Episode 84: Sasha Exeter
Building a Digital Brand on Health, Authenticity, and Motherhood with Sasha Exeter
This week Sam chats with her good friend and the former elite athlete, global brand marketer, mother, and entrepreneur Sasha Exeter (@sashaexeter ). She is the founder of SashaExeter.com, where she inspires her followers all over the world to live a healthy and authentic life. She shares a refreshingly unique approach to fitness, lifestyle, and motherhood that combines all assets in an approachable way, for women of all ages.
The two discuss social media, mental health, authentically showing up online, and more.
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Podcast Script
Sam: [00:00:00] Monetize your passion for wellbeing. Like a job you love every single day and design a happy life from a healthy lifestyle. What's up, guys. This is thin skin and other addictions of the podcast by me, Samantha E Cutler of The Fit Fatale. Each week. I'm going to take you deeper into the world of wellness with entrepreneurs who are building brands designed to better your life.
[00:00:27] So you'll be hearing from fitness gurus, medical specialists, and influencers in the world of fitness, health, beauty, and nutrition. I hope you guys love it. Let's get down.
Sasha: [00:00:42] I like to tell people that you should know who somebody is by the nine most recent posts on someone's feed. Okay. At all times, right? Because those are the first nine boxes are the first thing that you see when you go to someone's [00:01:00] profile. So it is highly problematic if you go to someone's profile and you can't tell who they are from those nine recent posts.
Sam: [00:01:07] You're listening to spins skin and other addictions episode number 84.
[00:01:13] This week has been a long time coming. I have Sasha Exeter my dear friend on the show today, and I'm so excited to hear so much wisdom, insight, and goodness from her. Sasha is a content creator, she's an entrepreneur, she is an inspiration to so many females out there, female mothers, entrepreneurs, and those just really looking to live their passion.
[00:01:42] I am thrilled to have her on the show today because she gives not only a few, very good laughs and some realness but also a lot of insight into building a business. What it's been like for her and just being really authentic about where she's come from that not everything has been [00:02:00] easy and a simple decision.
[00:02:01] So I really hope that she can inspire so many people to get started where they're at today and continue to take the next step forward in leading authentically on social media. So I hope you love this episode. I hope you adore Sasha as much as I do. And if you have any questions as always, you can find me at The Fit Fatale on all major platforms. And please, if you love our episode, give us a rating on the podcast app, Spotify, or iTunes. I hope you enjoy this episode.
[00:02:34] Hey everyone. And welcome to another episode of spin skin and other addictions. This week, I am joined by Sasha Exeter some of you guys may know that Sasha is a dear friend of mine.
[00:02:46] So I have been dying to have this podcast interview. I just have to say that as she's laughing in the background, because we talk all the time and I feel like 90% of the time we should be recording the funny stuff and how our [00:03:00] conversations go. So here we're officially doing it. Sasha is a supermom, she is a content creator, an entrepreneur, and a business figure for all females to be looking to right now as long as I've known you, to be honest. And before I knew you, I've been looking up to you as a role model for so many female entrepreneurs, and I'm really excited to have you on the show. My dear friend, Sasha, give us an intro for the audience today.
Sasha: [00:03:32] Okay. First of all, a little emotional, that was like the best intro ever on any podcast I think I've ever done.
[00:03:39] So thank you for that. I think you've nailed all the points. I'm still trying to figure out my elevator pitch if you will. I have my hands in so many things, but probably as you said, best well known as a content creator and former athlete mama to Maxwell. My road to where I am today hasn't been [00:04:00] very linear, but I would say in short, I found my way into storytelling after becoming very ill with a kidney disease and fibromyalgia. I was working in the corporate world for eight or nine years and had what I would call rock bottom and press control alt delete on my life and rebooted myself and figured out what it is I really wanted to do.
[00:04:27] And I wanted to live my truth and live an authentic life. And, here we are.
[00:04:34] And it's
Sam: [00:04:34] crazy knowing you after the fact of what you went through when you call your like control alt delete, I love that reference knowing you and only having met you after that. It's my favorite part about doing these podcasts is hearing people's stories and where they've come from and where they are now and how they're thriving.
[00:04:55] Because just as a friend, who's come into knowing you, it looks like everything is [00:05:00] always figured out and you have your shit together, Although we laugh because we don't have our shit together. But definitely don't, we don't, you definitely don't. I definitely don't, you know, but it's, it's so much fun too, share that story. And then also be able to educate, inspire and advise those around you, that there is, there is more, and there's always something on the other side.
Sasha: [00:05:23] And you just have to believe, and you just have to have a lot of hope. I was 28 or 29 when I became my most ill. And it was a time that I was actually thriving in my corporate career. I was engaged to who was, I thought the love of my life making a lot of money for my age and just excelling in my career and life was great.
[00:05:49] And having all of that ripped away from me, which. Almost felt like overnight and having to leave my condo and get rid [00:06:00] of two cars and move in with my parents. When I had left home originally at the age of 18 to move to the States for school was really humbling, but I was on bed rest for almost a better part of a year after being hospitalized for a very long time.
[00:06:18] And I had a lot. I have many, many, many months, to do some soul searching and figure out what I wanted to do. And for my entire life, I think I lived the life that my family or society expected of me, but as difficult and challenging and gut-wrenching, that experience was having to battle two very chronic illnesses.
[00:06:46] It gave me the strength to dig deep. And it gave me the ability to believe in myself and not rely on external [00:07:00] factors or other people for validation. That makes sense.
Sam: [00:07:05] And in this soul searching moment or this soul searching process, rather, do you remember having an aha moment? That allowed you to slowly shift and get back up on your feet, or do you think it was a slower process to figure that out and pick back up the pieces?
Sasha: [00:07:28] It was definitely a slower process. It took me, it took me almost two years to kind of rebound and get back to a stable point in my life where I can live in the outside world. So what happened with, when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which is a chronic pain condition, I didn't go anywhere.
[00:07:48] I did not leave the bed. I was about 40 pounds heavier than I am now. I was severely depressed, I have extreme anxiety, insomnia. It was like a domino [00:08:00] effect of really, really, really bad shit. Sorry, getting emotional.
Sam: [00:08:05] It's okay. I am as well, listening to this and hearing the darkness that you had to go through.
Sasha: [00:08:11] But once I put together a team of alternative medicine and therapists to get me back somewhat healthy, I still was not listening to the universe and was putting myself back in situations that I had previously already lived. So I forced myself back into the corporate world. I forced myself into a new job with a new company because that's kind of.
[00:08:36] The only way that I knew. And it was like somebody was looking out for me and they're like, we're just going to keep beating you over the head until you actually fucking get it. Am I allowed to swear, yeah, go for it! And then I realized, okay, well what would in my mind, what would be the perfect job? [00:09:00] What industry would I want to be in?
[00:09:01] What kind of role would I want to be in? And. Could I marry my love and passions and my previous work experience? And what would all that look like? What would that culminate to? And I knew that I had a wealth of experience in so many different areas and a few people kept saying like, well, why aren't you, you know, you're a pretty decent writer and you understand the content, why don't you start a website?
[00:09:30] And this was towards the end of 2011, early 2012. And I thought it was a ridiculous recommendation because, well, actually they were, well at the time, I thought it was already oversaturated, which is really funny because yeah, totally different. But I had friends who had started blogs and I was like, Oh, I just think I'm like late to the party.
[00:09:55] I just, you know, I have two degrees, university degrees, like, is [00:10:00] that like, is that what I really should be doing? Anyways? I started writing and started the blog and it was really just cathartic for me. It was just kind of an outlet and it grew pretty quickly in the first six months. And I would say after about 14 months, I was in a position that I was able to leave my latest corporate job and do it full time.
Sam: [00:10:30] And you had at the time. Did you feel a calling because you had a story to tell with what you were going through? And I would imagine now, knowing you, knowing how you share so openly with your audience and your community and how you inspire and lead, I just, I know it's in your bones that you would have probably had this itch to say, okay, I'm healing.
[00:10:55] This is what I'm learning. I know I can share this with more people.
Sasha: [00:11:01] Funny enough, the blog didn't start out. The blog has had many phases in which the blog pretty much, no longer exists now. And it's just a website. But in the beginning, it was, I would say, I don't want to use the word fluffy, but it was more surface stuff.
[00:11:15] So it was the stuff that I was passionate about like travel and beauty and fashion and skincare and food. But it wasn't until I would say the end of 2013 when I ran the San Francisco half marathon with Nike. And I remember filling out all my paperwork before the marathon before we flew out to California, and Claire Rankin, who is the director of communications for Nike.
[00:11:46] I had to tell her about my health condition. And I said, you know, I might not make it through this race. Here are five emergency contacts. Should anything happen to me on the course. And once I told her [00:12:00] the full story, she was her mouth. I had to pick her mouth up off the floor, but she was like, what are you doing?
[00:12:07] What do you need? She's like, How, first of all, she said she was moved to tears, but how were you, how are you not sharing this story? You could be inspiring so many people. And the truth is I was embarrassed. I'm always seen as being a very strong individual and I, at the time, I, I just figured that having these challenges and these illnesses was, was more of a weakness than a strength.
[00:12:36] And I didn't want to not be considered for certain jobs or certain rules or certain campaigns and projects because of what I was dealing with. So I just hit it.
Sam: [00:12:47] It's crazy as you're saying this, I'm sure so many people listening resonate with this today, like balancing vulnerability and our strength is [00:13:00] so difficult, as you just said that, you know, it's sparked, it hits somewhere inside of me.
[00:13:04] Like, am I going to show up weak? Will I not be considered? And I'm certain, so many people listening feel that, like, how did you overcome that then? And now, how do you balance showing up as Sasha Exeter as this strong powerhouse and balancing your vulnerability at the same time with your community?
Sasha: [00:13:23] Those are great questions.
[00:13:24] So Claire basically had to twist my arm to share, and I'm really glad she did because that moment was extremely pivotal for myself, both professionally and personally. So I said I would share, but I said I had to wait until after the race was over because I didn't want to use my health situation as a crutch in case I wasn't able to finish.
[00:13:49] Right. So I completed their course and ran it and it really good time and wrote a race report on my blog and shared on Instagram [00:14:00] and my site crash, my emails were blowing up and I had never, I'd been blogging for almost two years at that point. And I had never had that sort of feedback from any content I've ever created.
[00:14:14] And that's when I started to realize the power of vulnerability and being open and honest and, and sharing things that were real. Not to say that I wasn't sharing real things before, but they were, as I said, they were surface we're filtered. Right, exactly. And objective. So this was me. This is who I am.
[00:14:35] This is what I was dealing with. This is, this is raw me. And from that point on, I had made it a point to just be who I am and be, and be proud of all of me, not only where I am today, but for all the low points and everything that I had gone through leading up.
Sam: [00:14:56] That's something we don't, we don't get to see from so many [00:15:00] creators.
[00:15:00] And let's not say creators, personalities, and leaders. What we lack right now in leadership in social media, in particular, is seeing where people came from. What was the shit that you went through that you got to where you are today because what's affecting people so much through their mental health is seeing just where people are just the good .
[00:15:26] And it's noble of you to, to take that, take that on then. Now there's a movement of being vulnerable and showing authenticity and reality and relate-ability, but that wasn't the case in 2013.
Sasha: [00:15:43] It was definitely not trending. Then I can tell you that. And it was, it was interesting because there wasn't really a bucket for me to fall into at that point if that makes sense.
[00:15:55] So really everyone was just trying to make their mark in [00:16:00] fashion. In terms of fitness and wellness, what we're seeing today was not at all what it was back then. So I was just kind of almost feeling alone as I was navigating these waters, but as time passed on and as things changed and within the landscape of social media, I slowly started to find more and more of a place that people started to understand a little bit more about what I was doing and why I was doing it the way I was doing it.
Sam: [00:16:28] And as a result, people became. Part of your community and are forever loyal. Like even long before I met you. I think I told you this one, we met so many people had said to me, do you know Sasha Exeter? Like, do you know her? Yes. I'm telling you because she, first of all, you would love her and you guys would get along is what I heard.
[00:16:50] But also you need to be looking up to her because she. Is, and I already was, but people would continuously tell me how, [00:17:00] authentic, how inspiring and how like powerful you were as a leader. And this is, we've probably met, it's been three years, four years. I don't, I can't even remember now. And people would continuously say this to me.
[00:17:12] And you've only continued to live that back to my question. Cause I think this is so relevant now. Cause like the landscape has shifted so much with social. How do you now day-to-day manage being that strong mother for one thing, strong entrepreneur and still being vulnerable with your community. Like what would be one thing or tip even you can share to anyone listening.
] Sasha: [00:17:40] It's not easy, but I will say that's, it might sound a bit silly almost, but the vulnerability and authenticity. Almost, how do I say this? It almost comes [00:18:00] from a place of taking the path of least resistance. Right. And I'll explain what I mean. So I've been doing this since 2012 and I've seen people come and I've seen people grow and I've seen people go, Oh, I kind of rhymed.
Sam: [00:18:17] I like that. That could be a book title.
Sasha: [00:18:21] I know. Right. And I think what has happened for many people is that they get burnt out, trying to put on a facade. And losing themselves and through losing themselves, losing their, their loved ones and their partners like losing relationships and finding the job becoming extremely challenging because they're not living their authentic self.
[00:18:52] So for me, Not that I'm lazy, but it's just easier for me to show up [00:19:00] as who I am, work with brands that I truly believe in and promote products and services that I would truly purchase with my own hard earned money. Because that in turn makes my job very easy. And I think you can attest to this and you can speak to this as well.
[00:19:21]You, you love Joe fresh as a brand.
Sam: [00:19:24] Yes. Right. I'm wearing Joe fresh right now. So yes.
Sasha: [00:19:29] So, and you adore their pajamas. So making the content is not difficult. Yeah. And I was just noticing how challenging it was to like do content in the early days for things that I wasn't completely aligned with.
[00:19:47] So that is how and why show up the way I do. But. The job and showing up as a mom, as a single mom that is [00:20:00] not easy. And I think you'd kind of asked this earlier and I didn't get a chance to fully answer the whole mental health aspect. I do struggle with it a lot, and I know it is a common thing for most content creators.
[00:20:15] And I always wonder. Okay. Cause I hear a lot of people complaining about the stress and how the negative effects of being online and putting yourself out there all the time. And I think to myself, if that is in fact, the case, then why are you not taking a break? Right. There are people, and I know you take breaks and I applaud you for it.
[00:20:37] And you're one of the people that helped inspire me to start taking more breaks.
Sam: [00:20:40] Well, you, I just saw your post today. It's Friday that we're recording and you were like, I'm out, I'll be back after the weekend. And I was like, Oh, drool.
Sasha: [00:20:50] But you've done that. And I drooled when you've done it. You did it the whole Christmas break.
[00:20:56] And I was like, I want to do that. And I watched some [00:21:00] people show up and give everything every single day, seven days a week, 24 hours a day with, I don't even know 52 stories, dots, sustainable. It's not. And then I have to, like, I know how I feel doing it. So, and if that person's going to show up looking normal and okay every day or for 90% of the time, that's not authentic to me. So yeah, I just, I, I am trying my best to find find a balance because at the end of the day, what we do is more PR related and not the ER. And, you know, if we need to take a beat or take a pause, the world's still going to turn.
[00:21:45] I have another job. That's way more important than my day job. And that's being a mom to Max who is screaming her head off in the living room. I apologize.
Sam: [00:21:54] I love that child so much. She is the light of everyone's life on your [00:22:00] social media as well. She's just , her dancing when you threw that flashback video, I was like, Oh my God, I remember this the way you posted this the first time.
Sasha: [00:22:09] Yeah. Yeah. I need to, I need to protect my soul and protect boundaries and protect my space in order to show up and be. The mother and the parent that I need to be for her because she deserves to have me at her best self. But you know, like your wellness is a big pillar of your brand too. It, it, it's really hard to set boundaries for yourself, especially when you have a community that loves you and wants to hear from you every single day and, and brands that need or expecting content all the time.
[00:22:43] So, but taking those that time makes you a better content creator. It makes you better.
[00:22:51] Exactly.
Sam: [00:22:52] like it makes it makes you a better creator and what, what I would imagine. And I'm so curious of your thoughts on this is like, [00:23:00] as creators, we love our jobs. And it seems like you, you know, I know you do, but you authentic give that off how much you love your partnerships and you love everything you do. But what we forget, and I think that's the part that leads us astray from taking our breaks, because it doesn't feel like work every day.
[00:23:18] Right. It says, when you're living your passion, you don't feel like you're showing up to work every day. You're showing up to you love, your true purpose. You would do it, whether you were paid or not. That was always my question. When I left corporate, I was like, will I do this? If I was paid or not?
[00:23:32] Which I wasn't for. So, yes. But. That's the part that makes it difficult because when we work a nine to five, Monday to Friday corporate job, even if the hours are way longer, whatever that looks like, we have one legal vacation time we have to take and we have two ,we have like this stepping away fact that we walk away from a job.
[00:23:56] We walk away from an office, whereas our phone now is [00:24:00] always attached to us. And we don't like, as you said, that whole thing about Christmas, I, before this Christmas, when I took a break, looked at everyone else, you know, yourself included taking a break, like, you know, on various different occasions, many of the people within our network doing it and our peers doing it.
[00:24:17] And I was always jealous until I realized. Look at this like a job. When you take a break from work, what do you do? You put your out of office on you, email every partner. You make sure they got their stuff before your Friday, when you sign out and you have to get your stuff in order. How, how now do you balance that?
[00:24:38] Like, as you take those mini breaks, cause when we're taking a big break that's it's, you know, there's a much bigger things to put in place. Like how do you decide when I need this mini break? Like this weekend, I need to be offline.
[00:24:54] Sasha: [00:24:54] Well, I only know mini breaks cause I haven't taken a big one yet. Okay.
[00:24:59] Sam: [00:24:59] Well, we're going to get [00:25:00] you a big one birthday trip for you sometimes.
[00:25:04]Sasha: [00:25:04] The mini breaks Well, this one was, I knew I had to take it, but my therapist actually told me I didn't have a choice based on a lot of things that were happening and that has gone on in my life since, I guess, last summer. But my plan going forward is to just like, I just have to block out the time.
[00:25:27] Ahead of time in my calendar for the rest of the year. Just like you said, similar to what I would have to do and submit to my superior, my boss and my corporate job. You just kind of, I just have to do it. I didn't do it for so long. And I still don't even remember the last time I took a vacation where I didn't document anything.
Sam: [00:25:48] That's the hardest part, there is always a content opportunity.
Sasha: [00:25:51] Right. And even like the few times that I went up to the cottage in the summer, last summer, I was still posting. So I think. [00:26:00] This might be like the first time I'm taking a long weekend off and there will be no activity for me on Instagram. Like I'm just not posting anything.
[00:26:08] I'm not on Twitter, I'm not doing anything. So, but yeah, we'll see how it goes, but I feel like in order for me to get to the next level I need, I need these breaks. I need the creative space to come back and, and. Be more powerful and have better ideas to bring to the table and level up on my content.
Sam: [00:26:32] I want to talk a little bit about content because I'm sure so many of our listeners are so inspired by the content you produce the quality of the content you produce, how you lead your team and inspire others. Do you have any secrets to your content hacks that you can share with our listeners?
Sasha: [00:26:55] Oh God. That is a good question. I think [00:27:00] people would be really surprised to know that I'm very basic when it comes to not, not the ideation because I do spend a lot of time thinking about what the content is going to look like and how to make it engaging. And what's going to resonate with the audience, but I'm not one of those creators that do a lot of stuff on the post.
[00:27:24] And just like, I don't use presets and all of that stuff. I don't overly at this point. I don't really overly plan my feed either. I used to think I went through a period of time where I wanted all my backgrounds to be perfect.
Sam: [00:27:41] I'm like, I'm a stickler for content too but, this year. What was I even thinking back then. Honestly, anyone who did that with 2020 was like thrown out the door when they were locked in their house for a year.
[00:27:53] So,
Sasha: [00:27:56] Oh my gosh. But yeah, I do, I do [00:28:00] put a lot of thought into. The content ideas. I have a pretty awesome team that I use for soundboarding. We have three photographers and two videographers that we work with consistently. And. I would say, I mean, they're not on salary, there are freelance based, but they're very much part of our permanent team.
[00:28:22] So they sit in sometimes on creative meetings, for instance, we've been meeting a lot with tick-tock Canada. So the person that helps work on videos with me is totally involved in all those meetings. Just so we're all on the same page. And I feel like once you've been doing this job for so long, It's sometimes hard to think outside of the box, especially if you're dealing with partnerships that have been going on for multiple years.
[00:28:51] I find relief knowing that I have my support team and we keep adding new members to the team. So they're able to add value [00:29:00] and add insights and bring fresh ideas that maybe I had not thought of because I was sitting with this partnership for so long. I will say this, I have some rules of thumb.
[00:29:10] So, and this is like, I don't know if you think this way as well, Sammy, but I like to tell people that you should know who somebody is by the nine most recent posts on someone's feed. Okay. At all times, right? Because those are the first nine boxes or the first thing that you see when you go to someone's profile.
[00:29:32] So it is highly problematic. If you go to someone's profile and you can't tell who they are from those nine recent posts. So typically within those nine posts for me, you'll see lifestyle, you'll see fashion, you'll see Maxwell, you'll see something fitness related and something wellness related. And those are all like my major brand pillars, girl.
Sam: [00:29:57] I, one thing that I say, so I love [00:30:00] that you should know who someone is within their first, you know, like the first nine photos in their grid. I've never heard that. And I love that approach. But one thing that I can align with you on fully is I always say, find your pillars and. Mix and match them, but never leave one out for too long.
[00:30:22] And it's the same idea, like you're saying, like align. Yeah. It's the same thing and align your partnerships with them and align your, the content you're producing. So your audience shows up and knows who you are. And so your partners know who you are as well. Exactly. And like you do that so well, you're, you're, there's always a mix.
[00:30:41] And just when you're like, oh there's been a bunch of like, or there's motherhood. You hit us with the workout and every time, and then you consume the workout and you hit us with, Oh, guess what? Remember? Last year when I went out looking like this and this down and it was like, don't forget. Yes, I've been [00:31:00] home for a year, but don't forget I also roll out.
Sasha: [00:31:02] Like I could also clean up nice. But you know what that also is because I, over the years I've noticed that. Because the landscape is getting so saturated. It is so easy for brands and PR firms to forget who you are and what you do. So when I had Maxwell, of course, because I post authentically and what's going on in my life, a lot of the posts were of Maxwell because that's all I was doing.
[00:31:32] I was a new mom and then brands just were like, Oh, she's a mom blogger now. Like no I'm not, I like fashion still. am still, me and I had to fight really hard, even though I was like newly in the postpartum phase and trying to figure out, you know, how to be a mom and how to breastfeed and not feeling my best because I hadn't dropped all the baby weight.
[00:31:57] I had to force myself back to [00:32:00] remind people, this is who I am. I'm not going to lose sight of that just because I've had a child. I'm still that bitch.
[00:32:07] Yeah girl. And you know,
Sam: [00:32:08] what's funny as you say that, and you're like, I'm not a mom blogger. I have, I even just heard on this podcast, like Maxwell brings me so much light and life through your content, but every single other piece of your content, as someone who doesn't have a child yet, resonates with me so strongly. And so I feel like you're not, you know, and also there's like age difference and experience difference between the two of us. But I feel like you share your content in a way that doesn't isolate any particular group and is very open to inspiring wherever the consumer of that content is finding it.
Sasha: [00:32:50] That is the best compliment. Thank you so much for saying that, because that, that always worried me. And I thought about that. While I was pregnant, like what, [00:33:00] what's my content going to look like? Because the people that had been following me to that up until that point, a lot of them weren't moms and have kids.
[00:33:09] When i was pregnant, and I gained a lot of new followers, obviously throughout the nine months of pregnancy, but I didn't want to alienate or lose the ones that worked.
[00:33:21] Sam: [00:33:21] It has to become a pillar now of what you share, as you said, but it like you made the choice that it wasn't everything. And there are people who becomes, you know, their, their guiding light of their content.
[00:33:33] And that's incredible as well. Right. It's just who you wanted to show up as, as a creator was not that, and that's clear. I think that's very clear in your content also like it anyway, I was literally gonna say like the way you present yourself and like dress and you, you just appeal to so many different age groups and like [00:34:00] experience groups, let's say, and I think you really like, hit it on, Hey, I know what I'm doing, but I also don't know what the hell I'm doing sometimes.
[00:34:07] And that's, and like, and that's where you're like, okay. Yes. I don't care where I'm at, this resonates with me because most people feel that no matter where they are.
Sasha: [00:34:15] Yeah. They feel it in their chest for sure.
[00:34:17] Yeah. They feel a little anxiety tick what, tell
Sam: [00:34:23] us, like, what platforms are you loving right now? We have to laugh. You just got on Tik Tok.
[00:34:27] How is that platform not age
Sasha: [00:34:31] gated. I'm surprised they let a 40 year old mother on Tik Tok. Like, what am I doing on there? I hated it for so long. I resisted it for as long as I could. But, you know what?
[00:34:47] I feel like I needed, I wanted to make content fun again, and I felt like it could be a space where I could just do that and [00:35:00] not feel restricted and not take myself. I don't really take myself seriously, but really kind of push my own creative boundaries and test out different things. So. Yeah, I'm interested to see.
[00:35:13] I mean, I'm fresh. I just got on, on Monday.
Sam: [00:35:18] You're already blowing up.
Sasha: [00:35:20] I don't think so. Not even close, but it's exhausting. People are posting on there two or three times a day.
Sam: [00:35:28] I will say like the rule. Well, the rule of thumb or whatever everyone says with growing on Tik Tok is posting two or three times a day. The only reason I did it at the beginning was because we went into lockdown and I think a lot of people read, like, had the same experience where the content became stale because we were sitting in our house and a lot of partnerships were on pause. Like I had a press thing that I was supposed to be traveling to, but then that got canceled, like all these things.
[00:35:58] So I went, okay, now I'm in my [00:36:00] house. I might as well make some board in the house dance video. I mean, not actually dance videos, but you know what I mean? Like the silly fun content and that, but now I look at it and I feel the exact same way. I, if I put out a video on Tik Tok like every second day, it's a win for me now. Whereas the beginning of this investment.
Sasha: [00:36:21] It's your turn to give me insight and anyone else who is new to the platform, but should I not be doing that? I feel like in order to gain traction, my face needs to be showing up on people's for you page every time they log in. So if I'm not posting every day, then I'm not going to actually grow fast. Correct.
Sam: [00:36:43] So the rule, like they always say to post multiple times when you first joined the platform and to grow a lot, the reason more for that is you're going to have a higher chance of one of those videos going viral throughout the day. And obviously the more the videos go viral, whatever that means for you.
[00:36:58] Right. If you're just [00:37:00] starting a couple of thousand might be viral. If you've grown quite a bit, a million is what, you know, viral, whatever. So I think like depending on, on. On the amount of content you produce, your chances are significantly higher. I feel like there's so many rules. There's so many rules with Tik Tok that are very different, like so different than other platforms.
[00:37:20] But I find they all sort of go with the creator mindset, which is why I really like it as a platform. The more niche you are and the more specific the content is, and similar to other content that you put out, the better you perform as a profile, and as your content performs, the faster you grow, the faster they show it to more of that niche audience.
[00:37:44] I feel like we feel that way, as creators, but then we're like, okay, well, you know, we're gonna vary. We're going to do all sorts of different like pieces within our pillars. Let's say, but with Tik Tok, I feel like they really want to see. Here's Sasha with her beauty [00:38:00] stuff every day, or here Sasha with her workout stuff, which is kind of funny because we're used to mixing everything on other platforms.
[00:38:08] Yeah. Is that helpful at all?
Sasha: [00:38:11] I'm just, yeah. I mean, yeah, I'm still figuring it out and I'm reflecting back on some conversations that I have with them, because they did say, you know, three to five times a week is like, the preferred cadence and I'm like, you guys bamboozled me. That is not true.
[00:38:27] Everyone's posting every day, three to five times a week is not going to be sufficient. And then also just, I don't know, the advice I was given was to kind of have it near my Instagram, but I feel like what you just said is actually true, because if I think about some creators that focus on food, if they're, if that platform is primarily recipes, they probably will do better than trying to incorporate other things.
[00:38:56] I just find
Sam: [00:38:58] like the people who [00:39:00] wind up on your page there, what, the difference that I've noticed is that they become addicted to consuming the content. Whereas I feel like on Instagram, people become affiliated.
[00:39:11] Or, or become interested in consuming what's going on in our lives. And I think that's the biggest difference with Instagram. It gives us the ability to go live, to do interviews, IGTV ,show funny stuff on real show, like stories like so many assets of who we are. Whereas Tik Tok is really focused on short educational videos or short, funny videos.
[00:39:33] Like there's, you have to fall into one of those niches versus here's what my life is and here's all the different, like facets of who I am.
Sasha: [00:39:46] Oh my goodness. Wish me luck.
Sam: [00:39:50] 0% concerned about you. He will be just fine. And we can talk more about this offline. I feel like we could talk for hours. [00:40:00] What, what Tips, would you say to those looking to build their business or start their business today?
[00:40:09] I think so many people, 2020, 2021 are at home have been toying, have either tipped like past the tipping point to launching their own business online or are starting to think about it starting to, you know, the ideation process. What would you say as a leader in this industry to those looking to get it.
[00:40:34] Any business?
Sasha: [00:40:35] Or are we talking about like, as a creator, any business?
Sam: [00:40:40] I think because in reality you inspire so many female entrepreneurs. And then if you have tips for creators, Hey, we'll hear it. I'll hear it. I'm all ears.
Sasha: [00:40:48] I think. I think we're living in God, man. I hate the word unprecedented so much, but [00:41:00] it is what it is like we're living in such a strange time.
[00:41:04] And I think the, one of the major takeaways for me through this pandemic is that don't sit on shit. Don't sit on ideas. Don't fucking waste time. We don't know, like if somebody told us last February that we starting March would be locked down in our homes for a year, no one would believe it. And I think a lot of people just sat around thinking about wanting to change their life or start something new.
[00:41:32] And they were just waiting for the right time. There's never going to be the right time. Make the time to do it. Now, that's the advice that I give to people as well, when they're trying to start their wellness or fitness journey, like don't wait for the first of X month or the new year. If it's Thursday and you get up and you decide that you want to make that change, you do it that day.
Sam: [00:41:58] It's a lifestyle [00:42:00] change. It can't just be, it can't be so calculated. It can't be Monday 9:00 AM. That's when I'll change.
Sasha: [00:42:08] Exactly. Oh my gosh. Deceased. I'm also a huge advocate of insights. And that's like the marketing geek in me. I've always been that person. I will always use that when I can, as a compass.
[00:42:26]Whether it's as a creator, because I mean, and I mean like deep insights, like not Instagram, only insights, like I love programs like dovetail and things like that that most agencies pay for. Because I want to see what types of brand and content categories are appealing to my audience. Who are the top celebrities that are following me and what are the top types of accounts that are following me?
[00:42:56] Like what do people really want to see? And I take [00:43:00] that into the other projects that I'm doing that have nothing to do with social media. So if I was to think about what I'm doing with my Ela handbags collection, we didn't do it so much with the first launch because it was under embargo. No one really knew about it until a few months beforehand, but after the first successful launch, I really forced my team and their team to, to look at insights and, and do some crowdsourcing.
[00:43:29] And, you know, if we're, if I'm trying to make bags for women, even though I am a woman, I'm just one woman. Like why would I asking people for feedback? If I want to guarantee success? I should just be asking people exactly what they want and try to make exactly what they need.
Sam: [00:43:50] Yes. The biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is not listening to their customers.
Sasha: [00:43:58] Exactly. [00:44:00] So that's, that's something that I think has helped me be successful and I'll start implementing that as much as I can on other projects that I'm doing.
Sam: [00:44:11] And with your Ela handbags. First of all, I pretty sure I had my alarm set, but yet they were still sold out when I went to go get mine and then they were coming out on Indigo and then they were still sold out.
[00:44:25] So I just want everyone listening. If you know, Sasha, it doesn't help you. So I was like an alarm for next time for your collab, number two, because. Girl over here is waiting for her Ela xSasha handbag.
Sasha: [00:44:40] It was actually surreal. And I thought, you know, we did a presale and I thought, you know what? I'm actually gonna buy a couple of gifts for close friends and my mom and some family members when we officially launch.
[00:44:57] And that was like, seriously, [00:45:00] my plan. And I was just about to post the videos, putting the caption in and was about to share. And Ela texts me and she's like, the, the bags are almost gone and I'm like, that is impossible. It's 10:02am, I haven't even posted finished posting the video to announce the launch.
[00:45:20] And as I hit share, she messaged like we're done. Oh my gosh. I honestly, I feel like. I can't describe the feeling because it was kind of terrifying. I don't know why. And I was thinking, but I knew deep down in my mind that I didn't want a huge buildup to this launch. Nobody knew what this bag looked like.
[00:45:44] Minus a couple of editors who had interviewed me beforehand. I had no idea if people were going to think it was the worst bag that they'd ever seen on the face of the year. It was so crazy. What I did. But to see that kind [00:46:00] of feedback and how much people genuinely loved. And not only because they, they just love following me, but they just love the product.
[00:46:11] Yeah. Wow. And to see people still wearing it after we launched in November and they're like, that's my main, everyday bag is wild.
Sam: [00:46:22] That must feel so. Rewarding as well to have that validation as well. Like this is your first, I mean, you've done so many different collaborative projects with brands, but this is your first like bigger partnership launch in collaboration with a brand. If I'm not mistaken.
Sasha: [00:46:39] My first like design club. Yeah. Yes, but they're Oh my God. There are a lot of exciting things coming down the pipeline this year. Okay.
Sam: [00:46:51] So you'll tell me when they happen and when they're allowed to come out and we'll update our listeners because we all know that the world, that means [00:47:00] when it comes out, you'll know.
Sasha: [00:47:01] Yeah, that, that. First foray or that first time to the rodeo is definitely, definitely sparked the design bug for me. And I think that was a really unique situation in which it has enabled brands to understand that I'm able to convert and I'm able to sell and collaborating or allowed me to design something.
[00:47:24] Wouldn't be a crazy idea. So I'm very thankful that that launch went the way it did because it's opened so many doors for me to try different things and continue on my journey on collaborating at a different level.
Sam: [00:47:41] Yeah. I cannot wait to see what you do next. And as a friend, as a community member of yours, I just watch it all the time.
[00:47:52] I've said that so many times in this podcast I can't wait to see what you do next. And as that unfolds for you as an entrepreneur, [00:48:00] where can all of our listeners find you follow along and stay just as captivated as I am. And the rest of those who follow you?
Sasha: [00:48:11] Well at Sammy girl, I will say this, a launch we have coming out this summer is so big and I have actually added your name to the list. So you will just, you will be getting it before it launches. So rest assured you're good.
[00:48:28] Sam: [00:48:28] I'm in guys, you heard it here by the way, I'm on the list.
Sasha: [00:48:34] It’s locked and loaded and was submitted on Wednesday. But yeah, you guys can find me at my new home, which is www.sashaexeter.com. So we'll have all information about our current projects, what I'm working on information for a new TV show that should be launching soon and we'll be launching a podcast later on this year. And on social media, I've made it very easy for people to [00:49:00] find and follow me. My handles are all the same, which is my government name at Sasha Exeter.
Sam: [00:49:06] I love it. I'm so excited. I don't even know like what I can anticipate from you, but I know there is always so much, so I want to thank you so much for taking this time.
[00:49:16] I know you are about to take your time off, so I'm going to send you on your way. And I just want to say thank you for being here and sharing so much insight with me, with our listeners, and for just chatting with me.
Sasha: [00:49:29] Thanks for having me. It was long overdue, and I feel like this forty-five 50 minutes flew by, and could have easily talked for two hours.
Sam: [00:49:37] I agree. We only covered half of what I wanted to.