It's Never Too Late: Interview with Actress and Influencer Emelia Hartford

Photo credit: Diana Ragland

I recently went one on one with actress and influencer Emelia Hartford.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, what is something about you that the many people who follow you don’t know? 

Emelia: Of course! Thanks for having me! Umm that is a tough one. I put most of my life online, from my love of cars and acting to openly sharing my struggles with mental health. I wear my heart on my sleeve and I’m a pretty open book. I recently learned, talking with my mom, that as a kid I had a Power Wheels that I used to do donuts on the driveway in. I haven’t shared that yet with my audience. I also have big aspirations as an entrepreneur which I am open about, but maybe not as much so as other things.

Adam: How did you get here? How did you become a highly-successful influencer in the automotive space? 

Emelia: I honestly just started by doing, and stayed focused, determined, disciplined, and motivated to keep growing. I started doing some light content on Instagram around racing in SCCA and the car I started with, my 2005 Infiniti G35. Unfortunately, I was rear-ended at a stop sign in that car and it went to a farm upstate. I then picked up my 1995 Nissan 240sx. I had a very small following, but it started to grow slowly. Maybe 5-10K followers. I then got invited out to New York via Vice Media to meet with Michelin Tires. While there I met a couple young car YouTubers (TJ Hunt, Engineering Explained and Evan Shanks) who were kind and very supportive of my vlogging. This helped push me over the edge to buy a vlog camera and try creating content on YouTube. From there it was a slow and steady climb, filming and editing three videos a week while also working as a waitress, simultaneously pursuing a career in film and television. I basically didn’t sleep (still don’t, really) and just kept pushing myself daily to make my next video better than my last. I did the first 250 videos by myself, then brought on an editor, then a brand manager, then a mechanic, and just kept growing the team. I also wouldn’t be where I am without all the support of my team, friends, family and partners.

Adam: What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your personal and professional growth? 

Emelia: Oh man, I’ve had so many. Let’s start with failures. I look at them by thinking the only way to fail is to quit and everything else is just a success yet to happen. I still feel like I’m not anywhere near where I want to be in life, but that consistent thought is what keeps me working hard. Some would say that is a failure, but I just don’t like to look at it like that. For setbacks, I would say the biggest thing is acting. Pursuing any creative career is very, very tough and filled with a lot of “no.” But the nice thing about that is once you get a “yes,” you realize it is possible and it makes it all worth it. I’m just now starting to get traction in the acting world after 10 years of constant persistence. I also never thought I would end up running a business, but I now couldn’t see it any other way. This path also gives me freedom to pursue the roles I’m passionate about and not feel desperate to book something to pay the bills. Now for challenges, being a woman in a male-dominated industry is a challenge in its own. But I’ve accepted that I will always have to work twice as hard. I’m grateful to see times slowly shifting. If I can help pave a way for other women in the industry and create a safe space, then I’m happy. I hope to help make a difference.

Adam: What advice do you have for those interested in working with influencers? How do you decide who to work with? 

Emelia: I still think influencers overall are undervalued and have immense power in a lot of ways. The key is to first make sure the influencer-to-brand relationship is organic and fits within the creator’s brand and audience. It’s also important to find real influence in that brand's space, a high follower count doesn’t always translate directly to influence. You also want to make sure the content fits within the style of content creation that the influencer does already. I myself am very picky about the brands I work with. I turn down a lot for reasons. My audience is my family. I have this incredible career because of them, so I like to only promote good products or services that could help benefit them in some way. It only takes one bad recommendation for them to stop trusting me, so I never prioritize brand partnerships or revenue over value and trust with my audience.

Adam: What advice do you have for those interested in becoming influencers?

Emelia: IT’S NEVER TOO LATE! I’m guilty of this myself, “I missed the wave” or “that platform is dying.” It’s really never too late, if it feels like you missed the boat, it’s just time to pivot and do something that’s not being done. Find what is unique to you, do something you’re interested in, and make sure to have fun doing it. Trends change every single day. What’s popular on Tiktok or Youtube one year ago, isn’t the same as it is today. I always like to think the future doesn’t actually come until someone does something that no one has ever thought of doing before. So overall I would say just start doing, find a way to be unique and to be yourself, and find YOUR audience.

Adam: What is the biggest misconception about the influencer world and life as an influencer? 

Emelia: I think there’s an eye roll when it comes to the term “influencer.” That title can sometimes even be perceived as a derogatory term; but it’s also understandable as to why. People can build influence over good things or bad. At the end of the day, being an influencer is running a business. The tricky thing is social media is 24/7, it never turns off. Thankfully, I love what I do, so I’m able to work long hours. But it is a lot more work than meets the eye.

Adam: What has being an influencer taught you about branding and marketing? What are your three best marketing and branding tips? 

Emelia: Soo much, pretty much everything I know really. First, I recommend everyone read 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing. It’s a bit older, but I think it still applies foundationally to current times. My three best marketing/ branding tips are:

1.    Stay true to yourself, your brand, and your audience. People are well past the point of seeing inauthentic marketing and branding.

2.    Be original, unique, and be creative. We are all looking for something fresh. 

3.    Have fun. Great marketing will entertain, inspire and get people to stop and think or smile. If your marketing or branding is good, it will leave an impression, and taking things too seriously can ruin that art. When brands have fun with their marketing, it makes the brand more approachable and human, which I think nowadays is where brand loyalty lies.

Adam: Who are the best leaders you have been around and what have you learned from them? What are your best tips on the topic of leadership? 

Emelia: Unfortunately, or fortunately, I have mostly been self-taught. I lost my dad at a young age and really had to figure a lot out on my own. I also can’t think of anyone that comes to mind when I was working for other people. So, I don’t have a classical style leader experience, other than my amazing mother. I can say I am now lucky enough to be surrounded with several amazing leaders and mentors (and friends). I would say a strong leader is someone who puts their team and or followers before themselves. Someone who can inspire and motivate people to feel that they can accomplish what may seem like the impossible. Someone who can be strongest in what can feel like the weakest times, and also be vulnerable, accessible, and real. It’s extremely important to be able to look beyond even the macro scale and help cultivate a path forward that may not seem to exist yet. At the end of the day, leading really means to move forward and guide the way. That’s a common trait I see among my role models - they are constantly trying to create new paths and create safety for others doing the same.

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received? Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Emelia: Stop thinking, just do.


Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally-recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.

Follow Adam on Instagram and Twitter at @adammendler and on LinkedIn and listen and subscribe to Thirty Minute Mentors on your favorite podcasting app.