Real talk: I worked for free at the start. Free product, free content, "exposure." I said yes anyway โ because every brand made my profile look a little more legit.
I wasn't an influencer. I just turned my normal Instagram into a creator profile, posted with the 1,000 followers I already had, and used the free deals to build proof until I could finally charge. That first $180 deal? That's when it clicked.
That's UGC โ brands paying everyday people for content, not for a huge following. I'm Shavinka โ not a guru, just a few steps ahead. I wrote down exactly what worked, so you can skip the guessing.
