At the Watsco Center, Alix Earle returned to a familiar setting, one she knew well from her time on campus.
Before her videos reached a global audience, she was a University of Miami student trying to figure things out like everyone else in the room.
“I felt such an immense pressure to either fit in or act like I knew what was going on,” Earle said.
She returned to campus last Thursday, April 30, as part of the Windows Campus Creators Tour.
During the event, Earle answered questions from students about balancing authenticity with vulnerability online, turning social media into a career and navigating life after college.
By her sophomore year at UM, Earle had built a following of around 40,000, posting lifestyle content as a student. The summer before her senior year, her videos began reaching millions of views online.
She said a turning point came when she started posting about struggling with her skin.
“I didn’t really have so much confidence in myself at the time,” Earle said.
Since then, being candid has become a big part of how people connect with her content, even when sharing personal moments feels uncomfortable.
“There’s a little bit of embarrassment or hit to the ego,” Earle said. “Everyone’s seeing me crying online, but it’s real and it’s happening.”
As her platform grew, so did the business behind it. Earle said she has become more intentional about the brands and products she promotes online, especially because of the influence creators can have on consumer behavior.
She said she tests products for months before agreeing to partnerships to make sure she genuinely uses them.
After graduating in 2023, Earle also began developing her own skincare brand, Reale Actives. The project was built behind the scenes over nearly two years.
Building a business had been a goal of hers since college, but choosing the right idea took time.
Earle said she wanted to create something she would enjoy working on every day, regardless of success.
“It was really important to build a brand that was authentic to me and my story,” Earle said.
Reale Actives entered a market where Earle’s recommendations already carried enough weight to sell products out online, a trend commonly referred to as the “Alix Earle Effect.”
The same happened with the skincare brand, which sold out shortly after its launch.
She said her marketing classes at the Herbert Business School helped prepare her for the career she has today, from understanding analytics behind social media to developing confidence in public speaking and presentations.
Her connection to UM has also continued beyond graduation.
A month after earning her degree, Earle launched a scholarship program supporting juniors and seniors at the university, especially those with financial need and an interest in business.
“I wanted to be a source of inspiration,” Earle said. “You know, be a phone call away.”
At the center of the initiative was a desire to give back after receiving support from the school throughout her college career.
Earle said she also hopes to stay connected with the scholarship recipients and support them beyond the financial aspect.
Speaking to students at the Watsco Center, Earle encouraged them to not put too much pressure on having everything figured out.
She added that students should make the most of their college experience and take opportunities even when they feel uncertain.
“Say yes to everything,” Earle said. “Reach out to the people in your class that you always wanted to make friends with but haven’t yet. Go out on the nights that you’re tired and maybe don’t want to, because it’s going to end soon.”