Wow. Today's interview with my friend Megan Ruffles is FIRE, my friends.
When we were prepping for our podcast interview, I originally wanted to speak with Megan about three things:
- what does it mean to be "chic-ish"?
- her experience with influencer marketing and connecting her skills of home decorating and cooking with big brands
- her ability to connect people around important ideas and causes in the community
But then I discovered that during the pandemic she created a TikTok account that now has over 54,000 followers! With some simple strategies and a "grow as you go" mindset, Megan has created TikToks and Reels with over 1 million views. So, of course, we're going to chat about how she did that and the joy that TikTok has brought to her life in the pandemic.
Our conversation stays lighthearted because Megan is an absolute JOY and so funny, but we turn serious near the end of the interview as we discuss the August 2020 Derecho that impacted her small town of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This inland hurricane brought 100 mph+ sustained winds to the state of Iowa creating mass destruction that still lingers in Cedar Rapids and the surrounding area today. In the immediate aftermath, there was very little coverage about this natural disaster beyond local news stations, so Megan took it upon herself to use her platform to educate followers and spread word about needs in the community. Megan reached out to online friends who could help, and together they started a grassroots effort to positively impact her friends and neighbors as they recovered from the storm.
I had so much fun chatting with Megan today, and I hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it!
Key Takeaways
- Her last name is Ruffles - pronounced like the chips or dress design
- "chic-ish" is a lifestyle that take Midwest values and practicality and combining it with chic living.
- It always boils down to confidence. "When you're in an outfit you love, when your home is stylish and comfortable, when you can make a delicious meal or host a party, it makes you feel good."
- Pay attention to your audience, and make sure what you share is in line with their values and needs.
- The pandemic disrupted a lot of lives, but in the case of Megan and her husband, it gave them an opportunity to try a hand at new, creative outlets including "Chic-ish Charcuterie," her book and mini cheese board line.
- "TikTok is the essence of chic-ish." You can see someone put together the most beautiful, artistic cake, and the next video is someone chugging a Busch Light.
- Keep education at the forefront and give followers a takeaway from every video. But the fun, silly videos are important every so often too!
- Don't assume that people know things. Break down your day or your business into very small parts and turn each into a TikTok video
- Megan recommends: starting where you are at. Start simple and basic with your videos and then grow into more advanced skills as you get better at navigating the app.
- "There's only one way to learn, and that's just trying it."
- The August 2020 Derecho was devastating for her community. But Megan felt a responsibility by having social platforms with large outreach, and she leverage her following to spread the word of the needs in her town.
- And more! Listen to the whole episode for even more takeaways from Megan!
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