Today we’d like to introduce you to Taryn DeRoche.
Hi Taryn, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am originally from Massachusetts. I decided to move to Florida in 2016. I finished up my teaching there, sold a bunch of furniture, rented a uhaul and packed my entire life into one box and my car. I met Chris, my now husband, in 2015 online and we hit it off right away. During the course of six months, I visited Florida about 4-5 times and solidified the fact that this is where I needed to move. In July 2016, we rented our first apartment in Clermont, FL and I drove down to Florida with my dog, Mason, to start this new chapter in my “Book of Life.”
I had so many mixed emotions when I first moved down. I was excited for this next chapter in my life but terrified that I’d get homesick and end up moving back to Massachusetts later that year. I secured a kindergarten teaching job in April before moving down and was very excited to start. I ended up making so many friends there right away and was welcomed with open arms at my new school. Chris was working for Disney World at the time as a tech and so being an annual pass holder, I would visit him almost every single day after work. I thought I was living the dream.
I grew up going to Walt Disney World and Universal almost every year since I was born, and so Orlando was a no-brainer to move to. I did not really have friends besides some new teacher friends and was totally unaware as to what Instagram would bring me later that year. My husband is a photographer and videographer and so to practice, one day I got dressed up fancy and we went out and took pictures in Celebration where we were living at the time. I instantly fell in love with how they looked and how it made me feel to take them. I decided to amp up my Instagram with some more professional photos and began to see so much growth.
Because I was going to the parks every day, I started making friends within the “Disney bubble,” some of which are still my best friends today. I got introduced to influencing through a few Disney small shops. I would get t-shirts, pins, or ears in exchange for pictures and posts on Instagram. I did this for a few different shops for about six months. Through word of mouth or through influencer applications, I got recruited to be an ambassador for other shops, too. I grew my audience and following and perfected my craft on social media, all while being a kindergarten teacher full time. Chris and I had so much fun creating content for the different shops that we decided to start our own shop called Mackryn designs. We specialized in hand-drawn Disney designs for t-shirts, mugs, bags and more. We went strong for about five years. However, we recently decided to focus on our business Instagram (@dreamalongwithtaryn), YouTube, our blogs, as well as other endeavors and so we decided to close our shop in May of 2021.
About two years ago, I started taking things more seriously and got into the world of modeling. I would attend model meet-ups where several local photographers would meet up and do TFP (trade for print) photos. I loved this so much because it was something I was able to do with Chris. We made so many friends that way and found such a creative outlet to do outside of our 9-5 jobs. I learned so much in two years and Chris and I were able to build up our portfolios and (media kits). I started researching on how to reach out to larger brands as well as local attractions and restaurants. I have been so fortunate so far and have worked with brands such as OtterBox, Run Disney, SeaWorld, Samsonite, Coola and more. I also have been hosted at several restaurants around Central Florida and hope to do more in the future.
I just began working with several small boutiques, both local and out of state. I am growing my following on YouTube and have really focused in on creating the best content possible. If you were to visit my social media pages, you would see a mix of modeling, brand work, theme parks with a whole lot of Disney sprinkled in between. I consider myself a lifestyle blogger at this point with the hopes of continuing to bring my insta friends more information about fashion, modeling, photography, local attractions and more. I just love letting people into my little bubble of a life and enjoy showcasing everything that I get to experience day in and day out. I’m very critical on how my end products look when delivering to brands but always try to remember how incredibly far I’ve come in such a short period of time.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We definitely have had a few bumps in the road. In 2015, I had just finalized a divorce and was searching for a way to “start over.” I had met Chris online and was trying not to rush into anything serious, but was falling hard every single time I was with him. While trying to finish up work in New Hampshire, I spent long nights looking at apartments online and living through disney bloggers on an app called Periscope. For months it seemed like this was all a dream that would never become a reality. I had a phone interview for a teaching job in April 2015 and was hired on the spot. It then hit me that this was really going to happen.
Nights spent looking up apartments for fun became real searches for the perfect home. I came down to Florida a few times to look with Chris and we finally ended up choosing a brand new complex opening in April 2016. I moved in July of 2016 and unfortunately, things took a turn and I was not prepared for them at all. Our apartment complex ended up not being completed when I moved down and so a close friend living in Celebration let us use her apartment for a few months. We basically had a tv, bed and a few luggage bags while everything else was in storage, including all of my teaching stuff. Fast forward a few months and we were finally able to move and settle in at last.
In terms of social media, I’ve run into several occasions where I had a tough time comparing myself to other’s success, which I’m sure we all do at one point or another. I would see other influencers that I started off with growing followers faster or getting better brand deals and would micro analyze myself. It’s really easy to compare yourself to others on social media but you have to always remember that you are special and unique and the followers you have follow you for the person that you are and what you bring to the table. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to figure out who bought followers or likes but at the end of the day, if you just focus on yourself, you will maintain a positive state of mind. At the end of the day, I create because I love it. I try to always remember that I started all of this because it was an outlet to be creative and to relieve stress after a long day at work. If your looking to get into social media influencing/blogging, just know that yes, there are a few bumps you will face along the way but it is all worth it. I look back at my past three years now and think, “Wow, look at how much we’ve grown.”
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I, first and foremost, am a kindergarten teacher. I have my master’s degree in elementary education and have been teaching kindergarten for ten years now. The majority of my days are spent singing, teaching ABCs, reading books in silly voices and being the best role model to my students. I truly enjoy my job and have the best school family a girl could ask for.
At this point in my career, I am a blogger and lifestyle influencer after work, so I guess you could say I have two jobs at this point. I love being busy so juggling around a crazy schedule is something that Chris and I are just so used to at this point. I think what sets us apart is our husband and wife dynamic. We are both great at photography and enjoy video editing and with my love of modeling and now brand collaborations, we just have become a power couple, in my own eyes at least. I think building up our relationship long-distance for six months before moving in together made us super strong. We love being creative and what’s better than going out on a work shoot, finishing up and turning it into a date. We’ve creating so many memories and now, with my recent endeavor to take over YouTube, I’m able to document our adventures even more.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Start now! Influencing is something you do each day, whether you realize it or not. I know before I was making stories on Instagram, I was talking to myself while cooking or doing my makeup, pretending I was in one of the videos I idolized. I just decided to get on there one day and start and honestly, I’ve never looked back. Now it’s s natural to just bring my followers along on my daily adventures; whether, I’m going to the gym, cooking, out on a date or frolicking through a Disney park, I always try to bring my followers along with me. Instagram has so many fun ways to showcase your day (reels, static posts and stories). I just love that I can continue to grow along with the app.
Don’t be afraid to ask to work with people. The one thing I just want people to realize is that I don’t do this for the “free stuff” I do it because I truly love these brands and I want to showcase how I incorporate them into my lifestyle. I work hard to get paid collaborations so that I can take care of my family. Chris and I just bought our first home and so all of these side hustle collabs are what is paying to renovate our home and turn it into our dream house.
Contact Info:
- Email: taryn.archambault@gmail.com
- Website: www.dreamalongwithtaryn.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/dreamalongwithtaryn
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/tarynalyssa214
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/tarch214
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DreamAlongWithTaryn/videos
Image Credits
All pictures are taken by my husband @mackeemousemedia
