Instagram Edition with Courtney of CourtWildson

Have you ever wondered what being an Instagram influencer or content creator was all about, let alone doing it as your full time job? On tonight's special Instagram edition of "How I Built My Maker Biz", I chatted with Courtney of CourtWildson about her business journey. Courtney is a full time influencer, podcaster, YouTuber, and now knitter! We talk about how her business came to be and how she has grown her following.

“It took a lot of failing and self-awareness.”

And over time, she was able to hone her path and grow to what she is today! Courtney has a background in marketing and after college, wanted to have a “cool job.” When working as a social media manager at a ski resort in Colorado, Courtney managed her first influencer campaign and from there, her interest was piqued. Curiosity is what she says has been the most helpful tip for success…How are people are doing things? How people are getting campaigns? What are people engaging with?

Now she’s navigating being a maker as well and finding a way to incorporate her knitting business into her platform.

Even as an influencer, Courtney only uses an iPhone to take all of her photos. She says a lot of it has been practicing posing and learning what looks natural.

Being authentic is the most important.

Things got clear when she dug deep and really thought about why Instagram exists. The platform is meant for friends to connect with each other and share adventures and for building a community. “Don’t get too caught up in the likes,” Courtney says.

As an influencer, the goal is to connect.

At first, she said yes to everything. Now, she has learned that staying true to her brand and herself is what has helped her grow authentically.

The key is understanding true authenticity and community and what its like to have a community.

YOU shouldn’t change, and the way you portray yourself shouldn’t change. You should be talking to your audience like you’re talking to your friends. Don’t just put on a face.

On Content Creation

Courtney recommends having a content bank and honing in on who you are. “Remember that not every photo is going to have the most likes…and thats ok!” Capturing moments has been more important than “portraits” and diversifying content has been helpful too.

She says the outdoors industry is difficult because so many influencers are producing “National Geographic status” photos and have a team of professional photographers. You don’t have to be some model or have a fancy camera to be successful. It is attainable by anyone! Show up authentically instead of editing and producing unrealistic ideals. She used to photoshop her photos, but stopped because she wasn’t representing herself realistically.

“If you show don’t show up real, you will never grow because you will always “fix” things you want to change. If you arent authentic in how you show up, you won’t ever be able to make those true connections.”

There were SO MANY other amazing nuggets of wisdom in this interview. To watch the entire video and learn even more from Courtney, tune in below!

You can find Courtney on

Instagram: @courtwildson

Website and blog and Etsy Shop: https://courtwildson.com

Podcast: Wildson - Adventure and Social Media