u/Working_Pipe_6570

I need around 30–50 inboxes across multiple client campaigns, and Google Workspace pricing adds up quickly at that scale.

I’ve started comparing managed cold email infrastructure providers. Maildoso is currently on my shortlist because it handles domains, DNS and mailboxes in one place.

Has anyone moved from Google Workspace or Outlook to a managed provider? I’d like to know how it performed after a few months, especially inbox placement, SMTP stability, Instantly/Smartlead integration and support.

I’m not necessarily looking for the cheapest option. I need something stable that won’t create more problems as we scale.

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I was immediately drawn to this picture while browsing reversible. I love exaggerated and cute styles, interesting accessories, and platform shoes. Are there any other brands that offer this style? What's this style called? Thanks so much!

We're getting cooked in Southern California. My old dashcam finally died after about 5 yrs.

I'm guessing the heat had something to do with it bc it used a li battery. But I can't really complain because 5 yrs is a pretty good run. I just replaced it with a 70mai a810 lite. It uses a supercapacitor instead. Hopefully it'll handle the heat a little better and last even longer.

Anyone still using a li battery dashcam? How long has yours lasted?

https://preview.redd.it/j71n374jajdh1.jpg?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b0afafce382236decd598a44b70be3f519e7b3d3

I think it’s useful for creators to hear what the process looks like from our side, I have an agency and I’m the creative strategist for multiple companies and have hired creators myself for my own e-commerce jewelry company so I know a thing or two about content creation and hiring creators.

What gets you hired:

A- can confidently deliver scripts on camera this is my main focus when i review your portfolio

B- creators who aren’t difficult to work with, can take direction well and don’t complicate the process

C- ⁠portfolio has actual product content, not just selfies or lifestyle. I need to see you holding a product and talking about it

D- ⁠you respond within 24 hours. If i message you Monday and hear back the next week i'm already talking to someone else.

E- knows how to hook, calls to action, communicate to the viewers while using the product and speaking on camera

What gets you ignored:

A- portfolio is just you talking to camera about random topics with no product in sight.

B-sample videos are faceless and just hands, aesthetic clips, or unboxing videos. we don’t care much about that because we can make our own if that’s all you do.

C- only posting one style of content with no variety or product examples.

D- asking for high rates with no portfolio or results to back it up.

E- instagram account with 30k followers but zero content that looks like UGC. i’m not looking for influencers. i’m looking for people who make ads.

F- prioritizing aesthetic over results. we want conversions, not just pretty visuals.

What we look at in your portfolio:

A- can you grab attention with a strong hook in the first 2 seconds?

B- where are you based and what age range do you fit? (we mostly look for creators in the US and UK)

C- does your content feel natural, like something a real person would post, not a scripted commercial?

D- can you follow a brief properly? (your samples usually show if you understand flow and structure)

E- is the audio clear and video quality solid? bad sound or low quality is a quick turn off.

Where we find talented creators:

We used to rely on cold outreach and spend hours scrolling through instagram looking for creators. now most of our hiring budget goes into marketplace platforms where we can post briefs and let creators apply directly.
Sideshift has been one of our main sources for paid ads creatives. we also keep an eye on reddit communities like this and others

Marketplace platforms work better for us because they save a lot of time. instead of managing 70 different DMs, we post the brief, set the budget, and review applications in one place. we still check every portfolio, but the whole process is much faster and easier than manual outreach.

If you want brands to notice you, focus on your portfolio first. include your best videos with real paid products, not just practice content. make a short intro video that shows confidence on camera. show your editing skills and range of styles. if you have past client feedback or testimonials, add them too. learn basic SEO, understand what hooks work, and study the kind of content brands actually run as ads.

I’ve been going down the MCP rabbit hole lately and tried a really basic setup with Claude reading my notes folder. It’s nothing crazy, but it’s already nicer than digging through a bunch of files myself.

Still learning as I go 😅

What was the first MCP workflow that made you think, “Yep, I’m keeping this”?

I’ve been thinking about trying virtual assistance as a side hustle lately.

I’ve watched a few videos about it, and it actually seems interesting. I’m just not sure what I should learn first before I start applying.

If you’re already a VA, what’s one thing you wish you knew when you were just starting out?

I've been looking into UGC more lately, and the more I learn about it, the more interested I get.

At first, I thought it was just making videos, but then I realized there's a lot more to it—building a portfolio, reaching out to brands, figuring out pricing, and all the other things that happen behind the scenes.

I'm still working on my portfolio, so I'm mainly looking for beginner-friendly opportunities. I'm interested in creating content around lifestyle, skincare, beauty, tech, and everyday products, and I'm open to both gifted and paid collaborations depending on the project.

For those who are already doing UGC, how did you land your first brand deal? Did you pitch brands directly, or did they find you first?

I kept seeing people mention MCPs whenever Claude came up, and I just... skipped past them because I assumed it was way over my head.

I finally spent some time looking into it, and it's actually starting to make sense. I didn't realize so many people were using it to connect Claude with different tools instead of doing everything manually.

I'm nowhere near setting one up yet, but now I kind of get why everyone's excited about it.

If you've been using MCPs, what's one integration you can't live without now?

I’ve been thinking about trying UGC as a side hustle lately. I kept seeing people talk about it, so I finally started looking into it.

I thought it was mostly just making videos, but then I started seeing things like portfolios, pitching brands, and usage rights. 😅

There’s definitely more to it than I expected.

For those who are already doing UGC, what’s one thing you wish you knew before you landed your first brand deal?

I didn’t realize how much wording mattered until I started using Claude.

I’ve caught myself rephrasing the same prompt a few times, and somehow the last version ends up being the best one 😅

What’s one thing you wish you knew sooner?

I’ve been trying to grow a couple of pages lately, and honestly I’m still figuring things out.

I’ll spend time making a post I think is pretty good… then it barely gets any views. Meanwhile, something I threw together without thinking too much ends up doing way better.

I know that’s probably just how social media works, but I can’t help wondering if I’m missing something.

If you’ve managed to grow an account, what made the biggest difference for you? Anything you wish you knew when you were just starting?

I’ve been building a few small AI tools lately, and I swear I spend more time staring at my screen wondering why nothing works than actually building. 😂

Then I change one line in the prompt or realize I skipped one tiny step… and suddenly everything works.

I’m not even sure if I’m learning AI the right way at this point. It just feels like I’m constantly breaking things until something finally clicks.

Anyone else feel like this?