Daily Inspiration: Meet Katy Lee West

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katy Lee West.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I previously worked in the public relations field and I’ve always loved being creative and writing. When I had kids, I stopped working to be a stay-at-home mom but I still felt a need to create. Sharing my life through pictures was a natural progression for me. I love to travel, write and Instagram provides me with an outlet to express myself. I’ve loved meeting new people and it’s made me appreciate the beauty all around us.

Also, being able to partner with businesses and explore new products has been a wonderful perk. I always assumed you had to have a huge following to get noticed by businesses but that’s not true. Recently, there’s been a shift in how businesses view influencers. They are more inclined to work with nano-influencers and micro-influencers because their voice is more organically authentic. It’s really opened the doors for us “little guys” and is really challenging businesses to look at “influencers” in a new way.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Instagram is constantly changing its algorithms and that can make it incredibly difficult to gain followers. However, once I stopped worrying about “likes” and numbers, it seems like it’s become easier to gain an audience. Also, a lot of influencers are younger and I’m over 35 so it was challenging to find a space for me on the platform. It took me a long time to find a niche I felt comfortable with that also aligned well with my age.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I think what makes me different from other influencers is my writing associated with my photos. Someone once told me that Instagram posts have now become “mini-blogs.” I really took that to heart and loved the freedom it gives me to express myself. I’ve always considered myself a writer at heart and I’m proud of the thought-provoking content I share. My specialty includes sharing amazing places in Arizona, over 30 fashion/beauty and creating pockets of inspiration that will make someone think differently about the world around them.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Age is just a number and it’s never too late to start something new.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katyleewest
• Twitter: twitter.com/katyleewest1
• Other: liketoknow.it/katy_lee_west