What does being an influencer actually look like when the camera turns off?

In this episode of Side Door Sessions, Dareen Lynch sits down with Dakota Brooks to talk about the side of social media most people don’t see. Dakota shares how she went from being a teacher who never planned on becoming a content creator to building a growing audience by sharing the real, funny, imperfect moments of her everyday life.

They get into the viral videos that changed everything, balancing content creation with teaching and family life, dealing with negative comments, setting boundaries when it comes to her children, and the surprising amount of work that happens behind every post. Dakota also shares what she’s learned about monetization, staying consistent when growth slows down, finding your niche, and why authenticity has been such a huge part of her success.

Plus, they talk about AI, ChatGPT, technology, and whether we’re starting to rely on it a little too much.

There’s a lot more to being an influencer than posting a video and watching the views roll in. Come in through the side door and hear what nobody tells you about building a life online.