Meet Eboni Lewis | Fashion Influencer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Eboni Lewis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eboni, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Many people romanticize being a social media influencer and think that we just take pretty pictures. Others believe that influencers are the most confident, outgoing and social people in society. In actuality, similar to myself, there are a large amount of influencers who are introverted and who often challenge themselves to stay consistent and prevalent. All influencers do not enjoy producing content every single day, but it is a business and that strategy is proven to be the most lucrative. Additionally, many outsiders are unaware of the efforts and money influencers must put forth to consistently produce content. For example, I have a full-time job, a husband and child, so my weeks are hectic; I have surrendered many weekends to photoshoots, emails and social outings. As a fashion influencer, I perform all the roles within my business; I am the stylist, personal shopper, public relations, marketing, makeup artist, hairstylist, contract negotiator, accountant and the list goes on! The influencer pay gap is probably one of the most unknown aspects of this business, our industry lacks regulation, thus brands have the autonomy to pay creators whatever they deem appropriate. Data has shown that black women are paid the least and as a black woman I strongly believe that we have to work the hardest. As your audience grows, so does the expectations in regards to content production. Influencers have many people telling them what trends they should do, what brands they should collaborate with, critiquing their style and expecting them to always share the details of their life, which can be emotionally draining at times, but we can never show it. Overall, while becoming an influencer has its perks, it is still a business with an objective to make profit and more effort is behind those aesthetically pleasing posts than it may seem.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets me apart from others in this industry is that I stand firm in who I am and that I will never portray anything other than authenticity. Social media has many pros, but it also has its’ cons and in my opinion the biggest con is the pressure to be something that you’re not. There are some days when I am scrolling on Instagram and I am in awe of the lack of individuality, everybody is dressing the same, going to the same places, using the same captions, doing their hair the same etc. As an influencer, I definitely understand the power of influence, so in a way I understand, but I take pride in allowing my self to be inspired daily while maintaining my identity. I have an educational and professional background in psychology and social work, so I have a passion for empowering others to become their best selves and I hope to inspire people through my blogging. I want people to see a strong, classy, poise, intelligent and unproblematic black woman each time they click on my page and think I want to know more about her. I believe that as humans, we can learn so much from each other, so I aim to be as transparent as I can comfortably be on social media. Starting this journey was not easy, solely due to my personal self doubt, fear of judgment and not being able to commit to consistency. I remember thinking, “what if I start this and soon after I wake up on a random day and decide I don’t want to do this anymore”. When I made the decision to chase this dream in January I had 1100 followers on Instagram and now 3 months later I have 22,000, this accelerated growth was the confirmation I needed that I am more than capable. I took a leap of faith and emailed pitches to brands in hopes that someone would want to work with me and now I have brands contacting me asking for me to collaborate with them! So far, I have learned that we ourselves can be our biggest threats, which has changed my perspective to its “me vs me”. Comparing your journey to someone else’s is pointless, because you will never know all that they overcame to get to where they are, so just embrace their success and be inspired by the possibilities set ahead of you.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
So for breakfast/brunch I would recommend Harris County Smokehouse, Taste Bar, Lucille’s, Snooze, Max’s Wine Dive, Breakfast Club, or Black Walnut. For lunch/dinner or drink vibes I would suggest Steak 48, Pappadeaux’s, Pappasito’s, Cyclone Anaya’s, Maestro’s or Willie G’s. To drink and vibe to good music, I would say Joey Uptown, Nobu, Kiss HTX, MAD, Sugar Room, bar hopping in midtown or on Montrose or maybe Washington. For sightseeing and shopping I would recommend visiting I-Pic Movie Theater, City Centre outdoor mall, Houston Premium Outlets, Buffalo Bayou Park, Discovery Green, Houston Museum District, Hermann Park, Houston Galleria and be sure to check out the Waterfall, Houston Aquarium, Houston Rodeo, Texans, Astro’s or Rockets game, day trip to Kemah Boardwalk or Galveston/Surfside to hit the beach. Small businesses that my husband and I love to support in the city are Crumbville (sweet treats), Frenchy’s (southern chicken), The Birria Queen (tacos).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I first would like to thank God for blessing me with an amazing support system.

One of my best friends, Meghan Adams, was the first person who suggested and encouraged that I embark on the journey to being an influencer. I have brainstormed entrepreneurial ideas for years, but I would never follow through with anything out of the overwhelming fear of failing. Coming into a new year, I affirmed that I would start this journey and that I would be successful at it and I am so happy to see it coming into fruition. I asked my husband for his support on the journey, because him and my son are the most impacted by this business, and he has has been my number one supporter. He encourages me to not care what other people think and to be assertive and confident as a business woman and I am truly grateful for his ongoing love and support. My mom, dad and brother have also have been so supportive throughout this journey, my mom has even taken on the role as my “momager” (mom-manager). I’ll never forget my dad calling me to recommend brands I should consider collaborating with; it always feels good knowing you have the support of the people you love. After sharing this new venture with all my friends, they all responded with excitement and I hope they know that every like, comment, share and repost never goes unnoticed!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/enchantedebbs

Image Credits
Jontrice Murray Staffon Eugene