How I Became An Influencer
Being my own boss as an Influencer is so rewarding!
One of the questions I’m most frequently asked is, “How did you become an Influencer?” The answer is a lot more than a few sentences, so I figured I’d write a blog post about my story!
My journey to becoming an Influencer started in 2011 around the time when Instagram first started. I was a sophomore in college and just like everyone else, I started using the app without any expectations. I just thought it was a fun and creative way to post photos! I had been natural for about 5 years already after cutting out my relaxer in 2006, but the “natural hair movement” had really just started spreading. Many women, like Taren Guy and HeyFranHey, started embracing their natural hair texture on Youtube which encouraged so many more to do so!
I was organically posting selfies of my hair on Instagram, and I started receiving many questions about it in the process. People especially wanted to know what products I used and how I styled it. My audience quickly grew from there, and I decided to start a blog! Back then it was much easier to grow. The platform was so new and my market was super niche, so I really used that to my advantage.
After I graduated, I began working in corporate America at Ralph Lauren. I started as a Distribution Analyst and was later promoted to Distribution Planner. Despite my success there, I still wasn’t happy in my career. I didn’t like the restrictive schedule of a 9-5, and I was a lot more passionate about blogging and influencing. So thankfully, my prayers were answered after 2 and a half years of working there when I was laid off in 2016, along with 8% of the company’s employees. With this layoff, I received a severance package that was equivalent to 3 months of my salary. This was the perfect cushion I needed to feel confident and financially secure enough to pursue influencing full time! My new career path was just beginning.
Ever since the day I left my corporate job, I’ve never looked back. When the severance package was finished, I was making enough money from influencing to sustain my lifestyle. Over time, I started getting more brand deals and campaigns and I eventually ended up making even more than I was at Ralph Lauren.
I’m so happy that I looked at what some would consider a closed door instead as an opportunity for something even greater. The journey hasn’t always been easy, and it has definitely been scary at times, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything!