My Career Journey: From My First Camera to Running a Global Agency

People often tell me I’m lucky. And honestly? I agree.

I consider myself incredibly fortunate to earn a living doing exactly what I love: creating. Today, I run a boutique marketing agency and work as a social media influencer, but this life didn’t happen overnight. In fact, my career started long before "influencer" was even a buzzword.

It began when I was just 14 years old, living in Almaty. I remember the mix of nerves and excitement as I uploaded my very first video to YouTube. At the time, my parents didn’t quite know how to react. They had no idea what a "YouTuber" was - was it a hobby? A distraction? Something dangerous? Despite their confusion, they chose to be supportive. They bought me my first camera and tripod, and more importantly, they became my first audience. My mom watched every single video. She was the one I celebrated with when I hit my first 10 subscribers, then 100, and eventually 10,000.

By the time I graduated high school and moved to China for university, I had grown a community of 20,000 subscribers and was earning a small stream of income through the YouTube Partner Program.

The Hustle Years

At university, I surprised a lot of people by majoring in PME (Philosophy, Mathematics, and Economics). While I loved the academic challenge, I craved something more abstract and creative. I wanted to dive into marketing.

During my sophomore year, I landed an internship at a startup in Shanghai. There was just one catch: I lived on campus in Haining. The commute was a grueling four-hour journey involving a bus, a train, and the metro. It wasn't easy. I was studying full-time, working part-time as a tutor, and sacrificing sleep to make it all work. Every cent I earned went right back into train tickets.

Financially, I broke even. But experientially? I was rich. I gained my first real colleagues, my first real work cases, and the grit required to survive in this industry. This was before the era of Instagram Reels, TikTok, or AI tools. I had to figure it all out by myself, learning the hard way, one step at a time.

The Pivot Point

My senior year was supposed to be a victory lap. Instead, COVID-19 brought the world to a halt. The pandemic took so much from me during that time. I lost my grandfather. I lost the ability to return to China to graduate properly. I lost my job. We had left our dorms for winter vacation thinking we’d be back in a few weeks; instead, our rooms stayed frozen in time, filled with belongings we never got to retrieve.

I found myself back in my childhood bedroom in Almaty - the same room where I started my YouTube channel years prior. I was crushed. It felt like my future had evaporated.

Running low on savings, I took a local job in Almaty, but it turned into a nightmare of a toxic environment and harassment. I knew I deserved better. I quit, took a deep breath, and decided to bet on myself as a freelancer.

That decision changed everything. I found my first clients online quickly. The workload grew so fast that I had to hire an assistant, then another. Suddenly, I looked around at my team of five and realised: I’m not just a freelancer anymore. We are an agency.

Embracing My Voice

As the world began to open up again, I refused to stay stagnant. I applied to universities in Hong Kong and won a scholarship for a Visual Studies program. It was a magical year of studying art, film, and videography. I followed that up with a Master’s degree in Business Management at HKBU, which included an incredible study trip to France to learn from European heritage brands.

All the while, my agency was growing in the background. But the biggest explosion in my career came when I made a personal change: I started posting content in English.

For the longest time, I was terrified to do this. English is my third language, and I was self-conscious about my accent. It was my husband who shifted my perspective. He told me that my accent wasn't a flaw - it was a unique feature. He reminded me that speaking four languages is a superpower, not something to hide.

So, I took the leap. The growth was explosive. Yes, there were negative comments, but they were drowned out by thousands of kind, loving followers and incredible opportunities. I began working with dream brands like Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier, Huda Beauty, and Charlotte Tilbury.

A Note to My Younger Self

Half a year ago, I stumbled across a photo of myself at 19. Looking at that girl, I couldn't hold back the tears. I remembered how hard she was on herself, how worried she was about the future.

If I could go back, I would tell her that she was doing everything right. I was always loyal to my dreams. I always did what I loved, and I did it with my whole heart. I didn't know exactly how my career would turn out, but I knew I wanted my work to be about creation, never destruction.

And looking at where I am today? I can happily say: It worked.

Written by Madina Malikova