Life and Work with Brittney Cocco

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittney Cocco.

Brittney, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started The Cocco Channel in 2014. I married a military man, and that brought me clear across the country to D.C. from my hometown, Las Vegas. I wanted to stay connected to friends and family, so I started my YouTube channel! I originally started as a beauty channel, but the community was so saturated that I quickly realized it would be like finding a needle in a stack of needles. I discovered that I had a knack for telling some stories, and growing up in Las Vegas; I had a lot of stories to share. That’s where I evolved. I started storytimes, and I grew into a lifestyle channel and embraced it! I became a mom in 2015 and grew even more! In 2019, I made a pact that I would expand and build The Cocco Channel into something more. I took classes on analytics, algorithms, posting times, tags, share swaps, collabs, etc. I dedicated myself to educating myself on social media to turn it into a full-time job and a business. I didn’t want to do it on a whim; I wanted to be professional! So far, I started a blog, started a podcast, and fully emersed myself into YouTube and IG. That is just the beginning of The Cocco Channel.

Has it been a smooth road?
Oh, my goodness. It was absolutely NOT smooth sailing; it still isn’t. I feel like the biggest struggle I face, and a lot of other people is the comparison game! It is such a thief of joy. Most of the time, you are comparing your beginning to someone else’s middle.

Another key thing I had to learn is that everyone’s success looks so different! I thought I would only be successful once I hit a certain number. I am a numbers girl, through and through. I enjoy them, and I track them diligently. I use them for so many things when it comes to content creation. If a subject or photo does well analytically, then I would roll with that wave. If a video I do ultimately flops, I make a note not to do it at all or to change things up next time. But I can’t measure my worth and success that way. I am a small fish in the ocean. I don’t have millions or even hundreds of thousands of followers, but I have a community. I am getting paid to do something that I love. I work hard for this job while maintaining a marriage and raising two kids, one of whom is diagnosed with autism. I am successful, and I love where I am, even if it doesn’t look too successful to others.

My advice to anyone starting on a new journey is to remain true to yourself. Only do something if you are ready to fully commit to it, not because you think it is going to be easy or because other people are doing it. Be prepared for the long haul. Nothing worth doing is easy, as cliche as that sounds. Don’t compare and don’t care what anyone thinks. If people believe in you and your dreams, they will back you. The others that don’t support you don’t need a space in your life. Sometimes it feels like a world of mean girls, but there is this magical group of people that ruly encourage, uplift, and help in any way they can. I am proud to say I am one of them. I love it when people ask me questions or my opinion on something. It makes me feel like I have something to offer. Who doesn’t want to feel that way?!

Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a social media aficionado! I am a lifestyle vlogger on YouTube; I am a micro-influencer on Instagram, a blogger, and also run a Podcast. Did I mention I also have a small business, Cocco Fleur? I do it all. I am a creative mind, and when the spark strikes, I ignite my passion. I want to think I am also an educator. Any information I have, I share. I don’t hold my cards to my chest when I learn something new, like a lot of this community does, unfortunately. I believe in empowering, uplifting, and encouraging another’s success.

I would say I specialize in people. I honestly love meeting new people and learning anything I can from them. I have been told I am easy to talk to. I think that God always whispers in our ear what he wants for us and what he wants from us. I feel like I have the ability to talk to everyone and cover them in love and light. I have no judgment, no irritation at questions, a willingness to accept them, no matter their path or choices. I truly just love people.

I would say I am known for my goofy and bubbly personality. I have a particular gift for making people laugh. I want to think that I am known for being real and raw. I enjoy makeup and full glam so much. I enjoy the process of getting ready and witnessing the outward transformation. Hair, makeup, fashion, I live for it all! But I also love showing me right out of sleep, with bed head, no makeup, and an old tattered shirt. I think it is so important not to give the impression to other women of something unrealistic. I feed my one-year-old organic, grass-fed, fancy meals, and sometimes I give her a slice of pizza and let her go wild. I have always believed in balance, but I firmly believe in sharing it. Women put less pressure on themselves when they see you living a regular and messy life. We put enough demands on ourselves without seeing all of these people pretending to be perfect.

The thing I am most proud of so far is the community I have found through my work. I think some of the most significant career milestones will be happening later on this year. I have had some fantastic brand partnerships, but a collab I am doing this fall will be the biggest thing I have done, thus far.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
Holy moly, are there ever. The best podcast I have ever put in these sweet little Irish ears is The Goal Digger from Jenna Kutcher. I discovered her this year, and I want all of her content. She does classes, marketing materials, Instagram, Pinterest, and even info about Podcasts. She has helped me immensely with motivation and pursuing my goals. The first person who put me on that track and inspired me immensely was Cynthia Harper. She does a mentoring class for Instagram, and she is terrific. Follow her on Instagram @cynthia_harper_ for her next class; you won’t regret it. The best apps I use for all the social media things are Plann, Lightroom, Picmonkey, and Grammarly.

Contact Info:

• Youtube: youtube.com/c/BrittneyCocco
• Email: thecoccochannel@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.cocco.channel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCoccoChannel/
• Website: https://www.thecoccochannel.com

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