A supercar fan who was bullied for being a woman has managed to turn her hobby into a seriously lucrative career – not only raking in six-figure sums for social media posts, but also getting to travel the world 300 days a year.
Alex Hirschi is the woman behind YouTube channel Supercar Blondie, where she has more than 7.5 million subscribers, along with a further 45 million on Facebook and 9.9 million over on Instagram.
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Hirschi, 36, ended up quitting her job as a radio presenter to go full time as a social media star, sharing her passion for ‘the world’s coolest cars’ with her fans.
Speaking to the Sun, she said: "I have always loved driving and loved cars.
"Living in Dubai I got to be around some pretty incredible cars so my interest piqued.
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"I really wanted to share what I could see here with the world and it just started as a hobby.
"But when I saw that so many other people loved seeing these cars as much as I did, I started to take it more seriously.
"Quitting my career, I just went for it to see what would happen."
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However, the transition wasn’t easy at the beginning, as Hirschi says she was often bullied by others for being a woman in the ‘intimidating’ car industry.
She continued: "I felt hugely judged in this space when I was starting out. I didn’t just feel judged, I was judged.
"I was almost always the only woman in the room at car events.
"There would be lots of whispering when I walked in the room and a lot of bullying behind the scenes. It wasn’t fun.
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"Not only was a judged as a woman in this space; but I also wasn’t a car expert.
"I was talking about cars in layman’s terms so that we could all understand and be a part of this world.
"The car world was always so intimidating. I wanted to open it up to more people but it was a hard slog, to begin with."
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According to the Sun, she now makes sums of up to six figures per post on social media, and has a combined online community of more than 70 million people.
She also has 25 staff behind her brand, which has seen her appear on Top Gear and rubbing shoulders with big name Formula One drivers.
"It still blows my mind," Hirschi said of her ever-growing following.
"I have to pinch myself when some of the biggest stars in the world slide into my DMs, to ask if I really got to drive that car or my thoughts on what they’ve just bought. That’s cool."
Hirschi admits things can be 'hard' at times as 'social media is 24/7', and that she has to 'work all the time'.
However, she's pushed herself to take a step back once in a while, adding: "I had a bit of a breakdown two years ago because I was travelling 300 days per year.
"I never got to see my family my friends or my dogs. I was exhausted. Then Covid hit and it was a blessing in disguise for me so I could take a break.
"That’s when we started building the business and hiring others to help. I’m close to my family so that really helps, knowing people are there to love you and support you."
Topics: Cars, Social Media
Jess Hardiman