Today we’d like to introduce you to Reni Jackson
Hi Reni, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
During the pandemic, I moved to LA with no real plan. I just wanted a have a change of scenery. I ended up lasting there for only 15 months before I decided to move back to Atlanta. While LA turned out not to be the place for me, I did find my penchant for entertainment and social media living there. I was meeting so many people who were in those circles and ended up making lots of connections and even some friends. I did some brand modeling and other social media projects while I was in LA. I even started shooting a reality show for a major network, which was a cool experience. I ended up leaving that project to come back here though. It has always felt like home, and I also just didn’t feel that the show was right for me at that time. I am big on intuition, and if it doesn’t feel right, then it’s probably best to let it go. So 2022, I’m living back in Atlanta, and I was working on a lot of behind-the-scenes social media marketing projects for an artist. In 2023, I’ll never forget, a friend of mine dared me to post on TikTok during a convo we were having one day. He was always encouraging me to get in front of the camera more instead of trying to be more behind the scenes. He said, “Just try it, I bet you will get a following real quick.” I kinda laughed it off, but I accepted the challenge. He ended up being right. I went from 85 followers to over 10K in like 2 months. Felt like overnight. At first, I probably over-analyzed what type of content I should make, until I realized people were just interested in my everyday life. I was getting asked all the time about what I ate, what I was wearing, and what my workout routine was. That was easy content for me to make because I was just sharing my genuine self. Next thing I knew, brands were starting to reach out and the rest is history. The internet is definitely a fickle and ever-changing landscape and you always want to think about what’s next, and still remain true to how you started but I am having fun doing it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Life is a journey that has smooth periods. But nothing worth having is always easy. There are highs and lows. But I never get discouraged in the rougher times. I look at those times as an opportunity to regroup and learn what works and what doesn’t. As cliche as it may sound, if I put my mind to something, I am going to see it through, no matter if it is easy or not.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My 9-5? I’ve been working in tech since 2014. Officially, I’m a senior project manager for a large data company, and that’s what pays the bills. I don’t think I ever want to be known for my 9-5 job, that is not in my ministry of life! I don’t think we should define ourselves by that, however, I do take pride in all of my work, no matter what it is.
I could consider my social media presence a job too, but it is one that I enjoy, so it doesn’t feel like work. But if you break it down, it actually is a lot of work. I am a creative director, editor, assistant, and the talent. But, I am always proud of how I have learned to wear all of those hats and create something that people like and respond to positively.
I’ve always felt like people were drawn to me and I love meeting and interacting with new people, online and in real life. It’s exciting to actually meet some of the profile pics that are on the screen liking my photos or commenting in my lives. Some of these interactions or connections have even lead to business opportunites or collabs, which is amazing. But beyond that, I do really love the human interaction that comes with what I do. There’s so many different types of people in the world with different interests and ideas and different knowledge. I love to learn things from people that I can apply to what I do and expand beyond the internet.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Like I mentioned before, the internet is a very fickle place. People’s opinions and ideas are ever-changing. What people want to hear, see, and absorb changes so quickly, and you always have to be ready to shift. I think its even more important to recognize early when these shifts are happening so you can quickly pivot. I can’t really imagine what social media will be in the next 5-10 years, but I can imagine it’ll be different from today. Whatever is becomes, I just hope that if I am still apart of it I have elevated to the next level and am still maintaining a relevancy in the industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/renjay_
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ren_jay
- Twitter: https://X.com/ren_jay
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@renjay_
- Other: https://TikTok.com/_renjay
