Simran Walia: Confidence Is Something You Build Along The Way [Model, Fashion & Lifestyle Creator, 48K+ Followers, India]

Simran Walia Interview

Simran Walia is a model and digital creator who transformed a single paid modelling assignment into a thriving career with leading fashion and lifestyle brands. She reflects on navigating rejection, building confidence from the ground up, and why ordinary beginnings often lead to extraordinary journeys.

Q. We know you as a talented model and content creator who has collaborated with some of the biggest brands across beauty, fashion, and lifestyle. But beyond the camera, who is Simran Walia? How would you describe yourself?

Beyond the camera, I'm just an ordinary girl with big dreams.

People often see the campaigns, photoshoots, and polished content, but they don't always see the journey behind it. I didn't come from a celebrity background or a world where opportunities were handed to me. Like many others, I grew up in a middle-class family, where hard work, patience, and perseverance weren't just values—they were a way of life.

My journey has been built one step at a time: learning, experimenting, facing rejection, doubting myself, and choosing to keep going anyway.

At my core, I'm ambitious, creative, and deeply passionate about what I do. I love storytelling, fashion, beauty, and creating content, but I also believe in staying grounded, regardless of where success takes me.

For me, success isn't simply about collaborating with well-known brands. It's about building a career—and a life—that feels authentic to who I am.

If there's one thing I'd want people to know about Simran Walia, it's this: I'm still dreaming, still learning, and still proving to myself that ordinary beginnings can lead to extraordinary journeys.

Q. Looking at your journey today, it's clear that it has taken a great deal of consistency and hard work to get here. What inspired you to step into this field, and what has your journey been like so far?

My journey actually began in modelling, long before I became a content creator.

My very first professional shoot was at Chandni Singh Studio, and I still remember how special that experience felt. Chandni Ma'am and Jasmine Ma'am were among the first people who encouraged me to explore the industry and believe in my potential. What made it even more meaningful was that it was my first paid assignment.

Over the next three years, I worked extensively as a commercial model in the beauty and makeup space. Those years taught me discipline, professionalism, and just how much effort goes into creating the final image people see. They also helped me become comfortable in front of the camera and understand the industry from the inside.

In 2023, I decided to expand into content creation. I realised that while modelling allowed me to bring someone else's vision to life, content creation gave me the freedom to tell my own stories, share my perspective, and build a genuine connection with my audience.

The transition wasn't easy. Content creation demands that you become the creator, editor, strategist, and storyteller all at once. But that challenge pushed me to grow, both creatively and professionally.

Looking back, every phase of my journey has prepared me for the next, and each one has played a role in shaping the person I am today.

Q. Every journey has its share of setbacks. Was there ever a point when things didn't seem to be working out and you felt like giving up? What kept you going?

Absolutely.

If I'm honest, I've thought about giving up more times than I can count—and for reasons that are often difficult to explain.

There were phases when opportunities slowed down, campaigns didn't turn into long-term work, and despite putting in consistent effort, the results simply weren't visible. As creators and models, we work in an industry where uncertainty is constant and comparison is effortless. There were moments when I questioned my abilities and wondered if I was even on the right path.

What kept me going was remembering why I started.

I genuinely love being in front of the camera, telling stories, and expressing myself through my work. I also reminded myself that not everyone begins with the same opportunities, and success is rarely a straight line.

Every setback taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of believing in myself—even when external validation was missing.

Even today, I don't pretend to have everything figured out. I still have bigger dreams, bigger goals, and moments of self-doubt. But I've realised that persistence is often what separates those who eventually achieve their dreams from those who stop just short of them.

Q. Your audience often sees your confidence and smile, but behind every creator is a person. Do you also experience days of frustration, anxiety, or self-doubt? How do you find your way through them?

Absolutely.

If I'm completely honest, I experience those emotions quite regularly. Every week or so, there are moments when I feel overwhelmed, anxious, frustrated, or begin questioning myself. I don't think those feelings ever disappear completely, no matter how confident someone appears online.

One of the biggest misconceptions about creators is that because we smile in our photos and videos, we must have everything figured out. The reality is that we're human before we're creators. We have insecurities, fears about the future, difficult days, and moments when we wonder if we're doing enough.

There are times when opportunities don't work out, growth feels slow, or I catch myself comparing my journey with someone else's. That's when self-doubt quietly creeps in.

What I've learned, though, is that confidence isn't the absence of fear—it's learning how to move through it.

I try to give myself grace, take a step back when needed, spend time with people who genuinely support me, and remind myself that my worth isn't defined by numbers, campaigns, or external validation.

Most importantly, I've learned that every difficult phase eventually passes. The key is to keep showing up, keep believing in yourself, and trust that not every chapter of your journey is meant to look the same.

Q. Was there a moment in your journey that made you stop and think, "I've actually done it"? We'd love to hear about that experience.

Yes, there have been moments that made me pause and think, "Wow, this is really happening."

One of the most surreal experiences was seeing my billboards across Delhi—not once, not twice, but three different times. For someone who began with a single modelling assignment and a dream, seeing my work displayed on such a large scale felt incredibly special.

Another unforgettable milestone was being recognised on stage at Miss Universe Delhi and Haryana. That recognition meant a lot because it reflected years of hard work happening behind the scenes.

I've also had the opportunity to collaborate with brands like Shoppers Stop, Pantaloons, and several others. Every partnership has reminded me that patience, consistency, and persistence eventually open doors.

I'm incredibly proud of what I've achieved so far. But ambition has a funny way of evolving. Every milestone makes me grateful, yet it also inspires me to dream even bigger.

I still feel like I'm only getting started.

Q. What dreams are you still working towards? And what advice would you like to share with the young girls who admire you and hope to follow a similar path?

The beautiful thing about dreams is that they evolve as you grow.

I'm grateful for the milestones I've achieved, but there's still so much I want to accomplish. I want to build a stronger presence in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle space, collaborate with more global and luxury brands, create meaningful content that genuinely connects with people, and continue growing creatively as well as professionally.

Beyond followers and brand collaborations, I hope to build a career that is sustainable, authentic, and entirely my own.

More importantly, I want people to remember me as someone who stayed true to herself and proved that you don't need extraordinary circumstances to pursue extraordinary dreams.

To every young girl who looks up to my journey, I'd simply say this: don't wait until you feel confident before you begin.

Most of us start with fear, uncertainty, and self-doubt. Confidence is something you build along the way.

And never compare your beginning with someone else's middle. Social media often shows only the highlights, while hiding the rejection, failures, and difficult moments behind them.

If my journey has taught me anything, it's that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things when they refuse to give up on themselves.

Q. Finally, we'd love to know a little about the person beyond work. Is there a book you would recommend to our readers, or perhaps a movie or series that's your comfort watch?

One book I'd definitely recommend is The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.

It introduced me to the power of mindset, belief, and positive thinking. It reminds me that our thoughts, attitude, and actions shape our lives far more than we often realise.

When it comes to comfort watches, I always return to classic films like Jab We Met, Awarapan, Mohabbatein, and Veer-Zaara.

No matter how many times I watch them, they never lose their magic. Whether it's Geet's free-spirited outlook on life, stories of love and sacrifice, or characters that leave a lasting emotional impact, these are films I can revisit endlessly.

I think that reflects who I am as a person. I love stories that make you feel something—and stay with you long after they've ended.

Bio

Simran Walia is a talented Indian model and digital content creator who has built a thriving online community of over 48.2K+ followers. Her journey began as a commercial model in the beauty space - starting with her first paid shoot at Chandni Singh Studio - before she transitioned into content creation in 2023

Over the years, her hard work has led to remarkable milestones, including being featured on massive billboards across Delhi three times, earning stage recognition at Miss Universe Delhi and Haryana, and collaborating with top national brands like Shoppers Stop and Pantaloons.

At her core, Simran remains a grounded, self-made creator who believes that confidence is built through persistence. She continues to inspire her audience by proving that ordinary beginnings and consistent hard work can lead to extraordinary professional journeys.

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Interviewed by Himanshi Bhatt