We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Vitalijs Osipenko. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Vitalijs below.
Vitalijs, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
So, my creative work’s definitely my source of income. I am a content creator and film producer and let me tell you – it can be such a hustle to be able to thrive creatively while maintaining financial stability. My biggest piece of advice for an aspiring creative, blogger, artist or producer would be to grind like crazy and keep your mind open to new ways to meet clients. Hard work doesn’t always pay off so you have to be socially engaged as well. Part of my job is to attend social events where I can network and meet other creatives. Exposing yourself to new people and ideas brings you new opportunities. Here’s the kicker though – I am an introvert. Sometimes it takes stepping out of your comfort zone and your little bubble to succeed in creative fields. Taking risks is crucial to the way we evolve and how our work evolves as well. So be well-rounded in different facets of your life, be willing to step out of your comfort zone and take risks, you never know how things are going to turn out!
I started my blog in February 2021 after a very traumatic breakup. When I say traumatic trust me you can not even imagine how and what I went thru with that toxic relationship. I needed a new project to be excited about and to distract myself from my personal life. I had been a fan of skincare for 5+ years prior to that. So my decision to start my page came from my desire to run away from my problems and celebrate what makes me happy – being creative. If you are ever in a dark place please try and turn your pain into something beautiful and meaningful to you. That’s an amazing way to stay motivated thru life’s challenges! It’s never easy but let your creative spirit guide you towards success.
Vitalijs, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Totally, so I am an artist! I am a conntent creator on Instagram and Tik Tok and I do creative work in film (literally from scriptwritting to producing to editing). Obviously the two go hand-in-hand together nowadays so it was an ovbious choice for me to combine two of my biggest passions! When it comes to my content it’s mostly about skincare, lifestyle and just things that make you feel good. I really enjoy promoting the idea of self-care and helping people live out their most authentic lives. I believe that skincare and beauty in general is an amazing way to show love and appreciation for yourself and that’s why I’m so passionate about it. So I make content for my followers/industry insiders but I also help brands promote their products, generate hype around their newest releases and attend influencer events to show my support for brands. It sounds really easy and I guess perhaps even “lazy” in a way but it’s really not.
It takes an enourmous amount of time, hard word and most importanly trust from your audience to be successful in this field. It’s also fair to say that my work is different from your “average” content creator I would say. I went to art school for this you know? My work and my posts are like paintings. I carefully assemble them and try to tell a story not just sell a product. My audience/followers/fellow content creators see it too. That’s probably my biggest source of joy and inspiration – my audience. I have a genuine very real relationship with them. They trust me and I trust them. That’s the most important part. Being unique makes you interesting but being honest and well-intentioned with your audience gives you something more valuable – trust and engagement. I am blessed with both and so many other things.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
This is super easy – being an inspirational figure to other people. Over the course of these last … not even two years I received hundreds of the most heartwarming DMs! Some people find my content inspirational and they aspire to be where I am – I am always flattered but I am just doing me you know? I am not chasing after bigger audiences or anything. I mean don’t get me wrong I would love to have more followers/opportunities and stuff but that’s never the goal. The goal is to be impactful, to leave a mark on somebody’s life in a positive way – and I do. Some people came out because I inspired them to, as a gay man myself that’s honestly the ultimate reward for me, I am honored that I can give people that courage. Some people find my content inspirational and it helps them navigate though their life (social anxiety, loneliness, self-love). Some people are just grateful for introducing them to new products that help them achieve their skin goals. Regardless it is always a journey discovering how I impact lives. Moments like that are hands down the most rewarding aspect of what I do.
On a completely different note it’s also a pretty cool feeling to be able to creatively convey brand’s vision when they hire you. It’s super rewarding to see other people, not even neccesarilly your followers admire and appreciate your work. That reminds me of how far I have come as an artist. To be able to work with some of the biggest and most ethical brands on the planet is super rewarding.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
In all honesty it keeps changing! I always strive for more success and push myself forward so my goals are ever-evolving! At one point my goal was to reach 1.000 followers on IG, then it became 3.000, then receiving PR from brands, then getting invited to events/parties. Up until Summer 2022 my goal was also to work with and meet my hero in the cosmetic industry – the one and only Kate Somerville. Kate is pretty much the Madonna of the skincare world, she is a truly groundbreaking and legendary brand founder, esthetician and businesswoman. Guess what? It happened a few months ago actually, I met her. One of the most magical moments of my life. So at this stage my goal is to just continue honing my craft, becoming a better storyteller, celebrating the world of creative arts and impacting more lives in a possitive way!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thevzone.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skincarecharmer/?hl=en