We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nadia Ghahkenshah. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nadia below.

Nadia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

It is the summer of 2018 and I have a very important decision to make. Do I stay in my hospital laboratory job – the “responsible” job that pays well and fits into the “ideal” career path for someone coming from the Middle East? Or do I take the risk and turn my filmmaking hobby into a career and take the videographer job – the creative job that is definitely more intimidating and could possibly ruin my passion for filmmaking?

I chose to take the risk. It essentially came down to not wanting to always wonder, “What if?” It was not an easy decision at all, but it was one I knew I had to make.

That first job as a full-time filmmaker and creative had plenty of ups and downs. There were moments it completely destroyed my love of filmmaking and I wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. But there were so many more moments where it sparked inspiration and joy. It was the first time I got to collaborate with other creatives, which was still intimidating since I did not have as much experience, but it also so informative and fulfilling.

The first year after the career switch, I went back and forth over whether or not I made the right decision. Four years later, however, I am sure I did. I became a person I never thought possible, have had so many incredible adventures around the world, and built amazing friendships – all because I decided to take that risk.

Nadia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi. I am Nadia, a former scientist turned filmmaker. I specialize in online video content creation, which basically means I make videos on the internet. My two biggest passions in life are movies and traveling. So I created two YouTube channels called Reel Misfits and Travel Misfits.

Unfortunately, I do not often find people who share my love of movies in my everyday life; that is why I love attending comic cons so much. But comic cons are not accessible to everyone so I wanted to create almost like a virtual comic con where people from all over the world can meet and connect over their unapologetic love for movies and TV shows. That is how Reel Misfits began.

I currently live in the Midwest, but I am also from Amman, Jordan. I have been traveling around the world since I was 9 months old and absolutely love connecting with people from different places and backgrounds. I was lucky enough to attend a high school where my class had 29 students from 20 different countries. That was one of the most valuable experiences of my life. But not everyone is fortunate enough to travel or connect with people from different countries. So I created Travel Misfits to share my adventures and create a diverse online community. I wanted to show people, especially in the Western world, what life in Jordan and as a Muslim is like. In addition, I wanted to learn about new cultures and traditions. One of my followers even sent me candy to try from her home of Finland.

I have met some incredible people in real life and online through these channels and have had some amazing opportunities along the way. I am very grateful that I was afforded the opportunity to film in Jordan and Egypt for a project that brought science education to the refugee camps. I also got to ride in a hot air balloon over the set of Star Wars during that trip. A year later, I entered an international filmmaking competition, My Rode Reel, and won “Best Vlog”.

I am currently working on expanding my Reel Misfits brand into an online store where I will sell geeky crafts. I hope to one day soon be self-employed, working on this store and my videos. Until then, I also work full-time lending my videography and video editing services to clients.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

When I started uploading videos to my YouTube channel 10 years ago, I did not have a plan or anything. It was just a fun hobby. However, over the years as I continued to upload, I started to build an audience of like-minded people. I was lacking positive connections in my everyday life, but I was finding a community within my audience. So I decided to continue to grow my channels with the mission of fostering strong, positive communities. I renamed my channels: Reel Misfits and Travel Misfits.

These are communities of people who feel like they might not belong. Maybe because they are seen as too artsy, too geeky, too passionate, too ambitious, or too weird. They are misfits, which is great because that means they belong with all the other misfits – myself included.

My goal for Reel Misfits was to feel like an online comic con where people could connect and geek out over movies, TV shows, and pop culture. Travel Misfits was made to feel like my international high school experience where people from all over the world could learn from each other’s cultures and lives. I share my life as a Jordanian in the United States and an American in Jordan. I make vlogs about Muslim holidays as well as my travels around the US and abroad.

The best advice I can give for building an audience is to be authentic. You can get inspiration from other creators, but you should try not to compare yourself to them because your voice is unique and you are on a different path. I still struggle with this sometimes, but I find that the more you create, the more you solidify your voice. Like-minded people will find you and truly connect with your content.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

As a creative, I get to see the world through a different perspective. I am a very introverted person and I often get anxious in social situations. But when I pick up a camera, it’s like I’m an entirely different person. Suddenly, I have the courage to walk right up to strangers and ask them questions, trying to connect and tell a story. I have connected with some incredible people because of this.

I find myself more aware and appreciative of my surroundings, constantly searching for a story I can tell. I love to turn the mundane into exciting adventures through visual storytelling. It keeps everyday life so much more entertaining and helps me create lifetime memories. If someone else is able to connect with and enjoy the videos as well, that is just a bonus.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.reel-misfits.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelmisfits/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reelmisfits
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghahknadia/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReelMisfits
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/reelmisfits
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/travelmisfits https://www.tiktok.com/@reelmisfits

Image Credits
Jansom Ghahkenshah Douglas Wicker