How Olivia Yokubonis Turned Heartbreak Into a Brand with 138K+ Followers
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When you scroll through TikTok, it’s easy to assume that creators are simply turning on their camera and speaking off the cuff. But behind every video that makes you stop scrolling is something much harder to master: storytelling.
When Olivia Yokubonis first appeared on my feed, I found myself watching her videos to the very end. Every sentence felt sharp and intentional. Every line was fresh. She didn’t just talk to the camera — she told a real story.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that she was still learning to believe that about herself.
“I always wanted to be a storyteller,” she said. “But I didn’t know what that really meant until people started telling me, you are one. It took me a while to accept that.”
Olivia is a content creator and digital marketing consultant with a knack for storytelling.
After gaining experience in the digital marketing world as a marketing manager for successful direct to consumer businesses, she developed a greater passion for social media. She recognized the importance of storytelling and personal branding and began searching for ways to create authenticity within content. She has built a community of over 130k people on social media and continues to support small businesses and creators in developing a genuine online presence through community-driven, data-led marketing strategies.
From Health Coaching to Healing a Broken Heart
Olivia didn’t set out to become a digital storyteller. She originally started her TikTok while working on her health coaching certificate.
But the meal plans and exercise routines never lit her up. What did? Talking about the emotional side of wellness: heartbreak, self-connection, and the courage to choose yourself again after a relationship ends.
“I realized I wasn’t a food or fitness person,” she explained. “I was a feelings person.”
Her first viral video was born out of a breakup. After dropping her boyfriend at the airport for a month-long trip, she recorded a late-night voiceover about autonomy in relationships — how important it is to keep discovering yourself, even when you’re with someone. She woke up the next morning to a million views.
The Power of Getting Hyper-Specific
What made that video resonate wasn’t just the universal message — it was the specificity. She wasn’t speaking in abstract clichés. She shared exactly what she was experiencing, in her own voice, in her own life.
That honesty turned her videos into a resource for thousands of people navigating breakups, loneliness, or the slow process of healing. “I still get messages to this day,” she said. “People say, thank you for being honest. Nobody talks about it like this.”
When Your Life Changes, So Does the Story
The breakup became the catalyst for bigger changes. Olivia moved to Paris, rebuilt her business, and leaned into her independence. But her storytelling never stopped — she simply shifted what she was documenting.
Instead of monthly check-ins about heartbreak, she now shares monthly updates about her life abroad. Instead of creating B-roll videos she didn’t have time for, she simplified: recording her nighttime skincare routine while talking honestly about whatever was on her mind.
“I didn’t have time for elaborate edits,” she said. “So I asked myself — what feels natural? People loved hearing my voice, so I leaned into that. Sometimes our limitations are actually the path.”
Hooks, Imperfections, and Authenticity
Olivia approaches video creation like a songwriter. The hook always comes first. A single striking line — like “I love men, unfortunately” — grabs attention, then guides the rest of the story.
But she’s quick to remind creators that perfection is the enemy. One of her most-viewed videos has a typo in the text overlay. Nobody cared.
“What matters is the message,” she said. “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Start with what lights you up, then tweak from there. Authenticity will always outlast perfection.”
Building a Personal Brand That Feels Like You
Today, Olivia runs a digital marketing business helping founders inject their personality into their content. She knows firsthand how exhausting it can be to wear every hat in a business and then try to create social media content on top of it.
Her advice? Keep it simple. Find your own rhythm. Don’t copy someone else’s style.
“I’m methodical, I like having a checklist,” she admitted. “That’s me. If I tried to be the free-spirited artist, it wouldn’t work. People like me because I show up as myself. And there’s space for all of us on the internet, exactly as we are.”
The Lesson: Do Hard Things, Tell Real Stories
Olivia’s journey reminds us that personal branding isn’t about trends or polish — it’s about courage. The courage to share what’s real. To pay attention to the small sentences and stories in our daily lives. To accept what others already see in us.
Her words still echo: “Just do hard things. And remember—you’ve got little hooks all day long. Pay attention to them. They’re your stories waiting to be told.”
If this resonates, take a moment to ask yourself: what story in your own life feels small but true? Write it down. That might just be your next hook.
