We had the good fortune of connecting with Fara Wilson and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Fara, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m originally from Haiti (born and raised). My cultural roots and value-system certainly have had an impact on my desire to succeed — in all aspects of my life. I did not, however, follow the traditional career path most Haitian parents would prefer for their children: medicine, law, engineering, etc.. Nope, I chose to study marketing, a profession my parents thought sounded a little aloof. But it’s that non-traditional mindset that always inspired me to think outside of the box.
Following a successful 20-year run climbing that corporate ladder, I found myself deciding what to do next. And by sheer happenstance, the business of social media influencing found me. What started as a hobby turned into a full-time career in just over two years, building an engaged following and partnering with some major national brands such as Walmart, PayPal, Amazon, Kroger, Shark, Dollar General, Panera Bread, Overstock, to name a few.
This career shift has also afforded me the opportunity to create my own hours, working from home and being present in my young children’s lives, spending more quality time together and even sneaking in a weekly self-care day!
And now that I’ve caught caught the entrepreneurial bug, I’m starting two new business ventures: one in the social influencing world, an educational component in which I can teach others on how to become successful in this business. And because I love a challenge, I’ll be entering my first foray into the beverage business (more of that coming soon)!
What should our readers know about your business?
I am a Social Media Influencer, Content Creator and Blogger with an engaged, mostly female, following of 100,000+ across several platforms which include Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and my blog. My photos have been featured in magazines and on several guest blogs. I have also made TV appearances on CNBC and PBS.
I connect with my audience by helping them curate beautiful, organized, family-friendly spaces while navigating life as a busy mompreneur. This includes sharing problem-solving content as it relates to decor and DIY, self-care, time-saving meal options, kid-friendly activities and vacation destinations, as well as related product reviews and more.
I’m most proud of staying true to self. My followers have come to know me for my fun-loving personality, transparency and overall positive outlook on life.
I’ve now been in this industry for 4 years, the first as an escape (pass time), the second year building my community, and the third and fourth as full-time creator. Building takes time, a lot of hours, a lot of research, personal brand development, interpreting audience analytics, fine-tuning messaging, positioning and more. The hardest part was niching down, a process I’m still refining as I’m continuing to expand my core base.
I am really excited about officially launching my Instagram Influencer Online Courses (www.thefarafix/academy) later this Spring to help other content creators to fast-tract their way into a successful influencer career and income flow!
It’s been great to use my 20-year marketing career expertise to transition into this new role, to negotiate with brands, work with agencies while also serving my audience. I was vice president of marketing and communications for an Atlanta Commercial Real Estate for 8 years and spent 13 years, also in marketing at a national commercial real estate company. It’s been great to apply my transferrable skills to my new business.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Hmmmm…SO many places to eat in the ATL.
Let’s see: breakfast at Highland Bakery in the Old Fourth Ward for the best ricotta cheese pancakes; Pho for lunch at any one of our favorite spots on Buford Highway; dinner at La Grotta or Bones, and if we’re staying in, take-out dinner from our favorite Haitian restaurant (La Difference in Lawrenceville) or Thai from Mali (in midtown).
More favorites include book fairs in Downtown Decatur, local park concerts, and the Atlanta zoo (our kiddos LOVE it)!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mom gets A LOT of credit! Her resilience has always inspired me and continues to do so. My dad had great work ethic and expected a lot from me, and I was happy to meet that challenge.
I’ve also met some incredible people throughout my career, many of whom supported me in ways I could have never imagined with their time, conversations, book recommendations, life lessons and then some.
Website: www.thefarafix.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thefarafix
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefarafix
Other: www.pinterest.com/thefarafix www.tiktok.com/@thefarafix
Image Credits
All images are my own. They should be labeled as Fara Wilson – TheFaraFix