Life lately

New Goodbye Influencing Workshop June 3, 2023

Hello, I know I’ve been a tad quiet on here, and that’s felt important to me as April was nuts - in a good way.

Sharing my story in the New York Times was healing but also put me back in the spotlight in a way. I got a lot of emails and it got intense. I don’t have a team anymore and at times I was very overwhelmed. But I was able to ask my cousin to help me field requests (shoutout to my cuz!) and she was very helpful. She came with me to the TODAY show (more on that below).

In a car on the way to 30 Rock - I was nervous, but mostly excited, and listening to a lot of EDM to pump me up.

What felt different in this time of sharing is that I was/am equipped with much better tools. I am so lucky to have such a robust in-person support system that has kept me grounded through this process of speaking out. I know what and how much to share (personal boundaries), and I listen to my gut. When a producer asked me a question that I felt uncomfortable answering, I paused. I also discussed with my cousin what I did and did not want to discuss prior to going on TV, which felt vital.

I’ve shared when I’ve wanted to share, and I’ve unplugged when I’ve wanted to unplug. When I was an influencer, I was all alone, and I overshared for social capital; for likes. When I share now, I do it for me, and for anyone else who’s struggling. It’s been very healing, very validating to see the response. There was so much pain, and I often wondered what it was all for.

This time it’s about getting my story out there. I know a lot of people are saying, “you’re still an influencer if you’re posting about not being an influencer anymore”. Ya think I didn’t think about that? I think what they mean is that sharing my story on Instagram is drawing attention to myself, which is not untrue.

But I’m not anti-Instagram. Instagram is a platform for me to share, and I’m pro-sharing my story.

When I was an influencer going through what I went through, nobody was talking about it, and I felt so alone, I felt like I was honestly going crazy. So, I’m talkin’.

Perhaps I will never change their minds, and they are set in their beliefs, and I’m totally okay with that. Today I feel solid with where I’m at. If I can help one person by sharing my story, just one person, through the weird, difficult, and BRAND NEW career that we don’t fully understand the implications of, then I’m satisfied. I’m a sharer by nature, that’s just who I am.

Here’s a great example of why I share, this woman had posted this under one of my ex-influencer posts:

A comment left under one of my recent IG posts ❤️

But. I digress. I’ll never please everyone, and FYI, for anyone who is ever going to put their work out into the world, remember that. I think that’s why a career on Instagram is so ironic, your job is to literally be liked. The app is built on human emotions: likes, validation, anger, heat, rage. It makes us click more, and stay on the app more.

I mentioned this in passing in last month’s newsletter but wanted to share more about the TODAY show! Some producers at the TODAY show read the piece and reached out to me about coming on live TV. I got to go on and share my story with Hoda and Jenna.

Watch the full clip here.

Hoda and Jenna were the sweetest they can be, and made me feel right at home. They both gave me a big hug as soon as they saw me, and I think that’s why i felt so comfortable talking to them. I was so nervous to go on, but as soon as the cameras started I went into a vortex and focused on the two of them and it was all good and fine! Afterwards, I walked outside and stood in the sun in the 30 Rock plaza, then went home to Samson and resumed my normal day. It was magical.

Some BTS of TODAY

The night before, my friend came over and I tried on my outfit for her. I felt supported from start to end. It was such a great experience.

I feel like I’m finally taking a breath.

Next up, some business:

My next Goodbye Influencing Zoom workshop is coming up on June 3rd. This workshop is for influencers who want to quit for a variety of reasons, but don’t know how to detach or how to make money outside of social media partnerships. Get tickets now, anyone can join.

I’ve been financially free from brand partnerships since 2021 and can now use the internet/social media the way I want, on my timeline.

In this 90-minute, live Zoom workshop, we will discuss what it looks like to leave the world of INFLUENCING and forge a new career that’ll bring you more boundaries, less burnout, and just as much - if not more - joy. 

In this workshop, I will:

• Share hope and guidance based on my own experience

•  Help you figure out what you want to do next

• Provide ideas and step-by-step processes that will help you monetize, market, and merge the skills you've already accumulated through influencing into a new job

• Identify how the connections you've made through brands and partnerships can help you in the next phase of your career

• Answer any questions you may have (take it from someone who's done it!)

This workshop is for you if:

• You are 100% ready to leave influencing but have no idea what to do next

• You feel stuck in a content creator role, and the hamster-wheel that is content creating, and want to get off but don't know how

• You are a part-time influencer, just doing it for the money at this point

• You are curious about this workshop description and want to learn more

• You are a small-business owner/creator on social media and don’t want to do it anymore

If you cannot make the live workshop, it will be recorded and sent to anyone who bought tickets.

As always, thanks for reading, thanks for being here, and please share this with a friend who you think might benefit.

In love and ex-influencing
Lee Lee