Hi guys, today we are chatting with the beautiful Anamika Sureka. She founded Wise She back in 2009. What began as a beauty blog has today become a full fledged business. She launched her line of makeup brushes last year with her flagship Cheek and Contour brush. Earlier this month, her new range of makeup brushes was launched.
So, I asked Anamika a few questions about
Q1.Let us start with the unavoidable cliché When and why did you start blogging?
A. First of all thanks Anks for considering me worthy enough and giving me space on your platform. I started blogging in 2009 when there were hardly any bloggers in India. Why is an interesting question and I think my destiny brought me here! I use to read a GK blog and was appearing for one of the competitive exams and like most of us, I also wished for a 9 to 5 govt job with less pressure & more time to manage my work and personal life. When I appeared for the exam I sent the paper questions to the GK owner thanking him for the help he had provided. Later he asked me to join him and after 2-3 months of working with him he asked me to start my own Blog! The thing is Blogging just happened to me. I won’t say it happened because I was lucky but because I always looked for an opportunity.
Q2.You worked for corporate professional, what made you quit and start blogging full time?
A. After marriage I had to leave the job because of the unending hours where we were asked to work even on Sundays. I was unable to manage my new life with almost 7 day work so I decided to quit. I was nervous and distraught as I had nothing in my hand. After few days I applied for a government job and then blogging happened and I decided to give
one year to it. Thankfully there was hardly any competition around 😛 and we just kept rising. Blogging gave me the money which I never imagined in my corporate job ever. Also, the flexible working hours which is fantastic.
Q3.People often think blogging is easy. You take pictures, write some stuff and that is that. How do you deal with such an attitude?
A. Frankly speaking, no one has told me this thing! Everyone asks me how to start and go about it. Blogging is definitely not easy as it needs time, talent, technical skills, money, dedication, picture taking skills, writing skills and at the end of the day you need motivation to keep working without any penny for God knows till how many days or years!
It is basically a 24-hour job where all the time either you are writing, shooting and then trying to get attention of everyone. Nevertheless, I am not trying to demotivate people here, but if one is passionate about it then they can do anything. I have seen bloggers/influencers climbing high in no time in a year which I couldn’t even imagine.
Q4.Why brushes? Why not makeup? (Although I personally believe there is a dearth of good makeup brushes in the Indian market, so it makes perfect sense)
A. I started with something I was most confident about and then I love good makeup brushes..I have purchased brushes costing $500 as well. Brushes excites me but I do wish to introduce more things in near future but all these things take lot of time and I can’t make mistake as I do not have any kind of funding and if I bring a bad product in the market it will spread like wild fire. So I am taking baby steps and managing my YouTube and blog as well along with it so that I can pump money in the business through it.
Q5.What dreams do you have for WISE SHE ? Where do you see your brand going?
A. We are already an established company which was one of my dreams and within five years I would like to have more line of products. Products which I love and would like everyone else to try and which I am proud of!
Q6. Any health and beauty secrets you would like to share?
A. My health secret is my habit of waking up early. I generally start my day at 5:00. This makes me cover so many things that it surprises everyone. Beauty secret will have to be my night skin care regime which most of us tend to leave it on next day or aren’t that regular with it. Both of them combined together gives me everlasting strength to carry out my day and still look fresh 🙂
Q7. Finally, advice to women who want to balance it all- kid, family, health, business!
A. Always have a diary and plan out your day to avoid melt down and anxiety. Our brain works crazily so whenever an idea pops into your mind just write it down in your diary. If you want to start a business don’t think someone else will come and
help you. You will have to decide and do things yourself while managing your family, house and finances. It seems difficult but if you have the vision for it and are determined then even the universe will help you to fulfill it. Don’t waste time in comparison & cribbing. Just consider each day as a challenge and not a problem. We are very strong it’s just we doubt our self so just imagine the word HOPE and balance it all. Also, please get into the habit of reading. More you read better you get in organizing and implementing.
You can buy Wise She brushes at Amazon
Loved reading about Anamika. Inspired!! Thank you for sharing
Inspirational indeed! Wish her a lot of more success ahead!
Inspirational post for all us budding bloggers. I liked her attitude and practical approach
Namrathafrom #firstgreenstep #MyFriendAlexa
This is so inspiring. This is incredible how she turned her blog into a full-time business. It happens in West a lot but in India, I think very few bloggers have had managed to do it so far. Kudos to the lady.
Indeed. I have followed her journey from almost the beginning and it is admirable indeed!
This was such an inspiring post. I loved the health advice. Waking up at 5 is my life goal too.
Thank you. Anamika would be really pleased. I can wake up at 5. Only on special days though!
Its not that difficult but if you are not a morning person then you can always make things around night..its all about how people are comfortable 🙂
Lovely to see her so successful in this field. A true inspiration for others
Totally! Anyone who fights odds to do something different needs their story told. And who better to realise this than you, who brings us so many untold tales of courage and compassion.
Thank you 🙂
This is a wonderful interview, the questions are so nicely framed and she has beautifully touched very important aspects of blogging as a medium and extending one’s personal branding towards becoming an entrepreneur. It is indeed a magical platform where it has given wings to so many aspiring and talented people who never got the much needed space to explore their hidden talent and tap the wider opportunities around the world.
In fact the world is a stage and we can be in home and play our role and the world is there to cherish and one can encash the passion and value that gets created over a period of time. 2009 long back and doing consistently for a decade is in itself a great achievement and blogging success is so much rooted in the content and consistency, and it needs loads of motivation and patience to keep going and keep engaging the community…it is a fabulous teacher by itself.
You have a lovely blog and it was great landing here.
Thank you for the detailed comment Nihar. I really appreciate that you took time to write a long comment in the age of 5 word comments and “nice posts”. Also, thank you for noticing the questions. In most interviews, people just comment on the answers and not much credit goes to the interviewer!
I agree with you about blogging being magical and opening up opportunities that never existed before. It has done wonders to Entrepreneurial women the world over, who are now managing online businesses along with a home and family.
And you are absolutely right about the need for consistency. Ultimately, it will give results!