Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristie Martin.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Only two things in life are inevitable when you’re born & when you die. In between, is the only time we have on earth to create our own story, so here’s mine. I was born to Mexican/American parents in the city of Santa Monica, CA but raised in the city of champs, Inglewood. The city that has made me and the city that has raised me. I was always very well connected with my Mexican roots. I always made sure I spoke Spanish at home and even though many of my friends refused to speak it at school, I didn’t follow that and continued to speak Spanish. I am very proud of where my roots are from therefore speaking the language well was always very important to me.
Since I was a little girl, I always knew I wanted to be behind the mic & most definitely behind the camera. I always wanted to entertain and always had a passion for the Arts. After many years in the music business, I realized I wanted to do a lot more than just sing. I wanted to make videos. I started my YouTube channel back in 2017 and have not stopped since. My channel is in Spanish and targets the Latin community. Even though I was born and raised in Los Angeles, it is Mexico I feel so connected to. So here I am, over 300 Spanish videos on my channel later and little by little growing my fan base all over Latin America.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Smooth road? What is that? Haha! No really! My road has never been smooth but what it has been is FUN! I enjoy what I do and that is so so SO important! We live one life and I think many forget that. So many people go through life just trying to survive or doing what makes others happy. I decided that no matter how long it would take me to reach my goal, I was not going to stop! Everything in life comes with a challenge, so why not do something you love?
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I currently do YouTube full time and decide to put many projects on the side while I completely commit to this. It’s not an easy job and the money doesn’t come quickly. It takes a lot of patience to get far on this platform. There’s a lot of competition, a lot of recording time, editing, editing and more editing! Did I say editing? I remember when I first started to get paid for my videos and I was getting no more than $5usd a month. And you know what’s the funny part? I was so happy and I felt so successful because I was truly enjoying it! After a couple of years of not giving up and still editing my own videos, I now get paid a decent amount and keep pushing myself to do better with every single video I upload. I always try to inspire through my videos and always always ALWAYS make sure I respond to every single comment. I take the time for every single viewer the same way they take the time to watch my content. It’s fun, I love it! I think what I am most proud of is the fact that I never gave up. It was on my birthday three years ago that I vlogged my day in Disneyworld and told myself I was not going to stop doing videos from then on. I kept my promise and that is what I am most proud of.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
You always need a team behind you, always. No matter how big or small your business is. Behind me are a lot of people that help me with little projects and with projects not so small. But, most importantly the people behind me, well, not behind me but by my side, are only a few. Those are the people that have ALWAYS believed in me and have never given up on me. Yes, even when they thought my ideas were crazy! Those two main people are my husband, Hiram, also a creator and my mom. Hiram has helped me since the beginning to record my videos, help edit them and helps me with light and moral support when I feel so tired and so uninspired. My mom, she is just always so supportive, truly the greatest!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: _kristiemartin
- Other: Youtube.com/kristiemartin
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
