Life After YouTube with Bethany Mota

Bethany Mota has recently launched her first brand - Atom&Matter, a sustainably made demi-fine jewelry line designed to empower self-expression. Tune in and let us know what you think by tagging us on instagram @girlgangthelabel.

To learn more about Atom&Matter head to atommatter.com and @atomandmatter on instagram.

This podcast is brought to you by girlgangthelabel.com.  Shop our line of merchandise and collaborations, including our signature Support Your Local Girl Gang collection, and use code GIRLGANG for 20% off.

Have a guest recommendation or want to say hello?  Email me at amy@girlgangthelabel.com.

Join the girl gang and stay up to date with new episodes @girlgangthepodcast

Email us with any guest recommendations or questions hello@girlgangthepodcast.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Girl Gang the Podcast. I'm your host, Amy Will, and the founder of Girl Gang. This podcast is brought to you by Girl Gangthelabel.com. Head to our website after the show to browse our directory of female-owned businesses and enjoy exclusive discounts from them. Read our online magazine, The Edit, for interviews with female creatives, plus tips, tools, and rituals to level up your own career. Shop our line of merchandise, including our signature support your local Girl Gang collection. For every item sold, we team up with a charity to support women's education, health, and empowerment. Shop today and use code Girl Gang to receive 20% off at GirlGangthelabel.com. Show us your listening by tagging us on Instagram at Girl Gang The Label. Thank you so much for tuning in.

SPEAKER_02 0:41

Hi, I'm Bethany Moda. I am a content creator and founder of Atom and Matter.

SPEAKER_01 0:45

First, I would love to talk about your career path leading up into launching your brand and going into entrepreneurship.

SPEAKER_02 0:52

From where I started to where I am now with my brand and just kind of my presence online and in the public eye, I guess, it's definitely evolved and it's changed and transformed a lot. So, like when I first started, it was on YouTube. I posted my first video when I was 13. I think it was in 2009. And, you know, I went in with no intention of anything really coming out of it. I definitely wasn't expecting to make money or have it be a career. Um, I just knew it was a fun outlet for me, especially being like a very shy kid. It was my sneaky way of like having a voice because in the moment I felt like no one was really listening. Um, and then it was a cool way to just kind of speak to the world on my own terms. Uh so starting out with not really having the intention of it being a career, I think that's what helped me a lot and worked in my own benefit, is because I didn't necessarily have expectation. I think that if I knew, oh, there's a possibility that this could completely change your life, I would have maybe gone in not necessarily with the wrong mindset, but maybe with a sense of pressure that would have made me make different choices or made my content different in order to receive a certain outcome. So I think because I didn't know that this outcome was possible, I was really just doing out of pure passion and just curiosity of this new space. Because back then it definitely wasn't as common or cool to be a content creator. So uh I definitely tried to hide it a lot because it was something that people would kind of make fun of a little bit because it was so unheard of. Whereas now it's definitely something that a lot of people aspire to have. Um, so yeah, I think the fact that I was unaware is what helped me a lot because coincidentally, that's kind of one of the things as I started to grow and the channel started to get a lot of traction. Um, that's when more thoughts would creep in of like, oh, how do I maintain this or how do I keep this going? And then there was a sort of expectation that I think a lot of creators may struggle with is how do you maintain or getting kind of in your mind a lot about, you know, staying consistent or staying relevant to the audience, which is essentially I think something that we kind of make up in our own heads and can only get us away from the original idea and plan of why we started doing it. So there was definitely a lot of that transformation in my time on YouTube that has brought me to where I am now. You can definitely see me literally grow up. My first video was it was it was embarrassing to say the least. But um, you know, I've grown since then and just really evolved. So I would say as a person, I've definitely learned a lot about myself through the content. And, you know, it's brought me so many opportunities that I would have never, you know, dreamed of, like in more mainstream doing music stuff, designing stuff. And I would say the root of it and what has helped me in all of it is just staying really connected with myself and having a good sense of who I am and what I want to show to the world. When I've taken a few breaks in the past from creating content, um, it was to kind of just solidify, okay, maybe I'm getting too in my head about this, and I need to step away to really get a good grip on who I am and figure some stuff out within myself so that I always feel like I'm giving my most authentic self to the audience. And that doesn't always mean like best self is also something I've learned. I think with the growth, I felt a sense to be perfect all the time. And then I realized, you know, what makes a good content creator is someone that is authentic. And that also means, you know, not always being perfect and showing the sides that are maybe um a little messy or a little uh just on the opposite scale. So uh yeah, and now we're here and I've been able to do so many incredible things and my content now is definitely evolved from the very beginning. And now today we are launching, you know, this brand that I feel like also really wraps up everything that I believe in into, you know, a whole company.

SPEAKER_01 5:26

And it's so exciting, I think, as um as a creative female, and just it's natural to just be in the growth mindset. And so allowing yourself to not be pigeonholed since you did get into it so early, and you were one of the really the first content creators and just uh taking the time to reflect, uh, realign with your purpose, what do you want and growing with it? This is gonna be um definitely a source of inspiration for people that maybe are getting in their own way and thinking of excuses why they can't go over here and try something else. So I'm really excited to, you know, chat about the process of evolving and launching this brand and really encompassing everything that you've learned and believed in along the way and the values.

SPEAKER_02 6:06

Yeah, so I started working on this company uh like a little over a year ago. And it had been a while since I had really designed anything. The last thing that I really designed was uh my clothing line with airbastol. So it had been a few years and I had really been itching to design something different. And then this opportunity came along and I thought it was such a perfect fit because this jewelry in the product that we're selling is definitely a little bit higher price point than what I've done before in the past, which is due to, you know, the materials that we're using are, you know, essentially higher quality. And so it's definitely a brand that offers kind of long-lasting product. It's not so much in the fast fashion realm, which I think is great as well. And I definitely, you know, I have my jewelry that is kind of more of the fast fashion that's more trendy. But the goal with this was to make pieces that, you know, are very timeless and are delicate and you can wear anywhere and you can wear them every single day. Because I feel like, at least for me, jewelry can be kind of similar to like a tattoo. I kind of compare it to that a lot because um, you know, tattoos obviously they're way more permanent, but I think the meaning is similar, at least for me, and I know a lot of other people in my life is oftentimes if there's a piece of jewelry that you wear all the time, it usually has somewhat of a specific meaning, or it's kind of a memory, or it's something that when you look at it, it makes you feel good, or someone that you love gave it to you. Um, and it kind of becomes a part of you, similar to a tattoo. And so that is why I felt very inspired to make this collection because I would love to offer that for people and to be a part of their lives in that way and you know their everyday style, um, and to make something that, you know, works for everybody. And so we have a good wide range of product and we have more coming out that I think there's definitely something for everybody here. And also, you know, just overall for this brand. I mean, the name itself, it was kind of the first name that came to mind because I was thinking, you know, what does this brand mean and what does it stand for? And I want it to be very inclusive for everybody to feel accepted and to feel welcome. Um, so that we're creating product, but we're also creating a platform. And, you know, with plans we have in the future to make it much more than just product. Um, so atom and matter is kind of just the representation of we're all connected and you know, we all can relate at some level on everything that we've experienced, you know, different emotions we all experience and we all have our own unique path of life. But at the end of the day, there's so much that we can relate and connect on. So this name kind of just encapsules all of that. And even, you know, every aspect of the brand, we just paid really close attention to make sure that, you know, we're conscious of uh sustainability and using recycled materials and just making it a very conscious brand was very important for me.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

And I applaud you too for not only using your platform for good in the sense of creating authentic content, um, being transparent, um highlighting causes that are important, but now you're really going through the process of creating that sustainable brand, um having the give back element, um, creating something outside of the fast fashion realm. I'm very excited to see, you know, this next generation of females and beyond get inspired to see that you can walk the walk and do this. If you could talk a little bit about maybe some advice on getting started, as you hadn't done something like this before. So maybe just any advice, resources out how to create something that, you know, is good for our planet.

SPEAKER_02 10:01

Yeah, I would say definitely doing your research and asking people. I'm lucky that the team that I work with is incredible and they have experience in doing jewelry specifically in the past. So they're very familiar with it and were able to teach me. So, in a lot of ways, I was very much a student, although I did design this collection. I was also learning a lot as I was designing about, you know, what happens if we use this material versus that material, the changes that it makes and also changes in price and just so many different things uh that went into play. So I would say definitely doing your research and asking people. So in my case, it was asking the experts that I've been working with on this brand, you know, for their opinion and what is most sustainable and how can we be, you know, eco-friendly and how can we be a conscious brand. So that was something that was really important to me, even with you know, the packaging. So, like every box that the pieces come in, I stressed very much in the beginning that I wanted to make it, you know, something that people wouldn't just throw away, like not just using a piece of paper or cardboard or stock, whatever you use, to put the earrings on. Like I wanted to put everything in its own individual box so that when you buy it, you're not gonna want to toss it. You're gonna want to keep it and put it on your vanity and put other pieces in it. So that was something that I really focused on with the packaging. And I think we did a really great job of doing that, of making it sustainable, of making it reusable so that you will want to keep it. And it's kind of like getting a two products in one sort of deal, which I think was really great. Um yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:44

Amazing. And then yeah, I think um that's always a great place to start too, just getting back in student mode, no matter where someone is in life. You know, if you're 50 years old and getting ready to go into something else, like start with your network of people. Um, if you can build out a team, hire people that know what you don't and create this, you know, beautiful puzzle piece. And um it is possible to continue to create great things. And we're living in a day and age of conscious consumerism, and people are willing to pay more to know that the people making the product, things down to the packaging, that you know, it's not damaging the planet. The fact that you did get this out there in this time, it was a year in the making. I'm sure, you know, some obstacles had to go over with, you know, different different things that have happened this year, um, delays, things like that. I think there's a lot of people are feeling discouraged. So anything you can do to lift up through your personal experience of bringing to life this brand this year to our community.

SPEAKER_02 12:37

Yeah, um, I definitely think that, you know, books, self-help books, podcasts are really great. I've definitely read a bunch of books on um how to handle not just like business things, but also just personal growth, which I think is kind of the root of everything. Uh I would say it for me at least, it comes down very much to a mindset because there definitely were complications, you know, with the brand and there were hurdles and things to overcome. And for me, I found that the more and the faster that I could see those quote unquote problems as an opportunity, I was able to actually act on it instead of, you know, when something comes up and feeling very defeated, uh, that's usually what will make me kind of just stand still, still and not move and not get work done. So I think it's seeing problems when they come as opportunities and thinking, you know, this is something that I can overcome. And in the long run, this will actually make me stronger. It will make me smarter. And in the future, I'll know how to handle these problems better. It really switches the energy into making the hurdles kind of exciting because you know that you're going to learn from it and you're gonna come out better. So I would say mindset is kind of crucial, in my opinion, of just seeing everything as an opportunity, even if it seems like a negative.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

And then I want to make sure to highlight as well the give back component of your brand and the charity that you aligned with.

SPEAKER_02 14:16

Yeah, so having you know a charity component to the brand was really important to me because I just want the customer to know that they're part of something bigger and greater. So we do have a give back program so that each product benefits women all around the world. So we chose to work with StepUp. And uh Step Up is they work with girls that go to high schools and under-resourced communities to help them stay career focused. And then also Pratham, which Pratham is one of India's largest NGOs, and they provide skills training and job placement and career growth for thousands of underprivileged youth. So I'm really excited to be working with them and um just kind of start our partnership together with the brand.

SPEAKER_01 15:02

I'm really excited for you. I've known about Step Up for a while, and it's so great how many more people are gonna find out about their network through you. The last thing I would like to talk to you about is as you put together this brand, as you're envisioning it, do you what do you see for the future of it?

SPEAKER_02 15:19

Yeah, so I mean, this is definitely just the beginning for the brand, and we do have a lot of plans for future. Like I said, I definitely want this brand to be kind of just a platform and a community, and so that everyone that is a part of this community, you know, feels connected and involved. Uh, so I definitely would like to just, you know, obviously put out more product. I definitely see us kind of doing different price range. Uh, our price range right now is like, you know, 40 to I would say like 240 or 250. Um, so I definitely see offering below that, maybe above that, just kind of widening the price range even more so that we can really appeal to any type of customer because I think that that's very important. And definitely just experimenting more with the products. So, you know, this first collection is obviously galaxy themed, and I see us expanding and working with different themes and different concepts and really kind of building out our voice as a brand and our unique styles as a brand, which I think that's like anything, it's going to continue to grow over time. Um, and also just offering content for our for our customers, which we have a little bit of content that we released for the launch, but I definitely see doing more in that realm of just um whether it's like entertainment content or just different sorts of things to keep people entertained with the brand.

SPEAKER_01 16:49

I'd love for you to share if there is a female in your life that you look up to has either been a mentor through this process of creating the brand or someone that you just really want to take an opportunity to share a story, how they've um helped lift you up in your career path.

SPEAKER_02 17:04

Um, there's been a lot of, I would say, influential women in my life that have helped not just with this brand, but just kind of everything leading up to this that have given me, you know, great advice and just not necessarily even advice all the time, but just being themselves and like being good role models. I think I don't know if it's kind of hard to say one specific person. I would say from an early age, it was definitely my mom. And then as I've grown, um, just different women. I think being in this space, I've came across so many strong, powerful women and entrepreneurs that are just inspiring and just observing them is just like inspiring to keep moving and to create things that I never thought I'd be able to create. Um I would also say my this one's kind of weird, but my my younger self has been very like inspiring, which is very strange and also may come off as very conceited. But um I've noticed that when making big decisions, especially with this brand, uh connecting with kind of my younger spirit has been very helpful because all of us, you know, when we're younger, we're not we're not really overthinking things. We're going very much off of love and um just a very open place, which I think sometimes, although also being logical is very important and logic is something we tend to lack when we're younger, I do think there's something about being young and and children specifically, that um they kind of just always make the right decisions. So I found that connecting with my younger self, if I'm struggling on a certain decision or not knowing if something is right or wrong, it really helps me kind of know what the answer is and just kind of be more carefree about everything. And I found whenever I just make a decision, I often get the best outcome versus sitting there and overthinking it and being extra logical and you know, thinking of all of the possible outcomes. So I would say my younger self has definitely been very inspiring in creating this brand.

SPEAKER_01 19:19

Tapping back into that childlike space, anyone listening can take that and reflect back and getting out of our own way and seeing what we can create uh before we develop an ego and all this risk analysis behavior for really minor decisions to just put ourselves out there and see what happens. So I absolutely love that. Already, well, I love talking to you today. This was my first remote interview. I w I was like nodding my head so much and trying to not like giggle at things. Um, so I hope this was a good energy. Uh, but I just want to say that, you know, I'm I'm so grateful you took the time to share your story with us. Um, and I really do believe that you have been for a while been inspiring the next generation of females. And I think that, you know, with creating this brand and product line and really walking the walk and putting stuff out there, um, especially at the end of, you know, a really crazy year. Um, I know that people are going to, after they listen to this, they're gonna hopefully be getting out of their own way and trying to create some good in the world. So I'm really grateful you took the time to chat with us and share this with our community. If you could let them know where to learn more about Adam and Matter and if they'd like to purchase product.

SPEAKER_02 20:27

Thanks for having me. So yeah, you can shop the collection at AdamMatter.com and everything is there. So also we're on all socials, Adam and Matter on Instagram, Twitter, and all the other ones.

SPEAKER_00 20:41

Thank you so much for tuning in. If you liked this episode, please take a moment to leave us a review. It helps us out so much. Remember to head to GirlGangThelabel.com to redeem your 20% off discount with code Girl Gang. Take a moment to remind the females in your life that they inspire you and support your local Girl Gang.