We were lucky to catch up with Giovanna Ferri recently and have shared our conversation below.
Giovanna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
I am so much happier working as a creative than I have been in any other job. I used to manage a specialty coffee shop in NYC and although I loved the environment and my coworkers, I hated having to meet sales goals and having to be so focused on the numbers all the time, whether it was labor costs, cost of goods or upselling, it just wasn’t for me. I love promoting products that I actually love and use myself in my creative business because I myself am using them every day so it just feels very natural to me, vs at a sales based job having to constantly upsell people who have already told you what they want. I think of my makeup selling as more sharing my favorite things, rather than trying to trick someone into buying something so I can meet a sales goal.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am a digital creator on Instagram, YouTube & TikTok, with IG being my largest platform with 92K+ followers. I love sharing graphic liner tips and tutorials, but I also put a big focus on fun over perfection when it comes to makeup. I want my community to feel like they can try colorful makeup for the first time and not be afraid to fail, because makeup is art and there is no wrong way to do it. I am most proud of the many comments and DM’s I’ve gotten from people who said I gave them the confidence to try graphic liner for the first time and how confident it made them feel. I started experimenting with graphic liner myself back in 2020 when we were on lockdown and I wasn’t so afraid of what other people would think since I wasn’t leaving the house. Now I wear bold makeup everywhere because my makeup looks take way too long to wash off before going out lol. I also frequently share how creative makeup has helped me to deal with anxious thoughts. Taking an hour to focus on creating a look and nothing else gives me so much mental clarity. I feel makeup is definitely a form of art therapy for me.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative makeup artist has been seeing people recreate my looks or creative new looks inspired by mine. It is one thing to build an online community and to feel like I have all of these friends all over the world, but to actually see the makeup looks that I created on their faces is just mind blowing. It makes it feel real. I feel such a sense of community with my followers that goes beyond just recognizing handles. I can be a bit shy in real life and don’t always go out of my way to make friends, but I really feel like I’ve found my people online.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
When I first started “blowing up” on Instagram, it was from a lot of tutorials where I was very professional and didn’t show much personality. I made a big pivot last year when I started talking in my videos instead of just using trending audios or songs. I lost some followers, but I also gained a lot of people who liked me for me and not just for the makeup I was wearing which was really cool. I think authenticity is the most important thing when building an online community. If you’re more focused on what you “should be” doing than what actually lights you up, then you’ll burnout easily. I find that authenticity is the best tool for creating a sustainable brand.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glamgio_nyc/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/giovannaferri
- Other: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@glamgio_nyc