How to deal with the anxiety of finding out you were the butt of a groups joke

And no, definitely do not do this unless you want 100 U OK, hun? messages back 😂

This is the way to go - own it and be proud of what you’ve achieved. And look at it this way - all publicity is good publicity. There will have been people in the room who didn’t know you before now, and this may have directed them to your web site or to have told someone else about you. There is a very successful instagrammer called Madeleine White. She once said that being a content creator became a lot easier once she stopped worrying what other people thought of her and started to enjoy just being herself. Not everyone will like your content, and lots of people may be rude and mean, but that’s who they are, not who you are.

As long as you are reaching who you want to reach the rest is just fluff and nonsense. This woman is really not worth wasting your time and energy thinking about. You are doing brilliantly well and her behaviour will stem from jealousy and mean mindedness. What she thinks of you is nothing to do with you. Let her get on with it while you build your successful business.

It sounds like bitterness and jealousy on her part. Just be thankful you didn’t end up working with someone so mean and immature.
Huge congratulations on your success. Focus on that rather than this bitch.

Dear OP,
Some people are not nice and this is a woman who feels you "let her down" by not going forward with your collaboration. She feels slighted/envious and putting you down is her way to deal with it. You can look yourself in the mirror everyday knowing you are a decent human being. Look out for others like yourself and blur the immatures, spiteful individuals.

Nooo don't do the cringe Facebook status thing.

Seriously OP you're best off pretending it's water off a ducks back but keeping the card to hand in case you need it later

I’d be tempted to post something pointed but vague like: “there will always be haters…. Let’s lift one another up, and not waste our energy putting others down. Happy Monday everyone!”

Dear me no! Don't do that.

Rise above it.

Also

The girl told my friend that the content creators friend bought her a phone case with a photo of me on it. this isn't very reliable and even if it it is the content creator had the sense to not show you on social media.

I would make it your own. Make the merch with your face on, advertise them saying that you don’t want to miss out on all of the fun!

OP completely ignore this person and don’t bring it up and don’t waste another second worrying about it and do not post anything about it on your business page. ( whilst people love the drama it won’t be good for the business)

you have some amazing achievements under your belt, don’t let some stupid woman who knows nothing about you make you doubt yourself or affect your confidence. Unfortunately one of the risks of putting yourself out there is people saying what they want about you but remember what they say about you, has more to say about them than you.

let your success speak for itself.

Just ignore it - you don't know for sure what even happened, "friend of a friend" info is hardly going to have the detail and nuance of the original event (if it's even correct at all!).

You know your approach was successful, it's there in black and white from your business performance, it simply doesn't matter what this person thinks!

Maybe you should start selling merch

You have gone from just you to employing 12 people - well done you 🌟Focus in your hard-work and success and ignore her. In the grand scheme of things she’s a nobody to you. You continue shining and let the petty people remain petty.

She is jealous and pissed off that she didn't get the business. Don't sink to her level. What she has done is really unprofessional and in her line of work, she should know that things always get out. It sounds like you made the right decision not using this person. Unfortunately, the world of business is full of awful, two faced people who only want a slice of what you have. Keep doing what you know is right as works.

I hope your health concerns turn out OK. 💐

I’m really sorry you’re feeling bad anxiety. The immediate tension of finding something out like this can drive bad decisions. If you are someone who thinks strategically about your small business and its online marketing (which it sounds as if you are) I would definitely not put a retaliatory/snide post up throwing shade at the person who you heard made the phone case. This is poor business sense. As others said, no-one wants the businesses they use to play out personal drama in their advertising.

It sounds to me as if underneath it the content girl is envious that you have a strategy that works, and the courage to follow it though. As you mention in your OP, putting yourself out there like this is not easy. She might also be cross that you stopped working with her as likely she was learning from you, too - maybe she feels snubbed?

Try to focus on your existing success, your current employees and your strategy for the future. In a few days when you have calmed down you might be able to see that this person’s behaviour in a roundabout way is a manifestation of your success. And maybe find a friend/mentor IRL who can help coach you through the inevitable challenges like this that could arise as a business grows.

its likely behaviour from a woman who is jealous of all your achievements or irritated that she had to work within a clients brief rather then having free rein. Either way it was a very mean natured gift and not worth your energy or time.

Order 100 of said phone cases and give them away in a prize draw to boost your content.

Wow she sounds horrible. I'm guessing she is jealous too because that really comes from a place of insecurity.

I would message her, just because I think it's really unprofessional to do what she did to a former client. Not sure what I'd say but keep it classy, polite and short.

Firstly you don’t know that you are the but of lots of group jokes and bitching. You have assumed this but it is a big assumption. The phone case was ordered by just one person and presented to one other person in a gathering. She may have seen the gift as a quick laugh with no depth/meaning or it might have been given on the back of a moan about her own work to one other person or some of the group or all of the group. Who knows. Either way the gift was unkind and most people would assume it to be quite a mean thing to order and make a joke of giving. Your friend clearly felt unhappy about it. Having a general moan about work to a close friend in confidence is perfectly fine though.

In your shoes I would probably text the lady who did the work for you and calmly say you were surprised to hear about your image being used on the phone case gift and you found the behaviour unkind and unprofessional, very upsetting.

I would not bother to create content about it. Personally I find that kind of content quite teenage and much like the immature critic Facebook posts I sometimes see people make when they want to have a dig. Best talk to the source rather then suck in a wider audience, particularly when you are setting up a business and want to create a business like reputation.

Couldn’t agree more -12 employees is freaking amazing.

I agree with this poster. This woman has obviously spent a lot of time thinking/talking about you. It's clear that it's jealously, you're living rent free in her head.

Try to see the positive side to it. You're successful and she's bitter because she's jealous. As you become even more successful you'll come across more people like this.

It's quite sad a woman in her 30s behaving like this anyway. Pathetic really.

Congratulations on your success by the way. 'Haters gon' hate!'

OP, just pity her! This is not about you, it’s about her. She has done it because you pissed her off by not working with her by the sounds of it. She sounds immature. It’s about her trying to punish you for stopping working with her. Honestly, it’s pathetic. She’s a grown woman, just laugh and move on, that’s all she deserves for acting like a playground bully on the internet, the saddo 😂 x

PS. Do not give her the satisfaction of knowing how much she has bothered you, that’s what she wants!

My business is doing really well and we have grown from just me to 12 employees in 18 months

^

This is your mantra.

That woman is jealous

If you're going to put yourself out there like that, you do have to accept that there will be people who react negatively to it as well as those who react positively.

The best thing is not to let them get to you in the first place. Acquire a thicker skin. If it's too late for that, the second best thing is to ignore them and never admit that they got to you.

Forget it. She is most likely jealous, this is not worth your time or attention.
Unfortunately your success will bring the worst out of (some) people around you

Or even better - a gratitude piece. Discuss the wonderful people you work with and how much your professional relationships contribute to your well-being.