Conversations with Caitlin Lockridge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Caitlin Lockridge.

Caitlin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
It’s been a long, interesting road getting to a place where I make a living as a content creator and running my own social media business.

It all began my senior year of college, when I landed an internship at an event marketing agency in West Hollywood. Not long after graduation, I set out on the biggest adventure of my life, working on a world tour with one of the biggest music artists in the world. That experience changed everything. From music festivals and film premieres to global brand activations, I spent my 20s in a whirlwind of creativity, travel, and adrenaline.

I’ve always been drawn to creative spaces. Even as a kid, I was constantly making art, writing stories, and filming skits on my old camcorder. I always appreciated that the marketing world allowed me to continue doing creative work while making a solid living.

Then 2020 happened. I had just turned 30 when the pandemic hit, and overnight, I found myself out of a job. Like so many others, I felt completely lost. The world came to a screeching halt, and the once-bustling city of Los Angeles became empty and quiet. I spent months sending out résumés into the void, watching Netflix on loop, and wondering what came next.

But eventually, I realized I needed to create again, not for work, but for my own sanity. I started painting, sketching, writing screenplays with my lockdown buddy, and slowly began to feel that spark return. Around that same time, I caved and downloaded TikTok, just looking for another distraction. Instead, I found inspiration.

As I started posting content, something clicked. TikTok became my new creative playground. It was a space to experiment, entertain, and connect. I studied what worked and what didn’t, learned the platform inside out, and started building my voice and my brand. Over time, my content began gaining traction, and before long, I was earning income from it. It became more than a creative outlet, it was a way to express humor, share ideas, and connect with others about the state of the world and political climate that was weighing heavy on me and so many others.

Even as I took on full-time jobs again over the next couple of years, nothing else felt as fulfilling as creating, so I kept at it. Content creation became my side hustle, my passion project, my constant. Then one day, everything changed.

A friend of mine, a small business owner and former colleague from my agency days, reached out and asked if I’d manage her brand’s social media and create content for her. Without hesitation, I said yes. That one opportunity turned into another when she referred me to a friend, and then another after that. Before I knew it, I had a growing list of clients who trusted me to tell their stories online. I had managed to build my business from word-of-mouth and genuine connection.

Today, I’m running my own social media business full-time, and it’s truly a dream come true. I love getting to know the heart and voice of each client to translate who they are into content that resonates authentically and reaches their perfect audience.

I’m endlessly grateful to the friends, clients, and community who took a chance on me and helped me grow. In a city like Los Angeles, success often depends on who you know. For me, it has been the incredible, kind, hardworking people I’ve met along the way who have made all the difference.
I’ve worked hard to get here, but I know I didn’t do it alone. And for that, I’ll always be grateful.

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?
It’s been far from smooth sailing getting here, but every step along the way has been a vital learning experience. Ten years ago, I never could have imagined starting my own business, let alone doing work that I truly love.

In my twenties, I wasn’t entrepreneurial. I was constantly seeking validation from my higher-ups, chasing approval like it was a job in itself. I struggled with confidence, often doubting my own abilities while ironically becoming an overachiever, driven not by ambition, but by anxiety. On paper, I had a dream career filled with incredible opportunities and unforgettable experiences. But behind the scenes, I was running myself into the ground, quietly unraveling under the pressure to be perfect. I didn’t realize then that everything I had built would eventually need to be stripped away, not as punishment, but as a chance to understand where my anxieties came from and to finally develop empathy for that younger version of myself who was doing her best to hold it all together.

I have ADHD, and I’ve spent my entire life trying to succeed in systems designed for neurotypical minds. School was always a struggle. I’d study myself to exhaustion just to keep up. I’ve always felt driven by a deep need to fit into society’s traditional mold of “success.” I refused to slow down or set boundaries, terrified that doing so would make me look lazy or ungrateful. I wore a mask so tightly that I began to feel like two different people. There was the polished professional who never complained and always overdelivered, and the exhausted woman crying into a glass of pinot grigio the moment her laptop closed. No matter how well I performed, imposter syndrome haunted me, whispering that I was a fraud.

Then, the pandemic forced me to stop. For the first time in my life, I just existed with myself with no noise. Just me. And in that stillness, I finally started to process everything I’d been suppressing for years. I had to face the truth: a dream career on paper doesn’t always equal real happiness (especially for us neurodivergent folks).

If there’s one lesson that time taught me, it’s that while so much in life is out of our control, our fulfillment isn’t. I realized that if I was unhappy in my work, I not only had the power to change that, I owed it to myself.

Post-pandemic, I didn’t land any dream jobs, but I entered each new role with a renewed sense of self-worth. I learned how to set boundaries, to speak up for myself, and to trust my instincts. Reflection (and some much needed therapy) helped me rebuild my confidence from the inside out.

A decade ago, I never would have trusted myself enough to start a business. Today, I do. I’ve developed compassion for my younger self and learned important lessons through burnout and stillness. They’ve all shaped me into someone who leads from a place of empathy, balance, and self-trust. And that, more than anything, has changed everything.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a content creator who runs my own social media management/ digital marketing business. I offer a range of packages and services across all social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. My services include consulting, content creation and editing, content strategy, platform management, SEO management, community management, personal brand development, paid social advertising, performance analysis and reporting, trend analysis and more.

I create bespoke packages for each individual client tailored to their goals, audience, budget, and brand voice. Working with a lot of small businesses, I understand how crucial a strong social presence is for reaching the right audience and building authentic connections. I take the time to truly understand each client’s story and messaging, crafting content that reflects who they are and drives meaningful results.

In addition to client work, I am a paid creator on TikTok with a focus on content that delivers commentary on politics and pop culture, mostly with a comedic or satirical approach. My handle is @caiticlare89 and my page name is Bleak Salvation.

What’s next?
I look forward to continuing to build out my business and take on new clients. My next goal for my personal content is to start creating more long form content and launch my YouTube Channel.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caiti_clare/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiticlare89