Epiphanies

My nine-year old granddaughter and I were sitting down together having a casual conversation on Christmas Day 2020 when I said to her, “I don’t think you’ve ever told me what you want to do or be when you grow up. What do you want to do or be?”

Without hesitation, she responded, “A YouTuber.”

For a few brief moments, I was at a loss for words.

Internal conversation: O-o-kay! I thought she was going to say ‘artist’ or ‘dancer’ or ‘scientist’. (I knew she had a keen interest in the arts and sciences.) YouTuber. C’mon, think, Linda – Didn’t you just see a headline this week about – (My brain did a quick memory scan/retrieval of recent internet headlines that I read.) Yes, now I remember - Eight year-old boy earned $22M in a single year reviewing toys on his YouTube channel. O-o-kay. YouTuber. Sounds lucrative but---

I was still having some difficulty processing the concept because this was the first time I – a baby-boomer – had ever heard ANY child aspire to a career called YouTuber.

“Oh,” I finally responded, sort of matter-of-factly. “A YouTuber.”

“Yes”, she said. “I will have a vlog and talk about my life.”

It was at that moment that I had an epiphany. Linda, you’ve been struggling with how to focus your blog for your updated website and right now, you’re talking to a Gen Alpha (or Gen Z-er depending on your source) who is describing in detail her YouTube channel and her vision for her vlog. Why not share with her the draft version of your website, get her feedback, and ask HER for blog ideas?

It was not lost on me that in this priceless interaction, I was no longer “grandma” but the client – and it was my nine year-old granddaughter who was the consultant. I cautiously showed her the draft of my website displayed on my phone. She carefully looked it over, gave feedback, and offered surprisingly sound guidance about what I should write about in my blog.

“Just write about how you help people, grandma.”

Double epiphany. Why, of course, sweet child. Of course. Just write about how I help people.