Today we’d like to introduce you to Karis Pham.
Hi Karis, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hi! I’m Karis and I’m originally from South Houston then moved to Austin for school at the University of Texas and stayed for a few years to work at a hybrid job in tech. At the end of 2022, I got a remote job and wanted a change. In 2023 we started looking at different places to move and I decided that I wanted to be closer to family again. My husband and I both share a love for the beach so we decided to take a chance and look at houses in Galveston. We fell in love with the first house we toured and got the keys in December of 2023. Fast forward to today I’m still working in tech remotely, life at the beach feels like a dream come true, and I love creating content on the side about coastal life in Galveston and traveling! I actually grew up coming to Galveston and even had my high school prom here, so it’s pretty full circle that I get to live here now.
I’ve always loved posting food and things to do wherever I’ve lived whether it was Houston, Austin, or Galveston mostly on my stories or with static photos. When I moved here, I got a lot of comments like “why would you live here by choice” or “Galveston is so dirty why would you move here” and so on. There is definitely a negative stereotype about Galveston being dirty or brown so I was really motivated to change this perspective and highlight how beautiful Galveston really is and share the love I’ve always had for Galveston with others. In April of 2024, I posted my first “official” TikTok/Reel with engaging clips and a voiceover, breaking away from only story posts or static photos. When it took off, I took it as a sign that I was meant to do this and keep posting engaging videos on Galveston/travel even if it was scary at first to break away from just photos.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There is often a stigma that creators only post positive things about a business because they are paid to or given something for free in return so sometimes people can think “oh she is just getting an influencer experience my experience won’t be like that” or “maybe this food isn’t good she just got paid to say that”. In reality, a lot of businesses I work with are businesses I already frequent and support outside of our collaborations so getting to partner with them is just an added bonus. One of my goals is to really showcase my authenticity and be honest with my content whether it’s a raving review or constructive feedback. This is another reason why I am really starting to hone in on vlogging so viewers can see my real-time reactions as I’m going through the experience myself. I never want people to think I’m just saying something because I’m paid to but more so sharing my honest opinion so they have realistic expectations when attending events, dining out, or booking an experience.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a content creator based in Galveston, TX highlighting beach life and travel content. I love posting about local activities/things to do, happy hours and meal deals at local restaurants, vlogs/days in my life living at the beach, and travel itineraries. My page truly romanticizes life in Galveston to break the negative stereotypes that Galveston is just a dirty beach. One of the things that I’m most proud of is when people message me directly saying things like “I can’t wait to visit Galveston now because of you” or “Your page makes me want to move to Galveston” or “I planned my trip to X city because of your content”. My love for the beach and a slower pace of life sets me apart from a lot of other creators who live in the hustle and bustle of the city. On my page, you will often find daily vlogs of going to the beach, taking a beach walk, riding bikes, or just sitting on the porch: a lot of activities that remind me to just slow down and enjoy my surroundings.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I think my life has been a mix of the effort I put in to get the outcome I’m hoping for plus a mix of luck sprinkled throughout. I put a lot of effort into the content I create and I feel so lucky when brands who actually see my posts and reach out to collaborate. I’ve also had opportunities where people have found me through word of mouth from some of my followers who I either have never met or don’t talk to that often so I consider myself very lucky that they thought to refer me without even knowing me personally and only because they enjoy my page and content. In my personal life, I also feel very lucky that a random Hinge date turned into marrying my best friend/now husband and I also feel very lucky that the first and only house we toured ended being the perfect one for us and our life. I believe there is always a bit of luck in all the positive things that have happened to me and I also believe in signs from the universe: if it’s meant to be it will be!
Pricing:
- sponsored instagram story $150
- sponsored Instagram reel or TikTok $350
- sponsored Instagram carousel $250
- UGC video $300
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/galvestongirly/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karispham
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=DvOv6N84d8FK8fC_HfkC0w
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@galvestongirly
Image Credits
KayLee Victoria @kayleevphoto (group coastal cowgirl picture)
Kim Pham @popsparklephotography (red dress sunset picture)
