Spiralers, get ready for one of the BEST conversations we've been lucky to host in our studio with THE Vanessa Lau! You might recognize her from her popular YouTube channel and social media platforms for previously sharing viral IG content creation tips to over 800k people! She was the pinnacle of a young successful entrepreneur having been a barista in 2018 before finally posting her first YouTube video, which quickly grew to almost a million followers and took her from 0 to 7 million in just a few short years.

Listen to this episode on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/IHJUgze4isk

"Vanessa Lau is an online entrepreneur, social media educator, and content marketing expert. She is one of the youngest entrepreneurs to have had such an impact on social media that millions of people know her. She teaches new entrepreneurs how to build their influence and scale their businesses using the power of social media."

Before last year, that's how Vanessa identified herself. It was the persona she showed the world and hid behind to continue building her brand her business. But in 2023, Vanessa shut down the business, went dark on social media and had no idea when or if she would ever return. Both Sam and Gina, along with her growing audience of hundreds of thousands of people, wondered with wild curiosity what had happened!? Where did she go and is she coming back?!

Spiralers, she is BACK and today she puts all of the rumors to rest and shares her story - an incredible story of healing and self trust.

Since her return, she has completely shifted her entire business model and perspectives on social media. Now, she's here to share how to feel good, live more, and earn enough.

This conversation shows a very honest, authentic Vanessa as she vulnerably shares her journey of placing her worth in work to ultimately burning out and having to heal from within. From her unexpected sabbatical, she gained life lessons that now feels called to share with her online community in a whole new way and we can't wait to hear what you think of this conversation.

Highlights:

-Why Vanessa LEFT social media and her business at her peak (and why she CAME BACK!)

-The pressures of social media fame + How it impacts sustainability and business

-How tasting "success" can lead to a disconnect between personal values & business goals

-People-pleasing can create unsustainable business practices

-Becoming aware of how ego can drive entrepreneurs to create unsustainable business models (and how to lead in business instead!)

-Soft girl era vs. Girl boss era (Hint: BOTH are flawed!)

-The transition from living for perfectionism and instead living from authenticity

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Vanessa's Journey

03:12 The Speculation and Impact of Vanessa's Break

06:02 The Nature of Social Media Relationships

09:01 Burnout and the Unsustainable Hustle

11:57 The Rise to Fame and Its Consequences

18:06 The Breakdown and Decision to Leave

27:14 The Height of Success and Its Illusions

32:45 The Ego Death and Self-Discovery

39:03 The Reality of Business Pressure

44:51 The Return To Social Media

01:07:32 Facing the Discomfort of Healing

01:10:23 Authenticity and Vulnerability in Public Life

01:12:50 The Shift from Perfectionism to Authenticity

01:21:19 Rebuilding After Burnout

01:24:40 The Pressure of Public Perception

01:27:30 Owning Your Narrative

01:36:11 The Inner Child and Healing