Rachel Bennett: The Authentic Creative

Demographic Overview

• Name: Rachel Bennett
• Age: 22 years
• Occupation: Graphic Design Student & Part-Time Barista
• Location: Urban Campus, Mid-sized City
• Technology Use: iPhone, MacBook Pro, and frequent use of design and social media apps like Instagram, TikTok, Canva, and BeReal.

Quote:

"I'm Rachel, a college student balancing academics, work, and creativity. I want a platform where I can connect, share, and express myself authentically without feeling overwhelmed by perfection."

Bio:

Rachel Bennett is a graphic design student who thrives on creativity but feels the pressure of maintaining a picture-perfect social media presence. Living in a fast-paced urban campus environment, she balances a part-time barista job with a full academic schedule. Rachel values genuine connections and often experiments with design and content creation. She seeks a platform that prioritizes simplicity and authenticity over competition and metrics.

Personality:

• Talkative: Rachel enjoys engaging in conversations, both online and in person and often shares her thoughts and creative ideas.
• Optimistic: She has a positive outlook on life and sees challenges as opportunities for growth.
• Friendly: Rachel is approachable and easily builds rapport with others, valuing meaningful relationships.
• Empathetic: She is understanding of others' perspectives and seeks genuine connections in her interactions.
• Creative: A natural innovator, Rachel loves expressing herself through art, design, and storytelling.

Goals/Needs:

1. Effortlessly share daily moments without worrying about perfection.
2. Build deeper, more meaningful connections with friends and creative peers.
3. Use a platform that complements her busy schedule and creative personality.

Pain Points:

• Perfectionism Fatigue: Struggles to maintain an aesthetic online presence while being authentic.
• Time Constraints: Juggling academics, work, and content creation leaves little time for engagement.
• Superficial Interactions: Frustrated with the emphasis on likes and followers instead of meaningful connections.
• Limited Tools: Existing platforms lack features for spontaneous, unpolished content sharing.

Frustrations:

• Feeling judged for not meeting social media aesthetic standards.
• Spending more time than desired navigating complex features.
• Struggling to stand out authentically in a saturated digital space.
• Missing out on connecting with peers who value creativity and originality.

Motivation:

1. Creative Expression: A platform where she can authentically document her journey and showcase her creative side.
2. Connection: Building a network of supportive, like-minded individuals.
3. Convenience: Using tools that save time and reduce stress in her daily life.

Social Media Insights:

• Instagram: Uses it for creative inspiration and casual interaction.
• TikTok: Explores trends and shares short, lighthearted videos.
• BeReal: Appreciates the platform’s focus on unfiltered, spontaneous moments.

Challenges/Opportunities:

Challenges:

1. Rachel struggles to find platforms that prioritize authenticity while offering quick and intuitive tools for sharing.
2. Social media algorithms often promote metrics like likes and followers, which discourage Rachel from posting unfiltered content.
3. Managing her time effectively while engaging meaningfully on social media is a constant challenge due to her packed schedule.
4. Current platforms fail to facilitate deeper, meaningful connections, making interactions feel superficial and transactional.

Opportunities:

1. Develop a platform that encourages spontaneous, low-pressure sharing by prioritizing real-time moments over polished content.
2. Introduce features that minimize time spent navigating—like pre-set templates or auto-generated suggestions for posts.
3. Focus on fostering genuine connections with community-oriented features like group discussions, collaboration tools, or creative challenges.
4. Provide Rachel with analytics that measure engagement quality (e.g., meaningful interactions) instead of superficial metrics like follower counts or likes.
5. Design an intuitive interface that fits seamlessly into Rachel’s busy schedule, reducing cognitive load while maximizing impact.