The Creative Files with Esther Reynolds-Verco: From Blogging To Brand-Building As A Multi-Disciplinary Creative
Welcome to The Creative Files, spotlighting the writers, photographers, community builders, and creative thinkers who are daring to shape their own path. These candid conversations spotlight the non-linear careers, the unexpected pivots, the side quests and passion projects — the kind most of us rarely see on LinkedIn. Discover which rituals and daily habits inspire their best work, what anchors their approach to creativity and where these women turn to for inspiration.
Esther Reynolds-Verco began her career in media at a time when most believed “print is dying".
But she saw this challenge as an opportunity to forge her own creative career. That started with launching a fashion and lifestyle blog, followed by roles in digital content and social media marketing.
None of it fits neatly into a single job title. But the common thread is clear: Esther knows how to craft stories worth telling, and strategically finds the right medium to match.
In this edition of The Creative Files, Esther reveals why niching down isn’t on her radar, how she’s thinking about scaling her creative business, and the content format she believes all brands should be investing in.
Q. Tell us who you are and what you do, but skip the LinkedIn version. What's the real story of how you ended up here?
“Hi! I’m Esther – a social media strategist, photographer, and storyteller.
“My career actually started in Journalism. I still remember my first day at university when my lecturer told us, ‘print media is dying, and there won’t be jobs for all of you at the end of your degree.’ It wasn’t exactly reassuring, but it pushed me to think differently about my career.” — Esther Reynolds-Verco
At uni, the subjects that stood out to me were Grammar, Marketing, and Digital Photography – the perfect mix of creativity, communication, and strategy.
While studying, I had part-time roles across digital content: creating graphics, managing social media accounts, writing articles, photographing products, and learning how brands connect with people online. At the same time, I was running my fashion and lifestyle blog, The Editor’s Style, growing an online community and discovering the power of storytelling.
These experiences led me to social media marketing and strategy, where I realised I could combine everything I loved: storytelling, creativity, and understanding human behaviour.
Today, I help founder-led brands build intentional online presences through strategic social media and visual storytelling – creating content that not only looks beautiful but feels authentic and connects with the right people.”
Q. You started out as a journalist and blogger before becoming a photographer. At what point did you realise the camera had become the main character, and what did you have to let go of to follow that?
“I started my blog as a Year 12 research project, before I even studied journalism. It became my portfolio and ended up opening a lot of doors for me – from writing and editing for digital magazines to landing my first digital marketing roles.
Photography started quite simply as a creative outlet. I would take photos of my outfits, beauty products and everyday moments for my blog, and I found myself enjoying that process far more instinctively than writing the blog posts that went along with the images.
Over time, I realised I could pursue both written and visual storytelling. My work now sits across both strategy and content, so I don’t see photography as the main focus – it’s part of what I do, how I think and how I communicate.
What I had to let go of was the belief that I needed to niche down or put myself in a box by doing just one thing with my career. The reality is, I thrive when my work is varied and interconnected. Having the ability to move between social media strategy, consulting and photography/videography allows me to use different parts of my brain and stay creatively engaged. That mix is what feels most natural to me, and it’s where my work is at its best.”
Q. You've written about keeping yourself behind the lens for a long time, advising clients to show up and be seen, while staying invisible yourself. What was that tension like, and what shifted for you?
“As a blogger, I was used to being in front of the camera. As my career evolved into social media strategy and photography, I made a conscious decision to step away from being the subject of the content and focus on helping other brands tell their stories instead.
For me, the challenge was less about being visible and more about knowing what to share. At the same time, my business was growing through referrals and client results, so marketing myself often fell to the bottom of the priority list.
I'm also a true perfectionist. I always felt I needed to have something great or meaningful to share rather than posting for the sake of it, which often resulted in me posting very little at all.
What's shifted is my understanding that visibility doesn't have to look one way. Creating a separate portfolio account (@studioerv) for my photography/videography work has allowed me to have a dedicated place for polished finished works, which in turn allows me to show up on my business’ Instagram (@estherreynoldsverco) more intentionally as the founder behind the business. Working out what to post and how to show up is still something I navigate, but I now see the value in sharing the person behind the work much more than I did a few years ago.”
Q. What does a creative day look like for you: the conditions, the rituals, the habits and the way you do your best thinking?
“I would love to say I’m someone with an incredibly structured creative routine – waking up early, exercising, having a coffee, perusing Substack and starting the day with a clear creative ritual – but the reality is, my creative process is much more fluid than that.
Running a business means creativity is only one part of my day and a small part at that. There’s strategy, client work, emails, meetings, planning, shooting and all the behind-the-scenes pieces that come with building a brand. So no two days look exactly the same.
When I do have space to be creative, I find my best ideas often come when I’m not actively trying to create. Some of my best thinking is done in the shower – there’s something about stepping away from distractions and giving my mind room to wander.
“I’m also hugely inspired by the people and environments around me. A coffee catch-up with another creative always leaves me feeling energised, and Fashion Week is one of my favourite times of the year because I’m surrounded by people who are deeply passionate about their craft.” — Esther Reynolds-Verco
Travel is another huge source of inspiration. There’s something about stepping away from my everyday environment and into a completely new one that gives my mind space to reset and see things differently. It allows me to slow down, notice details I might usually overlook, experience different cultures and perspectives, and see beauty in everyday moments.
I always come home feeling creatively refreshed, with a new perspective that naturally feeds back into my work.”
Q. What's something you've completely changed your mind about in the last year?
“A year ago, I was quite firm that I didn’t want my business to become an agency. I didn’t want to manage people again (just yet anyway), and I really valued the freedom and autonomy that came with working for myself. I had also come out of a pretty intense period in my life – working long hours in corporate and living in a big city – so I think I was very protective of simplicity.
Over the past year, that perspective has shifted. I’ve realised that while I love working independently, there is a ceiling to what I can build alone – in terms of capacity, the variety of work I can take on, and the scale of opportunities I can say yes to.
What I’ve landed on is something in between. I’m not trying to become an agency (right now anyway!), but I am building a more supported way of working – outsourcing where it makes sense and bringing in collaborators so I can focus on the work I do best.
It feels less like a fixed model and more like an evolving way of working that supports both my creativity and growth.”
Q. What are you obsessed with right now?
“Here are three things I’m currently obsessed with: Mid-Fi Content, Emma Grede’s book Start With Yourself and Elka Collective.
A Work Thing: Mid-Fi Content
I’m currently obsessed with Mid-Fi content. We’re seeing a lot of visual fatigue online, but audiences aren’t tired of content; they’re tired of seeing the same formats repeated. When every brand starts to look the same, it becomes harder to create a genuine connection with your audience.
“While many brands are moving towards social-first content, there’s still a misunderstanding around what that actually means. Social-first isn’t simply cutting down a TVC or campaign asset into a Reel – it means the idea, production, and storytelling were created specifically for the platform it lives on.” — Esther Reynolds-Verco
Mid-Fi content sits in that sweet spot: content shot on camera that feels elevated, intentional, and aligned with a brand, without feeling overly produced. It’s visually strong but still has that human, in-the-moment feeling that works for social.
Mid-Fi content slots in nicely alongside Lo-Fi and UGC. I believe every content type has a place – the power comes from having a considered mix. Mid-Fi content is a strong tool to protect a brand’s visual identity, create variety and produce moments that actually stop the scroll.
I also wrote a Substack on this here.
A Book: Emma Grede’s Start With Yourself
Emma Grede’s Start With Yourself is a book I’ve recently read and really enjoyed.
I’ve always read a mix of fiction and business content, but I’ve been leaning more into audiobooks lately while working, and this one stood out for how honest it is. It’s full of business advice, but it also encourages you to look inward at how you’re operating and whether your current habits are setting you up for a sustainable career.
I really appreciated how openly she speaks about money, negotiating worth, and the realities of building a career. I’ve had to navigate those conversations myself in previous 9–5 roles and, while they can be uncomfortable, they’re incredibly formative.
I also liked her ‘old thought / new thought’ framing – it’s a simple way of acknowledging how our thinking evolves over time, which really resonated with me.
A Brand: Elka Collective
I’ve been really loving Elka Collective lately. I’m very into minimal dressing – you’ll usually find me in black trousers and a white tee – and their winter range really speaks to that. I also just love winter dressing in general. The layers, accessories, and coats make it so much more interesting than summer styling.
They’re also doing a great mix of Lo-Fi and Mid-Fi content, and I really like how considered their visual world feels while still being social-first. Their pieces are also genuinely selling out fast, which says a lot.”
Want to follow Esther’s journey?
If Esther’s story resonated, here's where to find her:
Work with her at https://estherreynoldsverco.com/
Connect with her on LinkedIn
See her latest work on Instagram