Creator Spotlight: Omotayo’s passion, career, and everything in between.

Before this interview, I looked up the meaning of Omotayo and discovered it meant “A child is a bundle of joy,” and every moment we spent talking was joyful.

Every creator has a humble beginning, a phase in which they begin to get things right, and a moment of stardom. Sharing these stories not only brings you closer to the creators by understanding their journeys, but it also changes the way you see them as their followers, fans, or colleagues. Behind the glam, success, and fame is someone who works tirelessly and occasionally stumbles along the way.
So, in this episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Omotayo, also known as The Natural Omotayo, and, as her name suggests, it was a conversation that sparked a lot of joy and provided some great insights.

I read your content and found it very interesting. Because I have natural hair, I am automatically a fan of content creators who focus on natural hair. So, how did “The Natural Omotayo” journey begin?

Awwww, it’s lovely meeting new people who have natural hair. I have been creating natural hair videos since 2016.
I started my natural hair journey with the help of my mum. She told me to transition from relaxed to natural hair because it was what was trending back then. So I went with her advice.
From there my curiosity started because natural hair was new to me and my natural hair was also different from other people’s own.
I was interested in learning how to take care of it, style it and grow my hair to tailbone length 😅 (we are getting there).

So, please tell me a little about yourself.

Okay, my name is Omotayo Olasoji. I am a Gen Z 😅 and the firstborn in my family. When I was younger many people used to call me and my siblings “Cinco,” which means “Chinese,” because they thought we looked like Chinese children with our tiny eyelids and fair complexion. As I grew older and began my natural hair journey, people began to ask if I was half-cast, but I am not 😅. My parents are both from Osun state, specifically Ile-Ife.

What’s the inspiration behind the brand “The Natural Omotayo”

Well, I have had a couple of name changes in the past from “natural_t.y” to “omoty123” but I just recently changed my username to “The Natural Omotayo”. I choose this name because it’s sophisticated and has a combination of my name and natural which stands for “natural hair” in it. Plus I plan on keeping this name longer.

What else do you do besides run your creative business?

I have a part-time job through NYSC, but I’m still trying to find a balance between working 9–5 and creating social media content.

Okay, how has attempting to balance both been?

It has been difficult. I realised I’m not very good at planning, scheduling, or meeting deadlines. So I took a break from content creation to figure out how to strike a balance between the two. Right now, I’m looking for a new job, so I’m putting more effort into my 9–5 job, learning new skills, and attempting to take an online course.
Because this is taking up a lot of my time right now, I intend to focus on it for a while, and if it proves successful, I will develop a schedule to help me fit in my content creation work.
Content creation is another job that I am interested in, but if I don’t balance the two well, I will become stressed out, which happens frequently to me.

How do you intend to strike this balance?

Okay, I intend to treat both my 9–5 job and my work as a content creator as jobs. I intend to keep a daily planner or notepad in which I will write down any ideas that come to mind. I also plan to create a calendar in which I will schedule the video I want to make, the idea, and the tools, such as hair products, costumes, and so on. Also, when should a video be posted. I’m still considering other options, but it’s a work in progress.

So, you mentioned earlier that you began your full-fledged content creation journey in 2016, how has that journey been?

My content creation journey has been up and down like this graphic emoji 📈. I didn’t take my journey seriously at first. I was just passing the time. I was young and enjoyed making videos to showcase my creative side as well as how I care for my natural hair.
During that time, I also started university. So I became preoccupied with classes and assignments, but I still managed to create content while at school. I was also inconsistent, but my social media platform was growing.
Then I graduated from university and began to take content creation more seriously, as well as figuring out how to make money from it. Getting brands and negotiating payment has been difficult. Most brands work with an agency, and they do not always pay creators. But that doesn’t stop me from reaching out to other brands and creating content based on current trends.

When did you decide to start monetising your creativity?

My journey to monetise content creation started while I was in my final year of school. Because I was almost done with school so I was thinking of different ways I could earn money.
I have earned just a few amounts but nothing much or major. But I see this as something I can improve and earn more money at.

What are your best and worst moments as a content creator in your chosen field?

My best moment as a content creator was when I got invited to the L’oreal hair product launch. I was pleasantly surprised to receive an invitation and to have the opportunity to meet other natural hair creatives. I mostly see creatives online, but this is my first time meeting them in person. I’m not sure I’ve had my worst moment yet. But I believe my worst moments are when my equipment breaks down or stops working. It becomes irritating, and I must find ways to improvise while creating content.

Still on the topic of monetisation, I noticed you have an e-book; how do you make money from your creative business other than digital items?

Oh, yes. I created the e-book during the COVID-19 period. I also used to get a lot of comments and dm’s on how to transition from relaxed to natural hair. This inspired me to create the e-book.
Unfortunately, the e-book hasn’t sold that much. I tried marketing it when I launched the book and all but not many people have bought the book. This just made me think e-books are not for me but I still have an idea to create another e-book on natural hair when the inspiration comes and also ensure I sell out on this one.
Right now I try to make money from working with brands in creating content or being a model for natural hair brands.

So what’s your favourite work or project and why?

Hhhmmm, this seems similar to my best moment in content creation.

I will go with the project or collaboration I did with L’oreal Paris. This is a well-known hair care brand. They came to Lagos, Nigeria, for the launch, and it was an honour to be invited to my first product launch 🚀.

Being there inspired me to work harder and make a difference with my creative content. The sky is our limit.

How do you use Fidia?

I can’t remember clearly but I knew more about Fidia through Tutu Adetunmbi and the African Creators podcast. The more my favourite creators talked about the platform the more interested I was in trying it out plus it’s a Nigerian brand and I am here to support Nigerian businesses.

Now I use Fidia on all my social media platforms. I use Fidia as a link in my bio to direct people to other links that I have and discount code links. I also use Fidia as my digital portfolio to show my creative works and brands I have worked with through the gallery feature.

What’s your favourite Fidia feature and why?

My favourite Fidia feature is the payment feature 💰. Where I can ask my community or audience to support my creative journey by tipping me. This is something different and unique. I don’t see it everywhere and it’s an easy way to make creators happy 😊.

Is there any feature you wished existed on Fidia?

Hhhmmmm 🤔, I can’t think of a feature now but a feature that connects a creator to its audience (I am just thinking of my head right now).

Any parting words or words of advice for creators?

Every creator is unique and that’s what makes us special in this creator journey. Keep striving forward, the best reward is yet to come.