Your Journey Itself Should Be Your Destination - Prerna Panda (Content Creator)

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1. Tell us about your background and journey.

I'm Prerna Panda, I'm a lawyer and a content creator. I also been associated with a talent management agency, which provides me with modeling projects, and acting as well.

I started my social media journey almost 2 years back, in 2018. But started focusing and nourishing it as my business, for less than a year. Have always been an extrovert, and loved creativity may it be stitching gowns for my barbies or styling them, and keep talking to a "third person" while I do everything. 

That's how I always had the interest to talk, about what I love, what I learn, what I do, what I wear, how I wear, etc. When the internet happened, all I did was play dress-up. When YouTube happened and people started having their channels, it always fascinated me but I was studying and could only focus on studying then. 

I sing well, so my father got me a guitar, and one of my extended family members insisted me to start a youtube channel and start making videos. I was always intrigued by the idea of it but never could implement it, made a channel but never posted. 

That chapter soon faded and I finished school, got into Law school, and graduated in 2019 as a BA LLB. I love the subject, and I worked in a corporate firm for a couple of months, but I wasn't happy in a 9-5 job for getting paid at the end of the month. Money was never my fascination. 

I wanted to live every day doing things I love, being creative, investing in something which gives me satisfaction, I left my job and started focusing and learning about social media influencing, Marketing, networking, and i have been consistently working on my page, and have been learning each day since then.

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

I started my page in 2018, but only started getting serious for it after my trip to London fashion week in 2019, February, in my final semester. I met a lot of bloggers and influencers during the program, discussed and learned a lot of things from them. 

And I have been inspired by influencers like Aakriti Rana and Aashna shroff for a lot of years. for the love of traveling that I have, and also to meet Aakriti, I also took a trip to Ladakh with her, stayed with her as well, and meeting all the people I look up to added so much more content to my direction. 

I always was into traveling, photography, and video making, but my Instagram page has a variety of content, mainly focusing on Fashion, beauty, travel, and self-love.

3. What does your typical day look like?

As an influencer, and since the pandemic, which restricts me to go back to Mumbai to my agency, I work from Home, and every day is different for me. I don't have holidays or workdays. 

I set my reminder and schedule as per the timeline of the brand collaboration deliverables; or as per the Series which I do on my Igtv, mostly is packed with timelines, and a lot of other campaigns, for different brands and social media activities. 

I wake up early, get ready, and start shooting for pictures or videos, mostly before the dusk as natural light and camera presence is very important for my job. Most of my work is done through and on my phone, and of course through the Internet. 

So I'm either editing, filling forms, delivering content in various apps for campaigns, taking calls for collaborations, and negotiating if required. Or I'm talking to my camera, with my tripod, ring light, with a full face of makeup. that's just the work from home during the pandemic. 

Otherwise, I'm mostly out, post 10 AM, with a photographer running from locations to locations, and managing to change outfits, and get as much as work possible.

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

A blogger can be an influencer as well, an influencer however need not necessarily be a blogger. The term blogger itself explains, someone who writes Blogs, has a website, and creates content in their Blog, mostly writing everything they are into. 

An influencer on the other hand can be anyone who tries to talk, write, make videos, create content about any topic to enlighten, encourage, and influence.people on various topics and niche.

5. What do you think influences consumer behavior?

Genuineness, research, details, and a sense of closure - what influences consumer behavior.

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

Consistency, honesty, punctuality, teamwork, leadership quality, and Passion with a drive to implement is in our hands. As long as you are selflessly working for the journey, enjoying every bit of it, and giving your 100 percent, success is that. 

It's not about the destination, your journey itself should be your destination.

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

As I said in the previous segment, there is no shortcut to hard work. Consistency is the key. Also in this field, if you actually enjoy what you create, it will take time but eventually, it becomes your business and you get paid back.

But if you have money and only money in mind, this field takes a lot of time, patience, and hard work to actually understand the business and monitory aspect of it. So be patient, be consistent, content is king. 

Different social media platforms have different algorithms, understand that, work accordingly. Interaction with your audience and maintaining networks and connections is another very important point. Rest it is just that you have to keep working, just like any other business or artistic career. 

Research is another important point while staying updated with current affairs and trends is another. Just be real, authentic, genuine. Be Yourself. 

- Prerna Panda

- Interviewed By: Anurag Jaiswal