The Business of South Asian Influencing
Money. Fame. Power. Content creators seem to have it all. But for those in the diaspora, pursuing it as a full-time career isn’t as easy.
Deepa Sharma, a 25-year-old Nepali American management consultant, started posting videos on TikTok in 2022, when she moved to Washington D.C. Initially, her videos focused on TikTok challenges, but eventually, they were about her weekends, job, and experiences as a South Asian woman.
After a couple of months, Sharma noticed regular viewers in the comments. She gained over 30,000 followers and negotiated deals with brands like skincare giant Olay. For Sharma, this was a dream come true — as a kid, she would obsess over beauty gurus filming their skincare and makeup hauls.
There are now thousands of South Asian influencers like Sharma, from the Jikaria Sisters, known for their Bollywood dance videos, and Queen Simba, known for her comedy videos. But how did influencing become a viable career path for South Asians? And with rapidly changing trends and a potential U.S. ban of TikTok, how secure is the profession anyway?