A while ago, I had the pleasure to interview Allie Johnson. Johnson is a Toronto-based designer who also has a side hustle as a social media micro influencer. On social media, she shows off fashion and lifestyle content that her followers love to stay up to date on. She also shares her life as a Designer, where she works in interior design to update various indoor spaces. Her careers in both interior design and social media are continuing to blossom!
I really enjoyed interviewing Johnson for my website. During our interview, we chatted about her interior design career, working on social media, whether or not she considers herself to be an influencer, and much more! Check it out!
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EL: Could you please talk about your background?
Allie Johnson (A): I graduated high school in 2012, and then went to Brock University the following fall for Psychology. I did that for a year, and realized it just wasn’t for me. I wanted to pursue my dream of interior design. I enrolled in Georgian College’s Interior Design program the next year, which was a 3 year advanced diploma. I got hired at an interior design firm shortly after graduating college. I began doing social media as a creative outlet seriously after graduating. I found that I really had a passion for it, as I’ve always loved design and fashion. I still work as a designer at the interior design firm I started at, and continue to do social media on the side.
EL: What drew you to interior design?
A: I always loved making spaces look nicer, and loved playing with layouts to make the maximum use of a space. When I was little, I would always draw out my dream floor plan on paper, and loved watching all the design shows on TV.
EL: What has been your biggest achievement as an interior designer?
A: I work for an interior design company, where am a Designer there, as well as the media coordinator. I find the job in itself is super rewarding. Seeing the before and after photos of a space you worked on is super rewarding. Seeing the clients happy in the end is the biggest achievement.
EL: What do you hope is next for your interior design career?
A: I’m very happy where I am currently in my design career. I work with my boss and another girl I actually went to college with. I find the job both challenging and rewarding.
EL: Do you look at Instagram like a job, as a side gig, or like a hobby?
A: Recently, I have been investing more time and effort into my Instagram. I would consider it a side gig as well as a hobby. I genuinely love taking photos and coming up with ideas of what I want to take pictures of. It’s a big creative outlet for me besides my job as a Designer.
EL: What got you to take Instagram so seriously?
A: I always loved photography and using your Instagram as a way to tell a story about who you are as a person and your life. I love to have fun with it.
EL: How did your collaboration with Ardene happen?
A: The Ardene team is really sweet! l actually contacted them on Instagram and asked if they were looking for any more influencers, and it ended up working out. I find taking risks is super important; if you never ask, you will never know the answer. Life’s too short to wait around for opportunities to just happen on their own, and I thought to myself, The worst thing that’s going to happen is they say no.
EL: Are you looking to do similar collaborations in the future?
A: For sure! I love sharing products I love with my followers. I took a little break from contacting companies as I was changing my Instagram a little to represent who I am more, and show more of my life and my surroundings. I recently did a collab with KaseMe, and am obsessed with their phone cases!
EL: What inspired you to start your own YouTube channel?
A: I always loved watching YouTube videos and thought, Why not? However, I currently have been focusing more on my Instagram and have taken a break from YouTube for a while.
EL: For those who haven’t checked it out, what kind of content can people expect from your YouTube channel?
A: When I start back up again, they can expect more hauls, film style videos, vlogs and lookbooks!
EL: Do you consider yourself to be an influencer?
A: I would consider myself a micro influencer in a way. I do my Instagram for fun, and share things I love and the deals I come across. I also love using my Instagram to share positivity as you never know what someone is going through. If something I share brightens their day a bit, that’s awesome!
EL: What do you hope is next for your social media career?
A: I hope to work with more companies and I hope to continue having fun with it and staying true to who I am! I have found a few of my friends through Instagram and love the positive side of this platform.
EL: Where can people follow you?
A: If you’d like to check out some of my socials, you can find me on Instagram [@allieejohnsonn], Pinterest [@itsalliejohnson], and TikTok [@_allieejohnsonn]. You can find my YouTube channel at Allie Johnson.
xo,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Sarah Larkin 