Alisha Taneja of Saffron on Rose does it all and she does it well. She’s a college student, blogger, social media specialist and Instagrammer with 524 thousand followers – it’s safe to say the girl knows how to manage her time.
On top of everything else she has going on – Alisha is a world traveler, documenting her adventures abroad on her Instagram.
Here’s what she has to say…
Tell us what you do in 2 sentences:
I do social media marketing for fashion, lifestyle, and healthcare related brands. I am also the CEO of my own project – Saffron on Rose where I work with top travel, fashion, and beauty brands in the industry .
At what point did you decide the traditional 9-5 office job wasn’t for you?
Even though I am finishing up my final year at UCLA, I have always wanted to be my own boss.
My goal has never been to work an office job. I always want to be in control, be a creative and be producing amazing content.
I want to do something that I love but also help people – I feel like blogging achieves that.
What did you do next?
I think everything just fell into place.
I have had times where I didn’t make anything all month and others where my business boomed.
It’s all about how much time and effort you put into something to get results. So I decided that I wanted this to be my career path. I am currently pursuing it 100 percent with all my time, efforts and resources!
You have an incredible Instagram following – how did you go about growing your account?
Living in Los Angeles, California and having the opportunity to travel the world has helped me greatly.
My first opportunity was a study abroad program in Australia and from there I traveled a total of 6 countries over a couple of months.
I think I would attribute my content to my following.
People want to see the world. They want to see engaging content, they want to see real people, and they want you to be genuine.
I am a normal girl who hustles and follows my dream and I think that influences and inspires others as well. I also treat my followers to giveaways and network with other like-minded creatives which certainly assisted my growth.
It did not happen overnight but it did happen with hard work, strong passion, and dedication.
You can also find Alisha on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
What has been the best part of running your own business?
I love being my own boss.
Having the flexibility to plan out my own schedule is a great plus. I love being able to call the shots professionally and creatively in every new project.
I never feel restricted, and the best part is I enjoy my work, and often do it through the night. I am so motivated that most of the time I never feel the need to unplug from my work.
Were there any struggles you ran into early on in your business? How did you overcome them?
The biggest struggle is balancing school with my full-time business, extracurricular activities, social life, and health and wellness.
I think it’s a struggle still today, but I’ve learned to deal with it and push through.
There have been numerous times I’ve wanted to drop out of university since my business was booming but I put my education first.
It’s all about balance and I don’t regret my decision of doing both.
You’re a social media specialist and you’re great at what you do – what is the number one mistake you see aspiring entrepreneurs making on social media?
I think the number one mistake is to expect results fast.
It takes time to grow and appreciate every little win. Don’t be in a rush.
Also, I think people give up too easily. Even today I send hundreds of emails out and draft them myself and sometimes get no response. My mother taught me how to push and persevere, and keep going. She told me to keep sending emails and keep going even when I was getting rejections.
After that phase, I can understand why people would give up, but you can’t give up and you have to keep going. That’s when you start something real.
I saw you just got back from South Africa – it looked amazing! What is the coolest experience you’ve ever gotten through being an online entrepreneur?
There have been so many – but I think one of the most amazing ones was New York fashion week invitations. I got to attend some of the best shows like Marissa Webb and Desigual.
I was sitting next to some of my idols like Song of Style, Wendy’s Look Book, and Andy. I had tears in my eyes because I never thought I would make it that far.
What advice would you give to other movers and shakers looking to create a business online?
Set achievable goals and move forward. Don’t let set backs get to you, that’s all part of the process.
What are your plans for the future?
My plans are to finish my studies, then move forward with my business full time.
I plan to travel which goes hand in hand with what I’m doing. I also want to do some volunteer work in Africa and India to give back. I will go to graduate school for business in near future.
I know that sounds like a lot but I need to stay motivated and I have a lot to learn!
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