Alum of the Month: Zoey Poulsen

YouTuber, freelance digital marketer and published author Zoey Poulsen (Sport, Health and Physical Education ʾ13) is living la dolce vita in her dream city – Rome, Italy. After graduating from VIU, the 26-year-old moved to Toronto, where she pursued a post-graduate certificate in Sport and Event Marketing from George Brown College. Poulsen spent a few years working in the corporate marketing world before striking out on her own to follow her passions – travelling and sharing her positive message with people. She’s written three books focused on different aspects of wellness and self-improvement, with a fourth coming out in 2019.

What are three things you did after graduating from VIU that helped develop your career?

#1: I moved to bigger cities – first Toronto and then Rome. This allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone and strive to shine in new surroundings.

#2: I started a YouTube channel which now has over 120K subscribers. This has opened up numerous doors and proven to be a successful stream of income.

#3: I published three books. Books have helped me reach my audience, obtain a greater audience and upped my credibility in the writing world.

What is your favourite VIU memory?

My favourite VIU memory was attending a study abroad program with SHAPE Professor Rick Bevis in Havana, Cuba. We learned a lot about sports and culture and I still look back on it as one of my most transformative trips.

How do you support and stay connected to VIU now?

I stay connected to VIU by being subscribed to alumni updates and visiting the campus whenever I find myself back on Vancouver Island.

How did VIU prepare you for what you are doing now?

VIU inspired me to become a lifelong learner even if I am not in school. “Love where you learn,” has always stuck with me, hence my moves to Toronto and Rome.

What is the most significant thing you have done since graduating?

The most significant thing I have done since graduating is travel! It is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer.

What motivated you to start your own YouTube channel and how did you get to 120K followers?

Originally I started my YouTube channel as a creative outlet because my position in marketing at the time was very analytical. Right away it became my passion project and I started to document my life, my learnings (self-improvement) and my trip to Rome, Italy. When I moved to Rome permanently, my channel began to capture a lot of attention. Then in 2016 I had two videos go viral in a short period of time, leading to a huge spike in subscribers. Since then I have continued to grow my audience through consistency and authenticity.

What is next for you?

I am currently working on my fourth book, which is to be published in 2019 and I am also working on becoming a certified Life Coach.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

If you are curious about my journey you can find me across social media (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter) as “Zoey Arielle.” My books are available on Amazon or at any major retailer, such as Chapters and Indigo, under “Zoey Arielle Poulsen.”