Jasmine Star is an entrepreneur and social curator who began her career as a photographer without a camera. A proud law-school dropout, Jasmine has found incredible success in the crowded world of social media marketing by staying true to her brand, taking her own advice, and not letting her popularity get to her head. In our interview, Jasmine shares how she was able to navigate a crowded field and come out on top. We discuss everything from channeling impostor syndrome as a motivator to why it's okay if you never go to "Burning Man."
Jasmine is a first generation American who was raised to pursue the opportunities that made her happiest. When her mother was diagnosed with a brain cancer relapse during her time in law-school she began to re-evaluate whether law was right for her. She decided it wasn't. Jasmine began to seriously ask herself "what kind of life do I want to live?" and chose to pursue photography. Once she realized what a knack she had for growing her business and communicating her story on social media, Jasmine decided to use her talent to help others build their brands.
Jasmine doesn't pretend to be anyone she's not, but that doesn't mean she doesn't occasionally suffer from impostor syndrome. Jasmine explains that she's learned that she can look at her impostor syndrome in two ways- as a "thorn in her side" or as a reason to stay motivated and build confidence. Impostor syndrome arises when we feel that we don't deserve our success, and Jasmine channels this self-doubt to remind herself of what she has already accomplished.
Instead of letting her impostor syndrome kneecap her, Jasmine reminds herself of what "success" means to her using two useful refrains.
Jasmine knows her success doesn't need to look like anyone else's, because she knows what she values and doesn't need a mansion or a private plane to prove anything. By defining her own terms of success and reminding herself that she provides a unique service and offers real value, Jasmine is able to ground herself and stay focused on what matters to her.
Social media is a saturated market, but Jasmine focuses on remaining consistent and engaged to make an imprint. Instead of wallowing in disappointment because there are so many other brands out there, Jasmine looks at social media as a free marketing opportunity, and uses storytelling to set her brand apart. She understands that, as in her early days when she would meet with clients one on one in Starbucks, making a connection is important.
We're typically drawn to stories in particular because we can either relate them to an experience in our own life, or cast ourselves as an ancillary character in the story. Using stories on social media allows Jasmine to give her audience a glimpse into her life that they can relate to, and a feel for why her brand is unique to who she is as a person. She's able to create a "full experience" and position herself as an authority in her field just by giving us a glimpse into her daily life and practicing what she preaches.
Jasmine knows that "authenticity" and "vulnerability" are words that are tossed around a lot. That doesn't mean you need to go on YouTube and say "I look terrible today and I'm doing a bad job" but being honest is important. If your business doesn't require that personal touch and is more professional, authenticity may not look the same, so remember your audience.
Everyone needs to start somewhere. Jasmine encourages her clients to be honest and willing to make mistakes in order to learn, grow, and improve.
Jasmine knows real growth isn't the same as clicks and likes. She recommends focusing on your audience and remaining consistent. Respond as much as possible and remain actively engaged with your audience to turn as many "likes" as you can into tangible business opportunities.
Jasmine also discourages posting constantly about whatever you're selling. It can become tedious and it's not as engaging. Focus on creating a storytelling experience and link posts with your product to your overall message once in a while for maximum effectiveness.
Jasmine's interview gave some incredible insight into how you can use social media effectively to communicate your brand without coming off as phony or insincere. She advises that nobody ever take her advice if she's not actively practicing what she preaches. From our interview it's clear that she believes in her brand and has taken her own advice, with incredible success!
