Meet Sarah Barkley | Social Media Marketing & Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Barkley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, why did you pursue a creative career?
Ever since I was a child, I’ve always had a knack for photography and video editing. My Dad was a huge influence on this! He used to walk around with his camera and film everything me and my brother did. Whether it was making videos for my cheer team or uploading videos of my brothers high school marching band, he was always there. My curiosity grew and he allowed me to take his camera and start filming my brother. I had to be like 9 years old. That’s where my love grew. As I got older I started social media in middle school (when Instagram was just starting out) sadly, since I was ahead of the curve I was bullied for it. I knew I wanted to continue being a content creator no matter what. I went to college and studied broadcast journalism, but I knew I was meant to do marketing. Luckily when living in Orlando after college I was given a chance to become an intern and create content full time for a company. Thus creating my Influencer lifestyle. I now get to attend all sorts of media events, create content as an influencer, and meet people who like the same things. I was very blessed.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a content creator, living in Orlando. I call myself a professional tourist because I get to experience everything the city has to offer. I am your go-to gal when it comes to visiting Orlando. I think my creativity and kindness set me apart from others. This content creator world seems like a dog eat dog world if you arent too careful. I’ve been blessed to meet so many people and being kind is a great way to meet others. Comparing yourself to other creators can be very toxic, and easy to fall into. I am so glad I have my support system always inspiring to keep making content. The company that hired me to do this full time hired me as an intern and so I proved myself by always going the extra mile. I showed up to things I wasn’t even required to go too. I made sure the team got help when they needed it. They saw potential for me and created a full time postition in the company based off my efforts. That was a God moment. Something that shouldn’t have happened, but did. It was not easy at first, I had to work at two major theme parks and juggle my internship, but I made it work. I was working part time at Disney World and Universal just to be able to afford my bills, but I knew if I kept working hard, it would pay off. Three jobs at once wasn’t for the faint of heart, but I made it work. I want the world to know, that even when it seems hard, don’t let anyone tell you who you can be or stop you from your dreams. Trust in God and he will make your paths straight. Never compare your journey to someone elses. When the time is right, it will happen.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Orlando has sooo much to offer. I would take my friends to the theme parks – Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Aquatica, Volcano Bay. We would then hit some local restaurants in Winter Park or the Mills 50 District. I love Pigzza, The Moderne, Otto’s High Dive, Buttermilk Bakery, and so many more. We could then hang out at Boxi Park in Downtown Lake Nona, listen to live music, and grab a bite to eat. Orlando has it all. Kelly Park is a beautiful natural spring that you can float and tube down, Wekiwa has the best walking trail.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my parents for believing in me, my best friend Sarah Livelli for helping me get through the bullying and hate, and my friends who were my support system.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahbarkley_/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-barkley-5ab06814b

Other: TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@sarahbarkley__

Image Credits
ice cream picture and coffee picture
Tristan Scammell