International Women’s Day spotlight on 6 Canadian YouTube creators
We’re lucky to have so many amazing women YouTube creators on our platform who offer a diversity of perspectives that you can’t find anywhere else.
On International Women’s Day, we want to shout out some of the Canadian YouTubers who inspire us each and every day with their creative and entrepreneurial spirit. They’re making a positive difference in the world and embracing success on their own terms.
The Sorry Girls
Becky Wright and Kelsey MacDermaid, a.k.a. The Sorry Girls, are two Canadian YouTube entrepreneurs who have paved the way for other women creators in the DIY space. With millions of subscribers and billions of views, their lifestyle content educates and empowers young women to ‘do-it-themselves’, whether that’s making a tool purchase or renovating an apartment on a budget.
What are you most proud of from your work on YouTube ? (Kelsey)
There are honestly so many things that make me proud when I take a step back and look at my YouTube career. But here are just a few: being able to employ recent graduates and foster talent, challenging myself and testing my comfort zone, and being able to have a sustainable career on YouTube for a whole decade.
Who is another female entrepreneur that inspires you? (Kelsey)
The first person that comes to my mind is Rachel Metz, she’s a power tool queen and truly just doesn’t care what anyone else thinks. It’s inspiring.
What is one important lesson learned from being a YouTube entrepreneur? (Becky)
One of the best lessons we've learned, that continues to guide us, is to "stay true to who we are". I think it's our authentic passion for what we do that keeps people engaged in our content and acts as a great compass to rely on when making decisions. If the ideas and goals are something we're excited about, regardless of trends, viewers will notice and we'll usually find success!
What is one piece of advice you'd want to give to other female YouTube entrepreneurs? (Becky)
There is a space for you! Whether you think you're not the right "demographic" for the type of content you want to make, or think that topic may already be too saturated, there is always a unique spin waiting to be told and your voice needs to be heard!
Aysha Harun
After years of dabbling with beauty products, Aysha Harun created her YouTube channel as a way to try out her favourite beauty and fashion looks. Her channel has an incredibly passionate and loyal following, and it’s no surprise why -- with her fresh content and soft glam looks, Aysha acts a voice for an audience of women who don’t often see themselves reflected in traditional beauty publications.
What are you most proud of from your work on YouTube?
I am most proud of the impact I've been able to make in social media as a visibly Black Muslim Woman. Being able to inspire a very underrepresented group of women to go after their passion and succeed is and always has been my number one goal.
What is one important lesson learned from being a YouTube entrepreneur?
INVEST IN YOURSELF FIRST!! No one will be willing to invest in you if you don't believe in yourself enough to invest in factors that will help you grow on the platform (ie. equipment, conferences, software, product etc.).
What is one piece of advice you'd want to give to other female YouTube entrepreneurs?
Support one another. Collaboration over competition is KEY! You can learn so much from other women and in return you'll both be able to grow and succeed.
Who is another women YouTube creator that inspires you?
Jackie Aina inspires me on the daily. Seeing what she's created for herself as a black female YouTuber inspires me to grind harder. Plus she's incredibly supportive of my content as well and it's refreshing to see someone so successful want to bring others along with her!
WITHWENDY
WITHWENDY all began in 2010, when Wendy uploaded a YouTube sewing tutorial while completing her business and chemical engineering degrees. Now she inspires over 900,000 subscribers to make their own clothing and discover their style.
What are you most proud of from your work on YouTube?
I love one of my recent videos, which got some really positive audience feedback, where I made four different statement red carpet accessories, complete with a photoshoot and dress rentals from a local business. This video represents a lot of growth for me. I’m creating honest content for my audience about the ups and downs of DIY, instead of trying to present my DIY's in a clean and streamlined style. To me, transparency and human adventure is something I've always loved about YouTube and I'm proud to inspire others through my videos.
What is one piece of advice you'd want to give to other female YouTube entrepreneurs?
There are people out there ready to love you as their online gal pal or big sister, let's make YouTube a great place for us all to hang out and blossom.
Who is another woman YouTube creator that inspires you?
There are so many amazing women on YouTube! Lately it's been Claire from Bon Appétit - I love watching her facial expressions as she gets ideas, makes mistakes, and triumphs. She inspires me to embrace the creative process as much as the end result.
Sheepishly Me
Sandi Brock is a farmer...a sheep farmer to be more specific. On her channel Sheepishly Me, she offers candid insights on her day-to-day exploits as a farmer in Ontario, from shipping fails to sheep chores. Sandi is a shining example of the growing community of farming creators on YouTube who are educating the next generation on the ins and outs of the industry.
What is one piece of advice you'd want to give to other female YouTube entrepreneurs?
Never give up, treat YouTube as a business, and do not feel shame when others may turn on you. Know your why and your audience, and communicate with that audience as much as possible. And ask your audience how you can help them, how you can add value to their lives.
Who is another woman YouTube creator that inspires you?
I watch YouTube for two things: to learn and to be entertained. The two women who have drastically helped me on my YouTube journey are Sunny Lenarduzzi, and more recently Vanessa Lau. But for entertainment, my editing style hero is Emma Chamberlain. And Colleen Ballinger is the one person I feel connected to on a human level… like a long lost friend I would love to grab a coffee with.
Simply Nailogical
If you love nail polish, then chances are you’re already familiar with our next creator, Cristine Rotenberg. With over seven million subscribers, her channel, Simply Nailogical is one of the top nail art channels on YouTube. Cristine is an entrepreneur with a capital 'E": she recently launched her own nail polish line, Holo Taco, bringing delightful holographic colours to her fans in Canada and around the globe.
What is one piece of advice you’d want to give to other female YouTube entrepreneurs?
Don’t let your audience or other people’s perception of your ‘brand’ define you or box you into a single persona. Just because you might make lighthearted comedy videos for entertainment doesn’t mean you aren’t capable of having serious conversations or meaningful thoughts on social issues. You can be both the content you choose to put out and more behind the scenes. Acknowledging that no one else should impose rigid boundaries on your skills and abilities early on will help you navigate through sometimes tough online criticism. Your content can and should change over time as your interests, passions and what you want to share with the world shifts.
Who is another woman YouTube creator that inspires you?
Although she may be 13 years younger than me, Joanna Ceddia inspires me. She shares her experience as a student in university in a way that is endearing, entertaining, and with a touch of comedic apathy about the workload while still offering an underlying message about the importance of education for young people. Creators like Joanna show young people, especially young women, how to have fun, be yourself and not be afraid to be a little silly while also dealing with the very real pressures of school as a young adult and taking your future seriously.
Molly Burke
The inspiring Molly Burke is a 25 year old blind beauty vlogger and motivational speaker from Ontario. Her career in public speaking started at the age of five when she became an ambassador for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, following her diagnosis of Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease. Today, Molly Burke has dedicated her life to sharing her message and inspiring audiences with videos that range from beauty and fashion tutorials to stories about her life and navigating the world as someone who is blind.
What are you most proud of from your work on YouTube?
I’m proud of the awareness I’ve raised, the important conversations I’ve helped start, the people I’ve impacted, and the change I’ve helped create.
What is one important lesson learned from being a YouTube entrepreneur?
You can’t do it alone and it’s okay to rely on others for support in areas where you have “pain points” such as business decisions, editing, or scheduling.
What is one piece of advice you'd want to give to other female YouTube entrepreneurs?
Reach out to your community and ask for support, and support them in return. Be authentic, get involved, and remember that practice makes perfect and everyone starts at the same place - ground zero. One thing I wish I had done and recommend others try is filming a few videos and editing them to get comfortable in front of the camera and get your style and flow down before you make and post your first “real” YouTube video. I feel like this tip could potentially lessen the embarrassment of your first few videos years down the line!
Please view the original post at http://canada.googleblog.com/2020/03/international-womens-day-spotlight-on-6.html
