Tristan Maloney Spills On His Pre-Content Creation Hustle, And What He'd Do If Not For Social Media
We know him as a content creator with millions of fans today, but when Tristan Maloney went viral for the very first time, he was working retail - and had no idea that content creation would become his ticket to stardom.
We sat down with Tristan once again, to hear more about his pre-content creation career, and what he might be doing if he'd never started using TikTok.
Tristan Talks Finding Lifelong Friends At Guitar Center
Though Tristan Maloney has always toyed with the idea of a career in entertainment - be it music, comedy or acting - right before going viral on TikTok a few years back, he was working at Guitar Center.
A note: the music store wasn't his first rodeo, in the world of retail.
In fact, he jokes that one of his earlier stints, at Target, was short-lived, to say the least.
"I worked there for four hours and never went back!"
However, after trying his hand at a couple of gigs, he landed a spot at Guitar Center - and began thinking of keeping at it, long-term.
"I didn't care about sales or my numbers, but that drum department looked darn good on my watch," he chuckles.
As someone with a lifelong dream of pursuing music professionally, it soon felt like the perfect fit - and even when it came to the things he wasn't as sure about, like sales, he vowed to do whatever it took to learn the ropes.
Plus, he beams that he met a number of lifelong friends through the experience.
"It felt like we were all friends in a classroom messing around and just having a blast."
However, ultimately, his stint at the store came to an end when he decided to do content creation, full-time.
What He'd Do, If Not For Content Creation
Speaking of doing content creation, full-time, we decided to switch up the original question to, What would you do if you weren't a creator today?
Perhaps unsurprisingly, his first answer is that he'd likely still be at Guitar Center.
"Working there was definitely one of the best experiences I've had," he thinks back.
That said, he muses that he may have taken another route, too.
Reiterating his enduring love of music, Tristan shares that he has tried his hand at it in the past.
"I've always wanted to be a successful musician."
Yet another option was also in the entertainment industry.
"I did always want to get into acting," he reveals.
Acting, he clarifies, in a more traditional medium - like film or television.
That said, he does laugh that even with all the time he's spent on camera as a creator, he would definitely still have some pre-show jitters.
"It's a scary thought being in front of a bigger camera and an entire crew. I'm used to just me, my phone, and my creative process."
However, he's adamant that those jitters are just par for the course.
"Better to say, 'I tried,' than always think, 'What if?'"
Tristan Reveals Where He Finds Inspiration
We're certainly hoping to see Tristan on bigger screens soon, but in the meantime, the content he creates will certainly suffice.
On that, we asked if he could conclude our chat by naming where he finds his inspiration.
Unsurprisingly, given how he's previously told TheThings about his family's supportiveness, the first place he points is his loved ones.
"Hanging out with my family and friends gives me so many ideas for skits. No matter what we're doing, there's always something funny."
On top of them, he adds that a number of comedians and actors serve as his inspiration, on a regular basis.
"I could give a horrendously long list, but just to give an idea, Jim Carrey, Jack Black, Adam Sandler, Robin Williams, Chevy Chase, Vince Vaughn, Ryan Reynolds ... yeah, too many!"
Well, wherever he's getting his inspo, it's working!
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