Award-winning lifestyle content creator Joy Kendi is one of the influencers in Kenya who have become a household name.
5 key attributes that have made Joy Kendi one of Kenya's most successful influencers
Focus on 2021 Pulse Influencer Awards winner Joy Kendi, she is nominated for two awards in the 2nd edition of the awards
Kendi was born in September 1988 in Kenya before she, her mother, and her sister moved to the United States. She was six at the time and her family would later move back to the country in 2009 when she was in her 20s.
Though she holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the United States International University (USIU), Kendi makes a good living out of her career as an influencer.
The social media influencer taught herself everything from fashion to blogging, content creation, and even modeling.
She was also the 2021 Pulse Fashion Influencer of the year, a fete that saw fans nominate her once again as the awards show hosts its second edition in 2022.
But what exactly makes Joy Kendi an influencer multi-national corporations and reputable brands want to work with?
1. Joy Kendi defined her niche
Kendi’s journey and love for fashion started while she was still a very young girl, she'd have run-ins with her mother because she would cut up clothes in an attempt to create her own outfits.
Her passion was carried into her fashion blog which earned her a loyal following of fashion enthusiasts in the country and abroad. She would later take up personal styling after college, a gig she explored for almost six months.
Successful influencers find their voice in their chosen field and that is what helps package their marketing services for various clients.
Kendi is now one of the few high-grossing, professional influencers in the fashion, styling and travel niche.
2. Joy Kendi's flair for creativity
Another key attribute of all successful influencers is their ability to utilize trends and industry best practices creatively.
At the age of 23 and at a time when blogging was big in Kenya, Kendi started a fashion blog showcasing different designs and styled outfits which she would afterward make available for sale to friends and customers.
She would also advise on how to shop for stylish second-hand clothes within a budget from Toi, Gikomba, and Ngara markets.
She later expanded and ventured into beauty and skincare products as well as traveling and then transitioned into content creation for social media and partnering with brands for their content and giving them an audience.
She is now one of the most followed fashion influencers on new platforms such as TikTok and she is constantly coming up with new ways to present her content.
3. Be aggressive
Kendi grew a clientele for her brand by actively pitching her proposals to the managers of companies that she wanted to work with.
Although things were tough in the beginning, and her first job as a content creator yielded meager payments she now rarely looks for companies to work for, it is currently the opposite, the companies look for her.
Kendi has partnered with global makeup manufacturers MAC Cosmetics, Maybelline, travel airline Jambojet, Hidesign of India, Kilian Tours, Diageo, Itikadi Fashion, and car manufacturers Jaguar Kenya among other local and international brands.
4. Invest in your craft
One of the most impressive attributes of Joy Kendi's influencer brand is that it is largely a one-woman production.
When she began, she used her phone and an old digital camera to take photos and videos. With time, she invested in more professional equipment and improved her videography and editing skills to ensure she could deliver the highest quality of work for her clients and fans.
5. Content is king
Without any professional training as a model, Kendi taught herself how to pose for photos, be confident in front of the camera, as well what clothes worked for her body type.
Kendi has mastered the art of content creation because if you go through her social media you will notice she keeps her audience engaged with constant posts.
Pulse Influencer Awards 2022
Joy Kendi is among the nominees in the 2nd Edition of the Pulse Influencer Awards scheduled for this Saturday, October 15.
She will be defending her 2021 title - Fashion Influencer of the Year and is also battling it out for Instagram Influencer of the Year.
The 2022 official Fashion Category sponsor is Shop Zetu clothing brand. Use promo code SZ10 for a 10% discount on your purchase on shopzetu.com.
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