The Road Less Traveled: How Lisa Wei Left Corporate Life and Achieved Success as a Top Content Creator
Jan. 20 2024, Published 5:11 p.m. ET
Today, we often hear about how certain rare individuals leave their careers behind and succeed as content creators. The idea appeals to many trapped in unfulfilling careers or simply dreaming about stepping out and sharing their unique ideas and talents. However, only some people have the courage, persistence, and skills to make this dream a reality. Lisa Wei is one of those rare people who has done just that.
Growing up with parents who wanted her to enter corporate life, Lisa completed one year of Ryerson's fashion program in one summer and then enrolled in a business program. After graduating, this Asian-Canadian realized her parents' dream and took a job in the corporate world at one of the largest telecommunications firms in Canada. She worked there for two years and seemed well on her way to a successful career.
Then Covid hit. The stock market plummeted, and so did her savings. Simultaneously, "a burst of opportunities" appeared for content creation online, something she had been doing since she was in her business program.
During this time, she started a blog that shared stories, but her platform quickly grew, and her audience began to demand photos and videos. Consequently, she began to share her life through vlogs, using her life-long love for shopping as an opportunity to share content about the fashion world. This allowed her to sustain herself during Covid, eventually leading to the end of her corporate career and becoming a full-time influencer.
When she started creating content, she "realized there was a gap between fashion creators who consistently shared their style but not enough creators that would share their life authentically including all the not so pretty moments and struggles." By filling this gap, her content became a massive success and launched her on a new career path.
Today, she is one of the most successful influencers in the fashion industry. She has worked on a paid basis for companies such as Meta, Ray-Ban, Burberry, Mejuri, Blue Jays, Perrier, Amazon Prime, Dove, Crest, Olay, Tresemme, Herbal Essences, and Bobbi brown. Her sales guides drove six-digit revenues for major brands during Black Friday. She was flown to Miami to represent META and Ray-Ban at Art Basel, and she was the keynote speaker for Mejuri influencers, where she coached her audience on affiliate marketing.
While the appeal of her content is broad, her primary target audience is East Asians or individuals with mono-lids or low-nose bridges. These physical traits produce a particular eye shape unique to this group. This shape requires different techniques for applying makeup, and Lisa's makeup routines on YouTube and TikTok have made her one of the go-to people for mono-lid makeup for East Asians.
Having emerged as a leading influencer today, Lisa hopes to start her podcast again, continue building confidence in women, and achieve even greater success.