Meet Desiree Marie | Healthcare Professional, Mom Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Desiree Marie and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Desiree, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Being a radiologic technologist for a decade, my work life balance has changed many times. Life revolved around working full-time and picking up extra shifts, in the beginning of my career. Whereas the later half of it, life and family slowly began to tip the scale. It wasn’t until my second child was born, and with the support and encouragement from my fiancé, I stepped down from my full-time position to an occasional per diem status at the hospital, working overnight, every other weekend. It was the perfect balance of being able to be at home and spend time with my children, but also step out of mommy mode for a couple days a month.

With this new work, life balance, it left a small window to be able to do something else I love: Create! I enjoy filming, capturing moments, editing, writing, reviewing, and recommending. So naturally, I started my social media page sharing the activities my children and I do, the events we attend, mom tips and inspiration, fun finds and deals. I’ve always dabbled in and out of social media since before you had to be invited to join Facebook with a college email address. Whether it was an unfinished blog, a poetry board, or coding on Myspace, navigating the internet was nothing new to me. However, things have changed a lot since then, and I’m having to learn this different side of social media, while also creating the content, while also caring for my family. I believe the work life balance scale tips, dependent upon on where one is in life and what is most important to one. I’ve just recently gone back to work full time, so now I have a new adjustment to this work life balance.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
While creating content is not technically my full time career, I do aspire to crossover to it at least part time. I’ve been creating mom content for about 18 months, and it really just started off of someone’s advice, “just start.” I was with the kids a lot, doing fun things and going fun places, and I wanted to share, learn, and connect with other moms that may benefit from this info also. What better way then social media? However, at the time I didn’t really understand the full depth of creating content for social media and then monetizing it. I didn’t realize the amount of work and research that actually goes on behind the scenes, just to get your content seen so you can build your community organically: the filming, the niching down, the editing, the hashtags, the pitching, the engagement, etc. It definitely hasn’t been easy, but I just keep learning, and keep showing up. There’s a few things I had started eons ago, like my poetry blog and my Dez Recommends blog, that I regret not sticking with. And I don’t want that to be the case for Thatmomnxtdoor.
So I started following people who gave out tips and advice about social media and incorporating the ones that fit for me. I started “niching down,” revamping a few times along the way. I started filming everything, thinking it would make for great content. But my biggest challenge was having the time to edit these videos. But, I have learned that not everything has to be filmed in it’s entirety, which has led to better editing turnaround times for me. And also, scheduling a mandatory hour each day to do it.
Some key lessons I’ve learned in the realm of creating content, is to be authentically you and to not succumb to imposter syndrome. Unfollow and delete anything that doesn’t bring you joy, value, or inspire you. Quality over quantity. Invest in yourself, which I’m working on also. Step outside your comfort zone, whether it’s pitching to companies or filming yourself out in public. I’m still working on both, but as I’m venturing beyond my comfort, I’ve noticed greater things are happening. Lastly, stay consistent if it’s something you really want. You never know who may be watching and digging your content. You never know who you may also be inspiring as well.
I’m proud of my organic growth as a content creator and the community of awesome moms who share advice, connect and root for one another on this motherhood journey. I’m excited about the future and potential of Thatmomnxtdoor. I hope to start a blog soon and write a children’s book. Right now, Thatmomnxtdoor hooks moms up with fun events to take their young children to every weekend in and around Atlanta. She alerts moms of great deals for items for their littles and shares mom tips along the way. And she hopefully inspires other moms to be the best mom they can be.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My idea of the best time ever is anything involving good food, good music, good drinks, and a little adventure. So we would definitely start the visit by hitting up Flying Biscuit for breakfast. The french toast with raspberry sauce and honey crème anglaise is amazing! After that, we’d chill out at Piedmont Park before renting bikes and riding the Beltline. Dinner would be low key at Krog Street Market, so they could have a variety of restaurants to choose from like Gu’s Dumpling or Olé Cuban Kitchen. Later that night would entail more adventurous fun at either The Skyline at Ponce City Market or Your 3rd Spot.

Another fun filled day, we would be hitting up Fireside Jamaican Restaurant off Bouldercrest for the most flavorful curry chicken, and then spend the afternoon running in and out the shops at Little Five Points. We’d eat dinner at the Southern Feed Store in East Atlanta VIllage, before grabbing a bottle of wine, and heading to a late night paint session at Paint Sip Socialize, for a fun paint along experience and great music.

Duluth would be another area we would spend the day at. We’d eat dinner at the most delicious ramen restaurant, Raku Tonkastu Ramen. After, we’d drink and sing our hearts, at Luxor Karaoke and Bar. I love that they have private karaoke rooms for those of us with less courage to sing in front of a huge crowd. And after we’ve lost our voices, we’d relax at Jeju Sauna. My favorite saunas are the Himalayan salt room and the charcoal room. Feels like you slept on a cloud when you leave.

On Sunday, we would brunch at Negril and eat amazing Jamaican, while vibing to dope music. We’d head over to Atlantic Station to shop and walk brunch off. Apache XL would end our night for dinner with live music and spoken word.

And of course, if there were any festivals like The Atlanta Jazz Festival or Sweet Auburn Festival, or any of outdoor concerts with our favorite artists playing like at Wolf Creek or Stockbridge Amphitheater, we would be there!!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate this Shoutout to my fiancé Victor, for all his love, support, and encouragement. He truly supports and encourages me in anything I chose to do. Whether it’s filming equipment, content suggestions, or encouraging words and advice, he motivates and believes in me. I also want to give credit to my children. Honestly, without them there’d be no Thatmomnxtdoor. I wouldn’t be able to share this motherhood journey without them. Though I try my best to film with them very candidly and organically majority of the time, the times where we may need to pause or retake a clip, they’re such good sports about it. And they absolutely love watching the videos and seeing the pictures when I’m done editing. They get such a kick out of watching themselves on new adventures or activities. And lastly, I would like to give a shoutout to my parents, for helping to lay the foundation for the family dynamic within my home now. From the many family activities and adventures, to watching them tackle anything together, to the guidance (though I may not always had wanted to hear it #teenageyears), my parents showed me and helped mold me to becoming the woman I am today. To becoming the mother I am today.

Instagram: Thatmomnxtdoor

Facebook: Thatmomnxtdoor

Image Credits
n/a