CASIE STEWART
THIS IS MY LIFE • BLOG EST. 2005
LIFE THE INTERNET

Day 402: My Blog is 16 Today

Day 402: My Blog is 16 Today

A 16th birthday is a coming of age year, you’re a bit more mature and figuring out who you are. You’re in high school, you can get your license. I can hardly wrap my brain around the fact that I’ve been writing this for so long. And for 400+ consecutive days of a global pandemic. I would love to have had a post written with all kinds of favorite moments in blog history: travel adventures, red carpets, film festivals, tweetups, and events, but that life seems so incredibly far away right now. I didn’t have the energy but now thinking about it, going back in time seems kinda fun. Looking back, the thing I’m most grateful for is all the people I’ve met through this blog. Nearly everyone I know today is somehow connected to my blog, by way of social media, work, or events. It’s changed my whole life. I changed my whole life. The thing is, if you want to achieve something, or be something, you have to work at it. You need to do something each day that brings you closer to that goal. You get up early and work on it before your job, you think about it on your run, you stay up late, you work on it. You skip going out with your friends to learn HTML and use what little extra money you have to make stickers and cards with your name on them. You do something each day to bring you closer to your goal. You take a step forward each day. A couple of things I’m pretty proud of are being recognized by the Canadian Academy of Film & Television as an innovator & pioneer, receiving an Alumni of Distinction award from Conestoga College, and being recognized by Ontario as a…

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Speaking CAMBRIDGE, ON

Preston High School: Welcome to the Future

Preston High School: Welcome to the Future

Today I spoke to Preston High School’s grade 10 and 11 students. I was invited to talk about my career, taking a unique path, and the changing world of work. I graduated from PHS in the year 2000 and most of the kids in the group were born 2000-2002. Crazy! Where did the time go?! Back in 2000, wifi was getting popular, I’m pretty sure I had a Nokia phone, and a job at Blackberry seemed like a great career move. The world has changed so much since then and speaking at PHS today made me really proud to be part of the growing social media world. Going Back in Time I first learned about marketing at PHS and it lead me to a three-year Business Marketing diploma program at Conestoga before heading to Australia for university. I always a passion for marketing and entrepreneurship, I loved marketing because it allowed me to be creative in business. While at uni, I started an online diary to keep my friends & family informed of what I was up to using MSN Spaces. This was even before I discovered MySpace. I was my first step into having my own place on the internet. When I came back from school, I wanted to work in fashion. I met someone on my flight from LA to Toronto who connected me with one of his clients. I was home from school for two weeks before moving to Toronto to sublet a room in a house with 5 students. I took over the room from someone I met at school in Australia.  The skills in learned in marketing have carried me through my career and helped me to be a leader in a new industry as it developed. Creativity in business has helped me navigate situations where…

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LIFE

Rebuilding Your House: I Broke My Collarbone

Rebuilding Your House: I Broke My Collarbone

A year ago today I slipped on some ice at mum’s house, breaking my collar bone, getting a massive black eye, and severe nerve damage to half my face. It was right after receiving an Alumni Award from the President of Conestoga College. What a DAY. It was horrible. I was in severe pain most of the winter and did you know that having nerves repair themselves feels like you have a hair on your face that’s not there? Something so simple as taking a selfie was hard for months because I couldn’t move my arm above 90 degrees. I felt like half my face looked different. Does it? I declined attending a lot of events because I didn’t feel good about myself. This is a couple of days after the accident and before it got worse. This night I was up for an Ontario Premier’s Award so I had to attend the ceremony. My eye was watering the whole time and I was so self-conscious about the makeup running. This past year has been all about rebuilding, reprogramming myself, changing old habits, and loving myself more. I’ve been working on strength and can finally Chaturanga Dandasana again. I’ve been thinking about what happened a lot the last few days and I want to remind you that what you see on the internet is only a fraction of someone’s life. I’ve always been honest and real on my blog but this was something I wasn’t ready to face head-on, I didn’t know how to deal with it so barely mentioned it at all. I felt bad about not being strong, my arm was so weak and my confidence was broken. A year later, I’m feeling better and have another X-ray tomorrow that is hopefully my last. I want to remind…

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Tech Toronto, ON

Interview: Vocab Comm Influencer Tuesdays

Interview: Vocab Comm Influencer Tuesdays

I recently did an interview w/ Chrissy, longtime friend, OG PR, and founder of Vocab Comm. I talk about the social media landscape, influencers, and my career. I included part of the interview below, read the whole thing here. Chrissy used to host MMVA and celebrity gifting lounges at the beginning of social media, we worked together on a few. This was a fun one. Tell us a little about yourself. I grew up in Cambridge, Ontario. My parents immigrated here from New Zealand and my dad had a custom Hot Rod shop growing up. I created my first business in grade 2 and at 14 I wrote a book and started a publishing company. I went to Conestoga College and last year was given an Alumni Award for my work from the President of the college. I went to university in Australia and have a B. Com in International Business. I have lived in Toronto since 2005 when I started my blog. Through my blog, I’ve built some amazing brand partnerships (Pepsi, Telus, Aeroplan, Sassoon) and traveled to incredible amazing places in the world (Thailand, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Disneyland). How do you define an influencer? I think the word ‘influencer’ has really taken on a whole new (kinda negative) meaning with the rise of Instagram influencers. To me, influence is a product of something someone does. It’s not something you get by having a lot of followers. My influence has grown from being a pioneer in a new industry and constantly innovating. I share my life with the world and love discovering new things, my influence comes from building trust with my audience. What advice do you have for other people looking to become an online influencer? Don’t do it. Find something you love and do that! Don’t…

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Inspiration Conestoga College

Thoughts on Graduating: Find Something You Love

Thoughts on Graduating: Find Something You Love

Last week I spoke at the graduation for Conestoga College. There were 15 programs graduating and hundreds of students. I got to wear a gold cape as a ‘special guest’. I checked the colour of the cape before the event and came prepared with gold shoes. It was pretty cool! The top photo above is me with Conestoga College president John Tibbits at the presentation of my Alumni Award last year. I was in shock when I found out I’d been nominated for the Premiere’s Award then Conestoga surprised me with an Alumni Award. [The highest award from a college delivered by the president!] This isn’t the kind of award you can apply for, and I am so honored to be recognized. I took my mum, and her BFF (aka my second mum & Fairy Godmother!) to the ceremony. We had a great time! Looking Back… I’ve spent the last decade working in social media as the industry grew and developed. I’ve had my blog for 14 years. When I went to Conestoga College for Marketing, social media was not invented. Blogs were not invented, there was no Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. I was into marketing as soon as I knew what it was. I chose to study it in college because I had a *feeling* the internet would be something big. SMART THINKIN’ EH! Honestly, in college, I used to skip class and I hardly ever bought textbooks. I didn’t have much money in college or university, but I always did the work. I worked well in groups when I was the leader, I liked writing, I was really into presentations. I didn’t really know what I wanted to be when I left Conestoga College, so I went to university, in Australia. I liked business but I had no…

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