Today we’d like to introduce you to Greta Kos.
Hi Greta, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In 2023 my partner, Quinn, and I decided to adopt a dog, something we had been talking about for ages. I spent a lot of time looking through different rescue organizations knowing that we would probably adopt a female pitbull-mix. After applying for a few dogs and being turned down because they had already found loving homes, I stumbled upon a picture of Meira’s litter from Pit Squad Rescue. I immediately sent them an email asking when the litter would be up for adoption and they responded within hours letting me know applications would go up that very night! I immediately filled out the application and then we had a chance to meet all of the girls and we immediately fell in love with Meira. We considered changing her name but we thought it fit her perfectly. As we were driving home from meeting her I threw out the crazy idea of starting a TikTok for Meira. I had seen so many dog account do well on social media and thought this would be a great chance to see if we could make it, but I had little hope. That very same night I created the account and posted a couple cute clips from when we met her. After two weeks, we were finally able to take her home and I started posting more consistently. I built community with other dog accounts and posted videos to a lot of trending sounds and cute dog trends. After a couple months, one of her videos went viral where I pretend to ‘eat’ her and she reacts with funny facial reactions accompanied by an AI voice. That video hit over 1 million views almost instantly and is currently at 2.8 million. It felt surreal! From there it was clear that I could really build on the momentum and continue posting. I have really tried to work on my creativity and editing techniques while keeping her ‘reactions’ as one of the central components of her videos. Just last year we had a series of Meira playing with things like the dancing cactus that have gone and continue to go mega viral. It is so fun to see the joy that simple videos of our dog can bring to strangers across the world!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In the grand scheme of things, yes, this has been a smooth road. The stressors and low points are nothing compared to both my 9-5 job as a school psychologist and what others go through at their places of employment. It also helps that this has been supplemental income to help pay for my student loans and I try to keep it centered around bringing joy to people rather than the money.
However, there have been numerous stressors. One that we face almost constantly is the negative stereotypes surrounding pitbull-type dogs. It is hard when people comment the most heinous things telling me Meria needs to be put down simply because of her breed. As someone who loves civil discord and debate, this is incredibly challenging when people comment these heinous things without understanding the actual evidence and misinterpretation of statistics they are portraying. Further, we have also hit an issue on TikTok where they have been suppressing our videos for some time now, which started after we spoke on the Gaza conflict and endorsed donations for a Palestinian family to seek safety. This is simply an interesting correlation that we observed, but frustrating nonetheless. Lastly, we have also had a lot of frustrations when larger dog or pitbull specific creators copy our content. It does not feel great when someone remakes our video with their dog, does not give credit, and then makes thousands of dollars on views. We have had good discussions with some creators who have done this and asked for at least inspiration credit, but it is hard when it is an ongoing battle. Sometimes it feels like social media does not care about individuality and creativity. I want to reiterate again that these struggles are minuscule compared to most other professionals, but they weigh on the motivation and creativity process.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In the social media realm I am known for making funny reaction videos of my dog, Meira, and funny compilations related to pitbull ownership. However, I also try hard to take risks and make an array of content related to Meira. Typically, only the reaction and funny compilations gain traction but it is still fun to add educational content around nutrition and skincare, along with different styles and things Meira enjoys. Something that sets my social media accounts for Meira apart is the interactions with our ‘audience.’ It is fun to connect with people from all walks of life across the world related to our mutual love of dogs and pitbulls.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I think it is important to note that while this creative process is an avenue for monetary gain, the main focus is always to have a happy and healthy dog. I take her wellbeing and training very seriously, especially as it pertains to responsible ownership of pitbulls. I embody the ‘cringy dog mom’ who treats her dog like a child and fully embrace that experience!
I also just want to encourage people to take chances and do things they enjoy. It is such a privilege to bring joy to other’s lives by sharing Meira and it would not be possible without taking a risk and being willing to look silly!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prettygirlmeira
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556145636151
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@prettygirlmeira/featured
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@prettygirlmeira
