Hey there, my name is Tracy Martens and I want to thank you for joining me for another
episode of YQG In Bloom here at Wolf and Rebel on Seminole and Drouillard in Windsor.
And I have with me Josie Elysia.
Yeah, you got it right.
I know it's very unique.
And she is a content creator.
She's a creator.
She's a teacher.
You do a little bit of everything.
I do.
I just kind of dabble in everything.
Wherever my passion is kind of like, whenever they flare up really, I just kind of indulge
them and I follow them and that's why I do a little bit of everything.
So what is your main thing right now that you've been doing?
So my main thing right now is content creation and influencing.
So my primary platform is Instagram.
I do a lot within like the beauty and fashion niches.
And then as my actual full time job, my real job, I do teaching at St. Clair College in
the PR and the journalism program, primarily focused on social media as well.
They really go hand in hand, which is nice because I can take the content I'm creating
and then use it to influence my lesson planning and to help showcase different things.
I'm trying to teach my students and things like that.
And then it's nice because then I can kind of take things that my students are also helping
me with.
So they're younger than me, right?
So they kind of, they keep me informed about what's going on, different trends.
I can use that in my own content as well.
Although you don't look old enough to be a teacher, I'm sorry.
I don't know if that's good skin, good makeup, but whatever it is, it's wonderful.
Yeah.
You know, it's a lot of good skincare, but St. Clair, they're really good with hiring
their own.
So like I did, I did a lot of schooling.
I have, oh, I think eight years of formal education under my belt and, um, you know,
not to knock the university or anything like that, but college is really what gets you
jobs nowadays.
Like one of your students, Dale, he's out all over the place and he's doing a fabulous
job.
He does so much.
He's a star.
He really is.
And he's got a passion for it.
Do all your students have that passion?
Going into that field.
Yeah, you know, it's very, it's hidden.
Miss, like you see people who kind of go into it, not really knowing if they're going to
like it or not.
And sometimes you see those ones flourish because they discover like the aspects of
the program that they really do like, because there's a lot of different things within like
journalism and PR that we, that we teach.
Like there's film, there's the social media aspect, there's your traditional kind of reporting,
your freelancing, like there's, there's a lot that you can do within the programs.
And sometimes they find something that, that really resonates with them.
Sometimes not so much.
And you know, we lose them and they go elsewhere and they hopefully find different programs
that you know, better jive with them.
But they tend to learn that within the first, say like month, maybe month or two.
And it's, it's, it's for the best, you know, like you don't want, you don't want someone
in who's there, who doesn't really want to be there because then they're not putting
in the effort.
You're trying to have them put in the efforts.
It's like pulling teeth.
It's like, is it really worth it?
No, it's not worth it for anyone.
The journalism, the social media, the P that program has so many different aspects now
where before it was just journalism or you do TV or, and it was just very niche and narrow.
And there's so many different areas that they can branch out to now.
It's a really good program.
Oh, it's so cool.
And they revamped the journalism program as of this year.
So they, they really changed it to incorporate a lot more social media.
So before like we were doing like these very small, like one hour classes.
Now they get like this huge three hour class.
So like, I get to spend so much more time with them and like get just so much more in
depth, which, you know, it's good because pretty much every job you have to have some
sort of knowledge with social media.
Like every company wants some sort of social media, marketing or communications, right?
It's the only way to get it out there anymore.
Yeah.
Get your voice heard.
A hundred percent.
Cause I mean, we have our traditional forms, you know, radio, television, all that stuff,
but it's expensive, you know, social media, it's, it's a free organic way to get your
voice heard.
You just need somebody who knows what they're doing and you know, you want those people
to be trained.
Exactly.
Yeah.
So you are a content creator and influencer and you said that was makeup based or?
Yeah.
So I, I, um, do a lot within the, uh, beauty and the fashion niches.
It's interesting cause I, I didn't really set out to do that, but, um, it kind of happened
during COVID.
Um, so I was working in corporate communications.
I had like a great job and then COVID happened and I lost my job and I was like, Oh, what
am I going to do?
So I started doing, um, live streaming, which was pretty new to me.
I wasn't too familiar with it, but I was stuck at home.
I liked talking to people.
Like I liked being social and so that gave me that social aspect.
And it also offered me some sort of, um, wage cause they were, there was like a base pay.
What I didn't like about it was there's so many creeps.
There's so many creepy people online.
And when you are live streaming, people will like gift you.
Like, it's very similar to like how the tick tock gifting type things work.
Or if you're watching a Twitch streamer, you can gift them.
It's like that, but it was like a different app.
When I was on there, I was doing, I was like playing my guitar and having people request
songs.
So if you wanted to request a song, you'd have to get a lot of people were doing those
things.
Yeah.
Cause it's like, I have a talent.
Let me use this town.
I can make some money at home.
You know, why not?
I can make some makeup tutorials, teach people things and whatever.
So I would do the two things.
But then, um, as more and more people kind of came onto the app, they started to do more
for less and more for less and then more skin for less.
And I'm like, I don't really want to do any of that.
Like not really white cup of tea.
Like this stuff is forever.
Yeah.
If my face has got to be in it, I'm not doing it.
Exactly.
I already had to do my makeup every day to like go just live on camera.
Cause you want to look your best, whatever.
So I got in the habit of doing my makeup and taking pictures and putting out little promo
flyers on like Instagram, Facebook, like, Oh, come watch my live stream.
And so after I stopped, I was like, you know what?
I still kind of like makeup.
Like I have so much makeup now.
Like, why don't I just keep doing my makeup?
And so I did.
And that's just kind of how my Instagram started, which is me doing my makeup.
Very well, mind you.
Hey, you learn.
Yeah, I did learn.
I learned fast, but I go back and I look at the old video sometimes and I'm like, wow,
like I thought that looked good.
And people are like, Oh yeah, girl, you look great.
I'm like, you're lying.
Stop lying to me.
You're talking makeup and I'm remembering, I forgot to put on my lipstick.
You gotta have a little extra because you start losing that pigmentation as you get
older.
And you're telling me, I'm like, Oh, you just gotta lift the skin off.
I know I'm starting to think about buying that tape.
I've seen the tape.
I'm like, is that real?
Is that like a filter?
Like, you know what?
It's funny because like people talk about the filters and like how they make them feel
bad, right?
Because you put on the filter, you're like, Oh yeah, I look amazing.
You take it off.
You're like, Yikes.
And it's interesting because I've definitely fallen into that trap where like I always
want to use filters.
And then I'm like, Oh, I don't like my face anymore.
But what I've learned is I can use a filter and then learn to do my makeup like that filter.
That is a great idea.
Yeah.
And so like my go-to everyday sort of makeup look now is based on a filter that I really
liked on Tik Tok.
And since I've been like doing my makeup that way, people are always like, Oh wow, like
I really like your makeup.
And I'm like, it's just this Tik Tok filter I was copying.
But that's how the trends change.
Cause like you said, I took aesthetics program.
We're talking probably about 25 years ago and I got the full makeup, the whole bit and
the makeup today has changed so much from then.
Like we didn't have all the highlighting and the contouring that we had the purple stick
to get rid of red marks.
You had the yellow, the green stick to get rid of your dark.
Yeah.
That's all we had.
We didn't have this contour, the highlights and these brown and white streaks all over
the place.
I want to learn how to use it.
It's very complicated.
I want a Kim Kardashian this.
Like I never even thought of using it.
Using one of those filters to take it.
Cause I mean, it's one thing to watch someone else do their makeup and like, be like, okay,
like this is how you get the look.
Cause then you copy it and it's like, okay, well it doesn't look the same.
Cause your face isn't the same, right?
Like the contours are different, the structure is different, but these filters now they're
like made with like AI and stuff.
So like it maps onto your face the way it should look for your face.
So if you just copy it exactly, it's going to look great every time.
So how many videos do you or tutorials do you put out?
Huh?
That's a great question.
Like weekly, monthly.
I am a overachiever, I guess let's say.
I put out content daily.
So every day there is something new.
It might not be a tutorial.
I do a lot of product reviews cause like right now we're in like the Christmas season.
We just had like black Friday, cyber Monday, all those crazy kind of promo sorts of deals.
So there's just been a lot of brand content to get through.
Yeah.
So lots of product reviews.
I like to do like oily skincare tips cause I have oily skin and I'm like, well, this
is what works for me.
So maybe they'll work for you type things.
Your general unboxings.
I do fashion for like midsize women.
Generally with online fashion retailers, sometimes I do thrifted finds.
I'll do get the looks.
And this is where I'm actually like going through like a full tutorial of like, this
is how I did my eyeshadow or this is how I blended out my, my ombre lipstick or things
like that.
Sometimes I'll feature specific products that I think would help.
Um, like a specific concern.
I've just gone into like hair influencing, which I didn't even know was a thing, but
hair influencing and yeah, like wig reviews, like all like the, the world is your oyster
when it comes to beauty because there's just, there's so much.
How do you, cause you said that you're an influencer.
Yeah.
Now, how do you stand out from the rest?
Cause I mean, there's so many that are content creators.
What makes yours stand out?
What makes me me?
I think I try to let my personality shine through when I'm like doing my content.
And I think that's, that's probably the only thing you can do.
Cause I mean, I do hop on trends.
Like I do like to use like, uh, transitions that I, they see that they're really cool
and they'll try to like copy them or like put my own spin on them and that sort of thing.
And that can get a bit generic or formulaic, but where I think I stand out is just that
I try to be like me where I'm fun and I'm bubbly and I'm like, you're internet best
seat.
I was thinking bubbly when you were saying it, you are very bubbly.
Yeah.
So I try to bring that to my content and I like to have like just bright and fun content.
I've been like a bit more like moody and like my outfits I'm covered in cat fur by the way,
so I have cats, but um, I've been doing like this kind of like not monochromatic, but just
darker kind of themes lately with pops of color.
And I'm still trying to keep the color.
Cause I like that happy, positive, bright kind of eye.
That's great.
So can I ask how many followers do you have on Instagram?
I think right now I'm sitting at just over 44,000 followers.
Yeah.
So it's been like, it's like amassing over time.
Like it, it dips in it.
It were, I guess, ebbs and flows.
That is amazing though for, for somebody from Windsor.
Yeah, right.
Windsor putting that on the map, right?
Now, do you do TikTok as well as Instagram?
I have started up on TikTok.
I'm, I'm struggling with that algorithm.
I really am too.
Maybe I'm old.
I don't know.
I don't get it.
I'm swear to goodness I'm the same way as like, I can put out some really good content
and it's yeah, it tanks, but then something stupid will get like 12,000 or two, 3000.
It's like really my most popular video on TikTok makes no sense.
And it's a, actually a deodorant that I bought from here.
It's a salt, a Thai crystal salt deodorant.
And I was just, I bought it.
I thought it was the coolest thing and I was reviewing it and it just like blew up for
no reason.
And I'm like, okay, whatever.
I've done videos like it since nothing trash.
And I'm like, all right, well, I don't really understand this, but it's fine.
I don't understand TikTok either because I've had it where they've said, if you put out
longer content, then you're going to get more followers.
Yeah.
So then you put out longer content, then they're going well, you know, shorter is better.
And I'm finding that other than that one video, I did one video right before a podcast where
a gentleman had an absence bar in his house.
So I basically just took my phone and he was making me an absence and I had them describe
it.
It got like 12,600 views.
Isn't that interesting?
But then other ones that I've tried haven't worked as well, but it seems the ones that
worked the best on TikTok for me are just pictures set to music.
And I'll get a ton.
It's like, okay.
I was in Port Stanley in the summer for a day trip.
I was like, people went nuts for it.
And I'm like, whatever.
It's hard to like figure it out.
So I prefer Instagram where I know.
Yeah.
I'm like, okay, these are my people.
This is what they like.
They always respond to it.
I'm going to keep at it.
Even YouTube shorts, I've posted a bit over there and sometimes, you know, I'll get like
a bunch of views, a bunch of likes.
And other times it's like, oh, here's like 10 views.
I know I put out literally two almost identical shorts, but obviously different people.
And one got a few hundred, which is great.
And the other got like 11.
Great.
No rhyme or reason.
Same hashtags, same everything.
So I'm going to stick with big YouTube and the podcast and Instagram.
And yeah, I'm going to start watching you a little bit more to learn how to look at
heck of a lot better.
That's for sure.
You look nice.
Don't make anybody vomit.
That's finished that milkshake demo talk.
And then my husband, he'll scream later when he says, stop talking to people off the screen
because we can't hear them.
Talk to me for a second because I want to know the story about why I was a part of your
presentation at school.
Oh, that's a good question.
I sent it to me and I was like, give me a story.
I was like, I don't know what's going on.
Okay.
So you use my little grandson Jake here?
Yeah, I follow both of you on Instagram.
So like, I like to follow local people in Windsor because I've always been interested in
like local events and that sort of thing.
Like I used to use like the Windsor write a lot to see like what was going on around
town and I just don't use websites a lot anymore.
Right.
It's just like, whatever.
I'm always on Instagram.
And so I'm not even sure how I came across your accounts.
It might've just been like searching through like YQG or like Windsor or like something
like that.
But I'm like, oh, like these people look cool.
Like, okay.
Like they're talking about local stuff, like featuring it.
And so I think that's why I followed you originally.
And throughout my classes, I will use you local people generally as examples for like
content creators and like, oh, like this is what you could do.
Like this is people who are doing things well.
Sorry.
These are things that are being done well.
And like showcasing that as like potentials or even like people that you could like potentially
talk to for like interviews and that kind of thing.
But yeah, so I think, I think that's why that came up.
It was one of those moments I told Dale, I said it kind of put into perspective for me.
Like what I'm actually doing kind of out there and makes a difference and people watch it.
Oh yeah.
100%.
I was just making fun videos and like, like screwed around with stuff.
And I never even wanted an Instagram.
Yeah.
Like what is like, oh, here's someone teaching it in school about how to do a collaboration
with, you know, I'm like, oh, so people are actually paying attention.
100%.
Like the moment in my head that it clicked, I was like, oh, I'm onto something or like,
you know what I mean?
Yeah.
It's just that moment for me.
And he would never put his, his face on Instagram.
He didn't want it on there until we went to a market and it was just a stupid random thing.
And for some reason it finally went.
Now we can't get them off.
We can't get them off Instagram.
Well, I love it.
It's just like a fun creative outlet because I'm so busy with work all the time.
But it's like, I know it's just fun and yeah, working with something I've always done during
the pandemic.
Okay.
I commissioned local artists to do ramp stuff all the time.
Well, that's sweet.
It was like my pandemic project was just kind of like supporting people when everything
was closed and that kind of thing.
My friend was like, why don't you just post it on Instagram?
Yeah.
So that's what I started doing.
And I was like, okay, well, I'm doing it anyway.
So I went as well as, you know, but then when I saw your post, I lost it.
I lost it a lot of times.
No, I think so much good was born out of that pandemic.
It just really made people go back to their passions.
And no, I think highlighting things around Windsor, it's so important.
And you would be surprised how many people come out of the media plaques and they're
like, well, what do I do now?
How do I make money?
And it's like, well, you can freelance and you can freelance by collaborating with people
collaborating with businesses because a lot of businesses don't have the means of the
funds to have like a dedicated social media department or marketing department.
But maybe you have like one off projects.
Right.
And so showcasing someone like you, it's like, okay, well, look at what he's doing.
Maybe you could do something like that.
Maybe you could work with him even.
Right.
So it's just like giving them like ideas.
Because like, I like what you do.
I think it's very cool.
Yeah, no, I like it.
I think it's very fun.
I mean, every day I kind of learn something new in terms of, you know, what is I like
and what I'm going to do next.
And I realized that if I'm going to work, which I have to, I'm not, you know, privileged
enough to not work.
But if I'm going to work, I want to enjoy the work that I'm doing.
And so I teach, I create content, I dabble in music, but you know, I don't make money
off music.
I like it.
And if maybe one day it turns into like a pursuit that actually pays and like, cool,
that's amazing.
Right.
But I just find that if I can follow my passions and grow them, then maybe money will follow.
That's all we can, any of us can hope for.
But as long as we are doing what makes us happy, that's all that matters.
Yeah.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
I really appreciate it.
Thank you for having me.
Thank you.
And again, my name is Tracy.
Thank you so much for joining me at Wolf & Rebel for another episode of YQG In Bloom.
Have a good one.