good lord. She said that.
Audrie:Yeah. That's me. Yep. So sorry. I just I love it too.
Chelsea:I don't know what it is. It's just it's fun. And then you have that creative side where you get to be with people and, like, navigate it all. So I love
Audrie:And don't you love the sweet joy when you see a collaboration go live?
Chelsea:Oh, makes my heart so happy.
Audrie:It's it literally is watching something just Yeah. I love it. Cheerleader.
Chelsea:Yes. She did it. She's supposed we're live.
Audrie:Oh, you know, you just you tapped in and I think this is a good part to, like, close out on because it's such a positive thing. If I could show one thing of the behind the scenes of our office Mhmm. Of the amazing people past and present Right. People from the past, how much they like, their heart and soul Mhmm. Roots for our clients.
Audrie:Oh, yeah. I wish they could see it. Yeah. We care A lot. A lot.
Audrie:A lot.
Chelsea:Was a better word but, like, it's deep. Yes. It's a deep care. It is. We want them to succeed.
Chelsea:Like we're putting time and effort into it and they are too and like we want them to win. Like it's Yes.
Audrie:We want them to win. You said something before. You say I lead with a servant's heart. I do. Oh.
Audrie:And it gave me I know.
Chelsea:I learned that from our pastor at our church showing up to be the I might butcher this but he says it so well. It's God created you with a 1% that's different from anybody else in the world. And to show up and be like that 1% and that greatness to everything you're doing, whether it's an email or like my husband and I serve in kids and sometimes it's great and sometimes it's really, really hard. I don't want 17 of them.
Audrie:Yeah. You're like, just give me one, not 17 on a Sunday morning. Right. It's a lot. Yes.
Chelsea:But leading with a servant's heart in anything big or small that you do, and that's exactly what I try and bring to the collaborations department.
Audrie:Yeah. You do, and you bring it to our team too. Thank you. And we love having you. Thank you.
Audrie:Well, thanks for hopping on. I'm so excited to share this episode and I'm so excited for what's to come. Me too. We're gonna bring, like, so many of our team members on here and have this little our table's square. So maybe we'll find a round table.
Audrie:Yeah. Instead we'll do the square table top. We'll squeeze in. Yeah. It's good.
Chelsea:There's so many good things
Audrie:to talk about. Yeah. I love when our team, like, goes and just I want people to see the passion that happens behind these walls. That we're rooting for them and for brands. Yeah.
Audrie:You know?
Chelsea:Absolutely.
Audrie:I love that.
Chelsea:We all work together.
Audrie:Well, I'm so glad that you're a part of our team.
Chelsea:Thank
Audrie:you. And so we're gonna end out. Okay. And we always end with this. Feel free to laugh at me but, you know, I think it's fitting.
Audrie:It's good. It's fitting. Anyway, thank you so much everyone for tuning in. And as always, capture, brand, and engage, and let's do big things. Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Founders and Fortitude conversations with Audrey Dahlins.
Audrie:For details and links from our incredible guests, be sure to check out our show notes. You might even find exclusive discounts and dollins, a u d r I e d o l l I n s, and don't forget to visit my website at audreydollins.com where you'll find years of blogs packed with tips and insights to help you thrive. As always, capture, brand, and engage, and let's do big things.