Watch: Danita Camilleri, Abigail Vick and Gail Baldacchino Break Down Finding Confidence To Say ‘I Don’t Give A Shit, This Is Me’
Maltese influencers, social media personalities and businesswomen Danita Camilleri, Abigail Vick and Gail Baldacchino were on Trudy Kerr’s latest episode of The She Word.
In an insightful, heartfelt and at times raw, conversation about the pressures of being a woman with influence, they discussed the complex relationships they have formed with the social media platforms through which they conduct their businesses.
Through their sweeping conversation, Kerr explored the women’s respective approaches to motivating themselves to engage authentically with followers and brands on Social Media.
When Kerr asked the trio “What is the thing that fires your soul?” Gail Baldacchino was the first to respond.
“Personal growth. Ultimately, for me this is a business. Being an influencer, if you’re monetising what you’re doing – not everything, obviously – is a business,” said Baldacchino.
“I’m personally growing how I want to, authentically, truthfully, I work with whoever I want, I refuse others I don’t want to work with. I don’t want to sound like I have brands flooding me with deals – because I don’t – but the ones I work with I really like, and that is how I want my business to grow. Showing my true self, my moods, my happy days, my bad days, so that’s how I want to use this platform and grow.”
Abigail Vick described her main source of motivation slightly differently.
“For me its about connecting with people, definitely. Messaging, feeling understood and understanding others, that’s what keeps me engaged. On top of that there’s creating, then getting followers who appreciate what you created. That’s also a nice thing.”
Danita Camilleri concurred. She told Kerr, “for me its genuinely about the people who approach me and tell me I made their day, I made them laugh. That they were sad and I made them happy, that’s a big deal to me.”
She elaborated, “Then obviously, this is a business, and when brands I love contact me, that’s a highlight for me. I work with brands that I really genuinely loved from when I was little, and now I work with them. That’s a plus.”
Kerr interjected at this point, “do you turn brands down?”
“Yes, a lot,” answered Camilleri. “A lot, because first of all you can’t work with everybody. You can’t work with a body brand and another body brand the next week, and claim both are your favourite. That’s something I hate.”
Towards the end of the show, Kerr gave her guests the opportunity to share their wisdom for people they might inspire to pursue a similar career and life trajectories to their own.
“If you’re always yourself, everything comes naturally, you know?” answered Abigail Vick. “Family moments, good, bad days, everything is natural. Be yourself and believe in yourself, at least try, and you will do it. And don’t compare yourself. Look at yourself, work on yourself, be fair to yourself and create.”
Trudy rephrased her question for Danita. “Where do you find that confidence? Where does anybody find that confidence just to say I don’t give a shit, this is me?”
“First of all I think it’s something that comes from your background, I think, something that comes from how you’ve been brought up to be,” responded Danita.
“That’s the first thing my mother always taught us, to always don’t give a shit what others think of you, because if you’re perfect they’re still going to say what they’re going to say, so it’s useless. I have self esteem issues as well, but I talk about them. If you talk about them you’re going to feel better, you’re going to take power from them.”
Gail’s advice rounded off the trio’s conversation beautifully. “Follow people who uplift you, who you admire, not just aesthetically but emotionally and mentally. Unfollow people who don’t. Its easier said than done, but caring what other people have to say is useless”.
“Its important to have a good support system, and once you sense jealousy you just have to let go. People will get jealous. They think that this lifestyle is all lavish, glitter and gold, so if you sense jealousy, get rid of the toxic people around you.”
“If you are yourself, brand deals will follow, followers will follow, some will unfollow… but it’s fine. You lose some, you gain some.”
Watch the rest of the episode here:
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