Just a few years ago, Lisa Perese-Cullen (Ngāti Awa, Magiagi Tai) was a stay-at-home mother caring for her whānau. Now, she’s officially the country’s biggest and best content creator - a fact cemented by her recent TikTok trophy.
She said she would never believed “in a million years” she would be travelling across the ditch and walking red carpets to collect an award voted for by the fans.
“When I started about two years ago, I was just a stay-at-home mum and I was just blogging just boring everyday things.
“I never thought that people would actually relate on the level that people have, and then go as far as it’s gone today.
“The process thus far I’ve always just enjoyed it and it’s never felt like a chore. I’ve never had to put it on like I love the fact that I can show up online and just be myself,” she told Te Ao Māori News.
Like any other Kiwi when winning a prestigious award, Perese-Cullen celebrated at KFC afterwards with a victory Zinger burger with cheese.
“We finished the awards and then there were like, after drinks and after parties but we were just like, ‘I’m 35’, so I’m ready for bed, I’m ready for a feed.
“Then my husband was just like ‘we’ll go to KFC’ and I was like, Yep, easy. It’s just a satisfying meal and there was going to be no disappointment.
“We rocked up to KFC in full glam husband in his tuxedo and just sat and ate with the TikTok award right next to us.”
It was a tough competition as she was up against many other creators like How To Dad’s Jordan Watson (Ngāti Kurī, Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Ngāpuhi), Nicola (Nix) Adams (Ngāpuhi), Torrell Tafa, and Oliver Mills for the title.
“Even though the trophy says [New Zealand TikTok creator of the year] I still in my heart know that there are so many amazing content creators, especially ones who have been doing it for so long,
“So that particular title I honestly take with a grain of salt because I look up to so many others.
“Then at the same time it is such a cool personal achievement, like I’m still buzzing over it for sure.”
She said the award would open many doors, which Perese-Cullen is happy about.
From here the social media influencer isn’t thinking too far ahead as she believes in allowing things to organically grow over time.
“I’ve never set my mind on a number or having X amount of followers. Even if I never grow another follower tomorrow, I’m so happy with what I have.
“I think that’s what’s kept the real enjoyment for me is that I’ve never chased numbers.
“I’ve always just put myself out there and whoever likes it, likes it. Whoever doesn‘t, that’s fine too, but [I’m] just really happy with where I am at [now].