In just two and a half years, Salha Aziz transformed from a stay-at-home mom posting occasional TikToks to a leading voice in the user-generated content (UGC) industry, building a successful business that helps brands create compelling content while mentoring emerging creators.

However, the field looked markedly different when she started, with up to 10 creators actively making UGC content. “That’s why we call ourselves the First Wave Social; we were the first UGC creators to start this thing,” Salha says.

This early market position gave her firsthand experience that proved invaluable for teaching others. “As soon as I put my email in my bio, many people contacted me for collaborations. I thought they were all scams at first, but I soon learned their legitimacy, and they were brands who actually value my work for hire,” she recalls with a laugh.

Within two months of launching her business, Business Insider featured her work, validating her direction. “That was a confirmation that I am on the right path,” Salha says. “From there, things have been incredible. UGC opened the doors to entrepreneurship. It expanded my mind about monetizing online, and it’s just been an absolute dream come true.”

“We’re everything, we’re making commercials,” she adds. “We’re making modern-day commercials from our phones with no production team, no stylists, nothing. We’re just one person doing all of it.”

Creating a Community Beyond Brand Deals

Identifying the need for support and guidance as the UGC industry grows, Salha launched her community, “Beyond the Brand Deals.” The platform provides comprehensive resources, including scripting calls, editing workshops, power hours, and co-working sessions.

“I knew I needed to support people because I had a guide, a course, and it was doing what it had to do, but I have wanted to have my own community since this started,” Salha explains. 

“We do calls in the community. We have editing workshops for I’ll do scripting calls and how to script. I don’t lead them because I’m not a great editor, but there is somebody, my admin, who’s an amazing editor.”

Her dedication to community development created unexpected opportunities. In September, Salha ranked in the top 10 out of 22,000 participants in the Skool Games, earning an opportunity to meet with Alex Hormozi in Las Vegas.

“I was shoulder to shoulder with him. We were talking; he called me the UGC queen,” she recalls. “Right after I came back to give back to my students who made me go there, I had a call with them to tell them everything I learned, everything I saw. I showed them my camera roll and told them everything Hormozi was doing. I am the type that always shares, but I want to save this part as exclusive info; only my community knows.”

The Technical Foundations of UGC Success

Contrary to assumptions about equipment needs, Salha built her entire business using her phone without artificial lighting for the first two years. Her essential equipment includes:

• An iPhone
• Natural sunlight
• A basic tripod

“Those are the only three things,” she emphasizes. “Even when it comes to microphones… I go into my kids’ closet and record voiceovers underneath a blanket. That’s the best way. And it has always worked. No matter how successful I get, you can find me in the closet doing my voiceovers with a blanket over my head because that’s the best way.”

Salha emphasizes that location shouldn’t limit content creation. “If you don’t have good windows or natural sunlight, go outside. Take your whole setup outside,” she advises. “Take two tiles with you, take a table, take props. You can do it. Anybody can do UGC.”

Her path involved practical lessons learned through experience. “There were so many mistakes I made,” she admits. “I was recording a voiceover in one breath, and then I was aghast. And then I realized I should cut the audio between everything and take deep breaths. That’s one of the first things I mentioned in my editing course to teach others: Don’t do it in one take.”

She’s discovered success in unexpected settings: “My best-performing videos were all done in the car,” she reveals. “You know, it’s funny, but we do so much just to make our videos look the best for our clients. You’re on the floor just so your shadow is not there.”

Even basic technical choices significantly impacted her content quality. “I was filming in HD for almost two years,” she shares. “And that’s not good because when you film in HD, and you post it, or [a brand] posts it on socials, it compresses, and the quality is bad, washed out.”

Strategic Pricing in UGC

Salha’s pricing strategy has developed significantly since her early days. 

“As a beginner, I was doing it for $40-70,” she admits. ” I was taking anything that came my way. I thought, ‘If [brands] want raw footage, take it all. I just want to do this UGC thing. I just want to be successful.’”

These early experiences now inform her teaching: “I’m glad I went through it because I could teach people. Don’t do that. You don’t need to give all your raw footage for free, especially if it’s gifted.”

For new creators, she suggests starting with rates between $150 and $250 per video. “Usually, a base rate covers one UGC video: the hook, the body, the call to action. And maybe if you want to throw in a couple extra hooks, you can upsell with hooks for $25 or $50. Some people charge $75. It all depends.”

“You can curate packages, but it depends on the brand’s needs,” she adds. “Once you understand what the brand looks for, you better understand its campaign and deliverables. Then, you can create a package that’s suited to them.”

Her rates demonstrate significant growth: “I have been able to scale up to $8,000 for one video,” she shares. “That video, in particular, was high because it included exclusivity. With exclusivity rights, I can’t work with other brands in that niche for a certain amount of time, so I will consider all these things when coming up with my final rate.”

Setting higher rates required personal growth. “Negotiating does not come easy. I felt out of my comfort zone in the beginning,” she admits. “But then once you realize your worth and what you’re doing is valuable… it’s like a mindset trigger. It switches, and things all line up and fall into place.”

For newcomers, Salha recommends steady progression: “You have to start with gifting. You have to start with those $150 deals, and then from there, you build up. And then as you gain experience, you understand, like, ‘Oh, okay, I can do this.'” She notes that additional revenue streams can include whitelisting videos from your account and other specialized services.

A Broader Mission

Salha views UGC as an initial step in a broader mission. 

“I named my community Beyond the Brand Deals because I knew that it’s not only going to be about UGC,” she explains. “I have so much to still give and help within the world, and it will go way beyond UGC.”

Her plans include expanding into life coaching, mentorship, and in-person events like Keeley Mazurek’s Creator Confidential. 

“I want to have retreats where we go on vacation together,” she says. “We just decompress and leave the phones at home. Let’s just connect on a personal level.”

For those considering UGC, Salha highlights taking action despite uncertainties. “You need just to start. If you have a goal, ambition, or dream, you just start and see where it goes from there,” she advises. 

“Going into UGC with a very open mind and being open to the opportunities that UGC can bring you… It’s insane how many different ways you can do UGC. But just know that UGC is the gateway; it’s not the end all be all.”