Check Out Joseph Arujo’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph Arujo. 

Hi Joseph, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I kicked off my social media career back in November 2019, when I first went viral on TikTok for a story time series that I hosted on the platform. Every night I would start a LIVE broadcast reading children’s books to my young audience, amassing upwards of 50,000 viewers per show. 

After over two years of consistently hosting my show, I decided it was time for me to branch out and explore other niches of content. Since then, I’ve been focusing on fashion, lifestyle, and travel content, and I’m loving every moment of it. TikTok and YouTube have been such creative outlets for me to express myself to the world, and I’m honored to be able to share my life with hundreds of thousands of people. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Having a career in social media can be extremely fun at times, but creators like myself often find it challenging to monetize our platforms consistently. 

I feel like 2022 has been a tough year for creators, primarily because the creator economy hasn’t been as active as it was during the pandemic. The way creators make a living on social media is through brand deals, but when brands aren’t looking for as many influencers to work with, the competition gets fierce. Luckily, I’ve been able to work with an organization called Clara for Creators to help promote pay transparency in the world of social media. With this opportunity, I can enable influencers to feel comfortable setting their rates and increase their discoverability with brands. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I grew a following on TikTok when I was only 17 years old, and at the time, I was still figuring out who I was as a person and what I wanted to do with my life. TikTok has always been my creative outlet where I unwind and share my story with the world, and I’m incredibly grateful for the platform my audience, and I have built together. I first got discovered by the TikTok Team back in October 2021, and I was invited to join #CasaTikTok, a creator community dedicated to uplifting Latinx creatives on the platform. In the following months, I was offered a spot in the YouTube Shorts creator community and was also 1 of 50 to trailblaze the launch of Reddit’s very first creator program. If you want to see for yourself, you can find me at r/josepharujo on Reddit. 

I’m incredibly proud of all the things that I’ve accomplished in my 3 years on social media ─ from attending The Grammys in 2022 to working with some of my dream brands ─ but I rarely get the opportunity to reflect on my individual achievements outside of content creation. 

While most only see me as a social media personality, I’m also a full-time student at UC Berkeley majoring in Business Administration and Media Studies. At the peak of my career in 2021, I was a stressed out highschooler dealing with the dreaded college application process. Berkeley was one of my top choices for university, and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy getting admitted. I specifically applied for the Global Management Program (GMP), which only accepts 50 students each year to enter the Haas Business School as a freshman. Fortunately, I was accepted into the program, and on top of that, awarded the Berkeley Leadership Award for my academic and personal accomplishments. I would say getting into Berkeley GMP is one of my proudest achievements because it has truly allowed me to intertwine my career as an influencer with my studies as a business student. For my entire first semester, I was studying abroad in London and had some pretty insane opportunities, both with my school and because of my career in social media. TikTok invited me to both London and Milan Fashion Week, where I sat front row at shows such as Chet Lo, Klamby, and Moncler. I also was able to meet with the TikTok team and some amazing creators for an English High Tea at Fortnum & Mason. 

I think what sets me apart from a lot of creators is that I create content that I love to make. Social media is supposed to be fun, and as soon as it feels like a job, you begin to lose track of why you began in the first place. From new life updates to fun travel adventures, I keep my fans in the loop of what’s going on in my life through my content. 

What do you think about happiness?
Although it may sound cliché, I truly find happiness in making other people happy. I think that’s a big reason why I got started on social media in the first place. My content has always been very uplifting, and I try to make videos that will put smiles on the faces of people watching. 

I also consider myself a mental health advocate, and I hope that I can continue using my platform to raise awareness for underrepresented communities across the world. Coming from a Hispanic background, mental health is a taboo subject that isn’t really talked about in my community, and I hope to use my platform to break this stereotype for future generations. 

Because of my advocacy, I’ve had some really cool opportunities like working with TikTok during the LA Pride parade and marching alongside their float in celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and self-expression. 

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.arujo.net/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josepharujo/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/josepharujo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/josepharujo
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whatisjoseph