Today we’d like to introduce you to Taryn Lewis.
Hi Taryn, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hey, I’m Taryn – known online as @tiktoktare. I’m a former Fed turned full-time content girly. As a child, I’d always imagined myself in a creative field like film or digital photography. Creating came naturally to me. You’d catch me drawing after school, dancing at home, painting ceramics, dabbling in photography and acting through college. But it wasn’t until COVID hit that I reignited my creative spark through content creation.
I was working full-time for the FBI when I downloaded TikTok on a whim, looking for a creative outlet during a season of burnout and trauma. What started as a creative escape slowly became a digital safe haven – one that helped me heal, reconnect with my inner child, and rediscover the parts of myself I had silenced in survival mode.
Over time, my little corner of the internet transformed into a community. A space built on honesty, humor, healing, and a whole lot of hustle. I became self-taught in everything from filming, editing, pitching, and negotiating to UX/UI digital design, SEO optimization, Notion systems and business management. I launched my own LLC, earned my HCM Creator Certification, and took a leap of faith as a full-time Creative.
Since then, more than 100K beautiful humans joined me through every pivot, pause, and plot twist. I’ve partnered with 130+ brands including Amika, L’Oréal, YSL Beauty, Victoria’s Secret, and Ellis Brooklyn. I’ve hosted a flagship brand event with Aerie/Offline, shot with COVERGIRL, and have been nominated multiple times for the Cheer Choice Awards.
Today, as a Google-verified Digital Creator, emerging Actress and TikTok Partner, my brand is evolving again. I still share bold beauty and unhinged lifestyle content, but I’m also stepping deeper into storytelling, BookTok, and acting. Off-screen, you’ll probably find me reading romantasy, wandering a farmers market, or writing steamy little stories to digitally detox.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been anything but smooth. For me, becoming a full-time Creator hasn’t just been a highlight reel, but a healing process that’s far from linear.
One of my biggest ongoing challenges has ironically been managing the aftermath of trauma while in an industry that’s fast-paced, unpredictable, and ever-changing. Like many creators, I’m navigating inconsistent income, imposter syndrome, comparison traps, and the pressure to constantly “perform” online.
I’ve had to learn how to recognize my own thresholds, reevaluate coping mechanisms, and prioritize my mental health while rebuilding my nervous system in real time. Decluttering my physical and digital spaces, taking intentional breaks from social media, and grounding myself in slower routines have all helped me reconnect with who I am outside of content.
Despite the challenges, I wouldn’t trade this journey. It’s allowed me to reclaim my life on my own terms, rebuild my identity, and reinvent myself in ways I never imagined possible. I’m learning to be more patient with myself, more persistent with my goals, and more adaptable to change. I love having the freedom to create from anywhere – on the road, at home with my furbabies, or in the quiet moments where inspiration hits unexpectedly.
Most importantly, this path has allowed me to both inspire and be inspired. Giving back has become one of the most meaningful parts of my career – mentoring other creators, sharing resources, hosting giveaways, gifting PR, and teaching others how to pitch and build long-term partnerships. Paying it forward after a near-fatal chapter has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my journey.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I create commercial-style content for beauty, fashion, and lifestyle brands – combining strategy, creativity, and a cinematic eye to bring products to life in a way that feels personal. My content spans beauty, fashion transitions, GRWMs, lifestyle storytelling, and behind-the-scenes blooper reels.
While I’m known for my vibrant transitions, what sets me apart is my vulnerability behind the visuals. I don’t create from a perfected persona. I share the pause, pivot, plot twists, and the glow-up in progress. You’ll find polished campaigns and chaotic vlogs side by side; I love aesthetic edits just as much as Story rants in a hoodie.
I’m proud that I’m entirely self-taught and managed to scale while in survival mode. I’m honored to be a TikTok Partner, HCM Certified Creator with features in Authority Magazine, Entrepreneur, CanvasRebel, Socially Powerful, and more. My expanding digital footprint recently earned a Google Knowledge Panel recognizing me as a public figure in entertainment and digital media.
But what I’m most proud of is the community I’ve built. The conversations, the small wins we celebrate together, and connecting with people who see themselves in my story. My platform has become a space for creativity, healing, humor, and personal growth – and being able to inspire others while sharing my own evolving journey is the best part.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Taking initiative has been crucial to my success. No one handed me a blueprint. I didn’t wait to get signed, scouted, or discovered – I was proactive regardless of my PTSD.
Five years ago, I started with no industry connections and zero marketing background. I didn’t have courses, templates, or a mentor; I had curiosity, questions, and Google. I became self-taught learning everything from scratch: filming, editing, pitching, lighting, audience research, SEO, brand deal management – every skill was earned by experimenting and clicking around until I wasn’t confused anymore.
In the beginning, every pitch felt like shouting into the void. I assumed I needed a massive following to land collabs. My media kit was made in Canva, half my templates got lost in my camera roll, and most brands never replied. Ambassador programs, sponsorship platforms, pitch decks – it all felt like a foreign language.
But I kept going. Even when I was scared. Even when I wasn’t “ready.” Even when it wasn’t perfect.
Initiative doesn’t mean you always know what you’re doing, it means you move anyway. I treat every “no” as “not yet” and reverse-engineer every rejection into a better pitch. Slowly, the doors opened. Most of my dream partnerships didn’t happen because brands found me; they happened because I made the first move. I literally went from a nobody to having a Google knowledge panel building as we speak.
So my biggest piece of advice? Start before you feel ready. Show up. Stay curious. Experiment. Learn from the creators who inspire you. Nurture your partnerships like real relationships. Because fear stops more creators than failure ever will.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tiktoktare.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiktoktare/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiktoktare
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarynlewis/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tarynxlewis
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@tiktoktare
