Meet Mikaela Moody | Vegan Content Creator & Plant Parent

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mikaela Moody and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mikaela, what do you attribute your success to?
Being consistent and true to who I am. Paris Hilton said it well on TikTok recently, “I inspire others by being my authentic self.” The colorful and bold outfits I sport while in the kitchen inspiring you to eat more veggies or in my tiny jungle showing you how to care for house plants are totally unapologetic every time. The style catches your attention, and since that’s how I feel the most comfortable, the confidence resonates. Plus when you come to my page, you know it’s all about plants–either eating them or living with them. That’s what nearly every post is about. People come back because they know what they can expect, and they enjoy it. It educates and inspires. I post a new video almost daily, and I have grown my following from zero to 100K in just over a year. I also regularly do collaborations to create content for brands who reach out to me in response to discovering my content.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What makes my videos stand out is the style I present the information in. Most of my videos are recipes or plant care tips, but I’m always dressed up in something eye catching. I also model while I cook, presenting every ingredient with piercing blue eyes staring at the camera, and set the process to music. So, what I’m making is basically 15 second or less recipe/plant parenting music videos. My proudest moment came when one of my videos received over five million views. It happened because it was well made, and I consistently post. Consistency is key when it comes to social media. This is a lesson for anyone trying to grow or maintain their account. The more you create, the more you can share. The more you share, the more opportunities you create for yourself to be seen by people. They see it, like it, and follow you. Then that consistent posting you do keeps them following you. You grow the following and brands notice you. You start out accepting products for posts, then you’ll reach a point where you can be picky and charge a monetary rate for posting. Success with this came fast for me at first, but as more people joined TikTok, my views lessened, and I went through a period where I thought about quitting. Ultimately I overcame this by refocusing on why I make these videos; they’re fun. I get a lot of enjoyment shooting them, then watching them back on a loop as I try to think up the perfect caption. Plus, this is my best way to inspire people to choose a plant based lifestyle or give a house plant a try. I never considered going vegan before I sought my own education on the lifestyle and its benefits. In 2016, I took that plunge into the plant based deep, and I have never felt better–mentally, emotionally, or physically. I never considered buying a real house plant until I saw on TikTok how easy they can be. I’ve learned that leaning more into this vein of education reaches more people. It’s important to create content that adds value to people’s lives. For me, it’s giving people knowledge of how to prepare plant based foods and keep their plant babies happy. Putting an entertaining spin on that is just something in my nature.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First stop is Stash Studio City for some quality California cannabis. This dispensary has the best service and selection from flower to pre rolls to edibles and more with bud tenders who actually want to help you find what’s best for you at the price you want to pay. Whatever you pick up there will make you have an even better time at stop number two: Universal Studios Hollywood. Citywalk is a must visit before entering the park for a customizable vegan pizza at Blaze Pizza and don’t miss Voodoo Donut for multiple flavors of vegan donuts. It’s Sugar usually has something yummy coated in dark chocolate that’s vegan safe, and if you want to be a little healthier before you hit the rides, there’s also a Jamba Juice. Once inside the park, the Studio Tour is my favorite thrill ride. For dinner after or as lunch the next day, H.O.P.E. It stands for Healthy Organic Positive Eating. The mostly Thai inspired menu also features burgers, mac and cheese, etc, and everything is totally vegan. Any day except for Sunday we’re visiting Valley Value Center for the best thrifting at the most reasonable prices, and hopefully whatever you find has a tag that’s color is half off that day. If you drove here, we’re stopping by the Jons Fresh Marketplace at Laurel Canyon and Magnolia for their randomly very good and affordable plant selection, then Greenwood Shop on Ventura Place for the more rare foliage. We’ll do a hike to the Hollywood sign and get as close as we can or do the hike at Fryman Canyon instead, if you’re just seeking a breath of nature in the city. Then a stop at LACMA’s classic, Urban Light, for a fun photoshoot at a place you’ve probably seen in something.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would not be where I am today on the internet without The Parallel. This dynamic duo of pop star Eyeamki and actress Dorothy Mannine exudes confidence, beauty, and star power. Dorothy and I trained together at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and she connected me with her best friend when we all filmed an episode of Roommate Hunters for HGTV, Eyeamki is actually the one who introduced me to TikTok. These are women who know who they are and are not going to apologize for it. They inspire millions of fans (including me), and their drive is unstoppable. I am beyond grateful for their friendship and support.

Website: https://linktr.ee/moodymikaela

Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/moodymikaela

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB5z7XEbEYSQfwYHWE9JQwA

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@moodymikaela?lang=en

Image Credits
Ross Howard