In this YAMI(Young And Making It) feature, I interviewed radio personality, blogger and model, Amy Osabuohien the CEO of Amy Media International. She shares the incredible journey that led to establishing her own media company and hopes to inspire others through her life and work.

Be inspired!

 

S: Please introduce yourself to the readers and tell us what you’re currently working on?

A: I am Amy Osabuohien, a 22years old Nigerian, born in the UK. I moved to Nigeria as a child and moved back to the UK in 2006. I am an award winning presenter, blogger and plus size model. My journey into media and fashion started in January 2012 with modelling and I have since gained experience in many aspects of media. I’m currently the CEO of Amy Media International which is a one stop entertainment hub brand focusing on TV/Radio content, blog, events and media related services. I run the Amy Show on Powerxtra Radio London and Amy Media blog. Our 2 years Radio and blog anniversary is on the 8th of April 2016.

 

S: Please share a bit about your background and how you came about blogging and presenting your own radio show

A: I graduated from University of East London with a degree in Business Information Systems in 2014. My journey began in 2012 with plus size modelling which lead to me being a commercial, fashion, beauty and catwalk model. In the process of modelling, I was part of a hair commercial that involved me speaking about the product. After this campaign, I was advised by friends, colleagues and industry experts to explore presenting as well. I Kicked off The Amy Show (Radio) in 2014, but the blog started a few months before that.

 

S: Did you always know this is the career you wanted to pursue?

A: I never thought I would model or be in media as a child. It was never an idea or a goal of mine. From a young age, I have always been entrusted with leading others and taking charge. As a child, I ran different arts and cultural events, I led teams and held assemblies. Looking back now, I feel nature had a media plan for me from the beginning as I was always pulled into these roles. To be honest, other people saw talent in me that I never saw in myself. The calibre of people that saw these traits helped me gain confidence in myself to learn and get out of my comfort zone.

 

S: What inspired you to take this path and who are your role models if you have any?

A: I feel my drive is to always be a person that impacts on other people. I have always had the mind-set of inspiring and helping people find their purpose. Being myself is a way of inspiring others to take that leap towards their passion. My role model is very unusual but I see what I want my future to be in him. Ryan Seacrest is a media mogul that I have the utmost respect for and I am working towards a similar goal. (TV/RADIO/Events/Lots more)

 

S: The blogosphere is quite saturated at the moment, what do you do to stay on point and amass a loyal following?

A: I created my blog to be an extension of myself. I believe in quality and being unique. My brand in general including my blog must be the same. There are a lot of blogs out there and a lot of clutter with unimaginable posts just to get views. I do not focus on that. My blog represents me and every day, my team strives to be different and create original articles that keep the audience coming back.

 

S: In today’s media frenzy world, how do you juggle the task of always being “online” and living in the real world- connecting with people, friends and family?

A: It is very easy to stay online and forget the real world but the truth is that people that are important to you will always be priority. I am a great believer in communication and even with my busy schedule, I am the glue that keep a lot of old friends together. I am a great multitasker and now it is second nature to keep connected.

 

S: What challenges have you faced so far since embarking on this journey?

A: it’s been a challenging journey and if my passion wasn’t so strong, I will definitely not be in the industry anymore. The buzz and excitement I feel when on air cannot be underestimated. Having a full time job along with media has been crazy but worth all the effort. You need to put in as much time in your business as you put working for someone else!

 

S: What tips would you give a newbie media personality trying to follow in your footsteps?

A: Media is not all fun and glossy as a lot of newbies think. It takes dedication, time, effort and financial investment to get where you need to. If your main focus is money, then media isn’t for you. I always say…These artists and personalities seen as celebs have worked so hard for many years to even be heard. So be sure media is what you want and be willing to invest in your dreams. Also find what makes you different. What do you bring to the table? What is your motivation?

 

S: Any advice on how new bloggers can make some moolas?

A: New bloggers should focus on creating quality in areas they are interested in and get into implementing adverts as well as sponsored posts on their blog. For example, a sponsored event/brand blog post.

 

S: What’s your most memorable moment/event so far?

A: 2015 brought a lot of surprises for me. In the space of 6 months, I won 3 awards not only in the UK but internationally. Blogger of the Year (Ukraine), Radio Personality of the Year (UK), TV host of the year (US). It is amazing to know people are paying attention and recognising my efforts.

 

S: If you could rewind time, what would you do differently?

A: There is nothing I will do differently. However, I would love to have been born with a diamond spoon so money doesn’t hold my ideas back! Everything amazing will happen in its own time as long as I keep pushing to improve and only give quality.

 

S: Have your family and close friends been supportive of your career choice?

A: I was really surprised to know how much support my friends and family are. They see me as a professional and respect me. It helps when people truly believe in you.

 

S: What does success mean to you?

A: Success means being a source of inspiration and motivation. I want the world to look at me and see someone that has worked and created a future out of nothing. Success to me is being able to work with young people and help build the media professionals of the future.

 

S: What can we look forward to from your brand in the future?

A: Amy media has a lot of plans for the future and a big part of this is growth in Nigeria as a personality and a brand. We are working on our first official event- Wet n Wild Ultimate beach party in Lagos this year. We are also partnering with a fashion brand in Nigeria to launch an amazing platform that will revolutionise the media/event industry in Nigeria as well as create opportunities for talented young people.

 

S: Any last words?

A: Do not ever say I can’t before you try. There are many talents in people that they do not ever act on or explore. Find people that can be honest with you and inspire you to do better. Have people around you that you can learn from! Keep your head up and continuously push for what you want!

 

Wow! Truly an inspiration I must say. If there’s anything I’ve taken from this interview with Amy, it’s that it’s essential to be yourself whilst producing quality and consistent work. It might be a struggle or take time, but in time, the pendulum will swing your way! I’ll definitely remember these wise words the next time I think of moaning about progress 😀

Follow her  Website   Facebook   Instagram   Twitter    Soundcloud

Email- info@myamymedia.com

 

I’d love to leave you with this little wisdom from Karl Marx, the great Sociologist and Philosopher. He described four main ways in which man is alienated in the domain of work due to society’s structure. He enthused that man is alienated from the object he produces, from the process of production, from himself, and from the community of his fellows.

However, I believe that in this regard, the young creatives that are featured in the YAMI series, by steering their own directives in life and work, surpass this alienation of man.

 

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