Meet Esperanza Maria, a lifestyle blogger and digital creator. She has a personal blog called The Sunflower Experience and also uses her platform to spread awareness for WOC and the LGBTQIA community. I had the pleasure to chat with Esperanza about her start in digital creating, lessons in collaborating with other companies, and balancing life & business.

How did you get started in the digital world of creating?

EM: “I started creating digitally about 3 years ago. I had always loved writing and taking pictures so I started a blog called The Sunflower Experience more as an online diary. It was meant to be a place where I could put my thoughts down and create a sort of portfolio of my work. After doing that for a while I began to utilize social media to promote my blog and that was when blogging was really becoming an occupation. I started to begin to grow my following and produce visual projects, doing shoots, and being a brand ambassador for different brands. To me, it’s crazy that all of this started with an online diary, but here we are and I feel so blessed to be here doing what I love.”

What do you love most about being an influencer and what’s the greatest lesson you’ve learned so far from it?

EM: ” I love being able to connect with so many different people on such a large scale. I love inspiring people and to be inspired by the beautiful stories I encounter. I love being able to create content and express myself visually…and get paid for it lol. The greatest lesson I have learned is to be unapologetically authentic with your audience. Instagram can be such a small peak into our journey and people seem to live these perfect lives, but that’s not reality and I prefer to show and talk about real stuff.”

Has a mistake ever led you to success?

Which of your traits are you most proud of?

What advice do you have for creators who are interested in working and collaborating with other influencers and companies?

EM: ” My advice would be to be patient with yourself. Create what feels good and allow people to fall in love with you, your personality and your content. Vulnerability is a superpower and when you take the step to becoming an influencer you are opening your life up or at least parts of it to be seen on a large scale so it’s okay to let loose and be vulnerable because it is your space. Work hard and work smart, do your research, listen to lots of podcasts to keep learning new information and read Influencer by Brittany Hennessy, it provides so much great insight into the influencer world. “

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve received when you were starting out in your brand?

Know your worth and then add tax.”

As a digital creator, do you have a schedule on what to post for fashion, lifestyle, and beauty? How do you juggle and balance them?

EM: “I do have a content calendar more for my sponsored posts but I try to keep my organic content pretty free flowing. My content naturally is one of three, so I incorporate and organize it to fit my aesthetic, but posting what feels good is my favorite strategy by far lol.”

 What is your personal motto?

EM “My personal motto is DO YOU. It’s simple and direct. When you do what the universe is calling you to do, you have to listen to it.  If it makes you have happy and doesn’t harm others, that’s all that matters.”

What are some things you do when you feel like you’re in a creative rut?

EM: “When I am in creative rut I tend to go to a favorite place of mine to think, to breathe to rejuvenate or I will write it down. Visual arts always inspire me so sometimes I will hit a museum or search for images that speak to me.”

What would you tell yourself ten years ago that you wish you knew back then?

EM: ” Keep your head up. You are going to be and do more than anyone expected.”

About Erin (Esperanza Maria)

Erin is a lifestyle blogger born and raised in the DMV, she attended college at Towson University and received a degree in Mass Communication. In hopes of creating a space for expression, back in 2016 she started her blog The Sunflower Experience and from there utilized social media to build her brand. Through social media, Erin hopes to bring awareness to social issues plaguing black and brown folks especially women and the LGBTQIA community. With a passion for poetry, style and visual arts Erin creates a space for herself to build and grow personally and with her audience.