I create because I genuinely want to, not because I have to.
I knew I wanted to be a journalist since the age of fourteen. I practiced, interned, and interviewed for four years until I could finally study journalism in college. Post-grad, I continued to pour my heart into developing my career as a journalist, working at local magazines until I eventually ventured out on my own as a freelancer. This is when I was first referred to as a content creator—and I didn’t like it one bit.
This term, ‘content creator’, temporarily blinded me—did it discredit all of the work I had done up until this point? Yet, as I dove headfirst into my freelance career, I began producing more than articles. In addition to writing a handful of stories every week, I started picking up photography and editing jobs, leveraging social media to promote my personal brand, and establishing a newsletter that was reaching almost 1000 people each week. The more I created, the more I accepted the all-encompassing term. The fact is: It’s not about what people call you or what you call yourself—you could be a storyteller, writer, or content creator—so long as what you’re creating is authentic to you.
When I trace my career motivations back to my childhood, I acknowledge that I didn’t seek out journalism as a career for the title, but rather for the impact of telling real stories. Entrusted to handle delicate stories of the extreme, from profound loss to overwhelming success, or to shed light on a previously overlooked topic, that is what seemed important to me. And to this day, it still is.
I aspire—and have always aspired—to create meaningful content regardless of the platform it’s shared on. But, in order to do so, an innate authenticity must exist first—in order to whole-heartedly connect to a story, I have to connect with the person or brand.
By now, I like to think that my audience has a general idea of the stories I like to tell, so if I share something off-kilter, they’re going to detect it quickly. And even more likely, they’ll know if I don’t fully believe in a story. But that’s the thing about creation and authenticity—we’re not forbidden to stray into new topics—I’ve covered everything from travel to food and wine to wellness and sex, but it’s all about how you tell the stories, how you portray the theme, and how you pour yourself into the subject at hand. I see no other way to do this than to be authentic, and while that’s easy to claim, it’s not as easy to come by.
“ ... it’s all about how you tell the stories, how you portray the theme, and how you pour yourself into the subject at hand. I see no other way to do this than to be authentic, and while that’s easy to claim, it’s not as easy to come by."
Although you can’t teach authenticity, I believe you can foster it. You can start by looking inward, evaluating what you will and will not stand for, what stories you feel a conviction to tell, the type of people you believe in, the things that make you tick, and churn it all together to be your most powerful motivator.
As a creator, I’ve accepted the fact I’ll always encounter criticism, but what makes that initial sting of critique lessen is the authenticity I’ve continued to standby throughout each project. So while I always knew I wanted to create as a journalist, the opportunity to create and produce as a content creator is even more rewarding than I anticipated.
My passion has evolved from simply writing, to creating. What I once thought I wanted has morphed into something even bigger than I imagined. Now, I truly love what I do and the opportunities I’ve been fortunate enough to have—and how many of us can genuinely say that? I’ve created a career path that works for me and it’s just ironic that title happens to have the term ‘creator’ in it. Or, is it?
For regional banks, advertising is fraught with some of the most stringent rules in marketing. Laws such as the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) require specific disclosures in promotions for loans, credit cards, and other financial products. Adding to these legal mandates, platforms like Facebook and Google impose “Special Ad Categories” for financial services, restricting the use of advanced targeting tools like lookalike audiences or detailed demographic segmentation.
The impact is clear: compliance-heavy messaging disrupts engagement, creativity is stifled, and marketing costs rise as cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-lead (CPL) escalate. For many regional banks, this combination of constraints makes reaching their ideal customers a frustrating and costly endeavor.
Props offers a transformative way for regional banks to overcome these challenges through a unique combination of creator-driven storytelling, strategic paid media promotion, and robust compliance solutions. Instead of promoting financial products directly, Props shifts the focus to authentic, lifestyle-oriented stories that resonate with audiences and inspire them.
These stories are published on the bank’s website (or a special landing page) and, critically, promoted through the creators’ social media handles. Publishing lifestyle content through creators’ handles bypasses the restrictions of “Special Ad Categories,” drives more engagement and click-throughs, and unlocks advanced targeting options. This allows banks to connect with high-intent audiences more effectively while reducing costs.
For example, rather than running a traditional ad for a home equity line of credit (HELOC), Props might collaborate with a creator to share a story about how homeowners can fund renovations—building trust and engagement without triggering compliance-heavy disclosures.
One of Props’ greatest advantages lies in its ability to sidestep disclosure requirements by avoiding direct product claims. Instead of advertisements laden with legal disclaimers, Props content centers on engaging narratives that educate and inspire. These stories provide value to audiences without overwhelming them, creating a cleaner, more effective path to engagement.
A creator might share how they used home equity to remodel their kitchen, illustrating a real-life application of financial tools while staying free from the burdens of compliance-heavy messaging. This approach not only eliminates the need for complex disclosures but also keeps content relatable and audience-focused, fostering trust and credibility.
Audiences are more likely to trust people over brands, and Props ensures this trust by selecting creators based on their expertise and storytelling ability, not their follower count. Creators are chosen for their ability to craft genuine, relatable narratives that resonate with specific audience segments.
Whether it’s a business owner sharing entrepreneurial insights or a parent discussing family finances, Props focuses on the quality of the story rather than the creator’s popularity. By publishing these stories directly on the client’s website, Props ensures that the bank owns the engagement and benefits from first-party data collection. Paid media promotion guarantees that these stories reach the most relevant audience with precision and scale.
Brand safety is paramount for financial institutions. Strict regulatory standards and a heightened need to maintain trust often prevent banks from collaborating with creators. Recognizing these challenges, Props developed Ollie—a proprietary AI-driven brand safety tool that ensures campaigns remain compliant, transparent, and aligned with institutional values.
Ollie reviews years of creator content history, continuously monitors posts in real-time, and flags potential risks using advanced AI. Its capabilities include detecting if a financial offer is being made or if financial advice is being given—two critical triggers that can complicate compliance for creators in regulated industries. By categorizing flagged content as low, medium, or high risk, Ollie empowers banks to avoid pitfalls while enabling creators to craft compelling yet compliant narratives.
This innovative approach ensures banks can confidently embrace creator storytelling, knowing that campaigns will uphold their values and meet regulatory standards. By bridging the gap between brand safety and creative freedom, Ollie empowers financial advertisers to connect authentically with audiences while navigating one of the most regulated industries in marketing.
Props has consistently delivered impressive results for its financial clients across consumer banking, mortgage lending, credit cards, secure cards, life insurance, auto insurance, and wealth management. Props takes responsibility for delivering actual, measurable business outcomes—a key reason for its rapid growth.
For regional bank CMOs, Props offers an unparalleled opportunity to navigate advertising regulations while driving measurable results. By avoiding restrictive ad categories and using creator-led storytelling, Props enables access to advanced audience targeting tools that improve reach and engagement.
Its compliance-friendly strategies reduce advertising costs and create cleaner, more effective campaigns. With Ollie’s oversight, banks can run creative campaigns confidently, knowing that regulatory standards are being met. Props’ focus on authenticity builds trust with audiences, while its full-funnel strategy ensures seamless progression from awareness to conversion.
By leveraging paid media through creators’ handles, Props ensures that each story achieves both the reach and relevance needed to deliver measurable results. For CMOs seeking to transform their marketing strategy and connect authentically with their audience, Props offers a proven path to sustainable growth and success.
_2.png)
