One look at Olivia Culpo’s impressive résumé and you quickly understand why she admits to being a Type A. The former Miss Universe has starred in the coveted Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, collaborated on a fashion line with Express, played Gretchen in “Paradise City” (her first TV series), starred in Amy Schumer’s “I Feel Pretty” and has other projects due for release this year.

This year Culpo will continue to make the shift from modeling to acting which she tells us has always been a passion": “Challenging myself to be vulnerable and tell a story is extremely rewarding creatively.“ And when she’s not filming, modeling, or creating content for her 4.4 million followers, Culpo is lending a philanthropic hand at Best Buddies, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Here, Culpo opens up about her journey to success (spoiler alert: it wasn’t overnight), including the hardest decision she’s ever had to make professionally, and her #1 piece of advice for women.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: You are one of the most well-known names in content creation, with over 4.4 million Instagram followers and endless brand partnerships. To what do you attribute your success? What can others reading this learn from your story?

OLIVIA CULPO: I’ve always believed that if you love what you do, then nothing ever has to feel like work. I’ve always had an affinity for creating content and telling stories through pictures and videos. I have so much fun coming up with new ideas and testing what works. I also genuinely love communicating with people via social media and sharing my favorite ideas in makeup, skincare, fitness, health, nutrition, fashion, and travel. 

To be successful as a content creator, I think the most important thing is to make sure you are 100% behind the things you share with your audience and that you’re always thinking of new information that may be helpful to others. I try to share new ideas and tricks with my followers in a way that’s similar to how I sit around with girlfriends and talk about my favorite things. It’s so fun for me and I have learned that it ends up being very helpful to other people. You have to find a niche and what genuinely interests and inspires you. Then, when you share that passion with other people, it allows them to carry new ideas into their own lives. 

You started out your career by competing in beauty pageants—you were crowned Miss USA and Miss Universe! What did it take to build your personal brand from the ground up? How did this experience shape the way you work now?

I didn’t grow up competing in pageants, and when I randomly decided to enter Miss USA, I had to figure out my point of view on everything. I had to dig into what was important to me and why, what made me unique, and my opinion on polarizing topics. I think this helped lay down some of the foundations for everything else. 

I think the keys to building a brand from the ground up are passion, consistency, and authenticity. Passion, because without this there is no “heartbeat” to your brand and no strong point of view that makes your brand “you.” Consistency, because the content is shared so quickly that you always have to make sure you are staying innovative and keeping people engaged. Authenticity, because without this, you are not trustworthy or “real” and what your brand stands for becomes confusing. 

There is so much competition out there right now, what makes you and your business stand out? How do you find/create a unique point of view? What characteristics make you successful in your industry?

Naturally, we are all so different. Tapping into those differences is what can help separate different businesses. Carving out a niche and sticking to that wholeheartedly will allow you to stand out. I always think of it as “keeping blinders on.” If you just focus on your values, interests, and opinions, you will always be distinct. It can be difficult to ignore what other people are doing, but it absolutely pays off. 

When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?

I have always believed that there isn’t one road to success. There are a million different ways to reach a goal, and I try my hardest to keep this in mind when things don’t go as planned. I also think it’s important to remember that this is a journey that should be enjoyed. If it’s not fun, then what’s the point of doing it? Having the right attitude is so important because obstacles are inevitable, and what matters most is how you are able to keep going and be resilient. It’s not always the easiest, but it is definitely worth it. 

You tackle so many projects—from modeling for Sports Illustrated to acting to recently launching a clothing line with Express—how do you choose which projects to take on? What advice do you have for women who are also pursuing many interests?

I take on projects that I feel the most passionate about. Sports Illustrated was always a goal of mine because I admire the women who have gone before me. There are so many successful entrepreneurs who were able to pave interesting careers like Heidi Klum, Tyra Banks, and Christie Brinkley. These women represent so much more than a pretty face.

My Express collection was so exciting for me because I love providing my followers with clothing at a reasonable price. I am always asked for fashion advice so being able to design looks for my fans makes me so happy. Acting has always been a passion of mine and challenging myself to be vulnerable and tell a story is extremely rewarding creatively.  

I think the best piece of advice for women pursuing many interests is to never give up. I have been told so many times that I can not do certain projects because it is “off-brand,” or “it may pigeonhole me.” I would be lying if I told you it didn’t scare me, but ultimately, I chose to ignore the negative energy—and I have been able to see the benefits of that decision. Never give up and if it feels right to YOU, go for it!

You are one of our favorite people to follow on social media so we'd love to know, what is the secret to growing a community like yours? What are your top three tips for growing a following and building a brand on social media? In a pay-to-play world, how do you grow your business organically on social media?  

Well, thank you! This is a tough question! I would say, number one, only choose brands to work with you really believe in and support. You don’t want to oversaturate your account by taking every opportunity that comes your way. It’s important to test out the product to make sure you believe it works. This builds trust in your following and will continue to grow engagement. Second, I would say, listen to your followers and ask them what they want to see. Trust me, they will tell you how they really feel! When they give you feedback, take it into consideration and ask them what they would like to see more of. Lastly, I would say, have fun with your page! If you aren’t enjoying it, no one viewing will enjoy either.  

What do you wish you could go back and tell yourself when you were first launching your business? Why? 

I wish I could tell myself to trust my gut and intuition more. Your intuition is like a muscle, and the more you exercise it the stronger it will become. It can be challenging, but you have to make sure you aren’t letting the opinions and perspectives of other people influence how you feel. Also, the more you decide to go with what feels right to you, the more you will tap into what makes your brand YOU, which is ultimately your strength.

What is the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make professionally? And how did you get through it?  

I think choosing between my career and my personal life is always difficult. Whether it’s missing a wedding for a film shoot or skipping a family dinner for a photoshoot, it never gets easier. Sometimes, it’s important to put your foot down and choose family, and other times, it’s good to weigh your options and follow your gut. 

Your content is always visually arresting, but you also showcase the work you do with the Best Buddies organization. Can you outline what your content planning and strategy look like? How far in advance are you planning? How involved are you in that process? What advice can you share?  

I always try to have a nice balance in my content. I like to show my friends and family, but also my work. I do try and keep an eye out. If I am doing too many promoted posts, I’ll give my viewers a break and open them up to my personal life for a minute. Best Buddies is an organization that has been so important to me for years, so you will always see a lot of content with the buddies!

You work across multiple platforms, including Instagram, YouTube, and your own blog. How do you tailor your content to each platform? What tips do you have for keeping your content fresh when working in different content spaces?  

I tend to be more strict with the images that make up my feed, while my IG stories are more raw, goofy, and candid. When it comes to YouTube, I am new on the platform, so I’m learning what my viewers like to see most. So far, I have noticed that skincare, fitness, and beauty are the most requested topics. 

What is the #1 book you always recommend? 

I am a huge bookworm so it’s really difficult to choose one but a few of my favorites are How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. 

Photographer: Jenna Peffley

Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska

VIEW THE FULL CREATE & CULTIVATE 100 CONTENT CREATOR LIST HERE.