Influencer Morgan Julia Of Morgan Julia Designs On How To Build A Large, Loyal, & Engaged Social Media Community
An Interview With Karen Mangia
Bring Followers Along — Rather than just showing the finished product, I love showing behind the scenes creation of the canvas, the chaos of packaging in HQ, and even admitting there are days when I feel completely underwater.
We often use the term “Influencers” to describe people with significant social media followings on platforms like Instagram, Twitter TikTok, Youtube, Linkedin and Facebook. Influencers have become today’s media titans, sought after for everything from product placements to timely trends. What’s the difference between influence and impact? Fans and followers? Sizzle versus staying power?
In this interview series, called, “How To Cultivate Community In A Click to Connect World” we are talking to influencers about how they define success and what we all need to discover about the true nature of influence. As a part of this series I had the pleasure of interviewing Morgan Foery.
Morgan Foery, founder of Morgan Julia Designs, began needlepointing in college as a way to disconnect from screens, and soon merged her artistic skills with her new hobby by designing her own canvases. After sharing her work on Instagram, she quickly built a following, taking her business full-time within six months. Now based in St. Petersburg, FL, she designs every canvas Morgan Julia Designs sells, blending classic, preppy, and nautical themes to create a vibrant community for needlepoint enthusiasts.
Thank you for making time to visit with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. How did you discover your career path and what got you to where you are today?
During the pandemic, I found myself with a lot of extra free time, so I started stitching. When I was looking for my next project, I felt like there weren’t many nautical-inspired designs for stitchers in their 20s. Instead, I started sketching some of the canvases I would want to stitch and posted them on Instagram. People started DMing to ask where I got the canvases and I started to realize that there might actually be something there. I put a few sketches out there to see if people would be interested and that’s how MJD started.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned along the way that influences how you operate now?
Because I’m such a creative, it can be hard to have to be my own boss. I’ve had to cultivate some managerial skills over the years to help me navigate that dynamic. There’s still a lot for me to learn — and days I’d rather not have to lean into the business side of my brain — but I know that balancing the business and creative sides of me are the key to success.
We’re all searching for some good news. How are you using your platform to make a positive social impact?
My favorite thing about my platform is that it brings people together over a shared hobby. Everyone is here because needlepoint brings them joy. My team re-posts every tagged photo we receive which sparks a lot of positive conversation and creativity among stitchers. I like to think that we’re creating a happy little corner of the internet!
Many of our readers are influencers as well. Others have tried and have yet to succeed. What words of advice would you offer to aspiring influencers, knowing what you know now?
You have to just start! You’ll never know for sure how it’s going to play out, so you have to just take the leap.
Success is often a matter of perspective. I’ve always resonated with Henry David Thoreau’s quote, “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” How do you see success — or define success — for yourself now?
What I’ve learned is there’s not a single finish line that I’m working towards. Success comes in waves and it’s important to celebrate every milestone. Some days I define success as crossing everything off my to-do list while other days, it’s breaking a sales goal. Continuing to challenge myself and setting new goals at each career milestone has helped me to constantly strive for success!
What are your strategies to make room for who and what matters most?
It’s so important to me to make room for the people (and things) that matter most to me! I’ve found that prioritizing and using techniques like time-blocking, even in my personal life, can help free up more time. And while it’s easy to want to bail after a long day at work, working for myself can become isolating if I do that, so I make sure to make commitments and honor them — even on long days. Also, I’ve built a team of people around me that I know and trust, which makes it so much easier for me to prioritize my friends and family. I know that I can step away from work and trust my team to keep everything running.
How do you reduce or mitigate stress?
It probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise, but needlepoint is one way I maintain a healthy headspace — and I know I’m not alone in that! So many people compare it to meditation. There’s something about the repetition of it and the focus it demands that helps me re-center.
I’m going to try a few of your tips, and I’m hopeful our readers will, too. Now it’s time for the big reveal — the moment our readers have been anticipating. What are your “five strategies to cultivate a large & engaged social media community?
- Engage — When I started my instagram I replied to every single comment and question I received. I tried to make each response personal so followers knew they were really reaching me.
- Bring Followers Along — Rather than just showing the finished product, I love showing behind the scenes creation of the canvas, the chaos of packaging in HQ, and even admitting there are days when I feel completely underwater.
- Share a bit of the Personal Side — While this is my business account, I think sharing a bit of my personality (from my goldendoodle, Captain, to my Diet Coke obsession) has helped create a deepers sense of connectivity.
- Be Authentic — As your audience grows, it can be easy to feel intimidated or the need to put forward a certain persona — don’t fall into that trap! Be true to who you are and why you started this business.
- A Rising Tide Lifts all Boats — Support others in the industry!! I love giving my peers in the business shout outs, doing collaborations, and engaging with their content. I don’t see them as my competitors, but rather women who are growing the industry as a whole.
What do you do to create a greater sense of connection and community among your fans?
Needlepoint was a way for me to calm my anxious brain and get out of my head. Since launching MJD, I’ve released several different canvases related to anxiety and I think it’s really important to share some anecdotes about how much of an outlet needlepoint has been in my life. People always respond really positively and it reminds me–and others — that we’re not alone.
As an influencer, you are, by definition, a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I would consider myself an anxious person, but needlepoint ended up being a really great outlet for me. Mental health and anxiety come up in some of my canvases (like the anxiety rainbow, Chill Pill, and more!) and I think that they can be a good conversation starter. Whenever I share about my own mental health, people are so encouraging and supportive and it’s such a good reminder that sharing can help everyone feel less alone.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world with whom you’d like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He, she or they might just see this. 🙂
We love Pitbull at MJD! We love to play his music while packing orders at the studio. Plus, we love how much amazing work he does for his community.
What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?
Follow along at @morganjuliadesigns!
Thank you for these thought provoking insights. Here’s to your continued success!
Influencer Morgan Julia Of Morgan Julia Designs On How To Build A Large, Loyal, & Engaged Social… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.