Today we’d like to introduce you to Lexi St. John.
Hi Lexi, 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.
I’m from Los Angeles and grew up around entertainment. As a kid, I was interested in almost everything and surrounded myself with creativity and science. I wanted to be the next Tina Fey – AND the first person on Mars. Ambitious, right?
I started my professional journey at an unusually young age. In high school and college, I pitched television shows, sold a screenplay, and did some freelance writing for Nickelodeon. Had some pretty amazing opportunities as a script intern at “Conan” and “Saturday Night Live.” I learned how to craft drama, tension, and character. But it wasn’t enough for me.
My passion for writing quickly developed into an interest in filmmaking. It was the perfect way to bring my ideas to life from page to screen – from scratch and by hand. I made multiple award-winning short films while at NYU and for a bit after. I became addicted to working on the front lines with talented artists and aligning teams towards one creative vision. But still, it wasn’t enough for me.
I joined QYOU Media in 2017 as a post-production assistant, which was an entirely new world for me – a different ‘industry’ than I had known growing up, the “creator economy.”
In my early days at QYOU, I aimed to position myself where I could provide solutions and value. I leveraged what I knew and stayed late on weekends to edit sizzle reels and pilot programming. As improv-ers say, I ‘yes and’ myself into launching and running our 24/7 television network in India, soon to franchise our QYOU brand to Poland, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. I was growing a team, working international hours, traveling around the world, and making important decisions. But you guessed it, it just wasn’t enough.
There was this entire world of business before me that I previously had little exposure to, so I signed myself up for an Executive MBA program, working night shifts and weekends again, desperate to keep up and learn as much as possible.
In 2020, as we began to fully localize global operations, I refocused my efforts and fresh degree to help the creator marketing team with strategy. Although it was a transition within the same company, it felt completely new to me. I leaned in and leveraged my filmmaking skills to work with creators for brand campaigns on social media. Figuring out how to make magic happen between brands, creators, and their audiences is exhilarating, with instant results. In a way, I’d come almost full circle back to my entertainment roots, working with top brands and clients like Paramount, Warner Bros, Hasbro, Ubisoft, Capcom, Hulu, Disney, and so many more.
Since then, I have helped grow and shape the business with QYOU Studios, our company’s key differentiator in the market. We produce creator-led marketing campaigns for top brands and IP that are viewed by hundreds of millions of people around the world. I’m proud to be building and leading a team of people I believe are the best of the best in creator marketing.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I definitely struggled quite a bit in my early twenties, as most humans do. I suffered both mentally and physically for a while, masking what I could along the way. But I was able to find solid ground at QYOU and the space to learn, grow, innovate, and build. As I was learning at work and at school, I also figured out how to stand up for what I wanted and needed in life, which has been a very empowering journey thus far.
I also suffer from classic imposter syndrome, like most young executives. But it has become a handy superpower and only makes me fight harder. I’ve put in a lot of hours and made a lot of sacrifices while re-prioritizing life and my career, which, in some ways, I regret. I’ve learned that no matter how hard you try, you really can’t have it all, so you have to really dig deep and understand what you want and need and prioritize from there (while maintaining your well-being). At the end of the day, we’re all doing the best we can, and that’s enough.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
In the traditional sense, I am a storyteller. When I was just starting, I was taught to ‘write what you know.’ But I believe that a great storyteller can ‘write what they feel’ and use empathy to craft compelling stories no matter the subject. I remember my mom challenged me one day when I was a kid to write a short story about a potato that could make her cry. So, I look at every creative challenge at work as if it’s… a potato. I specialize in finding emotion, a good hook, drama, connection, and character that all lead to authentic and engaging storytelling – no matter the subject or situation.
As a creative at QYOU, I like to get my hands dirty. I’m known for testing out creative ideas with fun and often embarrassing mock videos that are shared with brands and creators. I love to edit and test new platform tools and push the envelope with short-form videos.
Typically, creativity is more likely acknowledged when it’s attached to a product that’s shown to an audience. But I’ve come to appreciate my creative abilities as they spill over into business and leadership. My foundation in entertainment has advanced my creative thinking and problem-solving, as I’m able to think through every possible outcome (i.e., storylines) before making decisions. I’m able to effectively communicate vision and better understand organizational behavior.
But when it comes down to it, I’m most proud of building teams full of incredible people. I believe that people are everything, and I surround myself every day with people who are much better than me at many things.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
As a proud life-long learner, I’ve picked up many skills and interests along the way.
I’ve always been obsessed with Space and wanted to be an astronaut SO BADLY. Sometimes, I still do! I was the kid who wore a NASA pin on my school uniform, memorized the periodic table of elements, and joined the robotics team. Do yourself a favor and invest in space debris clean-up companies. It’s going to be a messy industry.
I’m a classically trained opera singer. I love to sing and studied all through school, competing on both the state and national level. Singing and performing and, of course, my musical theater background really help with my day job! Making TikToks is an art form.
Speaking of which, I created a TikTok series that went viral during the pandemic! My sister and brother-in-law performed in our @sceneremakes videos, remaking classic scenes from movies and TV shows shot for shot. Check it out!
Overall, I’m proud that I’ve gotten to where I am today by just being myself and embracing my various interests and skills. You don’t always have to pick a lane – embrace the chaos that makes you you. It’s more than enough.
