Felicia Walker—digital beauty OG, skincare educator, and founder of Phoebe Skin—joins Origins of Influence to reflect on two decades in the content game. Felicia, found online at ThisThatBeauty, launched her blog in the early 2000s and became a trusted voice in beauty, long before the creator economy had a name.

In this episode, we talk about the early days of the blogosphere, the highs and lows of life as a longtime content creator, and how Felicia's passion for skincare literacy powers everything from her book and brand to her soon-to-launch podcast. We also unpack the realities of inequity in the creator space—and the power of building community, advocating for yourself, and staying grounded in what really matters.

We discuss:

• The scrappy, unfiltered roots of beauty blogging in the early 2000s
• Longevity as a creator: how Felicia has evolved across platforms
• Skin literacy, skincare education, and the story behind Phoebe Skin
• The creator-to-brand-founder journey—and why she pivoted away from DTC
• Equity in the influencer economy: what’s changed, and what hasn’t
• Burnout, boundaries, and advice for the next generation of creators

Follow Felicia on Instagram: @thisthatbeauty

Follow Felicia on TikTok: @thisthatbeauty

Discover Your Glow Guide, Felicia’s interactive skincare workbook, here!

Felicia’s recommended follows: @LaurenNapier, @tomiandrizzy (founder: @blackbeautyclub)

About Origins of Influence

Hosted by longtime fashion and beauty marketer Dina Fierro, Origins of Influence is a limited series exploring the past, present and future of the creator economy through intimate conversations with pioneering influencers, creators and founders. Find show notes and exclusive content on Substack. Subscribe on YouTube and follow Origins of Influence on Instagram and TikTok for clips, full-length episodes, BTS and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katie Rodgers—formerly known as Paper Fashion—joins Dina for a rich conversation about creative evolution, digital beginnings, and the ongoing dance between art, audience, and authenticity. From posting fashion illustrations on WordPress to collaborating with brands like Coach and Christian Louboutin, Katie was an early pioneer of the art on Instagram movement.

Now based in Santa Fe, she shares how stepping away from social media—and New York City—helped her reconnect with herself and her work. Together, they explore the changing nature of brand partnerships, the artist-gallery dynamic in a post-Instagram world, and why Katie believes fear is often a compass for growth.

In this episode, Katie and Dina discuss:

• Katie’s digital origin story and the rise of Paper Fashion
• Early brand collaborations and navigating partnerships without a playbook
• Why she walked away from New York—and social media
• The tension between commercial work and personal expression
• How artists can use AI as a creative tool (without losing their soul)
• Advice for emerging artists and for marketers working with creatives

Whether you're a founder, marketer, or artist rethinking your next chapter, this conversation will leave you inspired to embrace change—and trust your gut.

Discover Katie's work here

Follow Katie on Instagram: @katierodgers

Recommended by Katie in this episode: Ignasi, Jenny Walton

About Origins of Influence

Hosted by longtime fashion and beauty marketer Dina Fierro, Origins of Influence is a limited series exploring the past, present and future of the creator economy through intimate conversations with pioneering influencers, creators and founders. Find show notes and exclusive content on Substack. Subscribe on YouTube and follow Origins of Influence on Instagram and TikTok for clips, full-length episodes, BTS and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Before Instagram influencers and TikTok trends, there was Tumblr — and few creators used it more brilliantly than John Jannuzzi. In this episode of Origins of Influence, Dina Fierro is joined by writer and creative director John Jannuzzi to explore the wild, weird, and wonderful internet of the late aughts and early 2010s.

John reflects on his digital beginnings with Textbook, a Tumblr blog that reimagined fictional characters in Fashion Week looks, and To My Wife, the viral romance Tumblr that earned him internet fame, a scathing Jezebel feature, and (almost) a TV deal. He and Dina also revisit the heyday of Fashion Twitter, the genius of the Lucky Style Collective, and the chaotic truth behind the infamous Condé Elevator saga.

Today, John continues to straddle the creative and strategic worlds with his Substack, Browser History, and a varied career that spans creative direction, editorial, graphic design and yes, cookies. This episode is a nostalgic deep dive for anyone who ever reblogged a runway image or live tweeted from the front row.

📸 Instagram: @johnjannuzzi

Recommended by John: Christine McConnell, Collectable Cities

About Origins of Influence

Hosted by longtime fashion and beauty marketer Dina Fierro, Origins of Influence is a limited series exploring the past, present and future of the creator economy through intimate conversations with pioneering influencers, creators and founders. Find show notes and exclusive content on Substack. Subscribe on YouTube and follow Origins of Influence on Instagram and TikTok for clips, full-length episodes, BTS and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.