From Breakup to Business Boom: How I Doubled My Audience

By Nicki Baber  Influencer

For years my career was tied to a relationship. My partner and I were a couples account. We shared our adventures, our pranks, and our daily life with the world. People knew us as a “we” and that was the brand. Every piece of content, every brand deal, every collaboration was built around the two of us.

Then we broke up.

It was more than the end of a relationship. It felt like the end of my business. Overnight the identity I had worked so hard to build no longer made sense. My content calendar was full of ideas I could no longer film. Campaigns I had already signed for suddenly didn’t apply. My feed was a highlight reel of a life that was gone, and was maybe fake to begin with.

At first I went quiet. I didn’t post for days because I didn’t know what to say. 

Every time I opened my apps I felt the pressure of my audience watching and wondering what happened. But they were still there. They hadn’t disappeared.

That was when I realized something important. These weren’t just “our” fans. They were my fans. They were my friends. They weren’t just watching for the relationship. They wanted to hear from me.

So I pivoted. I decided the story would no longer be about the relationship. It would be about me. I started sharing my passions and my own experiences. I leaned into the things I had always loved but never put at the center of my content, like paranormal investigations, ghost stories, and haunted history.

It was uncomfortable at first. Filming alone felt strange. I second guessed every idea, every thumbnail, and every caption. I wondered if people would care without the “us” they had followed for so long. But the more I shared my own stories, the more I noticed something. My audience wasn’t just sticking around. They were growing.

The numbers told one story, but the comments told another.

“I’ve been here since your prank videos. I’m so glad you’re still here.”

“I came for the relationship, but I’m staying for you.”

That was all I needed to keep going. I rebranded my YouTube channel into Banshee Society, a place for all things paranormal. I launched a podcast called Make You Scream where I tell longer and more immersive stories. I started offering digital products, haunted experiences, and brand collaborations that actually fit my new direction.

I stopped being half of a duo and became a solo brand. The breakup didn’t end my career. It gave me the push to create something stronger.

Here is what I learned:

Your audience is more invested in you than you think. They might follow you for one reason but they will stay for who you really are. 

Control your narrative. I addressed the breakup briefly, but I made sure the focus quickly shifted to the next chapter.

Pivot with intention. I did not post just to post. I picked a niche I loved and committed to it.

Today my brand is more profitable, my audience is more engaged, and I have more creative freedom than ever before. I am no longer dependent on a relationship to create or to earn. I own my content, my image, and my future. I have more than doubled the following I had back then and built the Banshee Society into a thriving community of people who share my passion for the paranormal.

Losing “us” helped me find “me.” And “me” turned out to be the best investment I could have made.

Connect With Nicki

TikTok: @Nickii

Instagram: @Nicki

www.youtube.com/@bansheesociety

www.makeyouscreampodcast.com