Katy Bellotte is a social media influencer, Youtuber, podcaster, content creator, graphic designer, and freelance extraordinaire, based in New York City. Most of her followers may know her by her raw and honest videos, podcasts, and Instagram posts, as well as her flowy dresses, and calming presence.
She has over 176 thousand followers on Instagram, over 478 thousand Youtube subscribers, and over 40 thousand followers on Twitter. She started creating content on Youtube in 2009, and from there, her brand and social media career has continued to grow. However, it wasn’t always an easy journey, as she struggled early on with others bullying her for creating Youtube videos and having a vision.
Social Media careers are on the rise, yet some people may not take it seriously. Katy has dealt with her fair share of naysayers who didn’t understand what she was doing.
I have been watching her Youtube videos since I was in high school, and now almost four years later, I had the opportunity to sit down with her via Zoom for an interview. I remember watching her college videos before I moved off to college and joined a sorority. She was, in a way, the virtual big sister I never had.
Watching Katy’s videos made me feel like everything was going to be okay, even if it felt like it wasn’t at the time.
Interviewing her was one of those full-circle moments where you get to meet someone who has been a constant inspiration in your life.
I first want to give a huge thank you to Katy for allowing me to interview her and sharing her story.
Quote: “I revealed too much too soon. I was emotionally slutty.” - Carrie Bradshaw
What is one word you would use to describe yourself?
“Creative”
“I feel in every element of my life, I’m creative, whether it be physically, tangibly, creating things, or getting super creative with the way I handle something.”
According to Dictionary.com, creativity is defined as “having the quality or power of creating resulting from originality of thought, expressions, etc: imaginative.”
What would you tell your younger self?
“It will all make sense in the end.”
She explained that she wouldn't want to change the things that happened to her, but make her younger self aware that it may not make sense now, but it will all fall into place.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
Katy said her mom.
Katy’s mom has worked in the healthcare industry for a while, and now during this crucial time and need for healthcare workers, she continues her service to help others. She worked in a hospital for over 15 years and now works in the schools in her hometown.
Do you have a specific fashion or beauty inspiration?
Her biggest fashion inspiration is Rebecca Hessel Cohen, the creator of Love Shack Fancy.
“I have been such a fan of hers from afar for years.”
“I love dresses; I have a whole closet devoted to my dress collection.”
“She has two kids. She handles life gracefully, despite the chaos. She lives every day in a beautiful gown with messy hair.”
What advice do you have for college seniors?
“Be gentle with yourself.”
She explained how this is a great opportunity for those who can to get started on creating what they are passionate about. Figure out what you like to do.
“Use this as your portfolio building time.”
Why did you start a Youtube channel, and at what age was that?
“I was 14.”
"I had been watching Youtube videos a couple years before that."
At a young age, Katy knew she wasn’t meant to be the girl who played sports, so her parents encouraged her to find her passion through different avenues, and that led her to Youtube. Katy started creating content in 2009 because she saw a need to create content for someone her age. Before she started, she watched other content creators, but the majority of them were older and were able to drive themselves to Target, or had already moved out of their parents' house.
What was your major? And why did you pick it?
Katy attended and graduated from Elon University in North Carolina. She originally had an interest in the journalism program there, because she was the editor of her high schools’ newspaper, and thought that major may be for her. She soon changed her major to strategic communication, and by the end of her sophomore year, she changed it to communication design.
"I was actually the second graduating class for my major."
How did you know that you saw the world differently?
Katy noticed as early as middle school that she saw the world through a creative outlook. She would interpret things in completely different ways than her friends did. She would often take extra steps on assignments for classes because she wanted to fill her creative craving to do more.
How do you feel about our general decline in interest in the arts?
"Ugh, I hope it's not true."
“Everything really does stem from the arts, even if we don't know it."
She hopes there is a next wave of people appreciating art. Katy explained how art shapes who we are, what we do, and what we create even without fully realizing it. She also believes that schools need to continue teaching the arts so students can learn about the different paths you can take creatively so that kids can learn what they like and what they don’t like.
"History is persevered in art pieces."
Was freelance always in the back of your mind after graduation?
"In college it never crossed my mind."
Katy explained that freelancing never crossed Katy’s mind, while in college, because as most of us do, she thought she had her life planned out the way society has taught her to live her life. After graduation, she planned on getting a corporate job, then get married, then move to the suburbs, and have kids.
She also explained that she lacked confidence in herself and her work. Her lack of confidence made her feel as though she couldn’t stand on her own and needed a corporation to be part of. She craved security.
What was the most important thing or biggest lesson you learned from your corporate job?
Katy explained that through her year and a half experience at her corporate job, she learned a lot about herself and the corporate world. Katy was always the youngest person at the table, and at the beginning, lacked the confidence to speak up. She would hear her coworkers’ ideas and thought that they were so smart. The biggest lesson she learned while working there was that people will always try to sound smarter than they are, or they will try to make themselves look good.
How did you know it was time to leave your corporate job?
For the first six months at her job, Katy said, “I was perfectly happy.”
"I thought this was what my life was going to look like until I retire."
She would see everyone around her in the office getting engaged, married, moving to the suburbs, and having kids. Katy realized she felt stuck and wanted more out of life than following society’s plan for her life. She saw the next 30 years of her life flash before her. She quit her job a couple of weeks before her birthday and ended her relationships at her corporate job on good terms.
"I went into my 24th year feeling very free and full of possibilities. It was the best feeling ever."
What do you think the biggest misconception is about freelancing?
"Everything that I thought about freelancers before I was one."
"There is a huge misconception that it's not a real job, and I hate that."
Katy had her common misconceptions about freelancing before she started. She thought she wouldn’t be taken seriously because some people don’t see Youtube and the other things she does as a real job.
What advice would you give people who want to start freelancing?
"You gotta stay super organized. I know it's tough"
“Don’t cut corners because you just can't.”
"Outsource what you can't do."
She also talked about how she has a creative accountant who helps her with invoices and finances.
What is something that you think your followers get wrong about you?
Katy answered this question honestly and authentically. She talked openly and honestly about receiving criticism about being privileged. She explained that she tries to bring attention and help advocate for certain topics, but often gets criticized because she doesn’t fully understand something because she lives a different life.
"I need to on a daily basis check my privilege."
During Black History Month, she used her podcast to highlight some important Black women in history because their stories are often left untold. Katy received a lot of positive feedback from her followers because she was one of the only podcasters that brought up this important topic. Katy wants to continue to bring attention to these topics and wants to continue to educate herself.
"I'm over here trying to advocate for others when they need it to use my platform for good and to educate people and help people understand that there is way more to this world than just them."
"I'm trying my best."
This topic comes at an interesting time in our world. I can, in some way, understand why she gets criticism because she may not fully understand a specific topic because she isn’t fully in it, but she knows and admits that she can’t 100% understand what it’s like to go through certain circumstances because she hasn’t experienced it herself.
Why do we criticize people who are trying to make a positive impact? We should be criticizing the people that aren’t standing up, advocating, and educating themselves to do better, be better, and create a positive impact on the world around them.
What do you hope your followers gain from watching or consuming your content?
Katy wants to be a positive influence on her followers. She doesn’t want her followers to want to be exactly like her, but “aspire to be like.”
“A mirror effect.”
“Through following me, see themselves clearer.”
How have you been coping through quarantine?
Katy has been spending quarantine with her family. She has been trying to be gentle with herself because these are unpredictable times. It’s hard for her, but she is trying to slow down. Over the long weekend, for the first time since starting freelancing, she put her out of office in her email and took the three day weekend off. She never takes weekends off for herself.
I want to give a huge thank you to Katy for giving me the opportunity to share her story. I will link her podcast here, Youtube here, and her Instagram here.
Forever Always,
Emily
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