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Mahria of @oursmalltownsquad is an awesome Momfluencer and content creator based out of Ontario, Canada.

‍Why do we love her? Not only is she real, but she creates honest, and well curated content. Which actually isn't that easy to do! The best creators know how to find a balance, to be themselves, while promoting brands, and while creating photos that appeal to their following. 

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Find out a bit more about Mahria below in our interview with her! 

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Q: We are always curious as to how influencers got started, so what brought you to blogging and social media? 

A: About two months after I had the twins, I wanted to start basically an online baby book for them. Just to document their sweet little bond and not over share on my person IG account LOL. That slowly grew into starting to be ambassadors for clothing companies/ small shops , some of which I am still super close with today. 

Q: We love your feed! Any tips on how to get a great photo? 

A: I will not pretend to be any sort of pro at photography- I honestly take 99% of my pictures with my iPhone because its convenient. One thing I will say though, natural light will always be your best friend. It truly makes a picture that much better!

Q: As a follow up to that, what apps do you use, or would you recommend to edit and organize your posts? 

A: I mainly use three apps. Light room, unfold and preview. Light room is where I do all my editing, I've bought/been gifted a few preset packages and that is what I use all the time. Currently my feed is mostly HAVEN from Britt Havens presets. Preview is basically a grid where you can pre "post" your pictures to make sure they all flow well together. I usually do about 5 pictures ahead, or less just depends how many pictures I have- and some times I just post in the moment. Unfold I use only for stories. It's a great way to pre type all your stories and then you can just post on the fly when needed.

Q: We know that creating content can be harder than it seems on social, so how do you make it look so easy, and what would you say are the key ways that you ensure your content is always on point? 

A: I'll admit - lately I've been struggling with this. Normally on my day off I will stage a few shoots to get collaboration content shot and sent out- but all my pictures that are not sponsored or gifted posts- it's just us living our day to day lives- with all the crap pushed to the other side of the frame LOL Creating content is one of the hardest parts I would say. It takes time, patience and a lot of planning.

Q: There are a lot of factors that contribute to great content, but as an influencer, how do you judge whether a post or collaboration has been successful?  And how do you avoid the dark hole of obsessing over your numbers?

A: The amount of likes/comments is not really a huge factor to me, I mean yes they do matter in IG's algorithm but a successful post in my mind is inspiring someone, or someone sharing to their stories because they want to pass it along to all their friends. I love when people msg me saying they have tried that said product and also love it . or they bought it and it has helped them in so many ways. I think everyone obsessed over numbers at some point, but being a small account- I just try to make content people want to see and hope they want to continue following along! 

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Q: Any tricks for getting kids to participate in a photo shoot?

A: BRIBERY hahaha. Honestly though, my kids will be happy for just a package of gummies or a sucker something super simple. And if they aren't in the mood, I never make them- it just ends badly for us all and its not fair to them. ++ sometimes candid pictures are the best ones

Q: What has been your biggest challenge in the influencer and social media world? 

A: Hands down, growth. I've found it extremely hard to grow. Not that it's all about numbers, but the more followers/like/comments you have the more your opt to be seen by those brands your dreaming to work with.

Q: What are your tips for working with brands, or approaching brands that you want to work with? 

A: Be transparent. Tell them what your looking for, and what you will give in return. I was so nervous to reach out to my first company and ASK if they wanted to collaborate with me. I've been told no more times than I have yes, and that's ok. You never know until you try. And you know what, maybe just maybe down the road they will reach out to you because they remembered you from before. 

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Q: We know that just being a mom can be pretty tough, so what are your tips for balancing influencer/mom life?

A: I'm terrible at balancing it. I TRY to do most of it at night when they are sleeping or in the morning when they are just waking up / eating breakfast / watching tv and just don't care about me yet LOL I show case mom life and people know that's not a pretty thing. The biggest thing I've learned over this past year is that, you can still have a "pretty" feed and not have to style, re organize, buy $$$$ of things just to get the perfect shot. Yes , I do style some shots, but not to the extent I used to think I had to. Majority of my pictures are in the moment, things we do on a daily basis which makes being a mom /

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Q: What have been some of your favourite brands to work with, and why? And what is your dream collab?

A: I love working with brands that want to continue to keep a working relationship, who comes back to you with new items they want help to promote! I find it more personable, and I love getting to know the folks behind the businesses. As for a dream collab, I think I have too many to list! 

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Enjoyed our interview with Mahria from @oursmalltownsquad? Follow her for more amazing content and stories. Stay tuned for more influencer interviews, and don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates!