UGC Pro

Mama, I made it! 💕 Thank you to Perri O. and team for giving me the opportunity to share my story on a platform as well respected and recognized as Insider. This is your reminder to not let your financial set backs dictate your destiny. A degree should NOT define someone’s value. #proudcollegedropout You can read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gwAM2JNb 📸 Photo credit: Miranda Kelton

Ever been in a room of 130 people who know your name/who you are and are excited to meet you?? On July 3rd, I had the privilege of being a guest speaker at the first-ever Creator Confidential event in Toronto, Canada. Being invited by four incredibly talented and highly-respected UGC creators and mentors left me in awe. The irony? They said they couldn't hold a UGC event without "the Queen of UGC" (their words). What they didn't realize is that, although I've been creating UGC since 2014, long before it became a social media trend two summers ago, today's UGC community wouldn't be what it is without these women and other creators who have contributed to this small but mighty industry growth. Many creators in the space have told me that I "walked so they could run." While I appreciate and understand this sentiment, I believe that neither I nor the rapidly growing UGC industry would be where we are today without creators like them. I firmly believe that a rising tide lifts all boats, and it was heartwarming to see part of our community come together in person. When 130 creators from around the world flew to Toronto, it felt like reconnecting with old friends. Thank you to everyone who attended Creator Confidential and shared such kind words about UGC Pro, how our resources have helped build their businesses to consistent $5 to $10k-plus months, and even achieving their first six-figure year as UGC creators. Special thanks to the Creator Confidential team for inviting me as their guest speaker. Words cannot describe how I felt that day; it truly is a core memory that I will reflect on with a smile and teary eyes forever. Keeley Mazurek, Mehr Rajput, MBA, Salha Aziz, and Charlotte Arsenault ❤️ Event footage credit: Sofia Aguilar info@SofiaAguilar.ca  www.SofiaAguilar.ca  @saguilar_ Danielle Sabatini UGCdanielle@gmail.com @danielaaasab  UGCdsab.com Event photography credit: Mina Ejieh MimiShotIt@gmail.com www.MinaEjieh.com @mimishotit_

Drafting my next piece for Forbes and came across the Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020, conducted May 27-June 5 in 11 countries. TLDR: ✨Trust has become a crucial factor for consumers when choosing new brands (53%) and remaining loyal (49%), only second to price (64%). This is a significant shift from 2019, where trust ranked fifth, behind factors like product performance and customer service. ✨Brand democracy is now mainstream, with almost two-thirds of consumers expecting brands to drive social change, influencing purchases. Trust in brands has surged, with 46% of consumers now trusting the brands they use—a 12-point increase from last year, and even higher in the U.S., Brazil, and Germany. ✨42% won't work for companies not opposing racism, and 60% of U.S. consumers would switch brands based on their stance on racial justice. Nearly half globally (44%) switched brands due to their Covid-19 response. Environmental impact also affects brand trust for 44% of people. ✨The struggle for trust hinges on the pursuit of truth, predominantly influenced by earned media and personal experiences rather than advertising, which nearly 70% avoid and which holds half the impact of direct recommendations from experts or peers (UGC for the win).   ✨Respondents are nearly 5X more likely to recommend brands they trust deeply, 3X more willing to share their data with them, and show eightfold loyalty, preferring to purchase exclusively from these brands. ✨Brands advocating for racial justice are 4X more trusted than those that don't. Now is the time for brands to lead, inspire hope, and effect change. You can learn more about the Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust in 2020 here: https://lnkd.in/gHnC3-rQ Forbes Business Council #forbes #forbesbusinesscouncil

Are you a creative contractor with legal questions or concerns? Today in the UGC Social community we are doing a free training with guest speaker Andrea from Legalpreneur. ✨TODAY at 6pm CT (4pm PST & 7pm EST). ✨LLCs, contracts, intellectual property, and more! ✨Come prepared with any questions and be sure to RSVP by clicking the link below & turning on notifications. Share this post for reach if you're reading this! It isn't every day that you get the opportunity for FREE legal advice. 🥳 ➡️ https://lnkd.in/g9m822dq #UGC #UGCcreator #CreativeContractor #Freelancer #Contractor

I spent 3 nights in a house in Austin with just me and 15 women… I saw just about every one of them cry… And I don’t think I’ve ever felt better about our mission at Brands Meet Creators… Here’s how it went down: Several months ago, some of the top UGC creators in the industry reached out to me and said they wanted to plan a creator house. The idea was to get a bunch of the top UGC creators in one house, and brands would purchase content packages that would be filmed there. We realized that we needed some initial investment to fund the Airbnb before brands would sign on… So Brands Meet Creators committed to sponsoring the event. Over the past few months, these women did an amazing job of landing brand partnerships, organizing everything, and pulling off the event. Each day was filled with content creation, conversations, and genuine connection. The timing worked out perfectly, and we were able to demo our new platform at the event as well. During our final night, things got emotional... We had a big fire out back by the pool… Everyone sat in a circle, roasting marshmallows, telling stories, and really opening up. There was one main thing that each of these women had in common… Content creation had changed their lives. As I watched tears roll down faces of the women that sat around the fire, I heard stories from mothers who were able to stay at home and spend more time with their kids… I heard stories from women who supported themselves through college. I heard stories from women who were able to leave soul-draining jobs and gain more freedom in their lives… All from UGC. I always knew that what we were doing in this space made an impact… But having this experience made things so much more tangible for me. I know we’re still in the early innings and have so much more impact to make.