Season 2 Episode 16 | How Lainey Younkin & Megan Huff Started Building Their Media Careers While Working Full-Time
Okay besties… this episode is SUCH a good behind-the-scenes look at what it actually feels like to start putting yourself out there in media.
We’re sitting down with two recent media mentorship grads — Lainey Younkin and Megan Huff — to talk about what happened when they stopped waiting and started pitching, networking, creating content, and saying yes to opportunities that felt a little scary.
From landing paid brand partnerships and TV segments… to navigating rejection, undercharging, busy schedules, and confidence hurdles… this conversation is packed with honest insight for anyone who wants to grow in the media space.
We also talk about balancing media work with private practice, clinical jobs, motherhood, entrepreneurship, and the very real challenge of trying to do all the things at once 😅
If you’ve ever wondered what the “early stages” of media work really look like — this episode gives you the real story.
We’d also love to have you join us for our upcoming Media Mentorship. For more information and the application, check out the link below:
https://expertwithinfluence.com/media-mentorship
In this episode, we discuss:
• How Lainey and Megan got started in dietetics
• Why both of them felt pulled toward media work
• Using media to diversify income and expand opportunities
• Balancing full-time jobs, private practice, and media projects
• The reality of pitching brands and handling rejection
• Why the “slow middle” is part of the process
• Learning how to confidently charge higher rates
• Landing first paid partnerships and TV opportunities
• Using media to fight misinformation online
• Why networking matters so much in media
• The importance of community and mentorship
• How the snowball effect starts happening in business
• Delegating and learning where your time is best spent
• Building confidence while putting yourself out there
Key Takeaways
• Media work takes consistency before momentum builds
• Rejection is normal — and not personal
• Confidence grows through repetition and experience
• Your expertise has real value
• Networking creates opportunities you can’t plan for
• Diversifying your income creates more flexibility
• Small wins eventually stack into bigger opportunities
• You don’t need to have everything figured out before starting
This episode is such a good reminder that every media career starts somewhere. One pitch. One reel. One conversation. One uncomfortable first step. And honestly? That’s usually where the magic starts 💛
