This subsequently created a rift between her and her father, and they didn’t speak for years as a result.

After years of hard work, Asiyami, now 26, is now a full time instagrammer, photographer, designer, and model, with over 192,000 followers.

She recently spoke to Cosmopolitan about her journey. Here are excerpts from the interview:

You’ve been described as a visual storyteller, an artist, a photographer, an artistic creator, and, obviously, an Instagrammer. How would you describe yourself?

I would say that I’m more of a creator or creative.

But at first, you thought you wanted to become a nurse. What made you change your mind?

I had tricked myself into believing that’s what I wanted to do with my life. I had a Tumblr, and on Tumblr, you get to reblog beautiful images of people, and I was just fascinated by the fact that people could create such beautiful imagery and I wanted to replicate that. When I got on Instagram [when I was 21] I saw more of it but I didn’t see anyone who looked like me. So I began to wonder, “This aesthetically pleasing and beautiful lifestyle I’m drawn to — is it only attainable by people who don’t look like me?” So I decided I wanted to give different perspective to women of color. I decided to quit nursing school.

What’s it like to tell your family, “Uh, hey, I’m quitting nursing school?”

My older brother had always told me to do what I wanted to do instead of trying to please mom and dad. He said they’d figure out how they can fit into [my] life plans. So he was excited. My mother was not.

And your dad?

My dad and I actually didn’t speak until this year. I’m from Nigeria, and those with Nigerian backgrounds know that to our parents, education is the most important and most valuable thing you could ever achieve in your life. So when you work that hard and then you have this daughter who wants to now be an artist, to them it’s like saying you want to be an astronaut. They don’t understand.

What led him to a change of heart after so long?

Last year, his sister died. So when I reached out to him last December, he was a bit more receptive. In [the first e-mail he sent me in years], he was very open. At the end of the day, his sister’s death made him realize our relationship was important. He still brings up that he wants me to go back to school, though.

What did you do after you quit nursing school?

I moved to New York from Georgia. A friend who lived in Harlem told me I could stay with her for the first two weeks. I remember on the way to New York I was reading The Alchemist for like the fifth time and I remember praying and I said, “I just need a sign to know that I’m not making one of the biggest mistakes of my life.” I got to New York on a Thursday, and that Friday, at my new job at the Urban Outfitters in Williamsburg, I checked my e-mail, and [there] was a message from Gap. They wanted me to be one of their Atlanta photographers for a children’s project.

How’d they find you?

They’d seen my Instagram. I had about 20,000 followers from sharing my adventures and had been on Instagram for two years by then. But at the time, I didn’t know this influencer thing was … a thing. From then on, though, it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be.

What difficulties have you encountered?

I honestly don’t think I get to book as many jobs as most [white lifestyle influencers do]. I usually ask people, “Hey, how much are they paying you for stuff?” And I’ve learned a lot of times, when brands come to me, they offer me the lowest amount. My [white] friends [who book similar jobs] tell me, “Oh yeah, I was offered about $5,000-$10,000.” But with me, the offer normally comes in around $2,000. So I always have to figure out how I can talk my way up and show people, “Yes I’m actually valuable. And I’m exposing you to a different market, you know?”

What is the biggest misconception people have about influencers?

You [can] go through a month, two months, three months of not knowing where your daily bread is coming from. Sometimes you have to save that $5,000 you got for the next five months, because you don’t know when you’re going to make money [again].

Read the entire interview on Cosmopolitan

Photo Credit: Cosmpolitan/Michelle Kaye/Asiyami Gold

I started selling human hair and the business was doing fine until my girlfriends who partied every weekend wouldn’t pay up their debts. I was literally chasing them everywhere until the business crashed

I started another business selling designers bags and shoes. This business lasted for 6 months and it crashed again, for reasons I can’t pinpoint.  Then I started selling makeup and beauty products. I really struggled in this business because I bought counterfeit products by mistake. This really affected my customers’ trust and some of them never bought anything from me after that horrible experience.

I decided to seek professional help, seeking answers to my predicament. Why were all my my businesses failing?

I will be sharing some tips for running a successful business, which I learned from a business coach. This may be of help when you decide to start a new business venture or if you are going through some challenges.

1. Be Passionate About Your Business: Never delve into a business venture just because it is trending. Instead, go into a business because you have passion for that business – if it excites you and makes you want to put your best foot forward.
2. Patience and Persistence is the Key: Forget all the beautiful pictures and comments you see on the social media pages of successful business women.  The truth is that you have no idea how they started. You only see the pretty pictures but not the blood, sweat, and tears it took for them to get there. There is no such thing as an overnight success. Be patient and be persistent. Trust the process. Soon, you too will have a thriving business.
3. Use Social Media to Grow Your Customers: Over 1 billion people are on social media, that means that your potential customers are out there on social media. Why not run some sponsored advertisements to advertise your products? You never know who is searching for what you are selling.
4. Sell Quality: Quality is non-negotiable. You don’t want your business to have bad reviews, do you? This can cause a lot of damage and scare away potential customers. Be sure you are selling quality products/rendering quality services, not just posting pretty photos on Instagram.
5. Sell Your Business at Every Opportunity: Don’t ever be shy about your business. Talk about it as much as you can to whoever will listen. Out socializing? Make some new acquaintances and let them know about your business. At church for Sunday service? Introduce yourself to the person next to you, and tell them about you business. Etc etc. You never know, they just might be your potential customer.
6. Learn How to Put a Structure in Place for Your Business: You can do this by seeking the advice of people in your field who have succesfully run their businesses. Also, you could sign up for any entrepreneurship classes in your area.

Got some additional tips? Feel free to share with us in the comments section below.

Here are a few reasons to consider drawing up a digital strategy just in case you haven’t already.

A majority of the population is on their phone more than any other device

It is very important to note that a very healthy segment of the population spends most of their time on their phones, tablets and computers surfing the web. So what you want to do is become ‘top of mind’. How do you accomplish this? By playing in the same space that your target audience does. Visibility for any growing business is key. Once you’re seen, it is easier to convert from the awareness stage to making your sales and turning in those numbers. 

The virality element

Having your hashtag or catchy video trend is the new ‘everybody thinks your business is the coolest since sliced bread’. Bottom line, it’s a big deal! And you also employ less funds to execute your marketing campaigns. And then you reach a wider audience, as opposed to if you are relying on just traditional media.

Unlike direct selling going digital exposes you to the global village

A tweet or Instagram photo can be viewed from anywhere in the world with Internet access. This exposes your business to foreign investors who could potentially key into your brand.

It can be tracked

All thanks to analytics, your messaging and target audience can be tailored to suit the segment of the demographic you’re trying to reach. 

It forces you to have a direction

Digital strategy  forces you to have clear, defined objectives, ensuring that you work smart: Think in terms of attraction, engagement, conversion and maintenance. This enables you to truly have clarity in dealing with your target audience. 

Creative solutions are more likely

Subtle sells are everywhere. You see product mentions in a piece written on the Internet. They’re in the eye-grabbing creatives you see circulating the web etc. This is evidence that thinking outside the box when creating your marketing campaigns is inevitable when you go digital because the ideas for content creation are endless.

 Immediate feedback

The proof is in the pudding. You’ll often find that organic likes, retweets and reposts are more likely when consumers are starting to buy into a brand. This immediately gives the business owner feedback on the quality of his/her output. In instances where the consumers are unsatisfied, it becomes immediately apparent with negative comments, direct messages, and negative blog posts ultimately giving the business owner much needed insight into his business. 

Networks have made it easier to play in the digital space

Network providers, now more than ever, are realising how important it is to have competitive data packages that make the consumer able to surf the net relatively easier and at less expensive rates. This means that more and more people are diverting to the digital space. 

Everyone and their mama it seems, are playing in the digital space for a reason. It would be of great disservice to you if your business didn’t take advantage of such a lucrative opportunity.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock