Today we’d like to introduce you to Cori Scherer.
Cori, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always had a passion for health, fitness, and beauty but didn’t really know how I wanted to start. One of my first jobs was working in retail where I got to focus on cosmetics, learn about some great brands, attend informative training, and learn about the industry from the ground up. I used this opportunity to learn as much as I could about makeup application, social media (I don’t think I even had an Instagram at this time or I had just created one), and watched as many YouTube videos as I could! I also started going to the gym consistently at this time and finding what I enjoyed doing when it came to my fitness routine.
From there, I transitioned into marketing and public relations for a high-end cosmetics company. This is really where I started learning just how big of a role blogs, influencers, and creatives were playing in the space. I worked hand-in-hand with large retailers like Sephora and also ran the brand’s influencer marketing before it was really a “thing”. I developed contracts with them, negotiated payments, monitored content and mentions, and began to develop friendships with many of them. I loved what they were doing and how they were turning their passions into careers that didn’t exist until they created it.
While here, I decided to create my blog after being inspired by others I was working with. I had NO IDEA what I was doing or where to start — I looked everything up online and did the best I could. I would write and create content at home and at work in my downtime and used any opportunity as an excuse to draft a blog post. I loved the thrill and the challenge of creating content, marketing it alone and learning what worked and what didn’t.
I worked there for over two years and again, absorbed all the knowledge I could. I got to travel, attend events, and meet some amazing movers and shakers in the cosmetics industry. I decided I wanted to work for a wider variety of clients and switched over to a public relations agency.
Right around this time, I started to feel “stuck”. I realized I didn’t love public relations as much as I once thought I did, and my only outlet was fitness. I began creating more fitness content online and interacting with others in the community. I was working 3 jobs at this time and felt overwhelmed, unmotivated, and very lost.
I found an opportunity that would allow me to work remotely while focusing on my content — I took it and ran with it. While it wasn’t the best situation, I looked at it as a way for me to do what I had been wanting to focus on without worrying about a ton of extra work on my shoulders.
WHEW, summarizing a story isn’t as easy as I thought it would be! Most recently, I connected with another influencer in Houston who quickly became one of my best friends. We collaborated to create an engaging fitness challenge, Find Your Sweat, to encourage others to find a workout they truly enjoyed, rather than looking at is as a chore.
I’ve been focusing on our brand with Find Your Sweat, my personal content, and purpose, and still, am trying to figure it all out. I’d be lying if I said I’ve reached exactly where I want to be — I’m very much still on the journey. I don’t think the journey ever ends, but I know that I’m on the path to a new chapter that I’ll be proud to include!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not a smooth road at all. I think the main struggles for me were (and still are) self-doubt, apprehension from others, uncertainty, and financial struggles. The end goal looks so glamorous and promising, and it probably would be if we could wake up one day and get paid immediately to do all the things we love. Unfortunately, that’s very much not the case, and it takes time, consistency, effort, and lots of working for free to even get a step closer to that.
My advice would be to give it all you got! If you know you’re passionate about something, go for it. Start networking like a boss, get organized and figure out a way to be consistent. ALSO… a big thing for me is to stay genuine. Do NOT try to emulate what you see someone else doing — be inspired without changing who you are or completely adopting someone else’s style. Find you. Do you, radiate your own personality and energy, and remain YOU through all of the superficiality and pressure of any industry.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Cori Scherer – what should we know?
I create content in the health, fitness, and beautiful space and I also work a few events around Houston. I also work with Herbalife to help others find products that they can integrate into their healthy lifestyle! I’m known for my fitness content, gym reviews, active videos, and also for my beauty/skincare content.
I’d say I’m most proud of my individuality. I’m not afraid to be myself even though many times it doesn’t fit the “mold” of an influencer. I try to be personable and relatable and utilize Instagram stories as much as possible. I’m a big weirdo at heart and think that sharing that part of myself with others is what makes me “me” and relatable. I also don’t shy away from being honest — I’ll never bash a company (unless they truly deserve it or have done something unethical), but I enjoy sharing things I’ve tried that I liked and didn’t like.
Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
Find who you’re inspired by. A mentor doesn’t necessarily have to be in the same industry as you, but find someone who is familiar with you and your style and who you admire, trust, and look up to from a business point of view. When it comes to networking, I always try to network “smart”. Don’t just meet a million people and forget their names. Really make an effort to engaging and make an impression on people you meet. Be yourself, be confident, introduce yourself, and don’t be afraid to go up to someone at an event. I think we live in a world now where we feel like we know certain people because of social media but the reality is we DON’T!!! Don’t feel intimidated, shy or like you already know someone because you’ve seen them online. Be prepared — Have business cards!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.corischerer.com
- Email: info@corischerer.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/corischerer
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/corischererblog
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/coriascherer
- Other: www.youtube.com/corischerer
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