Today we’d like to introduce you to Caitlin DeChiara.
Caitlin, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I was young, YouTube has always been a dream of mine. I fell in love with the idea of putting yourself “out there” through social media. I was extremely shy growing up, I had a tough time expressing myself and just talking to people in general. In middle school, I would come home and head straight to my room and record myself on my iPod touch. It probably wasn’t even the least bit interesting. I just felt like I had a voice and could talk about whatever I wanted because I was alone in my room. However, I never actually had the courage to upload these videos to YouTube. I thought about it so many times, but I was afraid my peers at school would find out. If I could turn back time, I would tell myself to upload that video. Over the years, I’ve learned not to care what people think about me and started my YouTube channel back in 2014. I posted my first video, “Spring Lookbook”, in April of 2015.
As I graduated high school and went off to college, it became difficult to find the time to film and edit videos. College days dragged on and I started to realize that college isn’t even what I want right now or maybe ever. I didn’t have a purpose there. I felt obligated to go because of family and friends. I was miserable in school. As the semester was coming to an end, I recognized that I technically didn’t have to be there. It’s my life and I want to choose my path. I decided to withdraw from school and I have never been happier. It was one of the scariest decisions I have made, but one of the best. Right now, I am working and filming. My dream is to put so much work into my YouTube channel, that it becomes my full-time job.
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?
Life is full of obstacles, but you can’t let that stop you from chasing your dream. I have been called a quitter for dropping out of school and some even say that I’ll never get anywhere in life. Yeah, it’s hard hearing those things but I don’t let it affect me anymore. Think about what you have in life, so why would you want to live it the way other people want you to. This is your opportunity to do whatever you want.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Currently, I am working on my YouTube channel. You can find me at https://www.youtube.com/c/CaitlinDeChiara. I’ve always loved making others happy and influencing my style. My favorite part of making videos is getting the opportunity to just be myself and having fun. I like to focus my videos on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. I love expressing myself through my clothes and style and I hope to influence others to feel confident.
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
In today’s society, I feel as if more and more women are scared to be themselves. It’s a struggle for everybody, even for men. But I see it as more of an issue in women and young girls. We’re all afraid to be who we are because we don’t want to feel judged. I was the same exact way. Social media has become a common problem as to why we compare ourselves so much. It’s sickening. Women see celebrities and influencers all over Instagram for instance and ask themselves, “Why don’t I have a body like her?” or “How come I’m not pretty like her?” It’s heartbreaking to see so many women uncomfortable with their looks and figures. Over the years, I’ve learned that being a woman is so powerful, and I must say, extremely fun. It takes time but becoming confident is a major key. You have to learn to fall in love with yourself and just go with it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youtube.com/c/CaitlinDeChiara
- Email: caitlinjdechiara@hotmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caitlindechiara/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/caitlindechiara
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/zachariahdrown/
Image Credit:
Zachariah Drown
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
