August 25, 2023 • 31 mins
In this episode of The Circuit, Emily Chang heads to Los Angeles to meet one family that’s trying to turn TikTok fame into a business empire. Charli D’Amelio, one of the most-followed people on TikTok, and her parents Heidi and Marc discuss their expansion into television, investing and building their own brand. Chang gets a sneak peek at their new shoe line and sits down with Charli to talk about the struggles of fame on today’s internet.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
I'm Emily Chang, and this is the circuit today. I'm
taking you to La, home of Hollywood heavyweights, where there
are some new kids in town. The TikTok stars. One
of the biggest is Charlie Emilio, who became a sleeper
social media sensation through the pandemic. She now has over
one hundred and fifty million followers on TikTok, one of
(00:26):
the platform's most popular creators. I sat down with Charlie
and her parents, Heidi and Mark Dmilio to talk about
life in the spotlight.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
My first day walking into the TikTok office with my
sister who We're in La for like a few days,
and we just strolled by the office and everyone kind
of looked like, who's this girl. Back in a few
weeks later and they're like, oh my gosh, Charlie.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
We also talk about how they're hoping to turn that
meteoric rise into a long lasting business empire. They've got
a reality show, a VC fund, a new shoe line,
and more. Here's my conversation with the Damelio family, So.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Dancing with the Stars. Congratulations, by the way, who Nickelodeon
brand deals endorsements, the VC fund ces south by Southwest, Like,
how do you even keep track of it?
Speaker 4 (01:17):
All?
Speaker 5 (01:17):
Our calendar is pretty intense and we all have a
shared calendar so we all know, Like before I call them, like,
let me make sure they weren't able to sleep till
noon today.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
I don't want to wake anybody up.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
And we have a team that helps us keep our
calendar going pretty strong.
Speaker 6 (01:34):
You know.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
I see how much you're all doing, and it's still
almost shocking how new you still are to this sort
of being famous thing, Like it happened really fast. Are
you used to it yet?
Speaker 6 (01:45):
I think Heidi and I are probably more used to
it because we don't get one one hundred of Charlie,
Like we went out to dinner last day and they
took a couple of pictures of us and that was it.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
She gets mobbed in a lot of instance. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, I kind of stay in a little bubble almost
of you know, my very very close friends, and I
think it helps, like having my hometown friends that I
talk to that can you know, still be like a
little rough today and like like there's it's just so
(02:18):
normal to where I don't feel any type of way
about how people see me. But then when I do,
you know, go out and there's people there and or
there's a meet angry and people are like crying. That's
when sometimes I'm why, like I don't personally understand it,
and I feel like that's something that either comes with
(02:39):
time or it's just always going to feel like I'm
a little out of place, almost because it is. It's
something very new. There's no rule book for it, and
how do you ever truly understand the impact that you
can have on someone's life?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
You know, there's also no parenting guide for how to
raise two people who are TikTok famous.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Right, yes, there's not.
Speaker 5 (03:02):
I feel like for Charlie when she does go out,
it's like a unicorn when she's out of her house.
So people love, people get extra excited. Like Dixie loves,
she loves driving, she loves going shopping, she loves going out,
so people are I feel a little bit more used
to seeing her out. But when she goes out, it's like, wait,
she's out.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
And then out in the wild. It's almost like you
won this TikTok lottery. You were thrust into the spotlight
so fast. And I've actually heard you say a few
times you don't even know why you took off? Do
you get it now? Like, do you think you understand
why everyone was so obsessed with you?
Speaker 4 (03:40):
No?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Like, imagine it happens to you and then all of
a sudden, there's all of these people that are watching
what you do and taking inspiration from the things you do,
and everyone always asks like, how do you do it?
I'm posting the same stuff that I posted before. I
don't really know. It feels like nothing changed, but all
(04:04):
of a sudden people took a liking to me and
it all went a little bit crazy from there. It's
very hard to pinpoint exactly what it could have been.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Yeah, so you've got this Damelia family business, and I
know you all have your own roles, Like Mark, you
have a business background?
Speaker 6 (04:20):
Hi?
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Do you or a model? Charlie is Charlie? What do
you want people to know about the business and what
you're trying to accomplish? And you know, what are your roles?
Speaker 4 (04:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (04:29):
I mean we we came up with the concept of
the Melia brands, not anything unique to our to what
other people with notoriety or celebrities have done. We just
there were times that we would partner with with certain
certain companies and there was someone else's creative direction. And
I think both Dixie and Charlie have their finger on
(04:51):
the pulse of what's happening. And we were still doing
endorsement deals. Charlie's still doing endorsement deals. But we've always
been very particular on the endorsement deals we're doing. And
now we're going to have more control over the products
we make.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
And that's what's that's what I.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Love and you you've got like the creative stuff going.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
I've been really involved in the creative side of the
shoe brand. I always check in with the girls because
they're really smart with knowing like, oh, this isn't gonna work,
this is going to work. That coupled with things that
I know without a doubt when it comes to that.
So between the four of us, like I feel like
we'll have we all have like our input that's going
(05:33):
to make it launch really well.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Mark, I heard you say on your podcast that people
think you're calculated, that you have some sort of master plan, right.
Is that a misperception?
Speaker 4 (05:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (05:44):
Absolutely, Like we always just lie by the seat of
our pants. The brand stuff is probably more the most
calculated thing we've done and It's something that I feel
most comfortable doing because I have a background, and I
have my clothing brand. I've worked with the Didis Mitchell
and Nas and other companies, So this is something that
you have to calculate other things. It was just like
(06:04):
sometimes we'd post, sometimes we wouldn't.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
It was all over the place.
Speaker 6 (06:08):
And I think that's just back to the thing you
were saying before, like why, Charlie. I think it was
a right place, right time, And I think that it
just was past a time where everybody's trying to take
the perfect picture and show this perfect self.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
And I think what TikTok showed is.
Speaker 6 (06:22):
A girl of fifteen year old girl in her room,
just hanging out with her bed unmade and close on
the floor and just doing dances and really shed a
light to what.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
A young girl's doing. And I think it resonated with everybody.
But none of that was calculated.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
The scrutiny is unrelenting. Fans like your fans are fickle
at this point, now a few years into this, how
do you deal with that?
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Still? I think that that's something that I don't know
if you can ever just completely ignore, because it's always
going to be there. No matter what. But I think
it definitely gets a little bit easier to not let
it be, you know, so damaging to use a person.
(07:10):
There's definitely days where I see something and I like
can't what was it? What was it this time? And
there's sometimes that I'm like, that's not even real. And
there's so many rumors that circulate that get people so
much negative attention that you know, you can't set everything straight.
(07:33):
You can't make sure everyone knows the truth in every
single situation, and you've never stop arguing with people, so
you eventually just you know, they if they think that
this is how I am, no matter what I say,
it's not really going to change their mind because they
have this narrative that they believe. Stick to the people
that actually like you.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Yeah, so it was twenty nineteen that things really took off. Like,
if you could give advice to your twenty nineteen self,
what would that be.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I think the only advice that I could really give
would be a version of the figure it out, Like
there's no there's no need to always be so worried
about what's next, because it is going to work out.
It's all going to be fine, And even if this
all goes away, It's going to be fine, you know,
(08:22):
because there's always yourself that you have to you know,
be confident enoughing that you're going to have people around
you that like you as a person, and you kind
of just have to take it one step at a time.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
How about advice to the parents. I mean, you've got
like new teenagers, kids going on social media every day,
I mean in general in the world right and all
parents trying to figure out how to deal with that.
Speaker 6 (08:46):
Heidi and I always talked about early on, like both
Tixi and Charlie have their own personal brand before all
of this, and that.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
They need to protect that.
Speaker 6 (08:54):
And with that we gained a lot of trust in
them because they proved to us that they were so
we never checked text we never checked posts.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
And I would tell parents out.
Speaker 6 (09:05):
There to keep your eye on them, but give them
the freedom to instill in them what you think is
right and wrong and the kids will follow that and
don't be too overbearing.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
And I think that was what we did.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
All right, Well, mine are ten and under, so I'm
going to try to ingest that. I'm sure you've been
following a little bit, you know, the TikTok controversy in
China and are there security concerns and should it be banned?
What do you think about all that.
Speaker 6 (09:33):
I don't think it should be banned. I think that
if you're worried about the information that social media apps
are taking, you should worry about them all, and if
you're not going to worry about them all, you shouldn't
worry about any of them.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Charlie, what do you think?
Speaker 2 (09:45):
I think that's a question that people ask me a lot,
and I, you know, as a eighteen year old girl
who makes videos on the Internet, I don't think that
that's a decision that I'm educated enough to be understand
or have a real opinion on.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Yeah, I didn't have TikTok Stars launching a venture capital
fund in my crystal ball a few years ago, but
here you are four four four capital. Talk to us
about the mission and what you're trying.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
To do here.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (10:17):
So we partnered with a group of really smart investors
and they're going out there basically partnering with mid to
late stage companies that take an investment, and they're putting
money into really cool companies that all have a great story,
companies that are minority driven or female CEOs and and
(10:39):
stuff that relates back to what we think. I think
we feel that and it's not just lip service. We
have an obligation to do to do good things with
this platform, and we know we're not going to be
in this position necessarily forever and need to do good
while we have.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
The opportunity to a number of female founders, Right, why
is that important.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
Just in our family alone to have I think there's
three of us that as females feel like we can
do anything. And then in our company here, there's a
lot of women that work here, and it's just they
were the best for their position they were applying for.
It's just the way it was.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
And I think.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
Sometimes with that we forget how hard it is out
there for women to take it to the next step.
And so to be able to be a part of
that and to give them that opportunity to bring their
passion to the next level is something that was It
was just a no brainer.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
The economy is changing, Like we're in a different environment
now than maybe when even you launch this, Like how
do you think about that when you're thinking about where
to deploy capital into who?
Speaker 6 (11:50):
I think the good thing about what we did is
we actually are creating tangible products.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
Where a lot of people invested in.
Speaker 6 (11:57):
In apps or software or things that had an immense
amount of capital that.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
They needed to deploy.
Speaker 6 (12:04):
We make a shoe and we sell it and investors
can hold it, and with our name behind it, we've
been able to create a lot of excitement, Like we
raise money during a time that no one was raising money,
and I owe it to my partner, rich Rosenblatt, who navigated.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Me through all of this.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Now there's a lot of creators out there that are
trying to launch their own brands. Not everyone has his
money followers as Charlie, I'll give you that, But what's
going to make your stand out? What's going to be
the cut above the rest.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
A couple of things.
Speaker 6 (12:33):
One is the fact that we have Dixie and Charlie
on the pulse of what's happening with their generation, and
I think Heidi with her experience, And we have hired
really talented people. I mean, our head of design, Lauren
came from Comudo Group worked was that one of the
top designers of Jessica Simson Footwear. We've hired one of
(12:54):
the top directors of production to actually help us manufacture
the shoes. So part knowledge and I think part quality
of the people we've hired is going to separate us.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
There's so many creators that are looking at you all
for inspiration, and I'm just so curious, Like, you know,
it's like, well, can you tell us about the secret sauce?
Like in those early days, how much did TikTok support you?
Did they work with you, did they help you? Or
was it really all you?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
I just hopped on it one day and started posting
I do give sixteen year old knee a pat on
the back. And I think there was lots of decisions
that we made as a family that helped us get
to where we are now. It was so out of nowhere.
How could I ask TikTok for support when I didn't
(13:40):
even know that there was, Like people like, I don't
know what's going I don't know who these people are. Now,
obviously we've developed more of a relationship with the apps,
and that's just kind of a part of the journey
where you have to figure out how to best support
yourself as a creator.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
They were so new that they really didn't know what
they were doing.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
They would just call to say, hey, do you guys,
everybody's home, you want to do taco Tuesdays and put
up a camera and they would run it live on
TikTok like there was and we were just like, sure, yeah,
that sounds fun.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
We're sitting home. Everyone else is sitting home.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
As much as we didn't have a master plan or
a roadmap, they didn't have a plan or a roadmap either.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
They didn't know what was going on either, and it
kind of took everyone by surprise. And I think that's
also kind of a fun part was we all got
to you know, they grew as an app. I grew
as a creator and as a person, and we grew
as a family kind of all at the same time.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Yeah, how much do you think it was the algorithm?
Speaker 2 (14:34):
I think that that is probably one of the questions
I could ask the most. And genuinely, I have no idea,
because truly, I don't even think the people at TikTok
understand the algorithm. So I mean, I know what works
for me and what doesn't, and I can make those
(14:55):
decisions either based on what works for the algorithm or
what I want to put, and I normally pick what
I want to.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Guess there's some controversy around how much creators should get paid.
And you know, there's a lot of creators out there
who think they don't get enough love from the platforms
that they're on and helping generate all these using content.
Actually at south By Southwest, this former TikTok product guy
said they launched this two billion dollar creator fund that
they were going to pay on all these creators just
(15:22):
because of the competition they didn't want you for example,
like going to Instagram, going to YouTube, and that no
one would ever know if they actually paid it.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
What's your reaction to that.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
I learned early on that I think different than movie
studios and television studios, where the talent is the most important,
with companies like TikTok and Instagram, the software that's the
driving force. So they look at it as you're interchangeable,
and we never looked at it like you owe us something.
(15:52):
But I do think they could do more based on
the valuation of TikTok being potentially a forty billion dollar company.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
I think the creators should share in that more than
they do.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
What was the jump from TikTok to TV?
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Like, the biggest thing for me has always been the
talking part on TikTok. I don't talk. Most people don't
know what my voice sounds like. They've never really heard
me say much. Yeah, and I'm fine with that. But
you know, when you have a show that's documenting your life,
you want to tell your story because you have a
(16:29):
chance to really explain all sides rather than you have
fifteen seconds to what three minutes? It's so different, and
you know you also you have these interviews where you
can kind of look back and you know they'll ask
you a question in your life. For god, I did that,
So now I'm like, well, let me tell you how
I was really feeling. And it's kind of a nice
(16:52):
place to, you know, open up and be able to
share those stories that no one else would hear without it.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Yeah, do you feel a sense of urgency in this moment?
Like this fame could be fleeting, we should capitalize on
it now, Like how do we make the most of
this opportunity or no, hy do?
Speaker 5 (17:07):
Yes, We've always talked about that, We've seen platforms coming
go we know this, and so we always try to
do content on all the platforms, but also fine for
especially for the girls, but even for market on like
our passion projects, things that we enjoy doing but could
make a living at if all of this goes away,
and you know, yeah, the girls are very aware of
(17:30):
this could all end, and so that's why it's important
to take these opportunities and make the most of them,
but also have fun while you're doing it. I think
that's been the They're probably sick of hearing Mark and I.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Say, like, you have to enjoy it. You're going to
look back at this time and think what was I
worrying about so much? Like I should have just enjoyed it.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
So, yeah, do you worry it could all the poof
or you just don't don't think that far ahead.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
I think everyone else probably wishes that I worry more
about it, because when the time comes to make a
video or or speak or whatever it is, you know,
I always look at it as what do I feel
like saying? What do I feel like making? Rather than well,
(18:15):
i've heard that this performs best, Let me do exactly that.
There's way there's ways to definitely further grow your audience.
But at the same time, those core people that watch you,
they're going to follow you to whatever makes you happy.
And I feel like those the people that care almost unconditionally.
They're going to support every new exciting venture that you take.
(18:41):
But it's definitely sometimes like, well this could all go
in tomorrow. What are we gonna do? And I make
jokes like maybe I could do like social media marketings.
But that's why it's fun to do new things like
footwear or fragrance or you know fashion. It's there's so
many different outlets that you can have or dance like.
(19:03):
The show was incredible. It took a lot of time,
but it was probably one of the most fun experiences
I've had since starting this.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Also, I think if you ever have to do social
media marketing, you can probably make a pretty.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
She'll be okay.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
As the empire gets bigger and you're on all of
these different platforms, how are you thinking about.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Like how much you want to put yourselves out there?
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Like keep putting yourselves out there? Will that always be
part of your brand?
Speaker 6 (19:34):
I think one of the reasons why we started Damelio
Brands is that kind of will help us whether we
want to. If we have a thriving footwear company that's
doing extremely well, then Charlie has the opportunity and I
have the opportunity, and Heidi has the opportunity to be as.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Involved or is not as involved as we'd like to be.
But right now this is fun for me.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
I think Heidi had a blast with Dancing with the Stars,
but I would love Charlie and Dick' to have the
ability that if they want to take ten steps back
and just kind of relax a little bit, they had
that opportunity.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Do you ever think about how much your daughters are
putting themselves out there and should they be doing that,
and you know, wondering if.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
This is the right thing.
Speaker 5 (20:13):
I kind of let them take the lead, but we
always have talked about it. And one thing that we
talked about because when this all started for Charlie specifically,
she was fifteen and she was kind of after about
a year and a half, she felt a little stuck
and if she would try to, like dress a little
differently or do things a little differently, her audience didn't
(20:38):
like that, and I said, it reminded me of that
sort of thing where like young kids who were on shows,
they can't grow up, they're stuck there, and I didn't
want that to happen to them, so I said, I
think you need to show yourself growing up because it
was really getting to her. It was really she felt
very stuck and she had to be perfect and happy
all the time, and she wasn't. You know, she's a
(20:59):
normal human being. She has like everybody has her upst down.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
So I said, you have to just.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
You have to because they're not going to see it
unless you show it. And so I think for as
far as showing themselves online like that was my advice
to them is like show yourself growing up. And I
think it's I think they felt like it worked and
they were happy to feel like they could have growth.
And with that, you're doing things that eighteen year olds
(21:26):
or dixis now twenty one, twenty one year olds are
doing and they're adults. They live in their own house,
they play their own Brant.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
I believe it's the last episode of the second season
where you say you have some growing up to Jerry.
You're excited to show this chapter growing up and you
have shown so many sides of yourself, which I think
probably really helpful to a lot of people out there,
kids who are struggling Right as you grow up, are
you thinking about how your audience changes and how you
reach them in new and different ways?
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Absolutely. I think the years of fifteen years old to
eighteen years old, you probably have some of the most
change within yourself. You know, kids are going off to college,
they're being more independent, and if I still had to be,
you know, fifteen, I would be making things that everyone
(22:17):
else wanted. But also the people that were there from
the beginning, they're going up too, and they're maturing. They're
not going to want everything with sparkles and the all this, like,
you know, like things that more young teenagers want rather
than you know, eighteen years old. Talking about trying to
(22:39):
understand you know, being independent, being self sufficient, being not
relying on your parents as much, and I think that
that's a very important part of the journey. But when
it comes to you know, posting things for other people
to feel more comfortable, there's definitely a disconnect between me
(23:00):
posting on my phone and the actual amount of people
that are seeing it. Like when people bring up videos
that I've posted in the past, like I forgot that
other people like my grandma's watching it, like my old
teachers are watching it, my friends are watching it. I'm like, yeah,
you're so right. I've heard from you know, people that
(23:22):
watch me that some of the stuff that I've either
talked about or shown or said did help in a way,
so that that's good. It makes me feel like even
when I embarrass myself a little bit online, I'm doing
it for a good reason.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
The circuit continues after this quick break.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Okay, so come on in. This is the glamor room, Okay,
where you know we get ready throughout the day or
if we are here doing meetings or whatever it could be.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Love a hip glamorom.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
You know, we've got all of the makeup products that
are kind of essential to us, all of the things
that we need every day for hair and you know,
some extra wardrobe. All that importance is that your perfume
it is This is Born Dreamer. It's been out about
eight months now, so this is very exciting. If you
(24:29):
saw the amount of renderings of just what Bourn Dreamer
can look like on this it is wild. Yeah, all
of these little things that seem so small. It takes
some time as well as you know, making it recyclable
and refillable, which it's kind of wild. How many perfumes
(24:50):
are not like this one. You can screw the top
off of which is able to make it recyclable.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Given everything you've learned, you must have a good sense
of what gen Z.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
Wants, like what you think Jennysen wants. I think that
that's something that is ever changing. You know. The next
kind of version of this, which I'm super excited about.
I have here that no one's really seen yet. It's
travel version.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Oh. You know, people think influencers don't have real job. Yes,
what would you say to those people?
Speaker 2 (25:20):
I think it depends on what you do with what
you have. You know, this could definitely be something where
I don't have to be involved in this, but for
me to want to wear the same scent every day,
I have to love it.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Social Media burnout is real. Do you still feel the
burn sometimes?
Speaker 2 (25:40):
And what do you do when you feel that? Absolutely?
I mean it's inevitable doing posting all the time. You know,
you're not always in a creative space, and those are
the moments where you really have to stop and take
a step back and sometimes pivot. You know, sometimes things
you thought you liked it, but it's just not something
(26:02):
that you're feeling passionate about anymore. And there's ways to
change that. So it's really picking what it is that
you want to focus on the most and understanding that
things change.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
You've been open about body shaming and bullying. What do
you think about beauty filters and people using those to
show a certain side of themselves.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
I think it's unique to each and every person. Everyone
is insecurities. I post bad photos of myself, and I
still post the best of the worst. There's never going
to be a time where every single person is happy
with every single part about them and that's just human nature.
You can't control that, And I think it's what you
(26:46):
choose to interact with that really makes the difference in
how you use social media. But when it comes down
to filters and changing the shape of how you look
or you know, that's every person's decision and it's who
you kind of choose to look at. If that's not
(27:07):
something that you can really look at without feeling a
certain way about yourself, then you know that's really a
time in your life where you have to say, well,
I need to kind of take a step back, because
you're in control for the most part. But I would
(27:27):
never say that filters are need to go away forever,
you know, because that's not ever going to happen, and
that's not reality, and I think it's just I try
to post as real as I can, and if people
decide to do that as well, that's great. But I'm
(27:49):
also not going to make you feel bad for posting
something that might be edited, because maybe that's just how
you're going to feel the best about the way you
look that day. Never know what someone else is going through.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
Get scarier out there, like deep fake technology and you're
a celebrity, right, Yeah, they're coming for you.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Yeah. There's definitely been lots of instances that we've had to,
you know, deal with in the proper ways. And now
there's voice changing can make it sound like you say anything,
and that is scary. That's really scary because people believe
things so easily. I've even heard some made by my
(28:30):
own fan pages. It's definitely something that needs to be
figured out because that's something that can ruin someone's life
as well as deep fakes. There's so many different levels
of it, but sometimes it does get very scary to
be in a position where people want to do that
to you.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
What's your favorite TikTok trend, Mike, right now.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
You'vete TikTok trend right now would probably be all of
the makeup trends that are going on, like the one
dip Chalice doing your makeup in alphabetical order. I love
watching people do makeup, so that's that's kind of where
I gravitate towards watching right now.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Least favorite TikTok trend.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Ooh, least favorite TikTok trend would probably be the ones
where people kind of talk about anything that happens they
like rate either what people are wearing or their hair
and their makeup. I don't always love that because when
it happens to me sometimes I'm like, I love that dress,
but everyone else hates it.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Is there somewhere on the Internet that you love that's
like your happy place.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
I feel like I am always on my phone, but
that's kind of it's not really because it's my job.
It's because I'm a teenager. Yeah, we're kind of, for
the most part majority a little bit addicted to our phones.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
You show so much of yourself on camera on social media.
Is there anything that we don't see? Like who's the
Charlie we don't see? Or what are there? Is there
anything you keep for yourself?
Speaker 2 (29:54):
Definitely? I think I've come to a point in my
life where I keep the really bad days to myself,
and I also keep the you know, nights hanging out
with my friends to myself. For the most part, you
would actually be surprised. I don't take a lot of
pictures and photos when I'm just in the moment, and
(30:17):
that's something that you know, it's great because I'm in
the moment and my phone is gone and I'm just
happy to be here. But then it is also nice
to have those memories.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Is that What advice would you have for teens out
there who are trying to figure out their relationship with
social media.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
I think people are always going to evolve and change
and be on to the next thing, and you can't
just keep chasing this unattainable perfectness or happiness or this
life that you're never going to have a bad day.
It's not reality. And I think that that's something that
can be really hard to come to terms with. But
(30:54):
once you kind of take the weight off of your
shoulders that you need to be a certain perfect version
of you, it's nice to be easy on yourself. Sometimes liberating.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Yeah, well probably liberating for kids out there to hear
you say that, So thank.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
You, thank you for having that with us.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Circuit.
I'm Emily Chang. You can follow me on Twitter and
Instagram at Emily Chang TV. You can watch new episodes
of the Circuit on Bloomberg Television or on demand by
downloading the Bloomberg app to your smart TV. And check
out our other Bloomberg podcasts on Apple Podcasts, the iHeartMedia app,
or wherever you listen to shows and let us know
(31:36):
what you think by leaving us a review. I'm your
host and executive producer. Our senior producer is Lauren Ellis.
Our associate producer is Lizzie Phillip. Our editor is Sebastian Escobar.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Thanks so much for listening.
I'm Emily Chang, and this is the circuit today. I'm
taking you to La, home of Hollywood heavyweights, where there
are some new kids in town. The TikTok stars. One
of the biggest is Charlie Emilio, who became a sleeper
social media sensation through the pandemic. She now has over
one hundred and fifty million followers on TikTok, one of
(00:26):
the platform's most popular creators. I sat down with Charlie
and her parents, Heidi and Mark Dmilio to talk about
life in the spotlight.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
My first day walking into the TikTok office with my
sister who We're in La for like a few days,
and we just strolled by the office and everyone kind
of looked like, who's this girl. Back in a few
weeks later and they're like, oh my gosh, Charlie.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
We also talk about how they're hoping to turn that
meteoric rise into a long lasting business empire. They've got
a reality show, a VC fund, a new shoe line,
and more. Here's my conversation with the Damelio family, So.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Dancing with the Stars. Congratulations, by the way, who Nickelodeon
brand deals endorsements, the VC fund ces south by Southwest, Like,
how do you even keep track of it?
Speaker 4 (01:17):
All?
Speaker 5 (01:17):
Our calendar is pretty intense and we all have a
shared calendar so we all know, Like before I call them, like,
let me make sure they weren't able to sleep till
noon today.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
I don't want to wake anybody up.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
And we have a team that helps us keep our
calendar going pretty strong.
Speaker 6 (01:34):
You know.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
I see how much you're all doing, and it's still
almost shocking how new you still are to this sort
of being famous thing, Like it happened really fast. Are
you used to it yet?
Speaker 6 (01:45):
I think Heidi and I are probably more used to
it because we don't get one one hundred of Charlie,
Like we went out to dinner last day and they
took a couple of pictures of us and that was it.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
She gets mobbed in a lot of instance. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, I kind of stay in a little bubble almost
of you know, my very very close friends, and I
think it helps, like having my hometown friends that I
talk to that can you know, still be like a
little rough today and like like there's it's just so
(02:18):
normal to where I don't feel any type of way
about how people see me. But then when I do,
you know, go out and there's people there and or
there's a meet angry and people are like crying. That's
when sometimes I'm why, like I don't personally understand it,
and I feel like that's something that either comes with
(02:39):
time or it's just always going to feel like I'm
a little out of place, almost because it is. It's
something very new. There's no rule book for it, and
how do you ever truly understand the impact that you
can have on someone's life?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
You know, there's also no parenting guide for how to
raise two people who are TikTok famous.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Right, yes, there's not.
Speaker 5 (03:02):
I feel like for Charlie when she does go out,
it's like a unicorn when she's out of her house.
So people love, people get extra excited. Like Dixie loves,
she loves driving, she loves going shopping, she loves going out,
so people are I feel a little bit more used
to seeing her out. But when she goes out, it's like, wait,
she's out.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
And then out in the wild. It's almost like you
won this TikTok lottery. You were thrust into the spotlight
so fast. And I've actually heard you say a few
times you don't even know why you took off? Do
you get it now? Like, do you think you understand
why everyone was so obsessed with you?
Speaker 4 (03:40):
No?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Like, imagine it happens to you and then all of
a sudden, there's all of these people that are watching
what you do and taking inspiration from the things you do,
and everyone always asks like, how do you do it?
I'm posting the same stuff that I posted before. I
don't really know. It feels like nothing changed, but all
(04:04):
of a sudden people took a liking to me and
it all went a little bit crazy from there. It's
very hard to pinpoint exactly what it could have been.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Yeah, so you've got this Damelia family business, and I
know you all have your own roles, Like Mark, you
have a business background?
Speaker 6 (04:20):
Hi?
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Do you or a model? Charlie is Charlie? What do
you want people to know about the business and what
you're trying to accomplish? And you know, what are your roles?
Speaker 4 (04:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (04:29):
I mean we we came up with the concept of
the Melia brands, not anything unique to our to what
other people with notoriety or celebrities have done. We just
there were times that we would partner with with certain
certain companies and there was someone else's creative direction. And
I think both Dixie and Charlie have their finger on
(04:51):
the pulse of what's happening. And we were still doing
endorsement deals. Charlie's still doing endorsement deals. But we've always
been very particular on the endorsement deals we're doing. And
now we're going to have more control over the products
we make.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
And that's what's that's what I.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Love and you you've got like the creative stuff going.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
I've been really involved in the creative side of the
shoe brand. I always check in with the girls because
they're really smart with knowing like, oh, this isn't gonna work,
this is going to work. That coupled with things that
I know without a doubt when it comes to that.
So between the four of us, like I feel like
we'll have we all have like our input that's going
(05:33):
to make it launch really well.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Mark, I heard you say on your podcast that people
think you're calculated, that you have some sort of master plan, right.
Is that a misperception?
Speaker 4 (05:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (05:44):
Absolutely, Like we always just lie by the seat of
our pants. The brand stuff is probably more the most
calculated thing we've done and It's something that I feel
most comfortable doing because I have a background, and I
have my clothing brand. I've worked with the Didis Mitchell
and Nas and other companies, So this is something that
you have to calculate other things. It was just like
(06:04):
sometimes we'd post, sometimes we wouldn't.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
It was all over the place.
Speaker 6 (06:08):
And I think that's just back to the thing you
were saying before, like why, Charlie. I think it was
a right place, right time, And I think that it
just was past a time where everybody's trying to take
the perfect picture and show this perfect self.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
And I think what TikTok showed is.
Speaker 6 (06:22):
A girl of fifteen year old girl in her room,
just hanging out with her bed unmade and close on
the floor and just doing dances and really shed a
light to what.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
A young girl's doing. And I think it resonated with everybody.
But none of that was calculated.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
The scrutiny is unrelenting. Fans like your fans are fickle
at this point, now a few years into this, how
do you deal with that?
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Still? I think that that's something that I don't know
if you can ever just completely ignore, because it's always
going to be there. No matter what. But I think
it definitely gets a little bit easier to not let
it be, you know, so damaging to use a person.
(07:10):
There's definitely days where I see something and I like
can't what was it? What was it this time? And
there's sometimes that I'm like, that's not even real. And
there's so many rumors that circulate that get people so
much negative attention that you know, you can't set everything straight.
(07:33):
You can't make sure everyone knows the truth in every
single situation, and you've never stop arguing with people, so
you eventually just you know, they if they think that
this is how I am, no matter what I say,
it's not really going to change their mind because they
have this narrative that they believe. Stick to the people
that actually like you.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Yeah, so it was twenty nineteen that things really took off. Like,
if you could give advice to your twenty nineteen self,
what would that be.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I think the only advice that I could really give
would be a version of the figure it out, Like
there's no there's no need to always be so worried
about what's next, because it is going to work out.
It's all going to be fine, And even if this
all goes away, It's going to be fine, you know,
(08:22):
because there's always yourself that you have to you know,
be confident enoughing that you're going to have people around
you that like you as a person, and you kind
of just have to take it one step at a time.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
How about advice to the parents. I mean, you've got
like new teenagers, kids going on social media every day,
I mean in general in the world right and all
parents trying to figure out how to deal with that.
Speaker 6 (08:46):
Heidi and I always talked about early on, like both
Tixi and Charlie have their own personal brand before all
of this, and that.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
They need to protect that.
Speaker 6 (08:54):
And with that we gained a lot of trust in
them because they proved to us that they were so
we never checked text we never checked posts.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
And I would tell parents out.
Speaker 6 (09:05):
There to keep your eye on them, but give them
the freedom to instill in them what you think is
right and wrong and the kids will follow that and
don't be too overbearing.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
And I think that was what we did.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
All right, Well, mine are ten and under, so I'm
going to try to ingest that. I'm sure you've been
following a little bit, you know, the TikTok controversy in
China and are there security concerns and should it be banned?
What do you think about all that.
Speaker 6 (09:33):
I don't think it should be banned. I think that
if you're worried about the information that social media apps
are taking, you should worry about them all, and if
you're not going to worry about them all, you shouldn't
worry about any of them.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Charlie, what do you think?
Speaker 2 (09:45):
I think that's a question that people ask me a lot,
and I, you know, as a eighteen year old girl
who makes videos on the Internet, I don't think that
that's a decision that I'm educated enough to be understand
or have a real opinion on.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Yeah, I didn't have TikTok Stars launching a venture capital
fund in my crystal ball a few years ago, but
here you are four four four capital. Talk to us
about the mission and what you're trying.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
To do here.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (10:17):
So we partnered with a group of really smart investors
and they're going out there basically partnering with mid to
late stage companies that take an investment, and they're putting
money into really cool companies that all have a great story,
companies that are minority driven or female CEOs and and
(10:39):
stuff that relates back to what we think. I think
we feel that and it's not just lip service. We
have an obligation to do to do good things with
this platform, and we know we're not going to be
in this position necessarily forever and need to do good
while we have.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
The opportunity to a number of female founders, Right, why
is that important.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
Just in our family alone to have I think there's
three of us that as females feel like we can
do anything. And then in our company here, there's a
lot of women that work here, and it's just they
were the best for their position they were applying for.
It's just the way it was.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
And I think.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
Sometimes with that we forget how hard it is out
there for women to take it to the next step.
And so to be able to be a part of
that and to give them that opportunity to bring their
passion to the next level is something that was It
was just a no brainer.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
The economy is changing, Like we're in a different environment
now than maybe when even you launch this, Like how
do you think about that when you're thinking about where
to deploy capital into who?
Speaker 6 (11:50):
I think the good thing about what we did is
we actually are creating tangible products.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
Where a lot of people invested in.
Speaker 6 (11:57):
In apps or software or things that had an immense
amount of capital that.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
They needed to deploy.
Speaker 6 (12:04):
We make a shoe and we sell it and investors
can hold it, and with our name behind it, we've
been able to create a lot of excitement, Like we
raise money during a time that no one was raising money,
and I owe it to my partner, rich Rosenblatt, who navigated.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Me through all of this.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
Now there's a lot of creators out there that are
trying to launch their own brands. Not everyone has his
money followers as Charlie, I'll give you that, But what's
going to make your stand out? What's going to be
the cut above the rest.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
A couple of things.
Speaker 6 (12:33):
One is the fact that we have Dixie and Charlie
on the pulse of what's happening with their generation, and
I think Heidi with her experience, And we have hired
really talented people. I mean, our head of design, Lauren
came from Comudo Group worked was that one of the
top designers of Jessica Simson Footwear. We've hired one of
(12:54):
the top directors of production to actually help us manufacture
the shoes. So part knowledge and I think part quality
of the people we've hired is going to separate us.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
There's so many creators that are looking at you all
for inspiration, and I'm just so curious, Like, you know,
it's like, well, can you tell us about the secret sauce?
Like in those early days, how much did TikTok support you?
Did they work with you, did they help you? Or
was it really all you?
Speaker 2 (13:19):
I just hopped on it one day and started posting
I do give sixteen year old knee a pat on
the back. And I think there was lots of decisions
that we made as a family that helped us get
to where we are now. It was so out of nowhere.
How could I ask TikTok for support when I didn't
(13:40):
even know that there was, Like people like, I don't
know what's going I don't know who these people are. Now,
obviously we've developed more of a relationship with the apps,
and that's just kind of a part of the journey
where you have to figure out how to best support
yourself as a creator.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
They were so new that they really didn't know what
they were doing.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
They would just call to say, hey, do you guys,
everybody's home, you want to do taco Tuesdays and put
up a camera and they would run it live on
TikTok like there was and we were just like, sure, yeah,
that sounds fun.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
We're sitting home. Everyone else is sitting home.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
As much as we didn't have a master plan or
a roadmap, they didn't have a plan or a roadmap either.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
They didn't know what was going on either, and it
kind of took everyone by surprise. And I think that's
also kind of a fun part was we all got
to you know, they grew as an app. I grew
as a creator and as a person, and we grew
as a family kind of all at the same time.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Yeah, how much do you think it was the algorithm?
Speaker 2 (14:34):
I think that that is probably one of the questions
I could ask the most. And genuinely, I have no idea,
because truly, I don't even think the people at TikTok
understand the algorithm. So I mean, I know what works
for me and what doesn't, and I can make those
(14:55):
decisions either based on what works for the algorithm or
what I want to put, and I normally pick what
I want to.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Guess there's some controversy around how much creators should get paid.
And you know, there's a lot of creators out there
who think they don't get enough love from the platforms
that they're on and helping generate all these using content.
Actually at south By Southwest, this former TikTok product guy
said they launched this two billion dollar creator fund that
they were going to pay on all these creators just
(15:22):
because of the competition they didn't want you for example,
like going to Instagram, going to YouTube, and that no
one would ever know if they actually paid it.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
What's your reaction to that.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
I learned early on that I think different than movie
studios and television studios, where the talent is the most important,
with companies like TikTok and Instagram, the software that's the
driving force. So they look at it as you're interchangeable,
and we never looked at it like you owe us something.
(15:52):
But I do think they could do more based on
the valuation of TikTok being potentially a forty billion dollar company.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
I think the creators should share in that more than
they do.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
What was the jump from TikTok to TV?
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Like, the biggest thing for me has always been the
talking part on TikTok. I don't talk. Most people don't
know what my voice sounds like. They've never really heard
me say much. Yeah, and I'm fine with that. But
you know, when you have a show that's documenting your life,
you want to tell your story because you have a
(16:29):
chance to really explain all sides rather than you have
fifteen seconds to what three minutes? It's so different, and
you know you also you have these interviews where you
can kind of look back and you know they'll ask
you a question in your life. For god, I did that,
So now I'm like, well, let me tell you how
I was really feeling. And it's kind of a nice
(16:52):
place to, you know, open up and be able to
share those stories that no one else would hear without it.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Yeah, do you feel a sense of urgency in this moment?
Like this fame could be fleeting, we should capitalize on
it now, Like how do we make the most of
this opportunity or no, hy do?
Speaker 5 (17:07):
Yes, We've always talked about that, We've seen platforms coming
go we know this, and so we always try to
do content on all the platforms, but also fine for
especially for the girls, but even for market on like
our passion projects, things that we enjoy doing but could
make a living at if all of this goes away,
and you know, yeah, the girls are very aware of
(17:30):
this could all end, and so that's why it's important
to take these opportunities and make the most of them,
but also have fun while you're doing it. I think
that's been the They're probably sick of hearing Mark and I.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Say, like, you have to enjoy it. You're going to
look back at this time and think what was I
worrying about so much? Like I should have just enjoyed it.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
So, yeah, do you worry it could all the poof
or you just don't don't think that far ahead.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
I think everyone else probably wishes that I worry more
about it, because when the time comes to make a
video or or speak or whatever it is, you know,
I always look at it as what do I feel
like saying? What do I feel like making? Rather than well,
(18:15):
i've heard that this performs best, Let me do exactly that.
There's way there's ways to definitely further grow your audience.
But at the same time, those core people that watch you,
they're going to follow you to whatever makes you happy.
And I feel like those the people that care almost unconditionally.
They're going to support every new exciting venture that you take.
(18:41):
But it's definitely sometimes like, well this could all go
in tomorrow. What are we gonna do? And I make
jokes like maybe I could do like social media marketings.
But that's why it's fun to do new things like
footwear or fragrance or you know fashion. It's there's so
many different outlets that you can have or dance like.
(19:03):
The show was incredible. It took a lot of time,
but it was probably one of the most fun experiences
I've had since starting this.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Also, I think if you ever have to do social
media marketing, you can probably make a pretty.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
She'll be okay.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
As the empire gets bigger and you're on all of
these different platforms, how are you thinking about.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Like how much you want to put yourselves out there?
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Like keep putting yourselves out there? Will that always be
part of your brand?
Speaker 6 (19:34):
I think one of the reasons why we started Damelio
Brands is that kind of will help us whether we
want to. If we have a thriving footwear company that's
doing extremely well, then Charlie has the opportunity and I
have the opportunity, and Heidi has the opportunity to be as.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Involved or is not as involved as we'd like to be.
But right now this is fun for me.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
I think Heidi had a blast with Dancing with the Stars,
but I would love Charlie and Dick' to have the
ability that if they want to take ten steps back
and just kind of relax a little bit, they had
that opportunity.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
Do you ever think about how much your daughters are
putting themselves out there and should they be doing that,
and you know, wondering if.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
This is the right thing.
Speaker 5 (20:13):
I kind of let them take the lead, but we
always have talked about it. And one thing that we
talked about because when this all started for Charlie specifically,
she was fifteen and she was kind of after about
a year and a half, she felt a little stuck
and if she would try to, like dress a little
differently or do things a little differently, her audience didn't
(20:38):
like that, and I said, it reminded me of that
sort of thing where like young kids who were on shows,
they can't grow up, they're stuck there, and I didn't
want that to happen to them, so I said, I
think you need to show yourself growing up because it
was really getting to her. It was really she felt
very stuck and she had to be perfect and happy
all the time, and she wasn't. You know, she's a
(20:59):
normal human being. She has like everybody has her upst down.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
So I said, you have to just.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
You have to because they're not going to see it
unless you show it. And so I think for as
far as showing themselves online like that was my advice
to them is like show yourself growing up. And I
think it's I think they felt like it worked and
they were happy to feel like they could have growth.
And with that, you're doing things that eighteen year olds
(21:26):
or dixis now twenty one, twenty one year olds are
doing and they're adults. They live in their own house,
they play their own Brant.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
I believe it's the last episode of the second season
where you say you have some growing up to Jerry.
You're excited to show this chapter growing up and you
have shown so many sides of yourself, which I think
probably really helpful to a lot of people out there,
kids who are struggling Right as you grow up, are
you thinking about how your audience changes and how you
reach them in new and different ways?
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Absolutely. I think the years of fifteen years old to
eighteen years old, you probably have some of the most
change within yourself. You know, kids are going off to college,
they're being more independent, and if I still had to be,
you know, fifteen, I would be making things that everyone
(22:17):
else wanted. But also the people that were there from
the beginning, they're going up too, and they're maturing. They're
not going to want everything with sparkles and the all this, like,
you know, like things that more young teenagers want rather
than you know, eighteen years old. Talking about trying to
(22:39):
understand you know, being independent, being self sufficient, being not
relying on your parents as much, and I think that
that's a very important part of the journey. But when
it comes to you know, posting things for other people
to feel more comfortable, there's definitely a disconnect between me
(23:00):
posting on my phone and the actual amount of people
that are seeing it. Like when people bring up videos
that I've posted in the past, like I forgot that
other people like my grandma's watching it, like my old
teachers are watching it, my friends are watching it. I'm like, yeah,
you're so right. I've heard from you know, people that
(23:22):
watch me that some of the stuff that I've either
talked about or shown or said did help in a way,
so that that's good. It makes me feel like even
when I embarrass myself a little bit online, I'm doing
it for a good reason.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
The circuit continues after this quick break.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Okay, so come on in. This is the glamor room, Okay,
where you know we get ready throughout the day or
if we are here doing meetings or whatever it could be.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Love a hip glamorom.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
You know, we've got all of the makeup products that
are kind of essential to us, all of the things
that we need every day for hair and you know,
some extra wardrobe. All that importance is that your perfume
it is This is Born Dreamer. It's been out about
eight months now, so this is very exciting. If you
(24:29):
saw the amount of renderings of just what Bourn Dreamer
can look like on this it is wild. Yeah, all
of these little things that seem so small. It takes
some time as well as you know, making it recyclable
and refillable, which it's kind of wild. How many perfumes
(24:50):
are not like this one. You can screw the top
off of which is able to make it recyclable.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Given everything you've learned, you must have a good sense
of what gen Z.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
Wants, like what you think Jennysen wants. I think that
that's something that is ever changing. You know. The next
kind of version of this, which I'm super excited about.
I have here that no one's really seen yet. It's
travel version.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Oh. You know, people think influencers don't have real job. Yes,
what would you say to those people?
Speaker 2 (25:20):
I think it depends on what you do with what
you have. You know, this could definitely be something where
I don't have to be involved in this, but for
me to want to wear the same scent every day,
I have to love it.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Social Media burnout is real. Do you still feel the
burn sometimes?
Speaker 2 (25:40):
And what do you do when you feel that? Absolutely?
I mean it's inevitable doing posting all the time. You know,
you're not always in a creative space, and those are
the moments where you really have to stop and take
a step back and sometimes pivot. You know, sometimes things
you thought you liked it, but it's just not something
(26:02):
that you're feeling passionate about anymore. And there's ways to
change that. So it's really picking what it is that
you want to focus on the most and understanding that
things change.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
You've been open about body shaming and bullying. What do
you think about beauty filters and people using those to
show a certain side of themselves.
Speaker 2 (26:24):
I think it's unique to each and every person. Everyone
is insecurities. I post bad photos of myself, and I
still post the best of the worst. There's never going
to be a time where every single person is happy
with every single part about them and that's just human nature.
You can't control that, And I think it's what you
(26:46):
choose to interact with that really makes the difference in
how you use social media. But when it comes down
to filters and changing the shape of how you look
or you know, that's every person's decision and it's who
you kind of choose to look at. If that's not
(27:07):
something that you can really look at without feeling a
certain way about yourself, then you know that's really a
time in your life where you have to say, well,
I need to kind of take a step back, because
you're in control for the most part. But I would
(27:27):
never say that filters are need to go away forever,
you know, because that's not ever going to happen, and
that's not reality, and I think it's just I try
to post as real as I can, and if people
decide to do that as well, that's great. But I'm
(27:49):
also not going to make you feel bad for posting
something that might be edited, because maybe that's just how
you're going to feel the best about the way you
look that day. Never know what someone else is going through.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
Get scarier out there, like deep fake technology and you're
a celebrity, right, Yeah, they're coming for you.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Yeah. There's definitely been lots of instances that we've had to,
you know, deal with in the proper ways. And now
there's voice changing can make it sound like you say anything,
and that is scary. That's really scary because people believe
things so easily. I've even heard some made by my
(28:30):
own fan pages. It's definitely something that needs to be
figured out because that's something that can ruin someone's life
as well as deep fakes. There's so many different levels
of it, but sometimes it does get very scary to
be in a position where people want to do that
to you.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
What's your favorite TikTok trend, Mike, right now.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
You'vete TikTok trend right now would probably be all of
the makeup trends that are going on, like the one
dip Chalice doing your makeup in alphabetical order. I love
watching people do makeup, so that's that's kind of where
I gravitate towards watching right now.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Least favorite TikTok trend.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Ooh, least favorite TikTok trend would probably be the ones
where people kind of talk about anything that happens they
like rate either what people are wearing or their hair
and their makeup. I don't always love that because when
it happens to me sometimes I'm like, I love that dress,
but everyone else hates it.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Is there somewhere on the Internet that you love that's
like your happy place.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
I feel like I am always on my phone, but
that's kind of it's not really because it's my job.
It's because I'm a teenager. Yeah, we're kind of, for
the most part majority a little bit addicted to our phones.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
You show so much of yourself on camera on social media.
Is there anything that we don't see? Like who's the
Charlie we don't see? Or what are there? Is there
anything you keep for yourself?
Speaker 2 (29:54):
Definitely? I think I've come to a point in my
life where I keep the really bad days to myself,
and I also keep the you know, nights hanging out
with my friends to myself. For the most part, you
would actually be surprised. I don't take a lot of
pictures and photos when I'm just in the moment, and
(30:17):
that's something that you know, it's great because I'm in
the moment and my phone is gone and I'm just
happy to be here. But then it is also nice
to have those memories.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Is that What advice would you have for teens out
there who are trying to figure out their relationship with
social media.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
I think people are always going to evolve and change
and be on to the next thing, and you can't
just keep chasing this unattainable perfectness or happiness or this
life that you're never going to have a bad day.
It's not reality. And I think that that's something that
can be really hard to come to terms with. But
(30:54):
once you kind of take the weight off of your
shoulders that you need to be a certain perfect version
of you, it's nice to be easy on yourself. Sometimes liberating.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Yeah, well probably liberating for kids out there to hear
you say that, So thank.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
You, thank you for having that with us.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Circuit.
I'm Emily Chang. You can follow me on Twitter and
Instagram at Emily Chang TV. You can watch new episodes
of the Circuit on Bloomberg Television or on demand by
downloading the Bloomberg app to your smart TV. And check
out our other Bloomberg podcasts on Apple Podcasts, the iHeartMedia app,
or wherever you listen to shows and let us know
(31:36):
what you think by leaving us a review. I'm your
host and executive producer. Our senior producer is Lauren Ellis.
Our associate producer is Lizzie Phillip. Our editor is Sebastian Escobar.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Thanks so much for listening.
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