Anne-Charlotte PasseraI recently interviewed Kathleen DiCaprio, a leading influencer in Montreal (aka Mtlkatie), on how she got into the influential business and doing so in an authentic way.
A person with the ability to influence potential buyers of a product or service by promoting or recommending the items on social media.
Oxford Dictionnary
You’re probably wondering what the heck being an influencer has to do with this low-cost conscious living blog. Am I right? Could it be because being an influencer might give you an extra source of income?
It’s possible to make extra money by using social media or you could rent your house out for a TV shoot or a spare room on Airbnb. That’s what we did before the Pandemic showed up.
44% of social media users would consider becoming a social media influencer to earn money for their household during an economic recession.
Izea.com 2019
Thanks to Mtlkatie and Instagram, I discovered new local companies in Montreal. In fact, I even bought a mask from Masque pour Vous, thanks to Mtlkatie’s suggestion. Stalker alert: I bought the same one as hers.
Also, I think it’s important to acknowledge other women who are being successful and doing it so in a manner that is genuine.
When we talk with our friends about influencers, it’s usually said in a negative way. However, let’s be honest for a second. We are just envious of them. Here, we imagine women becoming popular for doing nothing. Sort of like Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian back in the day. We are frustrated with their success, while we are struggling and trying to keep our head above water.
However, that’s not really the case with Mtlkatie. If we were looking for an authentic influencer, Mtlkatie would be the poster child for it, and here is why.
Who is Mtlkatie?
Kathleen is in her late twenties and lives in Montreal with her boyfriend Alex and their dog Joey.
She works full-time as a marketing manager for the Stingers and oversees their recreational activities.
Becoming intentionally an influencer was never her end goal. She doesn’t live off it but needs something to focus on outside of work. Let’s say that the Pandemic really put her creative juices into full gear.
Popularity and authenticity don’t always seem to fit together, but that’s a challenge that Mtlkatie was more than willing to accept just to prove people wrong.
She uses Instagram as a tool to grow and showcase local Montreal companies that she likes. Her passion is clothing and fashion. The fact that she gets freebies in the process is just an added bonus.
If you are into unique fashion pieces, Mtlkatie recommends the Trunk Shop. They are based in Montreal. She often showcases some of her great finds from them on her feed.
Who you see is who you get
Having met Kathleen in real life at the doggy park last summer, I can genuinely say that who you see on Instagram is who she is in real-life.
Isn’t it refreshing to know that an influencer can actually be authentic?
I personally find it inspiring that a woman can be an influencer nowadays in a positive way while staying true to herself.
The meaning of being an authentic influencer
According to Mtlkatie, everyone and anyone can be an influencer. She even made a podcast about it.
She didn’t seek out to be an influencer, it just happened. Nowadays, people are looking for authenticity and Mtlkatie has it. Although, she does admit that during the last 5 years she has been more intentional with what she posts.
There’s no more need to pose and look perfect on Instagram. All you have to do is show your real self.
- Don’t edit your photos by using filters;
- Create engaging stories;
- Promote products that you actually use and love;
- Use REELS to promote who you really are.
Mtlkatie even has her boyfriend, Alex, show up in her stories. It’s not staged, and his reactions are priceless.
Everyday, I look at her stories because they genuinely make me laugh. Her positive, natural creativity inspires me and always puts me in a good mood.
Mtlkatie, she’s the girl next door and you just want to be her friend.
Kathleen doesn’t shy away from talking about body image either. In fact, she feels a lot better having gained weight and isn’t afraid to talk about it. Having an hourglass body did not make her happy. In fact, it was unhealthy.
She is a strong advocate for positive body image and in fact, embraces her new size.
Putting your influence to good use
Due to the Pandemic, Mtlkatie got even more creative, outside of Instagram.
During the first confinement, she was still working fulltime, but let’s say that there wasn’t much work that could be done.
Since Kathleen is the type pf person that constantly needs something to do, she decided to try the entrepreneur hat on.
While everyone was making, looking, or buying masks, Mtlkatie, a fashionista, wanted a mask chain to make hers more fashionable.
I want a pearls mask chain.
Although some people were making mask chains, she had a specific idea of what she wanted hers to look like. Since she couldn’t find what she was looking for, she decided to make one herself.
In order to do so, she went to different jewelry stores in Montreal. Finally, at Club Bead, she struck gold. Not only did she find what she was looking for, but the staff walked her through the whole process. They actually offer FREE classes online HERE, if you are interested.
Once she made her first chain, she thought that maybe others would be interested in having one. Her idea was a success. Since her product was doing well, she even took her idea a step further. With the help of her father, a fabric company owner, she actually made satin masks to go along with her chains.
Although her product was in high demand, being an entrepreneur has never her goal. If interested, you can still purchase some mask chains HERE. However, she won’t be making more as she has moved on to greener pastures.
Now that things are slowly going back to normal, work is getting busier, I wonder what Mtlkatie is going to come up with to release her creative outlet.
Becoming an influencer intentionally
If you’d like to follow in Mtlkatie’s footsteps and eventually get freebies or earn extra income, here are some little tips to get you started:
- Be genuine;
- Don’t aim for perfection. Imperfection is more relatable.
If you already have more than 1,000 followers, congratulations, you are considered a micro-influencer. The more genuine you are with your photos while providing honest information, the more loved and appreciated you’ll be with your followers.
You can’t fake it if you’re not passionate about a certain topic.
The goal of this article was to showcase a real, authentic influencer and entrepreneur. We are all influencers, in some shape or form. Whether we acknowledge it or not is a different story.
Thank you to Mtlkatie for graciously accepting to take time out of her busy day for this interview.
