The Process with Maria Bethany
Choosing Integrity in a World that Rewards Conformity
“I am so much more than that. I’m more than a number. I’m more than the brands that I work with or the experiences that I have.”—Maria Bethany
For a creative who has spent more than a decade sharing her life online, Maria Bethany speaks about identity with a steadiness that could only be earned through years of inevitable growing pains. When she got her start on YouTube as a teen, content creation felt more experimental than “strategic” or “high-stakes.” And although the landscape has evolved tremendously since those early days, the most striking part of Maria’s story is not the impressive longevity of her presence online, but the clarity with which she refuses to let it define her.
Consistent throughout her work, Maria’s warm tone and charming delivery invite the familiar feeling of catching up with a close friend. But there’s more to this camaraderie than meets the eye. Behind her captivating lifestyle, fashion, and beauty content is a creative process shaped by her intentional boundaries, bold confidence, and deep desire to show up authentically; regardless of what anyone expects her to be.
Creating content before the rise of “content creation”
“I started because I realized: I do have something to share… I do have a unique style and perspective to put out there. People tune in because of my voice.”—Maria Bethany
When Maria first hit record, she wasn’t “pursuing a career,” she was platforming her voice. “Content creation” as we know it today wasn’t a means to an end for the young high school student, but rather an outlet for her youthful curiosity and budding creativity. Back then, as she puts it, “there were no talks of SEO or trending topics.” The digital world felt loose and experimental—something she recalls with a kind of fondness.
In those early days of creating (when it was just Maria and her camera, ring light, and iMovie), she treated YouTube as a place to simply play. “My first video was not great,” she laughs. “None of the first ones were.”
Then one video in particular—a skit comparing the tropes of middle school versus high school—took off, garnering millions of views online. Virality back then, Maria reminds us, “wasn’t like it is now.” And that viral video, those three or four million views, landed the seventeen-year-old her very first paycheque from Google for a whopping $2,500. It was excitement and reassurance and confusion in equal parts. “My parents definitely thought I was doing something on the dark web,” she jokes. “Like, why is Google sending you money?”
The momentum of that first, tangible reward brought a reassurance that sharpened Maria’s vision of what the future could hold. Today, the label of “influencer” is not one that resonates with the full-time creative—not because she denies its relevance or the significance of her influence online, but because it’s never really felt aligned with her own motivations.
“I don’t view myself as [an influencer],” she says. “I see myself as primarily a content creator. That’s what I’m truly passionate about, what I love doing… There’s a very big difference between the two, especially in today’s landscape.” And that subtle distinction in labels speaks volumes about her intentions and her sense of identity.
Rejecting reinvention
There’s a moment for every creator when the work shifts from spontaneous to strategic. It’s inevitable for anyone chasing a lasting and fruitful creative career. Maria felt that shift quietly, almost reluctantly.
“Eventually, you lose that natural naiveness of, ‘this is fun and I’m just gonna do it,’” she reflects. A naiveness that’s arguably necessary when you’re just starting out. But as her platform grew, so did the pressure: aesthetic consistency, audience expectations, the unspoken demand to reinvent herself without losing what people came for.
Maria admits that she’s come close to rooting her identity in her online presence—in how well she performs online. It’s a nuanced critique of self-worth, unique to a career that ties your professional performance to your image and likability. “But I am so much more than that,” Maria firmly states. “I’m more than a number. I’m more than the brands that I work with or the experiences that I have.” Her online persona is not what defines her, and she’s admirably adamant that it never will.
Despite the pressure to follow a path that’s becoming more and more “traditional” among content creators today, Maria hasn’t felt the calling to join her peers in packing up everything and moving to LA or New York; cities where her creativity could, theoretically, be monetized more strategically. Standing her ground to preserve what fulfils her the most—her family, her friends, and the life she’s built in Calgary—Maria confidently states that she is “very grounded” in who she is and where her values lie.
By choosing not to uproot her life in the pursuit of becoming someone she’s not, Maria honours what truly serves her as a creative professional: “I’m still doing things that I love,” she says. “And I’m only doing things that interest me.” Her strong moral compass isn’t limiting her opportunities, but guiding her vision to the “greener grass” that’s already beneath her feet.
Boundaries in an all-access industry
If the internet has taught Maria anything, it’s that longevity requires self-preservation. Burnout, she admits, is not a stranger, but it is something she’s become better equipped to avoid.
“If I push it, I just end up feeling unhappy and exhausted,” she says. Instead of forcing productivity, she’s learned to pause. She gives herself permission to rest, move her body, or enjoy a good book when she needs it. With a career that doesn’t just blur but nearly erases the line between work and life, it’s important for Maria to protect her time offline.
“I truly believe in giving your body what it’s asking for,” she says. “Self care to me isn’t just bed rotting and doing the things that feel comfortable. Sometimes, you need to open up the blinds, get outside, and take a walk.”
And that intuition extends to what she shares online. Vulnerability has a beautiful and encouraging place in Maria’s content, but not at the expense of her privacy, or the privacy of the ones she loves.
“If something is personal but I know it can help someone, I often choose to share it,” she explains. A testament to the empathy that so thoughtfully fosters her online community.
However, with admirable respect for herself and her loved ones, Maria draws a hard line: “When it feels like sharing would cross a boundary… I always honour that feeling.” It’s a discernment many creators learn the hard way after losing themselves—something that, despite her best efforts, Maria hasn’t always been completely immune to.
Becoming louder than the noise
Criticism comes with the territory, but Maria has learned to see it for what it is: misdirected, often impersonal, and rarely reflective of the people who actually follow her.
“The people who say the most hurtful things don’t actually know me,” she says. When there is negativity, it comes from those who stumble across a video—not the community who’s been with her for years.
When she was younger, it wasn’t so easy to drown out the noise.
“When I was younger, those comments got under my skin… but once you grow and find your identity, you become confident in where you actually receive love, and that love is enough for me.”
Now, she can laugh about it with her family and friends. The comments don’t hold meaning because the commenters don’t hold any relevance whatsoever. Your sense of identity, she’s learned, strengthens through repetition: you remind yourself who you are until it becomes impossible to forget.
To her seventeen-year-old self…
If she could meet her teenage self, Maria would wrap her in a hug. “She was honestly so unhealed and so unhappy, and she had so much inner work to do,” Maria recalls.
“She’d be surprised that we didn’t move to LA or some place like that… I feel like she had her eyes set on the wrong things in the beginning… it was never really about that. I would redirect her vision to what’s actually most important, and what this job was able to bring us”; not notoriety or followers or views, but the life and home she’s built alongside her husband, Eli.
“I’m really grateful. Even for the hard parts,” she says. “Maybe it was God’s hand through it all. Truly, I just feel very blessed.”
In closing
Maria’s process is not defined by how well it adheres to the changing demands of a temperamental digital landscape. It’s defined by self-awareness and deep self-respect—by the discipline of choosing integrity over conformity. Her story is a reminder that the most sustainable creative careers don’t exist to please an audience or algorithm; they flourish under the steady confidence that comes with truly knowing who you are and what you’re in pursuit of. And that unquantifiable metric—a measure of unwavering integrity—is the only one that will ever hold any real weight.
If a career in content creation excites you, let Maria’s process offer a starting point:
Advice on getting started
Maria’s advice for aspiring content creators is simple yet substantial: “Make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. Do it because you’re passionate about it. Because you enjoy what you’re creating.”
All you really need to get started? A camera and an idea.
“Just start,” Maria urges. “Pick an idea, pick up a camera, record it, and share it.” It sounds simple because, in theory, it is. But Maria notes that the moment you start overthinking your gear, your ability, or the opinions of others, you interrupt your momentum at its most essential point—doing yourself a huge disservice.
How to find your own unique voice
To hone your creative voice online, Maria encourages tapping into the unique traits that make you you: “Your spaces, your style, your energy—those are all indicators of your personality… something that could connect you to your audience.” She highlights the importance of putting your own “personal spin” on things in order to create content that feels truly unique. Ask yourself: “What does my version of this look like?”
When it comes to connecting with your audience, Maria suggests speaking to the camera like you’d speak to a friend on FaceTime. Keep it natural and authentic. When you’re making decisions in real time, let your audience in on the process rather than skipping ahead to the polished final product. This makes your presence feel more raw and relatable.
Connect with Maria on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or Snapchat; visit her Linktree for holiday gift guides and a curation of her favourite things; and check out her latest vlog below.