Create & Cultivate 100: Content Creator: Mamrie Hart & Grace Helbig

Rejection is the best thing that ever happened to Mamrie Hart and Grace Helbig.

When their YouTube show “This Might Get” was abruptly canceled in 2018, the longtime BFFs and comedic collaborators decided to take matters into their own hands. Today, they’re at the helm of their own media empire, complete with a wildly popular weekly podcast, “This Might Get Weird,” which boasts over 4,500 ratings and a glowing 5-stars on Apple Podcasts.

Below, Hart and Helbig open up to Create & Cultivate about how they overcame imposter syndrome, how they balance being BFFs and business partners, and what it takes to succeed in such a saturated space.

CREATE & CULTIVATE: How is your podcast “This Might Get Weird” different from others you've taken on in the past? What have you learned through the experience?

MAMRIE HART & GRACE HELBIG: The podcast is completely, authentically us. All of our work up until the podcast has, of course, been created in our voices, but the podcast is definitely the rawest, most unfiltered version of us. We get to have weekly conversations about the shenanigans and adventures we've gotten up to over the last week in the realest, silliest sense, which has been unbelievably freeing.

There is so much competition out there now, what makes you and your business stand out? How do you create a unique point of view?

As cliche as it sounds, we stay true to ourselves without trying to mimic or "put on" a persona. We also genuinely try to entertain each other and make each other laugh and by default encourage each other into new adventures and experiences.

“Imposter syndrome was a major challenge to get through, especially at the start of YouTube when most of the mainstream media didn’t take it seriously.”

You two are best friends and have worked closely together for years, how do you maintain a good working relationship? What tips do you have for working with a close friend? What happens when you disagree?

We've been friends and colleagues for over a decade, so we've unintentionally developed a system that really works for us. We give each other space (mental and physical) when needed, we listen and respect each other's ideas/opinions throughout the creative process, and we always share the toiletries that the other forgot to bring on the road.

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

We're both a little bit in the midst of this currently. Thankfully, we have the opportunity to talk (and bitch) to each other and other close friends about it. We try to encourage each other, and ourselves, to try new things or relieve ourselves of the pressure of having to figure out the "next step" so quickly. We're also the types that try to keep a lot of pots on the stove to see if any of them boil over. The podcast has been a tremendous, consistent source of joyful content for us because it's uniquely ours, but still allows us the time to explore other creative endeavors. That helps a lot.

What advice would you give to young entrepreneurs who have an idea but don’t know where to start to execute it?

Sometimes it helps to break a big idea down into smaller and smaller steps until you discover the first step that you know you can take. Take that step. If the next step doesn't present itself, do some research. Reach out to others you've seen do what you want to do. Ask LOTS of questions. Make mistakes. Try again, differently. And then continue to repeat all of these things in varying orders.

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

One of the biggest difficulties we face is visibly seeing numbers/views drop as algorithms change, but choosing to stay true to our personal POVs rather than play the algorithm game.

What traits do you need to succeed as an entrepreneur or founder in the competitive start-up environment?

The ability to see failure as opportunity.

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

You got this, and you deserve to go for this. Imposter syndrome was a major challenge to get through, especially at the start of YouTube when most of the mainstream media didn't take it seriously. And look at it now! Sheesh!

What's a mistake you made and what did you learn from it? How did you turn it into an opportunity?

When our series called "This Might Get" had its funding taken away, we took it on our own to turn it into a podcast called "This Might Get Weird." Fully owned and operated by us.

You both manage very busy schedules and juggle a lot of different projects. What advice do you have for prioritizing and managing so many commitments?

Get a planner! Both of us not only use Google Cal but also good old-fashioned paper planners. We're old ...school.

What do you wish more people knew about your job? What are the biggest misconceptions?

Things have changed a lot, but there's still a bit of a stigma about YouTube being a trivial form of entertainment. The medium changes so quickly, I wish more people knew how much work it takes to try and keep up with it after a decade of being part of it.

What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why?

Probably our own books, Mamrie's I've Got This Round and Grace's Guide. (Sorry, we had to get shameless plugs in.)

Photographer: Jenna Peffley

Hair: Styled by OGXpert & Celebrity Hairstylist Jillian Halouska

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

20 Amazing Mic Drops from C&C Keynotes

Photo credit: Smith House Photography 

We're still riding the wave of Create & Cultivate SXSW and sharing 20 of our favorite moments from last week's popup featuring keynotes: Brit Morin, Brooklyn Decker and Whitney Casey, Hannah Hart and Mamrie Hart, and Kristen Bell. 

Enjoy and pass on to a friend who needs a boost! 

"I put my name in it because I want people know I'm real about this. I'm a real person. When you Tweet me, I'm gonna Tweet you back. When you Instagram I'm gonna Instagram you back. It's not a brand just trying to be a brand." Brit Morin on incorporating herself into the company.  

“I don’t think women brag about themselves enough.” Brit Morin on being a powerful woman in charge. 

“Cooperation over domination is going to be the cure.” Kristen Bell on what will move the business needle forward.

"Cooperation over domination is going to be the cure." 

Tweet this.  

Photo credit: Smith House Photography 

“Investors want to invest in people.” Brooklyn Decker on being yourself in meetings and believing in yourself. 

“To know your differentiators you have to know the marketplace. Do you research.” Whitney Casey on how to enter VC meetings. 

“Be incredibly well-researched on the market that you’re entering. Understand it so well and it will help you prepare for any meeting.” Brooklyn Decker on how to enter VC meetings. 

“If I were a young woman right now I would learn how to code.” Whitney Casey on how we change the male-dominated tech world.   

Photo credit: Smith House Photography 

“Beyoncé, she’s our user, she’s our girl.” Brooklyn Decker on her Finery dream user.

"Good ideas spread, they're the best infections." Kristen Bell 

"We want to work, but we also want to create." Brit Morin on the impetus of Brit+Co. 

"You can kick down the door but you better be ready to fight when you get in there." Mamrie Hart on breaking down barriers (and kicking down doors above). 

"You can kick down the door but you better be ready to fight when you get in there."

Tweet this. 

"If you try to please your audience you're not being your authentic self." Marie Hart. 

"When I would start to cry I would run to the bathroom to study it." Mamrie Hart on being an 8-year-old asking for an agent. 

"We're literally two girls with the last name Hart who started our YouTube channels in the exact same month drinking and making puns and we literally still don't feel competitive. So, there's enough room for everyone." Mamrie Hart on female competition and how she, Hannah, and third "Holy Trinity" member Grace Helbig really do support each other offline. 

"We focus so much on being pitted against each other, but we don't think about the social construct that has put us in the pit. That's the thing we should get together and try and change." Hannah Hart on women supporting women.

"It's intention into action. If you're intention is to get a lot of views and be famous, you can study all the strategies and compromise your values, but it might not work. So wouldn't it be better to make something you're proud of?" Hannah Hart of content creators breaking into the crowded space of social. 

"Ask for what you want." Mamrie Hart. Keeping it simple and smart. 

"This year especially, I just want to be around strong women. And I really want to focus on me and my girls going for it as hard as we can right now. I'm 33 and I really want to hit it hard right now. People are like, 'This is when you freeze your eggs,' and I'm like, 'No, this is when I get a frozen margarita with my bitches.' I feel like women right now need to come together." Mamrie Hart on the "Pussy Posse 2017" bracelets she gave to her friends. 

"In this 'climate' I'm worried that we're so focused on protecting our individual 'I's' that we're not listening to other people's 'we's.'' Hannah Hart on the need to be inclusive. 

"I believe our give back is the reason we are so successful." Kristen Bell on why she believes in This Bar Saves Lives and why she thinks social responsibility is the move. 

Have other favorite moments from the day? Share below!

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