Welcome to the Ad Undergrad Podcast! A show where Katie Moy and Julian Lewis sit down with marketing practitioners to share their experiences, insights and tips from the industry. The Ad Undergrad Podcast was created to give students, recent grads and those switching industries the opportunity to learn about advertising outside the classroom and provide career advice through the paths of practitioners.

In this episode, Katie and Julian sit down with Qianna Smith Bruneteau, the Founder of the American Influencer Council. The AIC is a not-for-profit trade organization that strives to sustain the integrity and viability of the influencer marketing industry in the U.S. We hear from Qianna how each step in her career led her to creating this important initiative. We chat about the value of hard work, the power of being prepared and the art of becoming an expert. Tune in to learn how life can take you on unexpected adventures if you follow your passion and work hard.

Jump straight into:

(01:33) - The value of initiative: How Qianna found her motivation and an outlet for creativity in the industry - “All star editors who were my managers and the intensity of what you're learning. It just set the tone for life, that quality of how I produce content.”

(07:49) - Why the entrepreneurial approach is key to success - “Creators come in all different kinds of facets. You don't have to be that fashion blogger to have a great platform.”

(10:26) - The invaluable impact of education and how to fuel your creativity - “Become a student of life, be hungry to consume information.”

(15:52) - Perseverance, hard work and grit lead to greatness - “If a dream doesn't happen, the ultimate goal is still there.”

(20:09) - On the American Influencer Council and its motivations - “We're all dreamers who want to try to make some positive impact in this industry.”

(27:55) - The importance of becoming a subject matter expert and Qianna’s perspective on TikTok - “Do you want to create cultural moments? That could be something that inspires you too.”

Resources

Connect with Qianna through LinkedIn

American Influencer Council 

Ad Undergrad is a podcast hosted by Katie Moy and Julian Lewis. To learn more, visit adundergrad.com and follow on social channels @theadundergrad. You can reach Katie and Julian directly via email hello@adundergrad.com. 

This show is recorded and produced at StudioPod in San Francisco. If you want more details on how to fully record and produce your podcast go to http://studiopodsf.com.