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WHERE BRAINS MEET BEAUTYAuthor: Jodi Katz
The beauty industry's top talent share their wisdom, advice and authenticity with our WHERE BRAINS MEET BEAUTY listeners. Topics include: work/life balance, how to hustle and how to handle challenges - all discussed with great honesty and humor. Conversations humanizing the beauty exec experience. Hosted by Jodi Katz, Founder and Creative Director of Base Beauty Creative Agency. New episodes launch every other Wednesday - follow us to get alerts! Episodes can be found on all streaming platforms and our website www.wherebrainsmeetbeauty.com Follow us on LinkedIn @JodiKatz and @BaseBeautyCreativeAgency for announcements, BTS, and more! For inquiries about the show, please email Natasha@basebeauty.com. Language: en Genres: Arts, Business, Careers, Fashion & Beauty Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Episode 296 - Jess Martinez & Kirti Tewani - Viral, Vanity and Everything In Between: Shaping Creator Careers on Their Own Terms
Wednesday, 19 November, 2025
In this Artistry & Influencer episode of Where Brains Meet Beauty, content creators Jess Martinez (@jessstheblessed) and Kirti Tewani (@kirtitewani) share what it really looks like to build a career online while staying grounded offline.Jess calls herself an “accidental creator.” After casually posting hair videos, one went viral - 46 million views in under three weeks, while she was still working full-time in criminal justice. The sudden visibility was thrilling and disorienting, but with support and boundaries, she found a rhythm: mission-driven work by day, creativity by night. Kirti’s journey began after motherhood made the long, unpredictable schedule of makeup artistry unsustainable. During the pandemic she launched a supplement brand, posted on TikTok for marketing, and unexpectedly went viral. She soon gained 80K followers in a month, then jumped from 4K to 120K on Instagram in a week.Both now navigate two worlds - the everyday one and the digital one. To stay centered, they set firm boundaries. Jess keeps work and content separate and even created a “So You Want to Start a Business” group at her agency to manage questions. Kirti refuses all family-based partnerships, keeping her kids fully offline for their safety and privacy, even when turning down major money.Their advice for creators: slow down, learn the craft, trust your intuition and stop chasing comparison. Growth does not need to be rocket-fast to be meaningful. Jess reframes consistency as a habit that builds over time. Kirti uses data to improve content without compromising her values.Their message for brands: give creators creative freedom. Kirti’s community recognizes her in a simple black tank top, forcing a neon look makes the content feel less authentic. Jess rejects rigid scripts that don’t sound like her voice. And both prefer opt-in PR over surprise boxes at the door.Together, they show that influence is not about going viral, it’s about boundaries, integrity and building a career that feels true to who you are.If you are a creator trying to navigate your own boundaries or a brand trying to build better partnerships, this episode is full of nuance and real talk from two women who live it every day. For more information on these guests check out their socials @kirtitewani & @jessstheblessed and Jess’s new website jessstheblessed.com!
