Rhode Island's Ian Brownhill has been entertaining the masses thanks to one smart move he made just six years ago: joining TikTok.

"I started consuming content in June of 2019 and posted my first video in August of 2019," Brownhill said.

The new app sparked his interest, serving as another platform to launch his acting career.

It was more to just create a healthy following of people to showcase my acting work and abilities, because I always thought that would be good for my career," Brownhill said.

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Never in his wildest dreams would he predict what followed.

"When the pandemic occurred, everyone was on their phone," Brownhill said. "I started making original content, TikTok started getting bigger and you know, I never thought, but here I am 33 and making content for a living."

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How Does Ian Brownhill Come Up With His Characters?

His clever content has caught the eyes of many, particularly those in New England. How would he describe the persona he adopts for his content?

"I'd be remiss if I didn't give my mother the credit," he said. "Most of what you see, the complaining and the always coming up with these characters is typically just a reenactment of growing up with my mom."

"Although, you know, I am in Rhode Island and my accent tends to lean a bit more on the Boston side," Brownhill said. "So the character itself is really just an ode and testament to the fact that we have such unique individuals here in the New England region, and we have very funny, quirky personality traits and a tendency to do things that are, is very different than a lot of other people in the country."

"I just wanted to try and poke a little bit of fun at that and showcase that, you know, it can be fun to laugh at ourselves sometimes," he said.

Ian Brownhill's Social Media Numbers Have Exploded

They haven't just been laughing, they've been "liking" and following along the way.

With numbers like those it's no wonder big names have reached out.

Who Has Ian Brownhill Partnered Up With on Content?

"I've been very fortunate and lucky to have such an incredible audience of people who enjoy my content, and I'm so grateful for that," he said. "I was so fortunate to do so many amazing things with like the Patriots, the Celtics, the Red Sox. I have so much pride in that."

However, that's not what resonates with him most. He shared the sweet moments that have touch his heart.

"I think honestly, for me, it's always been when people send me messages or I meet people in real life and they tell me that they enjoy my content, knowing that I can just connect with strangers," he said.

"I had a woman who said right before her grandmother passed, she was a diehard New Englander and they'd be in the hospital watching our videos, my videos, and I just like, it melted my heart," he said. "For me, I was like, wow, I'm actually doing something not only with my life, but kind of fun and impactful."

Brownhill's passion does not go unnoticed. A brief conversation, a small anecdote about his mom, or a sentimental moment with a fan – you know this guy is taking in every moment and opportunity that comes his way because he understands the business.

"I have worked with brands like Dunkin' and Papa Gino's, D'Angelo's, a lot of these awesome New England companies. Iggy's Doughboy and Chowder House here in Rhode Island," he said. "I just continue to make content, try and be marketable, reach out to brands who might be looking for additional marketing exposure and see what I can offer."

How Much Does Ian Brownhill Make for His Content?

The offers, in turn, can really pay off. Brownhill didn't disclose his salary, but he did provide some great insight into the world of influencers and content creators.
"There are people out there that are making a north of $100,000 a post. There's also people who are 'micro influencers,' as they call it, who are making anywhere between $250-$500 a post," he said. "There are people who are working 40 to 50 hours a week not making that. So like I said, there's a lot of potential."

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