VizSense - Blog - VizSense Vizionary: Teraj Allen

How did you find the inspiration to start your page and take the leap as a content creator?

It honestly started as a bit of a competition between my partner @asianmapleleaf and I when we met back in 2015. Around that time, he had around 5K followers and I was casually posting photos from my modeling career with only a couple hundred followers (mostly real-life friends). He gave me a lot of tips in terms of how to use hashtags and engage with others on the platform, and I ran FULL speed with it. In a few months time, I surpassed his following, bought my first DSLR camera and began to post about everything from fashion to travel, outings with friends to what life was like in my early days as a model and real estate agent in NYC. I didn’t think of myself as a content creator or influencer during those times, but what I did for competitive fun eventually caught the eye of brands leading to eventual partnerships.

What is your overall inspiration for your posts and Instagram feed?

From the very beginning, I always thought of social media as a way to share my story. Especially, in the sense of creating a visual diary of my journey, fostering community and being as open and honest as possible to relate to others, get through to them and hopefully make them feel a lot less alone. I grew up in a very poor family in Liberty City, Miami, and my goal was to overcome the odds and break the cycle of poverty and adversity within my lineage. It is important for me to be an example of someone that made it out and I often craft content that’s uplifting and motivational in nature to inspire others, especially those within the communities I grew up in, that they, too, can accomplish whatever their hearts and minds desire.

How did you get your first brand sponsorship, and who was it with?

After a few years of in-kind partnerships, I landed my first paid sponsorship through Garnier a little over two years ago. I’ll never forget it because we shot the images for that campaign during the latter half of winter, on a rooftop in NYC, and only wearing a towel. The photos totally made it look like summer time, but it was far from it. The wind was so strong that the facemasks we were promoting kept flying off our faces. Definitely a comical “influencers in the wild” moment! Despite our nearly frozen “bits,” we had a blast.

Why is inclusivity so important in the influencer industry, and how do you think brands can help spread awareness during Pride Month?

Inclusivity is extremely important in the influencer industry because representation matters. After centuries of exclusion and the portrayal of “much of the same'' … society is undergoing a major and collective paradigm shift much to the credit of social media. Underrepresented groups and voices now have the ability to be amplified and heard in ways that were impossible before. We’re living in an era that’s moving toward an overall sort of hyper-awareness and accountability. Brands can help spread awareness during Pride Month by showing their support for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing partnerships that provide visibility, and contributing resources to organizations that invest in our community’s betterment and progress.

Have you seen a shift in how brands approach LGBTQ and marketing in the past few years?

Most definitely! There’s a lot more work that needs to be done within this space but LGBTQ+ visibility has, incrementally, grown over the last few years.

What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned working for yourself and creating your own personal brand?

The biggest lesson has been to never underestimate myself and my capabilities. Throughout this journey, I’ve learned that, almost with everything, I don’t necessarily need to have all the answers or a perfectly delineated roadmap to an end result. Whatever it may be, I just have to start and do the work. Most times, I’ll figure it all out along the way and, more often than not, the results end up being more than what I originally imagined. I’m a firm believer in manifesting my future and everything that I write down and mentally envision has come to fruition and then some!

Who is your biggest inspiration in the industry and why?

I’d have to say a combination of @qmike’s mind-blowing creativity with the reach and humanitarian efforts of @aliciakeys.

What do you wish people knew about influencers?

Behind every beautiful image and video, there’s a lot of planning, coordination, and most times, tedious work. The ones that have made content creation their full-time job, it really and truly is a multi-faceted hustle. One in which, you have to work your butt off because you’re not on a payroll and income is not guaranteed. It’s easy for people to spew off, say whatever comes to their mind, and forget that there’s a human being behind the content you see. And, for the love of GAWD, we’re not all obnoxious, entitled, and spoiled brats looking to get free stuff, lol! Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of those out there though…

Where do you see yourself, as well as the industry, within the next few years?

I’m working to become mogul status. As a recording artist, activist, content creator and real estate business owner, I’ll continue building and cultivating relationships and synergistic partnerships to become influential in all of those verticals. And to do it as a Black bisexual male will be epic! The industry is at a pivotal juncture where we’re questioning, unraveling and restructuring societal norms. I’m hopeful that we will continue to progress in prioritizing representation, inclusivity and building true equity for all.

What changes do you want to see this year in the industry to become more inclusive?

More, more, and I can’t stress it enough, MORE representation. We’re on the verge of a real cultural shift due to moving away from boring and outdated ideals of beauty, perfection and social stratification. Representation focused on inclusivity and empowerment is the move. There’s so much power and value in being able to identify and relate to real people from all walks of life and I’d love to see more of that in the industry this year.

What is the best piece of advice you have for people who want to build their own social media brand and get started in the industry?

Our LGBTQ+ community is full of trailblazers, pioneers, innovators, and cultural icons and it’s been that way for centuries. It’s about time that the spotlight is being shone on our community, from which so many have devoted and contributed to making the world a better place for all. My advice to anyone in the LGBTQ+ community that wants to build their own brand and get started in the industry is this, “There are so many that paved the way for us to proclaim that ‘We are here!’ Your time is now and anything you set your mind and vision toward, it’s yours for the taking. The most successful person you can think of had to start with Day 1 on their journey, just know, in due time, that could be you too!”