Who Are You Listening To In 2024?

Jan. 29

It’s said that we are a combination of the five people we spend the most time with…

But how does this philosophy transfer over to the people we follow online?

Throughout 2023, I set out to be more intentional about whose voices I allow to pop up on my screens,

Both trying to expand the number of perspectives I hear while also removing those doing more harm than good.

(Honestly, this was a lengthy process, but as a result, I follow fewer, higher-quality accounts across all of social media now, which has been so, so cleansing)

While I am by no means immune to a good old-fashioned doom scroll,

Being intentional with who I actually follow in my feeds and allow in my inbox has been the gift that has just kept on giving for my mental health and productivity.

So, in the spirit of sharing,

I thought I would kick off 2024 by shining a spotlight on some of my personal favourite accounts and people of influence who I actively (and happily) choose to follow online.

You never know, maybe some of these people will be a good influence on you too!

Writing

For me, writing advice is often quite hit or miss (either it’s super helpful or it’s wayyyy too general to be impactful). Here are some examples of writers whom I actively follow to inspire my own writing process:

Brian Speronello

As a fellow freelance writer whom I met through a writing course, Brian’s newsletter and his blog content on Freelance Like A Pro have been incredibly helpful.

He writes easy-to-follow guides about how to set up retainers and increase your rates, all of which are available on his website or by subscribing to his newsletter (which I highly recommend).

Female Writers on LinkedIn

As a bit of a more general category, I cannot properly explain the level of impact that this list of kind, talented, and warm women has had on me and my LinkedIn feed in 2023.

Each focusing on this own unique area of expertise, here are some LI creators that have inspired my writing and taught me so much about how to be a powerful female business owner:

Melissia Mertsis is my Canadian writing BFF and real-life human angel. She writes some of the most relatable and funny content I have ever read, and her posts never, EVER miss the mark on being inspiring, helpful, and hilarious.

Sheena Fronk and I became instant friends when we met in a Slack group. She strongly advocates for charging your worth, and her content and advice are why I upped my rates this past year!

Shân Osborn is possibly the best LinkedIn hype girl, sliding into everyone’s comments with words of praise and support. Her content is smart, witty, and powerful — encapsulating everything I want to be when I grow up!

Business & Community

Because of this newsletter, community has been very top of my mind lately. Here are a few examples of people who have created a dedicated following and community around their brand that really inspire me:

Trixie Mattel

As my favourite RuPaul’s Drag Race alum, Trixie Mattel is the perfect example of knowing your brand, trusting your instincts, and using all of your creative skills to your advantage.

Trixie is a multi-numeral threat,

(Her work portfolio includes a cosmetic company, multiple successful studio albums, a YouTube channel, HGTV home and hotel renovation shows, world tours, and more!)

She is a constant reminder that being yourself (no matter how different that may be from the norm) is always the best way to create authentic content that connects.

The Vlogbrothers

I have been following John and Hank Green (who go by the VlogBrothers on YouTube) since I was in grade eight, and their impact on my life cannot be overstated.

As experts in creating a sense of community, John & Hank are the best-case examples of how powerful a group of people can be for creating positive change in the world.

Having raised over $7 MILLION dollars for Partners In Health (a global health charity) over their over 15-year run on the platform,

My biggest and greatest dreams of community creation are always sparked by their ideas and values.

Personal Finance

To run a successful business, you need to be plugged into personal finance — and I cannot more highly recommend these two creators if you want to become more financially savvy.

Ramit Sethi

If you have been subscribed to this newsletter for a while, then you likely recognize this name from the many, many other times I have recommended his work.

Ramit is the author of I Will Teach You To Be Rich, the personal finance book that helped me learn how to invest and create an emergency fund.

Without this book, I would never have been in the stable financial situation that allowed me to pursue freelance writing.

I highly recommend giving it a read and following him on Instagram, he makes great content!

The Financial Feminist

Tori Dunlap (the author of The Financial Feminist and host of the podcast with the same name) is truly an icon and is my absolute hero.

She is a strong advocate for female empowerment through money, breaking down the many barriers that women face when trying to become financially literate and free.

Her content actually changes lives (while also being so damn funny), and I cannot stress enough that you need to check her out ASAP.

Boundary Setting and Mental Health

This is a new content theme for me, and I have been learning how to set better boundaries and advocate for myself through my own therapy. Through this journey, I have come across these two creators, who have changed how I view saying “no.”

Jeffery Marsh

Jeffery Marsh is a non-binary LGBTQ activist who I have recently started following on Instagram (and I have LOVED their ability to be so raw, vulnerable, and open).

Their content focuses on the queer experience, talking about core issues of boundary setting, self-identity, and knowing when you need to remove yourself from toxic situations.

Their work is a master class in authentic communication, and I have really enjoyed how their advice has made me feel more personally inspired and empowered.

Nedra Glover Tawwab

Recommended to me by my pal Jodi,

(Hi Jodi, I know you read these and I LOVE YOU)

Nedra Glover Tawwab is a therapist focusing on relationship building and boundary setting.

As an admitted people pleaser myself, her content has already helped me see the value and strength in knowing how to say “no” to things that don’t serve me — both personally and professionally.

She is smart, gentle, and inspiring!

For A Laugh

Finally, not everyone I follow online is for academic or inspiring purposes. Sometimes, you just need to laugh, and these two creators always manage to make me feel joy!

Uyen Ninh

I stumbled onto Uyen Ninh through my Instagram feed, and it might be the only good thing that has come to me from the explore feature on the app.

As a Vietnamese woman living in Germany with her now fiance, she creates short, relatable content about the differences between the two cultures.

She is charming, funny, and incredibly wholesome. 10/10 great content to view at any time!

Brian David Gilbert

I fell in love with Brian David Gilbert when I discovered his content through Polygon (a video game journalism company).

Since then, he has left the organization, and now creates some of the most unique, funny, and hard-hitting content on his personal YouTube account.

His ability to explore different mediums of video content inspires me to be more open to different creative mediums in my own work.

All of his videos are good and incredibly different from each other, and I aspire to his level of creative power and whimsy!