Wang, too, had a stint in radio–all of eight years–her first foray into the entertainment industry. For her, it was the beginning of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel after some traumatic, ‘survival mode’ years of having nothing to her name or bank account. But through radio, she found a leg-up that would pave the way for her to become a content creator.

“The funny thing, it wasn’t something I took too seriously or thought would be my thing until the Covid-19 pandemic happened. I feel like I gradually got into it so it wasn’t something I pursued very specifically. I’ve always been dedicated to my craft as a host and at the time, a radio host. When I was in radio, we were given KPIs each year. One of them was to hit a certain amount of followers on Instagram. I had to make sure I put up content to garner followers and that’s how it all started,” she says.

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In speaking about choosing it as a career path, Wang says it chose her. “The words of encouragement I got over the years from my followers and audience gave me confidence. I eventually found my place and slowly started to take it a lot more seriously. Of course, I won’t lie, money was also a big part at first. I didn’t grow up with a lot and for a long time, I struggled to pay my bills. When I realised that content creation could be an avenue to help me improve my livelihood, I started putting more intention and attention to improving my craft,” she reveals, adding that she’s very much driven by the impact and value her content brought to her community.

Leaving radio and venturing into content creation full-time was a different ball game and no walk in the park. After walking out of the radio station for the last time, Jin would go on to focus on YouTube for 10 years, producing skits, short films, a full-length feature film, and more recently, a podcast.

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“Back then, it wasn’t as competitive and that’s not necessarily a good thing. When I started YouTube, no brands knew how to work with us. We were charging north of RM10,000 [about USD2,250] for a video and they thought it was too expensive. We were also really insecure so we’d keep lowering the budget. But we realised that people in the production world were charging half a million ringgit! It was tough educating people because I think they were apprehensive about putting advertising money on platforms they weren’t familiar with,” he says.

“At the same time, we did work with some amazing clients, and it allowed me to understand the potential growth in this industry where… for example, every person that appeared in our videos grew a following and brands started reaching out to them to engage them for paid content. When I saw that opportunity, I started a division that’s now run by my wife, Michelle, to sign the talents that we work with such as Josephine, Arvind, and Brandon (@jyjosephine, @aforarwind, and @itsbrandonho respectively on Instagram). We built it from scratch, bridging brands with the likes of influencers, creators, YouTubers, Instagrammers, and KOLs, and started monetising this untapped industry,” he adds.

Wang officially hung up her radio headset in 2019 to not only pursue content creation full-time but also to chase her other dream–fitness–all while managing the new career path that chose her, which allowed her to grow in leaps and bounds and in ways that she had never expected.

“Although it hasn't been that long ago, so much has changed in such a short time. I think things were so much simpler when I first started. Lesser platforms—TikTok didn’t exist yet—much less complicated metrics, and algorithms were never a thing! It’s a lot more competitive now, but with more competition, there are also more opportunities than ever before. Just this year alone, I went to five countries and they were all work trips–I am so, so grateful. I’m not sure if opportunities like these existed before,” Wang enthuses.

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But the social media space is ever-evolving, constantly challenging influencers who are trying to stay relevant and top of mind. How does someone like Wang, who juggles multiple areas in her career, keep up? “I just evolve and flow with it. I feel that if you’re too set in your ways, you may find yourself in a space where you may no longer be relevant and that’s the cold, hard truth that I’ve learned. The sweet spot is understanding the trend but also tailoring it to you, like… your sense of self,” she says.

“Don’t do what everyone is already doing. Find what works for you, understand the trend, and apply it to what’s already yours. That’s how I do it although it’s still very much a work in progress, just like everyone else.”

They say “being real is the new aesthetic” and both Lim and Wang, having carved out their own corners of the Malaysian internet, reach tens of thousands of followers on their Instagram accounts daily. How do they stay their best authentic selves in a world that’s notorious for being heavily filtered and superficial for years while adding value to their lives and also their followers’ lives?

“What is an influencer? To be honest, I'm not sure who came up with that terminology because when I started, nobody knew what to label me. They knew me as, ‘Oh, that’s Jin from radio but he does YouTube’ and suddenly there was this label. Influencers don’t grow because of brand collaborations–they grow because of something they created that probably intrigued an audience. So, there’s some sort of responsibility as a creator because I always believe that where we are today is in the hands of the viewers and the fans. They made us who we are today, they made us famous because they followed, and it’s their numbers that made us recognisable to brands. If I’m working with a brand, I have to be completely upfront, and it has to bring an added entertainment value to my audience,” Lim explains.

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“If something isn’t aligned with my values, I won’t do it no matter how tempting the deal is. I think it’s easy to let money influence our decision these days which is why I try my absolute best to stay grounded to my principles whenever I take up jobs. When it comes to content, I suppose the same principle applies. Don’t say things because ‘it’s the cool thing to do’ but because you want to and you know your why. I think that’s very important. Also, the one thing I often ask myself is, ‘If this piece of content isn’t going to have any likes, comments, or validation, will I still say or do the same thing?’ If my answer is no, I will think twice about putting it out,” Wang shares.

"Well, for me has always been the same–to be the voice I never had. To speak up when it matters and to stand for something. I feel that’s my purpose–to create this safe space where people from all walks of life can come together and feel comfortable exchanging their stories and feel, hopefully, less alone,” Wang says.

“I grew up quite lonely and had quite a difficult upbringing. Social media was not as accessible as the way it is today and I’ve always wondered, ‘What would happen if I had some sort of friend or voice I could go to when I felt lonely or lost? Would my life have turned out differently? That’s how ‘to be the voice I never had’ came about… for my younger self. And it has been my principle since day one and for as long as I can remember.” 

Science of Success is dedicated to exploring the principles and practices that lead to achievement in various fields. Through insightful interviews, expert tips and practical techniques, the series delves into the experiences and perspectives of successful individuals, providing readers with strategies to enhance their own paths to success and unlock their full potential. New stories are out every Thursday.

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