When I first started working with brands, I thought the hardest part would be getting noticed.
Getting the email.
Getting the yes.
Getting chosen.
What I didn’t realize then was that the real work begins after the collaboration starts.
Over time, brand work stopped feeling like a milestone and started feeling like a relationship one that’s built on trust, communication, and intention. Some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned didn’t come from contracts or content calendars, but from simply showing up, again and again, and paying attention to what actually matters.
Consistency matters more than momentum
For a long time, I thought growth looked like big moments viral videos, sudden spikes, quick wins. But brands don’t move that way. They pay attention quietly. They notice how you show up when things are calm, not just when everything is performing well. Consistency in tone, visuals, and values has mattered far more than any single post. It’s what makes your work recognizable. It’s what builds trust over time. And that trust only holds when you’re working with products you genuinely vouch for.
Reliability is part of the creative
Creativity isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s also about being dependable.
Answering emails on time.
Delivering when you say you will.
Asking questions instead of guessing.
These things aren’t glamorous, but they shape how brands experience working with you. I’ve learned that professionalism doesn’t dull creativity it gives it room to exist. Being reliable has opened more doors for me than trying to be perfect ever did. And when you can’t meet a deadline, communication matters. The brand chose you for a reason. Honesty preserves trust far more than silence ever will.
Presence is felt, not performed
There’s a difference between creating content and being present in it. Brands feel that difference. So do audiences.
The more I stopped trying to “sell” myself and focused on being grounded in what I was creating, the more aligned my work became and the more natural collaborations felt. Presence reads as confidence, even when things aren’t loud or polished. You don’t have to over-explain yourself when your work already speaks. You don’t have to mimic anyone else. You were chosen because of who you are, not who you can imitate.
Not every collaboration is meant to last
Early on, it’s easy to say yes to everything. Over time, I’ve learned the value of discernment.
Some collaborations teach you what you want more of. Others clarify what you don’t. Neither is wasted. Every experience has helped me refine my boundaries, my expectations, and the kind of partnerships I want to build moving forward. Ones that feel mutual, respectful, and aligned with products I would actually use more than once.
Longevity comes from alignment
What I value most now isn’t just being chosen, it’s being trusted. By brands and by my audience. You!
Trust grows when your work feels honest, when your voice stays consistent, and when your approach doesn’t shift depending on who’s watching. The goal was never just to work with brands. It was to build something sustainable, intentional, and reflective of who I am. on and off camera. Looking back, brand work didn’t change me. It clarified me. And that’s the lesson I keep returning to: the more grounded you are in yourself, the more natural everything else becomes.
What’s meant for you wouldn’t require you to perform outside of yourself
Augustah Allen