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Influencer Spotlight: Sensible Stylista with Kimberly Kong
Kimberly Kong is a Korean-American go-getter that's based in the DMV. She's a classical pianist by day and a lifestyle blogger by night. Kimberly started Sensible Stylista to share her passion for glam living on a budget. Her blog spotlights great deals on beauty, fashion, food and more. She also co-founded a second blog called Nomtastic Foods which showcases delicious eats all across the country. Kimberly graduated with her doctorate in piano performance last year, and since then, has been working as a social media manager for top restaurants in the DMV area, freelancing as a food photographer, and also was Thrillist's DC segment of $5 Lunch. BabbleBoxx most recently partnered with Sensible Stylista for a virtual happy hour at home featuring a picture perfect old fashioned for DeKuyper Cordials. We caught up with Kimberly to learn more about the history of her blog, her favorite tools for content creation and what’s next for her.   What inspired you to become a content creator? Kimberly: I've been a creative all my life - I got my PHD in piano performance and attended schools like Juilliard and Peabody - and blogging was yet another channel for me to express myself. It's been an amazing journey, and I've had the opportunity to collaborate with some truly talented people. What would you do differently as an influencer if you could start from the beginning again? Kimberly: I'd have a much more specific niche from the getgo and have higher quality images from the start. List 3 things you must know when starting out as an influencer. Kimberly: Your mission, your target demographic, and your posting schedule to ensure consistency. What are the most important steps people can take to convert their influence from a passion project to a source of income? Kimberly: Diversify your income and brainstorm unique ways to market yourself. What are your 3 favorite tools for content creation? Kimberly: Plann, Lightroom, and Canva. What social media platform do you receive the most engagement on and why? Kimberly: Facebook. I have over a million followers on that platform, and my readers there are highly engaged. Which other influencer has had the most influence on your growth and why? Kimberly: This is tricky because it's hard to just choose one. I'm constantly inspired by my incredible influencer friends. What has been your biggest campaign success story? Why do you think it was a success? Kimberly: I'm most proud of landing my year-long ambassadorship with Olay! I've been a huge fan of their products for five-ever so when they reached out to partner with me, I was beyond thrilled. It was also my first high 5 figure deal which was huge for me. How has networking played a part in your success as an influencer? Kimberly: Part of what I love is connecting with new people, and by collaborating and genuinely getting to know fellow creatives in a sincere and non-social-ladder-climbing way, a lot of opportunities have popped up, which I'm grateful for. What event, opportunity, or business venture are you most proud of being a part of that would not have come your way if you weren't an influencer? Kimberly: I got to be Thrillist's DC's host for their series $5 lunch! Be sure to follow along with Kimberly's adventures on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook.   We want to hear your story! Do you consider yourself an expert on how to become an influencer? Submit your success story for the chance to be featured in an upcoming blog post. You can also apply to be part of our Beyond the Boxx podcast. COMPLETE THIS INTERVIEW FORM FOR CONSIDERATION