For Me Success Means Enjoying Little Things

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

My name is Ina Orlova. As a small girl I left Russia together with my mom. My life in Russia wasn’t easy and I really know how hard life feels. I came to the Netherlands when I was 15 it was really difficult time for me as I had no friends.

I couldn’t speak Dutch and I didn’t had the feeling that I was welcome here in the Netherlands. Learning Dutch was for me priority. This happened quit quick and before I even realized I have switched from one job to another, got my own business (beauty salon) when I was just 17 years old.

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

After working for many years as a store manager, I understood that I will never be happy working full-time for someone else and not seeing my kids and husband.

In my last year as a store manager at Karen Millen I started my fitness journey and my instagram. I was posting some outfits from Karen Millen and at one day I have posted on my Instagram holiday picture of me and my kids.

This picture was viral, all the big pages have been reposting this picture. Before I could even dream about it my page was growing so fast. I started to receive requests for collaborations and this became my new me and my new job.

I'm motivating girls and women not to give up on themself. I share my passion for traveling and fashion and my fitness journey.

3. How would you distinguish the term blogger from an influencer?

It's hard to say, but I believe that both, Blogger and Influencer do influence other people with things they say, do or sell. I think that Influencer is just kind of new version of a Blogger.

4. Is it financially sustainable to be an influencer today?

Yes. If you have beautiful page/content, loyal audience and you have a few brands that you work with constantly, you may definitely have success.

5. What do you think influences consumer behavior?

There are many things, but the most common I think personal factor and psychological factor.

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

I always thought that success means having a lot of money, dream job, big house and lots of expensive stuff. Unfortunately all this gives you just a little feeling of having success for a very short period.

For me success means the possibility of enjoying the little things that we can see, smell, hear, feel, taste or touch, for me good health means success, when I can help someone means success for me. Don’t get me wrong I love beautiful clothes and cars, big houses but this has nothing to do with what success means for me.

7. How can someone become a successful social media influencer?

Being an influencer is a real job, it needs consistency, patience, creativity, time and even money. If you have all this, you know exactly what you want to share with the world and you believe in yourself, the only thing I can say the WORLD IS YOURS.

8. Which is your favorite book and why?

Neale Donald Walsch "Conversations with God". This book has nothing to do with religions it’s about understanding and finding yourself. You will never be the same person after reading this book.