Highlighted Podcast: Gin And Toxic

The Gin & Toxic Podcast is about the messy adventures and lessons of two absolutely un-hinged best friends, living in NYC in their 20’s. Christina Harris and Lily Stewart are the stars of the show as they describe their different adventures navigating through NYC as young adults. The duo met as students at the Fashion Institute of Technology and their friendship flourished.

Together they decided to combine their creativity by creating a new podcast together. Christina and Lily give very raw and authentic opinions on dating and relationships in NYC and provide very unique perspectives into difficult topics and sometimes awkward conversations.

They always tackle hard to answer questions with a smile and comedic flair that make guests feel comfortable and keeps listeners at the edge of their seats. You can count on the duo to pull the most relevant and important insights out of the conversations they have with each other and with their guests.

Christina also has a very diverse portfolio of businesses, and side projects and is also the founder of West 27th Talent Management. West 27th Talent Management is a full-service, influencer marketing group that works with content creators of all kinds. With 360° management, deep brand relationships, outstanding leadership, and a firm understanding of the competitive landscape, West 27th helps content creators build their personal brand and create lasting partnerships.

Founder and CEO, Christina Harris, has spent the last decade growing her presence online. With over 1M loyal followers across Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok she now uses her plethora of industry experience to help the next generation of influencers score brand deals, gain followers, and boost engagement.

What was it like building your social media presence across all platforms?

Growing my social media presence across all platforms was very organic. It started with YouTube, and my growth on that platform was natural and gradual. I did have one viral video, but honestly, that video did not get me the majority of my audience; consistently posting quality videos did. My YouTube growth aided me in being able to pursue multiple different platforms and means of content. Then naturally, as I grew on YouTube, my audience started branching out to my other social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram & TikTok, so they could follow me when I wasn't exclusively uploading YouTube content. Since I was growing on platforms other than YouTube, I would stay consistent on those platforms to keep my audience engaged. Consistency is critical when growing on any platform.

What were your biggest goals when you started the podcast?

I had another solo podcast before Gin & Toxic called The Really Bitchee Podcast, and my intent with that show was for it to be this very badass, empowering show with an IDGAF attitude to it. However, at the time of that show, I faced many obstacles in my personal life that did not allow me to honestly speak about what I wanted to on the show, and I couldn't be my most vulnerable self. Eventually, I decided that I was going to shut that show down. So when Lily and I decided a few months later to create Gin and Toxic, the entire goal and purpose of the show was to entertain people in a very vulnerable, authentic, open way, which I didn't get to do on my last podcast. We wanted to ensure it was a safe environment to talk about all the ins and outs of dating, sex, relationships, and overall obstacles in our everyday lives without judgment or fear of needing to hold back.

What is the biggest message you want your brand to represent to your followers?

Similar to the last question about the goals of Gin & Toxic, our goals go hand-in-hand with the show's message. Gin & Toxic was never actually to inform or educate people, it was always just for entertainment, and it still is. However, as the weeks and episodes go by, we get many messages from girls saying that we taught them something valuable or that they needed to hear something that we said. We want them to feel like we are their big sisters who guide them in their dating life, so seeing these messages is always heartwarming. In a way, the message we are teaching women is to always be in their power, which feels incredible.

What is a special brand or guest you’d love to work with and collaborate with in 2023?

We have so many brands and guests we would love to collaborate with. In terms of brands, we aim to work with sexual wellness companies, such as Trojan, Roman, Hers, and Bellesa. Regarding guests, we simply want people who fit the show's vibe to come on! Of course, we have our dream roster of people we would love to have on, such as Alex Cooper, Ashley and Rayna from Girls Gotta Eat, Addison Rae, Etc. But in general, we want people who will empower our show more. We also want to focus on people who professionally work in the dating, sex, and relationship field. For example, recently, we had a sexologist on the show where we talked about the science behind kinks and fetishes, which was highly informative and interesting! We would love to have a gynecologist on the show to talk about things such as sex and contraceptives, a relationship therapist, and people of that caliber.

What was or has been your biggest obstacles along your career journeys?

A typical obstacle that any creator faces is online hate. I started YouTube at the age of 12, so being a young girl on the platform, I tended to get many negative comments. Of course, at that age, it affected me because when you're a young girl, you're more susceptible to believing what these online "haters" have to say. However, starting my career at such a young age and growing up with it did allow me to get a feel for the industry, so now the negative comments genuinely don't get to me like they used to. I continue to do what I do and grow myself and my career. Additionally, another obstacle you do go through with this sort of career is creative block. It happens to all creators at one point or another and can be very frustrating. The best way to get through it is to truly take a few days to yourself, disconnect from the online world, and do things for you that make you, you! Usually, that will ignite the spark to get creative again.

Who do you look up to and take the most inspiration from?

When I was a little girl, the creator that I looked up to the most was Michelle Phan, a famous beauty YouTuber. She was the one that initially inspired me to start creating YouTube videos and dive into my career as a content creator. However, now that I'm more established, the people I look up to and take the most inspiration from are my audience. My followers, the Chickees, Bitchees, and Toxics, are fantastic groups of people that keep me motivated and inspire me every day to continue creating content. I always want to put my best foot forward and continue creating content for them because it encourages them and in turn, I feel inspired by them! I love knowing that I have an impact on their lives in a positive way.

Who had the largest impact on your career growth?

Tying this question back to the last one, my audience! Seeing my audience grow with me and support the content I put out naturally made me want to continue creating content. They keep me motivated and on my toes to challenge and push myself for the better in my career.

What do you and Lily think is your strongest point working together?

Lily and I are best friends outside of the podcast first, so we like to make sure that we never lose sight of that despite whatever career obstacles involving the podcast come our way. We're both very direct with each other. Suppose there's an issue that one of us has with the podcast, or something is going on in our personal lives that causes a hiccup in our podcasting schedule. In that case, we're both very understanding and communicative and will talk to resolve any issues that may arise. Working alongside your best friend can be tricky in certain circumstances, but making sure that you have clear boundaries between your jobs and your friendship is what will set you up for success.