“I am a work in progress, but that does not mean that I am not happy with what I do, I am very proud of the content I put out there because I know how much work I put in it. I won’t let one bad video dictate my happiness.” – Maryam Fazal
#004 – In this episode, Maryam and I discuss how we can keep ourselves motivated when the views are low. We discuss how to stay active on social media. Moreover, we delve into the importance of asking the right people for feedback. Additionally, we explore how confidence comes from doing.
Hope you enjoy the episode!
Have a question/comment or just want to chat?
Email me at mahrukh@mahrukhimtiaz.com
Highlights from this episode:
[2:31] Maryam: I always had a strong interest in makeup, but I wasn’t very good at it
[5:10] Dealing with doubts
[7:00] Maryam: I realized that equipment was not the only thing I needed
[7:45] How to get past self-criticism
[8:30] I am a work in progress
[10:56] Keeping yourself motivated when the views are low
[15:16] How to take yourself to the new level
[19:21] Things you don’t like about being a make-up content creator
[24:01] Asking feedback from the right people
Connect with Maryam:
Instagram
Tiktok
A bit about Maryam:
Maryam’s blog has been featured on Sephora TWICE. Additionally, Maryam runs a makeup page on Instagram on the side, while also being a full-time marketing professional. Furthermore, she is currently in the process of launching her own fake eyelashes company – Lashier.
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Transcription:
Maryam Fazal
I did not have proper lighting. My camera was ordinary. So yes, these were some of the factors and I said that these are external factors. What mattered more to me were the internal factors. By internal factors. I mean, i felt like I was not good enough.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
You are listening to the spicy Chai podcast. I’m your host, Mahrukh Imtiaz. And I’m on a journey to create inspiring, helpful, and meaningful content. This podcast is not going to showcase high-profile individuals spouting college advice like finding your passion or hustle harder. Instead, my mission is to bring you the voices of people who are just a bit ahead of you. People you can relate to, and the people who will inspire you to put your own voice out there.
So grab your cup of Spicy Chai, and let’s get this show started.
Welcome to the Spicy Chai podcast, today’s guest, she’s a special one. She has over 2000 plus engaged followers on Instagram, a page where she shows off her makeup skills. And she can take the fanciest makeup styles and break it down into simple complex or simple, simple steps for people even like myself who don’t know really much about makeup. And that’s not even all she does. This is her side hustle. She’s a full-time marketing professional. And let me tell you more. So aside from having a full-time job, and setting up a makeup page, where she’s engaged with her followers as she grows her content, she’s also starting a fake eyelash company called Lashear. So yes, at such a young age, she’s extremely accomplished. And to have someone like that by your side is extremely inspiring, especially if they’re part of your family. So Maryam, I’m extremely excited to have you on the show. And welcome.
Maryam Fazal
Thank you, Mahrukh, thank you for the sweet introduction.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
Hey, this is Mahrukh in the background. I don’t think I used extremely enough there. What do you think? Anywho back to the interview? Yeah,
Mahrukh Imtiaz
We’re so happy and excited to be here.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
I know, I’m excited to have a conversation too. So just obviously like what, you know, you starting off your makeup page, and you know, putting yourself out there on Instagram and it is growing organically. What made you want to start an Instagram page? I mean, there’s so many people that are good at makeup, do makeup, but what made you want to put yourself out there.
Maryam Fazal
So, so I think I’m gonna go really back like, you know, when I was a teenager, so I always I felt like they you know, they were I was always interested in doing makeup generally, but I was not really good at it. Like, you know, it’s I’d see my older cousins, like, you know, magazine, teen magazines, which people were doing such like perfect eyeliner and like, you know, that perfect face where you go out that matte lip. And obviously as a kid as it as a teenager, I wasn’t really good at doing that. Right? But I do remember like whenever I used to go shopping with my mom at the superstore I like buy one item of makeup every time because obviously I was on a low budget, right? So I described one item every time I go, which was every weekend I remember. So like, you know, I think growing up, that was something that I really want it to be good at it can I really want it to be good at carrying myself, I really want it to look better and more calm, feel more confident, look more confident. So I feel like that’s how it all started in my mind. And once I had that platform on Instagram, and when I actually started to on Facebook, right? Once I had that type form on Facebook, Facebook, I felt like I could do something in that area. I could grow. I could not just not just be out there for other people, but be out there for myself. They couldn’t be more confident. Where how are they see me? Right, right. Right, exactly. So on Facebook, obviously. And then the Instagram trend started, where you’d see all these Instagram models and like, you know, influencers just sharing their lives. Correct. And that was it. Like they didn’t have to be really good at it. And obviously, like they were really good at what they did, but just that that aspect of sharing their lives with us how they do everything, and how like, you know, they get up, they get ready for events, and talking about beauty bloggers hair that really inspired me to also have my own makeup page. And I think I feel the most difficult part there was just to get there. They can open up that page, just set up that page, make that user maybe make it public and just keep posting, or
Mahrukh Imtiaz
It’s something you have to learn by yourself. And it’s something that other creators taught you like you probably learned this over YouTube, you probably learned this over Facebook. So and I think it’s incredible that just because you’ve learned it because you started from a beginner’s mindset because you’ve learned it and obviously you’re still learning and growing. You were able to put yourself out there so when you were starting that page, like that Instagram page What were some of your big fears? Like what was going through your mind? Like, should you like, did you have any doubts? Or was it like, I’m going to do this, and I’m going to do this.
Maryam Fazal
So definitely, there were a lot of doubts in my mind. Before I started my Instagram page, I would always go on YouTube and watch makeup tutorials. So that was one thing that I did every day, just to learn, just to learn, but I also learned how they how they speak and how they explain what they’re doing. So when I was doing my makeup, unconsciously, I’d say all of that, like, you know, if I’m putting on my lipstick, I’m wearing makeup by myself not recording, I’d be like, so we’re gonna take this new lipstick, and this is gonna put it on like new to do. So this is what I do. So that was one of my biggest challenges. When once I started that I wanted to be as good as them. I wanted my makeup tutorials to be as smooth as their makeup tutorials. And once obviously, starting off, they weren’t. Right, right, right. Obviously, there were so many factors that you need to take care of. And they weren’t so that that was something that was I really struggled with starting off.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
What were those factors, if you don’t mind getting into it for someone who’s starting off, like they would like to know. So what were those factors that didn’t? I mean, the obvious ones, you didn’t have the makeup and then the UV light, or were there other things. So when I say UV light, I really meant ring light anywho back to the episode
Maryam Fazal
eventually got that, I realized that that was not the only thing that I needed. So obviously, like camera side, I got a DSLR eventually, that I just make tutorials on my phone, which was good enough, like some of the people who were following me were happy with that content. But I personally was not obviously you want to improve, you want to do better. So yes, I’d say that starting off, the main factors were definitely I did not have as many products. I did not have a proper studio record. I did not have proper lighting. My camera was ordinary. So yes, these were some of the factors and the I said that these are external factors. What mattered more to me were the internal factors by internal factors. I mean, I obviously, since I was a newbie, right, I always felt like I was not good enough.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
The imposter syndrome that they say right, even though
Maryam Fazal
Even though I feel that I was. Exactly, exactly. So I felt like I was doing really good off camera. But as soon as I stop recording, but as soon as I take a picture of me, I start criticizing myself. And that is something that I that is something I realized once I started making content. Right.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
Right. Yeah. Where do you think that fear was really coming from? Was it the judgment of people? Or was it the you wanting to be a perfectionist? Like, where do you think that fear was really coming from?
Maryam Fazal
So to be very honest, I always had, so I always surrounded was around, I was always surrounded by people who were supportive of what I did. So I normally get any criticism, or any hate in that regard. Unless, obviously ask someone for the advice. And they give me like genuine advice and suggestions. I appreciated that. That never got me down. But I just feel like that factor where you feel that you’re not good enough? Right. That’s what pinched me more in this entire situation.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
Right? And how and how would you say you got over that? Like, what made you get over? That was it’s still a work in progress, which is I could be but like, what what were some of the steps that you took?
Maryam Fazal
It is definitely still a work in progress.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
But because I’m like me, I hear you there completely hear you there. Yes,
Maryam Fazal
Exactly. But that does not mean that I’m not happy with what I do. I am very proud of every content that I create, because I know how much work I put into that right? But eventually, what helps me get better in that with that element was I tried to be better by practicing more. Right? If I wouldn’t let one video one bad video, bring me down and record again. Right? Wouldn’t let one picture make me feel bad. I take another picture because I was confident that I have done a good job. And if it’s not showing good on camera, and if they cannot, someone does not feel like it’s it’s that great. That’s fine, because I’m trying to do my best. So I eventually get there. But what I did now is something that I’m proud of. Right.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
And you mentioned a few things there that I’d like to go a bit deeper. And first you mentioned earlier that even when you’re doing makeup off camera, a lot of times you rehearse those on camera routines like Oh, I’m just applying my makeup. I think that’s an incredible because it allows you to practice in daily life. You don’t just have to go practice when you’re applying and in front of camera. That’s a really really good habit. What made you think of that? Or was that something just that just came naturally? Or was it something you intentionally did?
Maryam Fazal
That actually just came naturally? I’m like talking to myself in the mirror. Yeah, I can be recorded. And
Mahrukh Imtiaz
So anything that that’s what it is when people just that’s the difference between people who keep putting themselves out there versus people who stop and quit is because people who keep putting themselves out there, at least in my opinion, they’ve found these like daily habits and routines to keep them engaged, like, you know, to keep practicing without really being on camera. So I really liked that. And the second thing that I wanted to go deeper on is you mentioned that there are times you make videos, and it doesn’t get a lot of views, right? It’s the reality of situation, or you know what it might not even, you might think you put a lot of effort into it, and it just gets like three likes, how do you keep yourself motivated when you’re in the beginning of your journey to keep going, you know, to just keep posting, what are some things you did to keep yourself going?
Maryam Fazal
So I used to go to other bloggers and like, you know, see, like, 5000s of likes on their pictures and videos. And I still do that. But differences like before, it actually made me feel bad about my content, right? Because I felt like there may be something there’s something that they’re doing is with creating the content is like, you know, getting them all the slides, maybe it’s the quality of the content that I’m maybe I’m not able to put into my content, right. But like after, I guess, I guess after some time, after I knew that I was putting in the effort, more effort, my content, I knew that I was working really hard. That just stopped bothering me. I mean, of course, I would like, like a million people to follow me, right. Like by video, but with my SSN like with my current following. It’s not much it’s 2000. But I feel like there’s a lot on Instagram. Yeah, exactly. But But I feel like 2000 people who look up to me, yeah, like, who asked me about makeup tips. I’m like, you know, beauty tips? I think that meant much more to me eventually. Anyone?
Mahrukh Imtiaz
That’s is that makes sense. Because you’re so much you’re so focused on serving people, versus oh, I want to grow my likes and my followers. And I think that’s the important piece here. I think it’s important to focus on how do I serve people? How do I get them to be kinder? How do I get them what they need from me? Versus now my current my one video didn’t do well, how do I get my other video to do better? And that’s part of it piece of it, too. But most of it if you’re providing value and serving others, eventually you people will see that two people sense that genuineness a lot. So that definitely, exactly
Maryam Fazal
And that makes you feel great, by the way. Right?
Mahrukh Imtiaz
Exactly. It does. It’s this this feeling of when someone says thank you, you know, or this content piece really helped me. So definitely, definitely have noticed that as well. And you mentioned that when you were starting, there were certain external factors that you didn’t have, right, and certain internal factors. What are some things that you feel that you have learned in the last few years of your journey that has helped you be better today versus like, compared to last two years?
Maryam Fazal
I’d say that just that is just being more active. Okay, more active and creating more active, which sharing your story with sharing what you like, what you don’t like, for the people who are following you. Like, like, I feel like, people are so worried about increasing their followers, which is fine. I feel like everyone has the one aim, right. But for me, I felt like I was so focused on increasing my followers. For that reason, if I did not get enough, if I did not get enough engagement on one post, I just stopped posting for a while, until I try to see like, you know, I’ve been guilty of. Yeah, exactly. And it’s not like I wouldn’t create more content and create it, but I just be too shy to host it. Because before posting it online, it’s start criticizing in myself, like there’s not good enough lighting is not good. So now I feel like back in time, if I had just posted those pictures, or just those videos, I feel like that had given me more confidence now. And that has also increased more engagement on my page. Right? Because people who are following me Do not follow me because I was great. I was not right. But they could associate with that. Yeah, yeah. And
Mahrukh Imtiaz
people also want you to be human. They don’t want you to appear perfect and get everything right. They want you to show your human sides. And you mentioned something great. When engagement goes down on single posts. This has happened to me a lot like there’s certain posts or a few posts in a row that I felt like didn’t get any views or any likes or any comments. I have noticed even myself that there’s a pattern of like posting last night on stories as well not posting everything out there. And it’s you almost start judging for the audience like oh, they want like this. They don’t want this. And I think that’s what Gary Vaynerchuk always says right? Do not judge for the audience posted and if they don’t like it, let them let them know like it but do not judge for them that oh, they won’t like it because the lights aren’t great. They won’t like it because this is just repetitive you know? So that’s that’s something very key that you said. And so that’s definitely very helpful and What are some skills that you feel that you are kind of somewhat a few years into your journey of Instagram and you’ve made content and you’re learning? What are some skills that you feel now you need to learn to take yourself to the next level.
Maryam Fazal
Again, trying to be more active with the audience trying to engage more with audience because I feel like I lacked there. They you know, there many excuses, I have a full time job, I don’t have time. But in reality, I could still manage it, I know that I can manage it, right. It’s nice to start. So that’s something that I’m working on. And I can only wish to get better at. And apart from that. I do feel like you always need to learn more to get better. Right? So I am still refining my makeup skills. Maybe there’s something different that I can do get that with more? How
Mahrukh Imtiaz
Do you keep refining your makeup skills? Like what are some things that you do?
Maryam Fazal
So I keep practicing with myself, I try to go for different looks every morning when I’m doing my makeup for work. Right? So I tried to go so. So I’ve created moods format data.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
Series. Yeah. Let’s hear more about this.
Maryam Fazal
So when I’m making the morning, and when I actually just want to wake up in the morning, right? Just how I’m feeling? Am I feeling excited? Am I feeling energetic? Everyone, if I’m not feeling to create a career, these are the moves that I have. So I dress up accordingly. Right? If I have if I have important meeting to go to, like Atlanta, and all of these makeup, like I just I just changed very little, like, you know, maybe apply a different color lipstick, maybe do a winged eyeliner, maybe like you know, enhance my eyes more, maybe go low on the overall face makeup, and they can kind of look more natural. So I feel like these are the most that I’ve created for myself. And it’s just waking up in the morning to like tiny morsel throughout the day. You keep practicing more, I keep practicing more and again, YouTube. I feel like that’s my biggest teacher.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
For the world. It’s the biggest teacher. It’s amazing resource.
Maryam Fazal
Yeah, exactly.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
Speaking of YouTube, do you do you plan to expand to different platforms? And if yes, which ones? And if no, why not?
Maryam Fazal
So I do plan to expand on different platforms. YouTube is one of them. Facebook, I’m not on Facebook. I’m solely on Instagram right now. And Tik Tok, which I’m not really active at. But again, I am trying my best to be better than so yes, I do plan to expand on all these platforms that are running these days that are like kind of in these days being tick tock, Facebook, YouTube, also Pinterest, because I feel like you know, people do use that platform more than I personally love it. I’m an addict on Pinterest. Yeah. So I do want my presence and all of these platforms.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
That makes sense. So do you have like a plan? Or are you just thinking of growing it organically one platform to another? Are you thinking through? Okay, maybe YouTube Next and then Pinterest or whatnot? Like, want to speak a bit about that? So?
Maryam Fazal
Yes, so I have actually thought about being on YouTube. So I think a channel on YouTube Next, okay, since I feel like being on Instagram, and we can have recorded some content already, I’ll be, I’ll have a backup of content to post there to be frank, like, you know, since I don’t want to be inactive, on type form that I’m new at. So for that reason, and also, because I feel like people actually go to YouTube to watch longer makeup videos. And on Instagram, I am not able to do that. Right. So I feel like that platform is something that I really want personally want to go to. And after that I have not decided yet. But I do
Mahrukh Imtiaz
factor. That’s fair. And it’s just like one platform at a time. And you’re right, people who go to YouTube or going to YouTube for a different reason versus people who are on Instagram, Instagram is a bit more entertainment. YouTube is a bit more I need to learn. So yes, there are different different purposes. And I can see makeup being huge on YouTube as well. It’s just like cooking. For sure. So you’ve done this for a couple of years and you’ve grown in engagement. What would you say are some things you don’t like about it? What are some things you don’t like about what you’re doing right now?
Maryam Fazal
Right now as in being a content creator, I
Mahrukh Imtiaz
make no makeup content creator, what are some things that you feel that you do not like about it? You might still put up with it or it might make you want to quit?
Maryam Fazal
What are some of those things
though? To be various? I’ve never actually thought about that. Really?
Mahrukh Imtiaz
I’ve never felt that way. That’s That’s pretty amazing.
Maryam Fazal
Yeah, I’ve never felt like I don’t want to do makeup blogging anymore. i There have been times when I’ve felt really bad about not being able to post and or being active on it. When I feel like this is something that even even with a job with a job or without a job. Even when I’m busy. I’m like you know I have plenty time every day. This is something that I really am proud of. Right? You know, that’s something that it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. As a kid as growing up, I feel like that’s, that’s a huge part of me. So I’ve never really thought about that.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
That’s, that’s great. And that that says something, right? I mean, this is something you really do enjoy. And so on that, what are some things that you really like about it, I
Maryam Fazal
Really liked being able to share my anything that I learned, right. So as I said, I’m always learning. So with anything new that I learn, I want to share that piece of information with other people, because I feel like, I feel like any information that I know, the most, you know, too, and this is a problem that I have, right. So I like that I like sharing that piece of information. If I like a new product, I like you don’t want other people to know that I like it. Not that like you know, they’d be looking waiting for me to waiting for my review or something. But like, I just want to share that information with them. They had a something that you might like as well. And it
Mahrukh Imtiaz
All ties back to just learning how to apply makeup made you feel more confident, made you feel better, it does have this appeal to just help with self esteem, you know, and it also gives you a certain skill set. It doesn’t mean you always have to dress up, but you have the tools. So I think that all ties back into how it helped us, I can see why you would want your audience or people who are engaging with you to also feel equipped to do whatever they can to have that kind of level of confidence. For sure.
Maryam Fazal
Like, you know, adding to that it’s not about not feeling confident when I’m not wearing makeup. And I don’t want other people to feel that way. You don’t just need makeup to feel confident you just wear it to enjoy it. Right?
Mahrukh Imtiaz
You were word for yourself. Exactly. Yes. It’s like almost like art, right? You’re like, ooh, this looks nice. Yeah, yeah, I get that. I totally get that. And so what are certain skills that you’re working on learning right now, that will help you in the next two years to have a better outreach in terms of your audience have more engagement? What are some like core skills that you are working on right now? Aside from makeup? When, like content creator skills,
Maryam Fazal
Definitely being more active in content creation, engaging with the audience more?
Mahrukh Imtiaz
When when you say being more active? What would that mean? Would that mean posting more? Would that mean commenting more?
Maryam Fazal
So posting more and commenting more? Okay, I feel like if I post more people will reach out to me, right? People will comment on my posts, and I’d be able to reciprocate. I feel like this is a major skill that I want to keep working on. And apart from that, I also want to be able to mark it, as you said, as you mentioned that, you know, I’m trying to start my own brand soon. So last year, in August, last year, yes. So for that plan, I need, I feel like I need to be better at marketing my product online through my content. But I just don’t want to create a page for the product, I want to be able to use that product market that product myself. So then we can have people I saw that people know how to use it. People know the utility of it. Yes, in
Mahrukh Imtiaz
In terms of that, like you’ve always been someone who kind of keeps going into different areas, and always put yourself out there and keeps learning. And you probably have gotten a lot of advice from people along the way as well. What is some bad advice that you’ve gotten? Or at least right now that you think was bad? Or have you gotten any bad advice?
Maryam Fazal
So I have actually an acid. So you know, you tend to ask people around you how they feel about the content that you’ve created? Right? You need to be very careful who you ask that question to. So if it’s someone that supports you, who you genuinely feel, will give you the right advice, go to them. Don’t just keep asking around. Like, obviously, you can ask your your audience if they like a particular piece of makeup look that you create it or not, right. That’s something different, but just like people who you feel their opinion matter. And so what happened was, there are a lot of people who are showing my content, right? If it was a new picture that I took, I’ll be like, no, what do you think about this picture? And how do you think I could improve more? So they give me advice? Like? Like, it wasn’t advice, it was criticism, criticism, the sensor, or your makeup does not look as good. They can be saying stuff like that expression is not as good. And that’s it.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
They’re not gonna give you any advice on what to change or how to make it better. Yeah, exactly.
Maryam Fazal
So they just say what’s bad, they wouldn’t tell me how to improve it or how it could be better and there was nothing positive that they say about that piece of content, right?
Mahrukh Imtiaz
And that’s where they were already feeling like, shitty and you We have somebody doubt and you don’t need people to put you down. Yeah,
Maryam Fazal
I know. And now let’s think about it, I did not really need any advice from those people. Because that really didn’t help me nowhere that did not help me improve my content, they did not help me with my confidence, but not having my self esteem, it actually made me feel worse. And like, you know, I eventually did not post that piece of content, even if I did, I’d like to lead. Because they put so much doubt in me. Right? So yeah, so you should be very careful about who you ask for advice, and if their advice is relevant to your growth to your content or not. And if a stop, just don’t ask them, and if they give you that advice, don’t take it.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
Yes, exactly. And that’s very interesting. You say that, because I myself have a system because I went through the same thing where I would ask everyone for advice. And then I realized, how can I ask people for advice? If they don’t want the same thing? I do. They’re not on the same path that I do. So how can I ask them for advice? And now I actually have a list, you know, where it’s everyone’s name that I would listen to? Or I would go to? So a lot of times, when people say things that I might not have loved, I would look at that list. Is that person part of that list? If they’re not, it doesn’t bother me. You know, you have to start building up those systems. Because you’re right. It’s so easy. You have so much doubt yourself. You can’t let other people also shit on you. So exactly.
Maryam Fazal
And as you said, people who are not on the same journey as you, you can expect them to understand. No, that’s it’s as simple as that. Yes, exactly.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
They’re just very different worlds altogether. Oh, honestly, that’s a that’s a great note. For us to kind of end things on. It’s been an incredible conversation. So one final question for you. Meriam. What advice would you give to your younger self? When you were about to start the page, what advice would you give?
Maryam Fazal
Just believe in yourself more?
Mahrukh Imtiaz
Is believe. So I made a mistake here again, I forgot to ask the guest where you can find her online. Oops. So basically asked her after and she said you could find her on her instagram at mu A underscore MB. And you can also find her on her Tik Tok. It will all be in the show notes. So I’m gonna get back to the interview. When you were about to start the page, what advice would you give?
Maryam Fazal
Just believe in yourself more.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
Is believe. Yes, believing
Maryam Fazal
Yourself. That’s it.
Mahrukh Imtiaz
Great. That’s incredible. I love that. Well, thank you so much for coming on the show. And for all of you having me. Yes. 2%.
For all of you that have subscribed already. Thank you so much. For those of you who have not, please subscribe and tell your friends about this. Till then talk to you later. Take care. Bye.
Hey, you thanks for listening to Spicy Chai. I really appreciate it. And to make sure you never miss an episode, subscribe to the podcast, the obvious. And if you want to learn more, head over to mahrukhimtiaz.com, and until next time, my friend hit the record button. Or you know the publish lots of love from your favorite.
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