Mary Elizabeth Milbrand got her start in fashion design and personal styling, earning a degree from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles. But a newfound passion for interior design paired with the accessibility and ease of online video, catapulted Mary Elizabeth into a YouTube success story.

Mary Elizabeth calls home makeovers her “sweet spot” when talking about the kind of content more than 394,000 subscribers like to watch on her YouTube channel. She often partners with other YouTube stars like Tyler Oakley, Grace Helbig and Ingrid Nilsen, redesigning a room in their house in just 24 hours. “It’s not about competition, but collaboration and growing together,” she said, noting that these room makeovers have been a huge source of growth for her personal brand.

She started online back in 2012 with a web series called “Tipsy Tuesday” — a show she co-hosted with a friend where they drank cocktails and just chatted about life. It wasn’t long before the media conglomerate behind Better Homes & Garden picked up on her personal style tips and DIY hacks for around the home.

Today Mary Elizabeth hosts her own channel but she’s still got the same emphasis on fun, female-focused lifestyle content. Whether exploring thrift stores or providing advice on how to sell furniture on Craigslist, Mary Elizabeth’s “glam meets California cool” style has earned her a passionate global following.

It’s this popular content that has driven home design and lifestyle brands like Apt2B and FabFitFun, among others, to partner with Mary Elizabeth on video and social media content. She’s selective to only choose those collaborations that feel “authentic” to her brand, but acknowledges that they’ve been important to her success and continuing to do what she loves.

“I can get instant feedback on what people want to see,” answered Mary Elizabeth, when asked what she loves about social media. In addition to YouTube, she’s boosted her outreach with thousands of followers on Instagram and Facebook. She also appreciates how social media enables her to engage with followers and even expanded her business to include private interior design jobs for fans who love her work.