DUBAI: “I do wish people would see that there’s so much more than pretty pictures and videos that go into some content creators’ pages,” said Dubai-based influencer and entrepreneur Eljammi Gozalli said as she spoke to Arab News about her business ventures and how she has learned to deal with negativity on social media.
Unlike what social media users may think, her life is not all about playing dress up. At 28 years old, Gozalli — originally from Azerbaijan — has established three businesses in the UAE: A salon called GlamJam Beauty Bar, which she opened in 2020; a home beauty service app called GlamJam Xpress, which she launched in 2018; and a makeup academy that she closed down in 2019.
“I think a lot of people don’t know that it’s a very competitive industry, and at the same time very stressful,” said the businesswoman, who has been living in the UAE for 13 years.
“You have to always be on top of trends within your field. Whether it’s fashion or beauty, you have to make sure you’re not just a pretty face, but you actually influence and inspire people to do and be better.”
Gozalli started her blogging career in 2014, and has faced challenges along the way. “I think staying true to yourself (is a challenge), because social media sometimes expects you to be perfect and in a great mood at all times. But we’re all human beings in the end, and we all have bad and good days,” she said.
“I’m too focused on my vision and plans for my company and myself … It’s impossible to be liked by everybody,” she added.
“I believe the bigger you get, unfortunately you do start to receive more negativity. So throughout my social media experience, I’ve learned to mentally block myself from any negativity.”
Gozalli was open with her followers on Instagram about why she decided to close down her first business venture, the beauty academy.
One of the things she learnt from that experience was to know “when to let go of something when it no longer serves you right.”
She said people nowadays are either self-taught makeup artists or they learn the skills digitally, which is why the academy did not succeed.
Gozalli added that when she launched GlamJam Xpress, “the response was way more overwhelming than the beauty academy, so I understood that it’s time to let go and focus on something that has much bigger potential.”
She advised other young influencers who are willing to start their own business to “take their time. Break down your idea from A to Z, and find a public figure who did a similar business and learn how they did it. That would give a lot of insight and even more aspiration.”
She added: “If you’re really passionate about what you do, it will always pay off. Just be patient and don’t lose hope. Greatness never comes fast and easy.”
