Monet McMichael is a beauty influencer who graduated from Rutgers. Her journey began while she was still in school, when she began sharing strange videos. According to Forbes, it began as a hobby, but when her work became viral, she converted it into her main source of income.
“It’s definitely a dream,” she told Forbes about becoming a social media star. “It was nothing I ever thought would ever be my life. So it was definitely a hobby at first and I never thought I could come as far. So, I am just shocked. I have been saying to myself, it happened so fast. A year ago, I was in nursing school.”
Touching on balancing schooling and her creative career, McMichael said she had a routine that guided her, in terms of when to study and create her content.
“It was really a passion I feel I didn’t have inside and for nursing school too, it was such a big passion. But I feel like I always made time. I have really been on a routine. Like Monday to Friday, clogging into my classes, putting that time for studies so I did have that free time where I could do whatever I wanted.
“I also felt like in nursing school people had that mindset where they were like ‘I have no life, I can’t do anything.’ It is like, just, cross your Ts and dot your Is and have your Saturday and Sunday.”
McMichael became a professional content creator in February 2022 when she got a gig from a haircare brand. “I was super excited,” she said about the deal. “I remember I told my mom about it.”
McMichael also benefits financially from TikTok’s compensated collaboration. She has collaborated with brands such as Dior, Fenty Beauty, Lancôme, Nars, MAC, Tory Burch, Armani Beauty, Lululemon, and Estee Lauder through the brand. Range Media Partners signed her in March of this year.
McMichael has a total of $5 million followers across all platforms. She has over 2.9 million followers and 134 million likes on TikTok alone, for a total social reach of 3.6 million across that platform and others like Instagram and YouTube. She is also on Forbes’ 2023 Top Creators list, where she is ranked 47th overall.
“The beauty queen and Rutgers Nursing School graduate knows how to build a fan base.” McMichael, a makeup and beauty influencer, frequently engages with 13% of her more than 5 million followers, which is excellent in a market where 2% engagement is impressive. “She has used her magnetic abilities to land deals with MAC Cosmetics, Fresh Beauty, and Bumble,” Forbes stated of her.