Sure the internet is a great place to kill some time by falling down a rabbit hole of cat videos and sweet, delicious memes, but if you’re smart, you can use the online world as a fount of endless inspiration and guidance for you creative career.
20-year-old ultimate slashie (radio host/content creator/journalist) Nic Kelly, has made a successful career by mining the many, many goodies the internet has to offer and today, as part of our series with AustralianSuper, helping you kick start your creative career, he shares with us seven people online who you def should be following to get those creative juices flowing.
I’ve got social media to thank for a huge chunk of my career. During my teenage years, I began to build my black book of media contacts and connections with people who could advance my career. It sounds conceited but as well as the help they could offer me directly, a lot of the people I connect with on social media are a consistent cattle-prod of inspiration and creative energy.
These seven are a great group of social media stars in their own right and following them will constantly invigorate your approach to work, and you never know, they could open you up to the next step in your career, too!
Popjustice (@popjustice)
As a massive pop music fan, the no-nonsense, honest and respectful approach Popjustice affords the genre has always been a huge inspiration towards my own personal tone of voice.
The irreverence of his headlines – like “Taylor Swift might write some new music, or she might not write some new music” and informing the populace “EVERYONE SHUT UP: Carly Rae Jepsen’s next single is ‘Your Type’” – have served as a constant reminder that I can approach the way I create content differently and in a more human manner, a lesson everyone can learn from.
https://twitter.com/Popjustice/status/714102182031802368
Lontalius (@lontalius)
19 year old New Zealand singer/songwriter Lontalius only just released his first album.
Being another young gay dude in a creative industry, his navigation of that construct gives me a really good idea of how to do it myself.
https://twitter.com/lontalius/status/713210944252280833
lil aaron aka lil lord (@lilaaron911)
“Who is lil aaron?” is a question I heard in every room I entered while in LA the other week. The lower-case enthusiast has been working primarily as a songwriter with popstars including Icona Pop, Hailee Steinfeld, Kiiara and DEV, but also raps and sings like a boss and his approach to releasing his solo music is so inspiring as a creative.
Collaborations with his peers and friends go immediately onto Soundcloud, reminding you that your creativity doesn’t have to be held back by barriers and bureaucracy – it can be immediately shared and appreciated. He’s also possibly the funniest man on Twitter.
yall should be scared for when i start dropping music. no one is safe. i think im the man.
— lil aaron (@lilaaron911) December 23, 2015
Ash London (@ash_london)
Radio & TV goddess Ash London has been an inspiration to me for a while, jumping from bursting her way onto TV screens through music show The Loop, before leaping into a radio career on 2DayFM’s Shazam Top 20 and flagship chart show Take 40.
Those achievements are inspiring enough – but it’s what she did at the end of 2015 that’s really inspirational. She opted to leave the safety and security of full time creative work in order to focus on projects that make her happy and fulfilled. I took a leaf out of that not too long ago and have never been more creatively driven and focused.
https://twitter.com/ash_london/status/690390752677986305
Connor Franta (@ConnorFranta)
LA-based Connor Franta has grown from being a YouTuber to a burgeoning entrepreneur with his own free-trade coffee line, record label and apparel.
Connor’s content is a lesson in using a platform to motivate people – he’s really big on harnessing the creative part of everyone’s mind and bringing that to the forefront. “Drive needs no push, passion needs no pull, and motivation only needs you”.
Ben J Pierce (@BenJPierce)
17-year-old Ben J Pierce sits within a new breed of creatives that don’t give a damn what you think about their approach. Whether it’s niche makeup tutorials, High School Musical references or parody songs that make sense to 0.05% of the world, Ben creates content that he enjoys, and resonates with an intimate group of young people and consistently proves that your creativity has no boundaries or rules.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=493xiJcQRhc
Emma Confetti (@EmmaConfetti)
Sydney-based talent manager by day, inspirational mermaid of wisdom by night, Emma Confetti is full of tweet-gems that keep you not only creatively inspired, but emotionally healthy.
flexibility is so much about letting go of unconscious desire to stay rigid
— emmaconfetti (@EmmaConfetti) March 24, 2016
Looking back on these one thing that ties all of these legends together is the fact they’re not only inspiring, but authentic. The thing that helps you cut through on social media and in professional connections is your unique, genuine personality – so utilise it to connect with anyone you can!
Nic Kelly is a presenter, writer, content creator and general internet pest and you can follow him on Twitter and check out his music site ProjectU.
If you’re just starting out in your career, a few right moves early on can help set you up for life. For more stories in our AustralianSuper KickStart series, click here or go to AustralianSuper.
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