Today we’d like to introduce you to Donna Faaborg.
Hi Donna, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I got started on social media around 2014, making content for the small shop that I started while I was still in college. After a few years of making that content and learning the ins and outs of social media marketing, I branched out and started doing more lifestyle content. I have been doing that ever since! I love sharing my personal life, and recommendations and sharing something unique with my audience. I have turned this passion into a career that I love. Not only as a content creator but as the social media specialist for a casino here in the San Diego County as well.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Social media is never a smooth road! It’s ever-changing and ever-evolving, and it forces its users to do the same. I think some of the struggles that I have experienced, and most people experience while working in social media, is imposter syndrome and of course the infamous algorithm. Both kind of end up going hand in hand with one another. Imposter syndrome will make you feel like your skills and expertise are less than. That you aren’t good enough. I have experienced this when I was moving my content into brand partnerships. Not knowing how to work with brands and being told that my content wasn’t worth the rates I was offering definitely takes a hit and makes you question if you’re even doing a good job. If anything, I still kind of struggle with imposter syndrome, but for the most part, I try not to take myself or my content too seriously. Next with the algorithm, it truly does takes a hit not only to your self-esteem but to your own feelings of your expertise again. Working on my personal content as well as the content of another business, I do feel majorly responsible for the bad engagement that can end up happening. The plus side to this though is that everyone experiences struggle with the algorithm, so there is some relief in knowing that it will never be just me pulling my hair out over it.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I pretty much boil down to a “social media specialist.” Making content for my own page as well as having my full-time job as the social media person for a business, keeps me locked on all social platforms. I love creating fun, engaging, and authentic content for any platform. I am extremely proud that I have used my own knowledge of these platforms, created an audience for myself, and then took that information and expertise to get a full-time job in a position that I truly love. Both roles feed off of each other, and I can take what I learn from content on one page and apply it to the other.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Determination. People are shocked when I say that I hold three jobs – my full-time job, my content creator job, and then my small shop side gig. They don’t understand how I somehow juggle them all. And yes, it does eat up a lot of my time and requires some well-thought-out planning, but anyone who has the mindset to succeed can do it. I don’t know many people that are willing to give up their free time to put in more work for themselves. However, I am super lucky. Because my personal content has never been a chore for me. It’s never felt like a job to do. So, I truly do enjoy putting my time into it. I am always determined to do more or learn more to make my roles in any of my jobs better and more successful. But 100% it takes a lot of determination to make it happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://donnagailblog.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnagailblog/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donnagailblog/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/donnagailblog/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH5TOOFfzyz0EVgIVv5rnXg
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@donnagailblog
