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Kendra R Photography
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Kendra R Photography
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Kendra R Photography
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Kendra R Photography
The Mall at Green Hills hosted its third annual Nashville Creator Awards on May 19, gathering creatives to recognize Music City’s top social media influencers across multiple categories. The categories included Local Entertainment, Fashion, Family, Lifestyle and Home. The evening featured stylish photo opportunities, cocktails, treats, camaraderie and celebration. We chatted with the winners of each category to learn more about the people behind the screens.
Caitlin Lucia (@nashvillewithcaitlin)
Category: Local Entertainment
The Journey:
“I did real estate for a while, and I used social media for marketing my real estate business and sharing places I love. It blossomed from there, and I just love traveling and sharing places to eat.”
Advice to New Creators:
“Don’t ever try to be someone else on the internet. Be yourself, be consistent, and show up. Treat it as a job if you want it to be a job.”
Paris S. Chanel (@luuxbyparischanel)
Category: Fashion
The Journey:
“I’ve been a model since I was 12 years old, and we got to a point where you started having to have a certain amount of followers to get work. So, I kind of transitioned over, and being a creator just kind of happened. But I don’t regret it. I love it. I have a background in marketing, so it works out.”
Finding Balance:
“Finding balance has been the worst. But what I will tell you is, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I told myself that when my body says sit down, I sit down. Because normally I just go, go, go. You know, you’re trying to do everything, be everywhere. And I honestly think that a lot of people don’t see it this way, but I think God blessed me with this because I needed time to focus on myself. I wasn’t taking care of myself the way I should. And my message to anybody is, prioritize your body and take care of your temple. Because if you don’t take care of it, you’re failing yourself.”
Emily Fauver (@emily.fauver)
Category: Family
The Journey:
“It kind of happened on accident. My husband was in the military. We’d just gotten married, and I had nothing to do. So I started Instagram, and then COVID happened in 2020, and I started TikTok, and the rest is history.”
Advice to New Creators:
“Keep your blinders on. Don’t look at what everyone else has and what you don’t have. Just be ready for anything. And keep creating, because I think it’s always the things that you least expect that blows up.”
Caleigh Hardy (@caleighhardy)
Category: Lifestyle
The Journey:
“I’d never thought that I would be a creator. I didn’t really think that was an option when this whole thing started. I was working a marketing job, and people just started to naturally take more interest in my life. I have a unique lifestyle, so I think people were just naturally very interested in what I had going on and what my life looked like with myself, but also with Michael [Hardy]. As opportunities started coming and coming, I just started taking them, and I eventually was able to grow it into a career. It totally just fell in my lap, but I’m very grateful for that. With our schedule, it’s really the only career I can think of that would ever be possible.”
Keeping It Real:
“My team and I kind of joke and laugh that I’m a non-influencer influencer. That’s very much my brand and my lifestyle. So as a lifestyle creator, I’m very aware that I don’t want to be too overly influencery or pushy.”
Ashley Rice (@brunoandlibby)
Category: Home
The Journey:
“I’m actually a former CPA. I worked in the corporate world for a long time, and I started sharing our home build about seven years ago. It kind of evolved from there. A few years in, I told my husband I wanted to quit my corporate job and do it full time, and he fully supported me. It’s been so much fun.”
Advice to New Creators:
“I would say just start. Just do it. Don’t wait. If there’s something that you’re interested in, just start posting. Don’t be afraid of what people think. Don’t wait until you have a whole bunch of content saved up. The best time to start posting is yesterday. I always tell people that I wish I would have started even sooner.”