This article condenses a campus fireside chat featuring Ayan Broomfield (tennis athlete turned creator and founder) and Olandria Carthen (model and TV personality) on turning visibility into a long-term brand. The conversation blends practical routines, strategy, and mindset—aimed at students navigating the creator economy.
Who Was on Stage
- Ayan Broomfield: Toronto-born, played Division I tennis on scholarship at UCLA, then pursued professional tennis and expanded into content. She also launched Ayan’s Aces, a foundation initiative focused on expanding access for women of color in sports.
- Olandria Carthen: Built a large community after reality TV exposure (“The Villa” in the transcript). She describes transitioning from a traditional job to full-time platform building and brand partnerships.
When Content Creation Became “Real” Work
Olandria describes starting content before the show, including a small “apartment series” on TikTok that performed well—but also revealed a constraint: editing time. Her conclusion was straightforward: if content is the business, you may need to hire help or build a system to sustain output.
After the show, she says she recognized quickly that the audience support could become a long-term career—if she avoided becoming a “flash in the pan” and instead turned the platform into something durable and values-driven.
Daily Routine: Staying Grounded When the Schedule Is Chaos
Olandria emphasizes that every day looks different (events, shoots, travel), so routines are less about perfection and more about anchors:
- Phone first: checking in with family and friends, acknowledging time sacrificed with them.
- Journaling + self-talk: setting small milestones for the day.
- Music as mood control: sometimes starting mornings with gospel.
Brand Partnerships: Why Saying “No” Is Part of the Job
Both speakers return to the same filter: alignment. Olandria argues that audiences can tell when deals are only “money grabs,” so she prioritizes partnerships that match her values and fit a coherent message over time.
In the transcript, she points to education-related work and repeated collaborations (rather than one-off posts) as the pathway to turning a moment into a multi-year brand relationship.
Team Building: Avoiding “Unicorn Sellers”
Olandria describes being approached by many would-be managers and advisors after gaining visibility. Her selection criteria centered on realism and strategic clarity:
- Look for people who can say “we can build toward this” rather than guaranteeing outcomes.
- Build a team with different strengths (communication, styling, brand strategy, logistics).
- Take time to evaluate—she says it took about a month of meetings to choose.
Momentum Management: Turning Attention Into a “Next Move”
Asked how she stays one step ahead, Olandria answers with honesty: fear. Quitting a stable paycheck created urgency and forced her to bet on herself. Her approach is to make every move connect to a larger narrative, so the audience can see the logic (education focus → partnerships and events that reinforce that brand pillar).
The Five-Year Plan and “Moves That Make Sense”
Her advice to students is explicit: write a five-year vision and break it into monthly goals. She frames “manifestation” as repetition plus action—saying what you want, then taking steps that reinforce the direction.
Collaboration vs. Solo Grinding
On whether creators should collaborate or build alone, she argues both are true depending on context:
- Collaboration can amplify voices—especially for groups underrepresented in high-status spaces.
- Solo execution is sometimes required when collaboration isn’t available or when you must prove independent capability.
Outgrowing People, Guilt, and “You’re Not Doing All This Work to Stay the Same”
The chat openly addresses the emotional side of growth: being labeled “different,” feeling guilt about leaving people behind, and navigating rooms where you wonder if you belong. Olandria’s stance is that change is expected—growth means new environments, new standards, and sometimes new circles.
Rapid-Fire Highlights (Practical + Human)
- Tool she can’t live without: Microsoft Copilot (for organization).
- Homebody vs city: homebody; in bed early.
- Content format preference: static carousel photos.
- Outfit philosophy: outfit repeater; practical cost awareness.
Q&A Themes: What Students Asked
- Most impactful project: a Barbie partnership described as meaningful representation for young Black girls.
- How to pinpoint a brand: start with one core pillar (education was her example), then set small lane goals (fashion, acting, etc.).
- Failure’s role: setbacks force reflection and tighten strategy; the claim is that it helps you handle success with care later.
- Ambition vs breaks: both speakers admit the balance is hard; momentum makes rest feel risky, but grounding habits matter.
- Becoming articulate: adaptability, learning to “speak the room’s language” while still standing out; education and sport environments shaped this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What was the biggest practical takeaway?
A: Build a clear core message (a brand pillar), then only take partnerships and projects that reinforce it.
Q: Do you need a team to be a creator?
A: Not at the beginning, but the speakers argue that scaling often requires help—especially for editing, strategy, and coordination.
Q: Is “manifestation” the strategy?
A: In context, it’s presented as vision + repeated intent + consistent actions, not wishful thinking alone.
Q: Is this career advice guaranteed to work?
A: No.
