By Dixie D'Amelio
Dixie D'Amelio:
Was it hard for your family to know what you were doing, or to explain to them this could be a job? Because there wasn't anyone else doing something like this.
Bethany Mota:
For sure. Like you said, even with your mom not really understanding the concept at first, I think especially back then the idea of filming yourself in your bedroom and posting it online was very foreign. Basically, it was very much “uncool” at that time, so explaining it to my parents was weird. I think I waited to tell a lot of my family until I was already weeks into it. Only my mom knew, because my mom doesn't really question what I do. She's just like "Alright, whatever!" But I feel like my dad was always more logical and wanted to understand everything. So I waited to tell him, and I thought he was going to make me delete everything when he found out. But surprisingly, he was very supportive. I don't know if he just saw the future of what it could possibly be. But once they understood it and allowed me to explain it to them, they were really on board and supportive and did so much. I didn't drive at that point either. If you're familiar with any of my past videos, I would end up on a beach or across the world. I loved being on location for my YouTube videos, which now I'm like, "Whatever. I'll just film anywhere." But back then, everything had to look so perfect and I needed to be in all these cool spots. So they just were driving me everywhere, doing everything for me, so I'm thankful for that. They were super supportive once they understood everything and I'm grateful. I'm sure, like you as well, having your family involved is so much more comforting because there's a lot that comes with it. When it turns into a brand that can get a little confusing and scary because we've never experienced this before.
Dixie D'Amelio:
Like contracts and all that and having to deal with that.
Bethany Mota:
Yeah.
Dixie D'Amelio:
I mean, do you think back then is any different from now, with how you stay relevant? Because I feel like back then, it was just like being on schedule and collaborating. Now, I feel like it's kind of messy. What are your feelings on that?
Bethany Mota:
I think as far as tools or "strategies" of staying relevant or growing an audience in general, I think that people that are consistent (with posting) obviously can grow their audience much faster. But I would say what I've learned over time that I think is the greatest tool in staying relevant is making sure that mentally you're okay. Because I think if you can stay consistent or any other tactics that people like to use, if you can do those and be a well-maintained individual and have your mental health in check and under control, then I think that's great. If being consistent causes you to have mental breakdowns every week, then it's like, "What's more important here?" Because I think that there's no amount of success or money that could make up for not putting yourself first. The balance will be different for everybody. Choosing what works best for you, if you like to post every day or if you want to post once a week - what is the best balance so that you can still have time for yourself and time for real life.
Dixie D'Amelio:
I wanted to ask about your clothing line with Aeropostale. What was that like? I know you did meet & greets with them.
Bethany Mota:
I had done meet & greets before that, but I had never done meet & greets on that scale. Because usually whenever I did a meet & greet, it was more like a part of a bigger event, like VidCon or Playlist Live. So this was my first ever dedicated meet & greet, which was really insane to me because I think it puts into perspective, when you make videos online and then you say you're going to be somewhere at a certain time and more people than you could ever possibly imagine show up. It can be hard to grasp why so many people would care if I'm just doing something as simple as uploading videos. But I think it just puts into perspective how much it can actually change people's lives, no matter what you do online. If you're putting something out that's just positive or inspiring. So it was very encouraging, I think, to keep doing what I'm doing.
Dixie D'Amelio:
You said you were an introvert. Was it hard to start meeting people and having people come up to you and recognize you, engaging in those conversations?
Bethany Mota:
At first, yeah. Because I feel like I avoid a lot of social contact, like I always have just because I'm like, "Mm, too much anxiety for that." So it was a weird adjustment at first because, in a way, they're kind of strangers and they're also not. They feel so connected but they also are strangers. It was kind of strange at first. But once I got used to it, I felt more comfortable with the people that do watch and support me than other people.
Dixie D'Amelio:
But it is definitely just weird because there's so many influencers now because the space has grown so much. And with TikTok, it's very fast how people could blow up. People could get a million followers in a day and go from zero to a million, which is insane. Do you think that is different from how it was when you started? Was it more gradual for you?
Bethany Mota:
It was definitely more gradual for me. I do think that even back then when it was kind of just YouTube, I think that there were still a lot of cases where people would have an overnight success moment. Granted, it was definitely much rarer than it is now, because with TikTok it's like someone can post a video and within 12 hours have millions of followers. It definitely moves much faster now, which I think if the cycle is faster, then people could potentially get burnt out faster and feel this heavier pressure to stay relevant because it cycles so quickly. But then, on the plus side, I think it's great because I feel like there's a lot of people that are getting an opportunity to speak and are now being handed the mic that would have never gotten it. Because it's so open now to everybody.
Dixie D'Amelio:
I also feel like, in your case, your fan base and the people that support you were so much closer to you because people got to know you and it wasn't just overnight. It was gradual love for you. Where with the current social media, someone could see your video, they follow you, and then never see another one of your videos. I feel like in your case, that is one of the positives of being able to build a strong fan base who knows you, loves you, and cares for you.
Dixie D'Amelio:
This is so nice talking to you and this was amazing. I'm very happy to finally meet you.
Bethany Mota:
I know. Same here. I feel like I want to ask you questions - would love to do that next time.
Dixie D'Amelio:
You should come over for a family dinner. My parents can cook. It'll be fun!
Bethany Mota:
I'm so down.
For more of this interview, check out Part One.
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Follow me: ltx.bio/dixiedamelio