Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Carly Swan of Southmoor Park

Carly Swan shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Carly, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Who are you learning from right now?
I’m constantly learning from my twin toddlers. More than anything, they’ve taught me patience. Kids have a way of slowing life down and reminding you that nothing truly needs to be rushed. Things won’t always go according to plan—and that’s okay.

I’ve carried this lesson into my career. There are still moments when I stress about deadlines or worry a project won’t turn out exactly as I envisioned. But just like when my girls are in the middle of a tantrum, I pause, take a deep breath, reset, and keep moving forward.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Carly, a mom of twins, photographer-turned-content creator, and the face behind @carlmonster on Instagram. I create comedic, real-life parenting videos that make parents feel like they’re not just surviving, but laughing through the chaos with me. My background in photography helps me bring a polished look to content that’s anything but ‘picture-perfect.’

My brand is really about keeping it real. Parenting isn’t perfect—and that’s the whole point of my videos. I find humor in the hard moments and create content that feels like a group text with your best friend. I think brands like working with me because I deliver their message in a way that feels natural, fun, and aligned with the way real parents talk.

Right now, I’m focused on growing my community of parents while also working with family and lifestyle brands that understand how powerful relatable content can be. I’ve recently done partnerships with parenting brands and products I genuinely use every day, and I’m expanding into more comedy-driven campaigns that highlight real-life parenthood with a wink.

What’s cool about my journey is that I didn’t set out to become a content creator—it happened because I started sharing the real (and funny) parts of my life as a mom, and people connected with it. It was kind of like therapy to me! It’s proof that you don’t need to show perfection online to be successful—you just need to be real, have fun, and know how to tell a good story.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a kid, I genuinely believed everyone should like me. (And yes, I’m an Aries—so if you know, you know!) At 35, I’ve let go of that naive, self-absorbed belief because life teaches you otherwise. Friends come and go. Lovers come and go. Sometimes even family drifts away. But along the way, you meet new people who fill those spaces and your heart. You grow, you change, and so does your community—and that’s okay. Not everyone needs to like you for you to love yourself.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Going back to what I said about worrying so much about everyone liking me… I’d tell my younger self that feelings are temporary—just like many relationships. Not everything or everyone is meant to last forever, and that’s okay. Every ending makes room for new people who will fill your heart in ways you couldn’t imagine, and the best part is, those relationships often end up being even better than the ones you lost.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I believe that if you commit to something, you honor that commitment—no excuses. If a project has a hard deadline, I’ll do whatever it takes to get it done, and done right. That might mean staying up late, waking up extra early after a rough night, or pushing through exhaustion, but I’ll always see it through and hit my goals.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m laying in bed at night knowing my family has full bellies, warmth, a roof over their head, and are loved more than they even know.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlmonster/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carly-smith-swan-33512657/

Image Credits
Kate Norris Photography