To quote Kriti, it is tons of videography, production, editing, photography, and with it comes a lot of challenges. Formal Gossip is our way of helping you through it.

When the lockdown began, Do Your Thng had to pivot. What we had planned for the coming time went on pause, and we started focusing on how to help creators in the ensuing weeks.

During one of the brainstorming sessions, the idea for a weekly chat session germinated and got scrapped. In between office work and house chores, none of us had the bandwidth to do justice to an hour-long chat every week.

But the concept struck a note with me. 

The first few months in the creative industry were a sucker punch to my solar plexus, and I am not even a true creator – just a person helping creators do their thing. 

Back then, if I had the option to hear a creator talk about the challenges and failures of their journey, I’d have jumped. 

So, a weekly chat turned into an online video call series – Formal Gossip. 

Hosted by yours truly, the 30 odd minutes long conversations are an attempt to gain at least a nugget of information on how to sail through these difficult times as a creator. And, of course, the happy times and fun experiences.

The very first episode was with Kriti Dhir, the lifestyle and travel creator who went public with 2000 followers and grew them to 100,000 in 8 short months, completely organically. 

 

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Here’s the lowdown on it:

The juggling act

Kriti is a management consultant turned creator who has made juggling a full-time job with a creative career into art.  

If you are in the corporate world and feel uninspired with life give her a follow. Her experimental content is the perfect panacea.

Any budding creator in two thoughts about whether to leave a stable profession for your passion, the advice is to find your risk appetite. If you love taking chances, go for it. If not, then Kriti is proof solid that you can do both.

The learning curve

When you jump into new things, like creating a brand video for the first time, it can be exhausting. The effort involved is that high. Stick with it – even if it’s beyond your comfort zone because these incidences turn into your learning curve.

On the new normal

Ads are not a priority for brands right now. COVID-19 has effectively stalled campaigns, but there is a silver lining for creators. 

In the rat-race of making sponsored posts, creators often neglect to generate content merely for their audience. Utilize the current lockdown to do so and make the influencer space less commercialized. 

Spend the time being creative. Expand your horizons and step into new niches. 

For travel influencers, the adjustment to the new normal means going domestic and exploring local destinations.

When it comes to posting, strike a balance between content that is relatable right now with a glimpse of things you did pre COVID-19.

Tips for creators

The biggest trade secret Kriti revealed was to ask your community what they want to see. Read through every single message you get. Often, they are a font of fantastic ideas and precisely the inspiration you need.

As a single woman army, who edits, produces, directs all her content, Kriti keeps her tools simple – a tripod, a phone (all her content is shot on it), and iMovie.

Coping with stress

Blocking users does work, but a better strategy is to let people say what they want. Because at the end of the day, you can’t please everyone. As a creator, you should only send positive energy. 

Switch off, when it gets too much, especially those who manage creation as a side hustle. Coming home from work, finding time to brainstorm, and then creating videos that actually please the brand is not easy. Add in the back and forth with brands and the stress can get to you. 

It is okay to take time off when that happens.  

My take on the session:

There were two colossal truth bombs Kriti dropped. 

One, if you are passionate about something, then you want to invest time in it. Two, stay true to yourself, and everything else will pan out. Both are pivotal for anyone who has been oscillating over entering the industry. 

Just do it. And that’s not an expression that Nike says; it is something people live by every day.

 

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Cover picture courtesy: Kriti Dhir

About the Author

Ankit Agarwal

The Founder and CEO of Do Your Thng, Ankit’s thng is helping build a space where creators can earn a sustainable living doing what they love. And, oh, his true love is Google calendar.

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