"Reach Out and Influence as Many People Through my Books"

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If you would have to introduce yourself in a gist, what all will you include about yourself?

I am Himanshu Goel and my Instagram handle is Lighthouse Foodie. Lighthouse comes from a poem from one of my books called a rational boy in love and well Foodie is self-explanatory.

I am an author, poet, blogger, and a foodie.

What led you to start your page on Instagram and what is it about?

I started posting pictures of food whenever I went out. I am someone who loves to eat out and try new dishes. I was surprised to see the likes and comments I received on the food posts and I kept on sharing more and more. Before I knew it I had crossed over 10,000 followers. Then I kept on creating more content and growing my page.

My page features poetry from my book and a food blog as well from all the places I have tried so far.

How would you distinguish the term blogger from an influencer?

I believe influencer as the term we use it now for social media influencer is a category of bloggers that for better or for worse, are more focused on micro-blogging. I would say all influencers are bloggers, but all bloggers are not influencers.

Is it financially sustainable to be an influencer today?

I wouldn’t recommend anyone to consider being a social media influencer as their primary source of income. Only a few of the biggest influencers can sustain themselves financially.

As a secondary source of income however, it is great to be able to learn doing something you love.

What do you think influences consumer behaviour?

There are countless factors that can affect consumer behaviour. Limited to social media influencers I believe the relatability and the trust of the influencer can be a major factor for the audience.

Your opinion on Instagram contemplating removing likes option for posts.

There is no doubt a problem related to mental health when we get obsessed with likes and social media validation. It is something a lot of us have faced one time or another. It can be a good step but I do believe there is a sinister motive attached to it, i.e, to get more money from the advertisers.

Which is your favorite book and why?

It would be unfair to select one book as a favourite. I am currently reading Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink which is a great book on leadership that I would recommend to anyone just out of college.

What is your idea of success or your mantra in life?

Currently, I am trying to reach out and influence as many people through my books and leave a deep positive impact in their lives.

Instagram ID: @lighthouse_foodie