Meet Brooke Stevenson | Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brooke Stevenson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brooke, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Passion and courage are the two most important factors behind the success of my brand.

Aesthetically Galveston was initially created to showcase the island’s beauty and serve as a guide to send to friends and family who wanted recommendations when visiting Galveston. The account allowed me to showcase the island through my perspective and provided a creative outlet that I lacked in my daily life. My passion for learning and growing new skill sets as a creator made developing content enjoyable. I never felt like it was a chore but rather something I looked forward to doing whenever I got a spare moment.

Over time, Aesthetically, Galveston’s Instagram followers became more than just people I knew personally. As a creative, I was intrigued by what content caught people’s eye and why. This pushed me to grow outside of Instagram and learn about other social media platforms and how to make content that was successful in their unique ways. My passion for learning helped me break out of my comfort zone and find new avenues to express creativity.

Courage is the second important because, before Aesthetically Galveston’s success, I had many other projects that did not take off as I had hoped. I refuse to say I failed at them because, with every project, I walked away with a lesson learned. However, no matter how much effort, time, and energy I put into them, they did not produce the results I wanted. It wasn’t until I did a project for pure enjoyment instead of the desired outcome that I found success. Had I not had the courage to get back up after multiple disappointments, I would have never discovered the joys and opportunities that Aesthetically Galveston has brought.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My professional background is in business marketing. I have worked in the field full-time since I was a sophomore helping put myself through college. My career began working for a life insurance company that offered social media services for their funeral home clients. This niche market taught me the importance of establishing a demographic and creating content that is appealing to them. Plus, I learned how to analyze data to craft future content for higher engagement rates.

Additionally, I lived out my dream internship working for The Walt Disney Company. During my internship, I took marketing workshops that expanded upon the importance of detail and story-telling. The company also emphasized creating a personal brand to help differentiate yourself from a crowd. This included learning impeccable communication skills, establishing a unique style, and marketing yourself along with your work. I credit my professional journey to the lessons I learned while working for The Walt Disney Company.

Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?
Getting to where I am today has definitely not been easy. It has taken lots of time, patience, and persistence. However, it is essential to fully embrace the process of growing. Never be shy to ask questions, open-minded to learn something new, or be afraid to admit you don’t know something. These moments you will look back on and realize contributed to your success. Also, never be too vain to help others grow. There is plenty of room in the world for everyone to be successful. Finally, work with collaboration, not against it, as it yields higher rewards.

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

When I travel to new cities, I rarely google places to visit or eat. Instead, I look on Instagram or blogs to see what places friends or influencers recommend. I’d rather hear a personal perspective from someone who has already experienced where I want to go rather than a business trying to sell itself.

After living in Galveston for a few months, I struggled to find these personal recommendations online. As Galveston is a tourist location, I knew there had to be fun places to go, but no one was showcasing them. Plus, I knew my out-of-town friends were experiencing the same problem because I was always asked, “Where should I go eat? Is anything fun going on this weekend? Is there other stuff to do rather than just the beach”. That’s when I decided I would make an Instagram page to send to people when they asked for recommendations. They could see these places and things they could do with their own eyes instead of just reading about them. Over time, this gained the interest of people outside my circle, and it has continued to grow. I’m beyond thankful for this happy accident!

I’m most excited about the people I haven’t met and the opportunities that haven’t happened yet. Looking back on one year, there is a lot I would have missed out on if Aesthetically Galveston had not been created. I know more lies ahead, and I can’t wait to uncover what adventures lie ahead.

I’m also excited about expanding my brand outside of Instagram. I’ve been working on developing a podcast and blog! These platforms are a work in progress, and I love learning ways to improve them for my audience.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Considering this is Friday to Friday and I’m completely off of work…

Friday night:
– Order Mama Teresa’s Flying Pizza to go and eat it at the Old Galveston Bar.
– Order a bottle of wine to go and take it to rooftop pool for a night swim.

Saturday:
– Go to MOD for coffee and grab one of their Good Dough Kolaches for breakfast.
– Walk Post Office District and shop at Style CoKimmy’s, Ha.ba’s, and Emily’s Design Center.
– Head to East Beach for the afternoon and pack snacks and drinks.
– Grab groceries from Kroger or Arland’s and grill outside.
– Meet friends after dinner at Market Station for drinks and to play shuffleboard and pool.
– Head to Buckshots for Karaoke.

Sunday:
– Go for a run along SeaWall
– Grab Daiquiris at Daiquiris-To-Go
– Buy a book at Galveston Bookstore to read on the beach
– Go to Vida Agave in the evening for Free Salsa Lessons

Monday:
– Go to a class at Flying Fortress CrossFit
– Get coffee from Willow Coffee (parked outside of Flying Fortress)
– Walk the strand
– Hit up all day happy hour at Daiquiri Time Out

Tuesday:
– Visit the homes/museums on Broadway
– Take a ghost tour from Kathleen Maca
– Drink and dine at the Tremont rooftop bar

Wednesday
– Go on a Galveston Running Tour
– Order Thai Garden
– Spend the afternoon at Axcade
– Go to Trivia at Brews Bros

Thursday
– Get coffee at Sugar Bean
– Spend the day at Pointe West Beach Club
– Enjoy their Happy Hour and live music
– Watch the sunset on the beach

Friday
– Brunch at The Porch Cafe

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, my husband deserves credit. From the day we met, he has admired my creativity and cheered me on through various creative endeavors. Even if they were not successful, he was always there rooting me on to get back up and chase another idea. Without his support, Aesthetically Galveston would cease to exist.

Second, J.R. Shaw of Galveston Unscripted has been an incredible mentor. His story of making his passion project his full-time job inspired me to continue pursuing what brings me fulfillment and seeing where it leads me. He has also given me a plethora of tips on how to utilize specific digital tools to enhance my brand and provided opportunities to network with individuals who are not only professional contacts but now also friends.

Lastly, the community of Galveston deserves a shoutout. This island is full of people that root for each other and want to see one another succeed. Their kind words and continuous support make me want to continue creating content. I recently hosted my first community event, and the turnout of people brought tears to my eyes. I’m beyond grateful for every single follower and all my amazing friends.

Website: https://www.aestheticallygalveston.com

Instagram: @Aesthetically_Galveston

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AestheticallyGalveston

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aesthetically_galveston Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ScuH0ApS5AwmYFYxFc8Hu Like to Know: https://www.shopltk.com/explore/Asthetically_Galveston Buy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/agalveston

Image Credits
@Aesthetically_Galveston and Aesthetically Media, LLC