Some influencers, like Kevin Bubolz, have even built their personal brands on a foundation of serving their community. Bubolz, a therapy dog handler, found himself creating content during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way of spreading positivity. 

“My wife and I enjoy volunteering in schools, hospitals, and nursing homes with our therapy dog, Ellie. However, starting in March 2020, in-person volunteering was canceled for public health reasons. Although justified, not being able to volunteer in-person was disheartening as, more than ever, people needed positivity in their lives,” Bubolz shares.  

Communities around the country found themselves lacking the vital assistance needed throughout the pandemic, and many are still working harder than ever to restore normalcy. Programs such as Bubolz and Ellie’s favorite, The University of Minnesota PAWS (Pet Away Worry & Stress) required a complete change in strategy that allowed them to continue serving their community while also maintaining local social distancing protocols. “The University of Minnesota PAWS (Pet Away Worry & Stress) program switched to weekly virtual therapy and I pivoted to social media with a mission of spreading smiles,” continues Bubolz.   

Amidst the crisis, countless small businesses and restaurants were forced into temporary closures and altered business strategies to remain afloat. Community members who solely relied on these businesses for support found themselves in unfamiliar territory with more questions than answers.  

Austin-based creator, Jane Ko, realized there was an opportunity to utilize her influence to help the same community that has championed her blogging career for the last decade. As the adage goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.   

Jane rolled up her sleeves and got to work supporting her Austin neighbors. “I launched Hundred For Hospitality during lockdown and raised $15,000 in April 2020 in Austin by providing 4,000 meals for the service industry,” recalls Ko. Incredibly, the work did not stop there. She raised $160,000 during the Austin winter storm  of 2021 providing 30,000 meals to hospitals, EMS, warming centers, and more while supporting over 50 restaurants in Austin.  

Jane is entering her eleventh year of covering Austin’s hottest restaurants and weekend getaways, both of which are among the hardest hit industries. Despite the unknowns, Jane shares, “I feel very lucky to be part of the growth of Austin and to call this city home. The city has given so much to me so I want to continue giving back to the community.” 

With so many unknowns, if there is one thing we can be certain of, it’s the commonality we find while exercising compassion. Volunteering provides a natural sense of accomplishment and the impact often goes far beyond the act itself.  

Kevin recalls a special moment while volunteering in a hospital with Ellie, “A few years ago, the spouse of a patient requested a visit as her husband was a dog lover. We entered the room, and Ellie joined the patient in his hospital bed. Almost immediately, the patient’s wife started crying. Initially, I was concerned because I thought we did something wrong, but then the patient’s wife explained her husband recently had a stroke and could not communicate. However, when Ellie jumped up on the bed, he smiled for the first time since his incident, and his wife was overcome with emotion.” 

If you would like to serve your community, Volunteer Match is a comprehensive resource that provides thousands of opportunities in-person and virtually, many that require little to no previous training. Whether you are looking for volunteer opportunities yourself or considering engaging influencers to create awareness for your nonprofit, there has never been a better time than the present.  

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International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8 and here at Find Your Influence we embody its spirit throughout the year.  The FYI leadership team consists of four bright and inspiring women; Jamie Reardon, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Cristine Viera, President and Co-Founder, Tami Nealy, VP of Communications and Public Relations and Joslyn Adasek, EVP of Sales and Strategic Partnerships. Collectively, this group of women guides Find Your Influence through the ever-evolving marketing landscape leveraging their unique expertise to grow not only a fiscally responsible company, but one that it’s employees, brand and agency partners and influencers are proud to work with.

The women who used their experiences to institute IWD helped to shine a light on the need for a gender-balanced workforce and inspired a generation on fire for equality. Each member of the Find Your Influence leadership team began their corporate careers in a climate that was not always as accepting and conscience of the need for a gender equality.

“Jamie and Cristine have embodied the leadership capabilities of personal humility and professional will, each paramount to the success of Find Your Influence and are the heartbeat of the culture here,” said Michael Creel, Creative and Marketing Director at FYI. “They are ambitious for the cause of the company, first and foremost, not for their individual praise or success. They are constant in praise for the team, as well as promote a positive company culture.”

Jamie, Cristine, Tami and Joslyn have each experienced the backslide that can come in a corporate environment heavily focused on gender bias and personal gain. They choose to bring balance to the workforce through their support of fellow employees, their brands and the influencers they work with.

“They have created a culture that enables each employee to reach their potentials and live a balanced life,” Linda Foley, Lead Product Designer explained. “They empathize and understand the daily struggles we all face and respond by allowing amended schedules, work-from-home opportunities, part-time hours, and providing the flexibility to be present for our kids at their important milestones.”

More and more employees are looking for a family-friendly work space. Reardon and Vieira lead the thriving marketing company while balancing motherhood themselves.

Chelsea Goodson, Director of Influencer Management at Find Your Influence explains, “I’ve felt encouraged to dive into motherhood full force, all the while knowing that I have their support and guidance in learning how to balance my new role as a mother and career simultaneously,” Goodson elaborated.

Ambition is not synonymous with conceit or arrogance, and women striving for careers and leadership roles are no less deserving of them for being driven. The popularity of influencer marketing has broadened the ability for women across the world to find balance and share their voice through successful blogging careers.

The Find Your Influence network of influencers are wives, mothers, sisters and daughters who share their voice as hobbyists, fashionistas, chefs, artists, entrepreneurs, business women, travelers and more all while harmonizing with their personal lives. When you work with an influencer from the FYI network, you know you’re getting the real deal: a thought-leader and inspirational content creator. And likely someone who is #BalancedforBetter.

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