Today we’d like to introduce you to Penda Sarr.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Penda. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
About 3 years ago, I gained a lot of weight. My doctor had suggested I change my lifestyle, as he did not want to me have some health complications. During my first year of university, I started going to the gym regularly and eating healthy meals. During this transformation, I became more comfortable going into stores and trying on clothes in the fitting room. However, the problem was I did not necessarily know how to style them. So, I decided to follow fashion accounts and bloggers on social media, and start reading more magazines. As that happened, I began to develop a personal sense of style and use that as a way to express myself. At the end of my sophomore year, I wanted to create a platform where I could share my style and provide tips to people, that’s where the blog came in. I first started out as a style blogger, and eventually, I added a beauty component to it as well. Today, I combine the two because I believe that style and beauty go hand in hand. It’s a way for me to show people who I am and what I like.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It wasn’t always a smooth road. My biggest problem when I was starting out was finding photographers who would work with me. I didn’t know anyone who had experience shooting style bloggers but eventually, I stepped out of my comfort zone, did some research, and found a few people to work with. Another struggle was posing in public. Becoming confident in myself was a long journey so in the beginning, I hated outdoor shoots because it was in front of everyone and I just wasn’t comfortable. Ironically enough, as time went by, doing photoshoots for my blogposts and posing in front of the camera is actually what helped me gain confidence. At some point, you just have to stop caring about what other people will think and just do what you want.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about pendasarr.com – what should we know?
My blog is focused on style and beauty. I like to provide my readers with outfit ideas, lookbooks, beauty tips, reviews, etc. What I’m most proud of is the fact that I managed to grow my blog, despite being a full-time student. It becomes hard sometimes, being involved in academia as well being a part of the fashion and beauty industry because the two don’t really go together. I think what sets me apart is my multicultural background. I’ve lived all over the world and I think that’s really helped me grow and attract new readers. Apart from that, I am a bit of perfectionist. I always make sure to do my research so I can provide my readers with the best and most accurate information, and high quality blogposts.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I think what is most important to my success is the fact that I am always myself. I don’t follow others and I don’t mold into something people want me to be. It’s easy to fall into something like that so I always remember to show my true self to my readers.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pendasarr.com
- Email: sarr.penda@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pendasarr/
Image Credit:
– Mariana Quevedo
– Matthew Leung
– Davide Lodi
– Ajeuro Abala
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