It’s no secret that influencers have become a part of marketing and publicity campaigns. If you have a platform with reach, there is a chance that many businesses will be interested—as well as the masses. What is the key to influencing? Natural hair influencer Tara Gyemibi aka Mz Tara Bell says it’s about authenticity. “I believe you have to be authentic and you have to be very genuine,” Gyemibi told So Booking Cool.
“Don’t over-force it, you know, ‘just because everybody is doing it, I have to do it.’ No. Just really analyze why you want to do it, go back to the reason why you want to do it. What is it that you’re trying to convey or portray to other people? What is it that you want them to see or what is it you want to share with them, or influence them on, to inspire them? Just really be truthful to yourself before you start.”
Gyemibi, who was born in the United States and raised in Ghana, says her goal is to get more people to fall in love with their natural hair. Even once many women transition from chemicals like relaxers to natural hair, it is a journey for them to welcome the change. Gyemibi recalls her own experience. “Even though I’ve been natural for about a total seven years now, I wasn’t necessarily embracing it in the sense that even though I had natural hair, I was still wearing weaves and wigs to cover it up or I would still get blowouts because I wasn’t still comfortable with the look of natural hair.”
In addition to influencing her nearly 25,000 followers (on Instagram alone), Gyemibi is a Pharm.D/MBA Candidate and registered respiratory therapist. Her hard work and determination stems from her childhood. Even then, she was considered an “overachiever.” In our interview, Gyemibi discusses how she balances the different roles in her life, including relationships (she is engaged).
Listen to the interview to learn more about Gyemibi, her thoughts on how the natural hair community can improve, including more representation among Africans, her favorite books and whether she foresees herself becoming an author; the best way to reach her target audience; and more on her journey as an influencer. For more information, visit Gyemibi on YouTube.