Today we’d like to introduce you to Darea Rolle.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Darea Rolle. I am a lover of all things art and creative spaces. This fueled my love for makeup as well. I would watch YouTube girls do their makeup every night before bed and always wondered if it was possible for me to ever be in their positions. This dream was never forefront because o always kept the reality of my social climate, location, and SMART goals in front of me.
So I went to school and studied business, and worked full-time as well. Being full-time in school and at work also kept me busy and with an excuse to not start posting. Aside from the external factors, I also felt like my personality wouldn’t thrive online and I didn’t feel my appearance met the standard to be platformed.
Additionally, I was always really shy and kept to myself but oddly enough I always had a knack for entertaining others during conversations or interactions. Fast forward to Uni, my social skills began to blossom, and presenting information about anything became a breeze for me. I could sell a product or business idea in presentations that had everyone believing it was possible to achieve. However, despite the validation from my peers and professors I still didn’t believe in myself.
In 2020 the pandemic came in and I was laid off from my job, and I only had school to focus on. The feeling to start creating content came back, and at this point, I had more free time because we were operating remotely at school. However, I suppressed that urge to start posting because I was afraid to fail or be rejected. I continued focusing on my studies for the remainder of the year and in May 2021, I graduated from the University of The Bahamas with a Degree in business management.
I no longer had an excuse of being too busy at work or school and then realized I never needed more time I needed to believe I was capable. Something sparked in me and I began creating content. With an iPhone 7 and a 10-ring light, I began posting like I knew what I was doing and like I belonged doing it! I began researching to learn about the industry. I amassed a following pretty quickly however at this point I was not being paid or noticed by brands the way I wanted to be.
I started offering local businesses content-creating services and also got a job at a resort as social media personnel. I continued posting and learning about the industry. The more I learned the more I grew and a few months into my new job, my platforms began growing rapidly. I was going viral every few videos, brands were reaching out for paid collaborations, I was being noticed by public figures and I had built a community! All of this from a corner of my room.
Life was good and I was proud of myself until I felt the need to leave my job. (Insert scream), I felt like I was at capacity and stretched really thin with all that was happening in my life. But most importantly I knew it was what Yahweh (God) wanted me to do. I began planning my exit and in September of 2022, I left my job to be a full-time creator. A lot of people didn’t understand my need to but it wasn’t just a decision, it was an instruction I had to follow to be who I am today.
Since then, I’ve grown tremendously, I’m at peace, I have freedom, I’ve had opportunities to travel for work and I’ve seen my annual income in a matter of months. Yahweh is faithful. We don’t see tomorrow but he does. I took that leap and trusted him with my future because he was already there. Today, I am a full time creator that has now expanded from just TikTok to also Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. I’m living out a dream I didn’t think was attainable in the exact place I thought was a limitation.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Some of the struggles I faced were a lack of knowledge: in the beginning of my social career influencing was almost nonexistent in The Bahamas. There was no blueprint or community to truly learn from. I went through a lot of trial and error to be where I am today.
Limited reach; my geographical location limited my reach. I was being pushed solely to The Bahamas and neighboring Caribbean countries. Penetrating other territories and diversifying my audience took time, strategy, and a lot of content trials/diversification.
Receiving packages & cost: unlike US creators that receive packages at their door. Living in the Bahamas makes the process longer and more costly. In the beginning, I spent hundreds of dollars trying to receive packages from brands that were gifted to me for promotion. Considering these packages are not purchased, no invoices are given and it was truly a struggle.
Critics: In The Bahamas influencing is a far-fetched and unrealistic career to pursue for most. Therefore, I did have encounters with individuals that degraded, mocked, and shunned my choice. The support I received still outweighs the negative.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a full-time content creator. I create beauty, fashion, and lifestyle content. My platform is mainly geared towards women and is a safe space for them to learn how to enhance their natural Yah Given beauty through beauty tips, tutorials, and step-by-step routines. I’m known for my platform being one that is personable and welcoming.
One where I not only share beauty advice but life advice. I encourage women to love themselves for who they are and to chase the greatest versions of themselves in all aspects. I am most proud of being able to inspire women to go after their goals. Also, I’m proud of being a representation that we can be anything we want to be. No matter where we live, or how popular it is there. You can be anything with hard work and determination.
What sets me apart is that I genuinely care, appreciate, and respect every person that follows me. I’ve created a community of women that feels safe enough to approach me in public like they’ve known me forever. I enjoy people being able to feel my authenticity and sincerity even through a screen. I think that makes me different.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I feel mentors are important for growth. However, I did not have one. I learned to network and absorb information when I am invited to spaces that are rich in wisdom, experience, and skill. What worked for me is being open-minded. No encounter is too small to learn from. No person is too small to learn from. A mentor doesn’t have to be up close. Some of my biggest inspirations and guides don’t even know I exist.
However, I learned to study the behavior of those I aspire to be like. Networking has been a big help for me. I’ve used it like a tool and have built great relationships and learned a lot. If you want to start networking start by simply being good to people. It’s never been anything I’ve done, strings I’ve pulled, or accumulated favors. I will simply be good to people no matter who they are or where they are in life. People may forget names but they’ll never forget an act of kindness.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/dareadanielle?igshid=MjEwN2IyYWYwYw==
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/@dareadanielle
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@dareadanielle?_t=8cyQZYJVN82&_r=1
