While some people spend years trying to find their career path, Deddeh Howard‘s medical colleagues at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), had already figured hers out, and it wasn’t in medicine. The Liberian-born content creator laughs as she recalls their observations from her days working in healthcare: “The doctors would tell me, ‘You don’t belong here. You belong in fashion.'”

A decade later, with construction crews renovating her Los Angeles home and her toddler daughter napping nearby, Howard has proven those early predictions right. Since trading her medical scrubs for a camera and starting her blog “Secretofdd” over a decade ago, she has built a content creation business spanning lifestyle, fashion, wellness, and family content, amassing tens of thousands of followers across Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

“I come from a medical background. My grandma’s a doctor, mom’s a nurse, everything,” Deddeh explains. “I was in med school and working at UCLA. But I felt something was missing because I always had this passion for fashion and helping people with diet and exercise.”

As her colleagues’ observations about her true calling continued, Deddeh began researching the growing world of content creation. “I realized people were making a living from this,” she says. “I could pursue my passion and possibly make a living from it.”

With the bold decisiveness characteristic of her personality, Deddeh made a life-changing move. “I quit my job and became a full-time blogger. I was blogging part-time while working and going to school, where I shared lifestyle and fashion content, inspiring women to live their full selves through food, fitness, and style.”

Cultural Influences on Perspective

Deddeh’s multicultural background gives her content a distinctive perspective that resonates with diverse audiences. Born in Liberia, she left when she was eight months old and was raised in Côte d’Ivoire for 12 years, where she attended French-speaking schools. Her family then moved to Ghana before immigrating to the United States when she was 16.

“It was a big move for us, something we had prepared for,” she says. “It had been my family’s dream to come here, especially for my education, to go to school and be a doctor.”

This international upbringing, combined with her marriage to a Polish husband, positions her at the intersection of multiple cultures. “It helps me see things from different perspectives,” Deddeh reflects. “I’m between three cultures, and it really shaped my content because I understand people and society broadly.”

This multicultural lens informs her approach to creating content. “I try to make my content feel like everyone is getting a piece of my experiences,” she says.

Finding Success Through Consistency

Deddeh’s path to social media success wasn’t overnight. Three years into her content creation journey, she began seeing meaningful traction with about 50,000 followers, an achievement she doesn’t take lightly.

“Having 50,000 followers isn’t easy these days,” she acknowledges. This milestone marked a turning point where she noticed people “gravitating toward what I had to say, how different I was, and the perspective I brought online.”

Her early growth strategy involved methodical planning and identifying content gaps. “I had a one-year plan on paper,” she says. “I went through it step by step, looking at trends, what people need versus what they want.”

Deddeh’s approach was both research-driven and personal. “I would ask my friends, ‘What do you need right now? What’s missing in the conversation?'” This focus on addressing unmet needs, particularly for the Black community, became a cornerstone of her content.

“I wanted to inspire Black women to take care of themselves inside out, but in a less expensive way, which no one was really talking about,” she says. “Lifestyle, fashion, fitness; it all seemed expensive. I simplified it.”

The ‘Black Mirror Project’: A Call for Change

While Deddeh had established a following, it was her “Black Mirror” project that increased her visibility. The initiative addressed the lack of diversity in the fashion industry by recreating iconic advertising campaigns with Deddeh herself stepping into roles originally filled by white models.

“I felt very lonely in the fashion industry,” Deddeh shares. “The ‘Black Mirror’ project was a callout to the lack of diversity.”

The project’s message was straightforward yet powerful: “You can hire a Black model to do the same as a white model. It showed what inclusion looks like, because we are important and need to be included.”

For Deddeh, the project was deeply personal. “That project was for the little girl inside me, and the little girl at home thinking, ‘I want to be a model or blogger, but no one looks like me.’ For the girl who felt different and unseen or unheard because there was no one or because there weren’t many girls who looked like her in these ads. The project was a callout for the lack of diversity in the fashion and beauty industry.” 

The initiative resonated widely, touching women from all backgrounds. “People told me this project changed their lives. They saw themselves, even though they weren’t models, just nurses, doctors, and everyday workers. They felt heard.”

While acknowledging progress since the project’s launch, Deddeh emphasizes that the work is far from complete. “We still have a long way to go. But before, I was often the only one who looked like me. Now I see more girls like me.”

Content Creation as a Working Mother

Now a mother to a young daughter, Deddeh approaches content creation with even more planning. Her weekly schedule is meticulously organized, with specific days dedicated to shooting, editing, and business administration.

“We have two to three filming days. Sometimes less, especially when I’m traveling,” she explains. Her weekly rhythm follows a detailed plan prepared weeks in advance:
“Monday is strategy and emails. Tuesday is shooting. This whole week is planned two or three weeks ahead.”

Her shooting days are concentrated and focused: “On Tuesday, we shoot one piece of content, or, in busy season, two in one day.”

Wednesdays bring more meetings and planning, while Thursdays often include another shoot and the start of editing. Fridays are reserved for finalizing edits and submitting branded content.

“Friday is for sending out brand campaigns and content,” she explains. “On weekends, I don’t shoot unless it’s last-minute.”

This planning is crucial for balancing content creation with motherhood. “It’s hard to target every platform. But I’m strong on Instagram, so I stick to it and spread content elsewhere.”

Her genuine appeal guides Deddeh. “If you can live with it, you can stick with it,” she advises. “As a mom, if you show your real family life, it’s easier to create content and more inspiring because other moms relate.”

Understanding Audience Needs

One of Deddeh’s most effective strategies for content development is direct audience engagement. “Your audience will tell you what they want,” she says. “It doesn’t mean you follow everything, or you’ll be all over the place.”

Every few months, Deddeh polls her audience through Instagram stories. “I posted, ‘Hey guys, what are you into right now? What content do you want to see more of? Do you want more talking videos or family content?'”

These check-ins revealed that her audience connects most with direct-to-camera videos. “People connect with me more when I talk on video,” she says. “It feels like I’m speaking to you while looking at you.”

Working with Brands

With her straightforward approach and diverse content, Deddeh has attracted numerous brand partnerships across lifestyle, wellness, and fashion. Her criteria are rooted in alignment with her lifestyle and values.

“The best partnerships are with brands that say, ‘You’re aligned,'” she explains. “For example, I’m into recovery after fitness. So if a sauna or hot plunge brand comes to me, it’s already part of my life.”

According to her, this alignment makes the content sincere. Deddeh believes brands could improve partnerships by giving creators more freedom. “Sometimes brands have an idea that doesn’t fit my content,” she says. “If you hire a fashion girl for vitamins, let her present them fashionably, not just in a kitchen.”

Her advice to creators intimidated by negotiations is straightforward: “Know your values. If you don’t, people will walk over you.”

Maintaining Balance as a Full-Time Creator

As a full-time creator, mother, and wife with family in two countries, Deddeh emphasizes the importance of boundaries and planning. “If it’s not planned, things fall apart,” she says.

One challenge has been separating her identity from her business. “So much of being a creator is about you, and it’s hard to separate,” she acknowledges. “I wish I’d known sooner how to step back, because it creates stress.”

Despite challenges, Deddeh finds fulfillment. Regarding not pursuing medicine, she responds confidently: “No, I’m in the best place. Being an influencer is hard. It’s not for everyone. But I’m where I’m supposed to be.”

Deddeh, who is managed by Illuminate Social, says the flexibility she enjoys allows her to prioritize family. “I have freedom and peace. I can spend time with my family and make my schedule.”

What’s Next for Deddeh?

While juggling motherhood, travel, and content creation, Deddeh is also looking toward expanding her impact. “I was just talking to my husband,” she says. “In a few years, I might create a product I feel is missing in the industry.”

She and her husband also plan to try for a second child next year, continuing to build their family while maintaining their travel-filled lifestyle, a passion their daughter already shares. “We just found out our daughter loves traveling,” Deddeh says with pride.

For up-and-coming creators, Deddeh offers wisdom from her decade of experience: “There will always be someone with more views or partnerships. It never stops. The key is to believe in yourself, know your values, and keep going.”

Her final advice embodies the philosophy guiding her career: “Focus on you. Keep going. Know why you’re doing it. Do it to inspire. When you create to inspire, it works.”