Peeling Back the Curtain on Influencer Marketing
We explore the secret world of influencer marketing with Maggie Gehlsen-Burnett, whose experience as a former pageant queen has led her down the complicated but exciting career path of sharing her life with the world online. For a long time, pageantry was the one thing that defined who Maggie was. It wasn’t just a hobby, it was her goals, her successes, her community. But what happens when all of that ends?
In this episode, Misty sits down with Maggie in the Sweat Studio to sip wine and lay it all out on the table—about her pageant experience, about how she redefined herself in her new-age career, and about the alluring and oftentimes mysterious world of influencer marketing. We see influencers every day, but do we really understand how their world works? What goes on behind the one-minute videos boosting a product? Who is controlling the narrative? If you’ve been curious about the lives of influencers, your questions will be answered on this episode of Marketing Sweats.
“[Some of these influencers] are people who started out as regular joe schmoes in the world and now they have this great impact. Anybody can do this. Influencing is like a career now. You can make money. And if you’re the Alix Earles of the world you can pay your rent off of it. People are finding out this is a way of living that is so opposite 9 to 5. They’re finding out there’s an industry where they can talk about things that they love and be their most authentic selves online and then get paid really well for it.”
Maggie Gehlsen-Burnett
About Maggie Gehlsen-Burnett
Maggie Gehlsen-Burnett is a content creator, influencer, podcaster and writer. Although she lives in Peoria, Illinois now, she originally hails from Eastern Iowa. Maggie’s formative years were spent dancing and baton twirling competitively for 12 years within the Miss America Organization, where Maggie was 1st Runner Up to Jr. Miss Iowa 2008, 1st Runner Up to Teen Miss Iowa 2012 and 1st Runner Up to Miss Iowa 2018. She attended the University of Alabama and was on the Crimsonette Majorette Line. Maggie then got involved in corporate wellness in New York City, working for some of the largest fitness brands, including SoulCycle & Solidcore. Currently, she owns her own branding & content creation consulting firm and works with clients 1:1 to bring their brand’s voice to life. She also serves as a member of the RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) Speaker’s Bureau, where she tells her own story of surviving sexual assault. Maggie is passionate about helping other women in their ‘undoings.’ On the side, she hosts her podcast entitled “And World Peace,” and writes for her Substack publication, also entitled “And World Peace.” Connect with Maggie on LinkedIn.