What does it take to become a confident and ambitious woman? RJ Mahvash explains

Ambition offers hope- for a better life, for a successful life, for a fulfilling life. For small-town girls, fulfilling ambitions can be much more than shopping in glitzy malls or dining at fancy restaurants; it can mean a road to success, fame and recognition, earned not inherited.

One 26-year-old from Aligarh has shown how consistent hard work, ambition and making the right connections can make you a celebrity in your own right. Brought up in Aligarh and educated in Delhi, Mahvash began her career as a Radio Jockey at Radio Mirchi, which helped her understand the nuances of engagement and storytelling.

Though the job offered a lot of recognition and fame, there were limitations:

“Either you can choose to work for others for life at a 25k salary with people harassing you and calling you dumb or take a leap of faith and show the world what you are made of. I was so traumatised in my company, not even Sundays or Jayantis were off. I had to do something to change it, so I did resign and started with my creator journey,” she explains.

The courage to become independent

People appreciated her engaging and humorous tone, especially her viral ‘selfie prank’ video that got 150 million impressions, cementing her position as a top creator. Her content was gaining traction, motivating her to take up content creation full time.

“Courage is a decision for me,” she says. “I come from a small town, where women are asked to talk politely, and have a seen a lifetime of keeping my voice low! So now, when no one pays my bills but me, I have nothing to be scared of.

I just wish that women who see me can come out, be a rebel in this dominating world and build something on their own.
More than that, saalon ki dabayi hui awaz, jab bahar aati hai to cheekh banke ati hai. So I am just not scared to be ‘ME’ now.”

Ignoring trolls

Though Mahvash has managed to create a community of more than 3.6 million followers, she has increasingly been seen through a different lens due to rumours about a relationship with another famous personality. Her every post and public appearance is being scrutinized in detail, affecting the public persona she has worked so hard to create.

“There is a lot of unemployment in India, so if trollers want to feel empowered, they can on my page that’s fine,” she quips.

“I know my ethics, in life and at work. I am just unapologetically me. We are public figures, I have never kept boundaries between my personal and professional life. Hence my reels are so real. People want to know and read about public figures. They want to comment on it also as they feel powerful.”

Consistency-driven popularity

“My storytelling style entirely comes from my background. From desi to Dubai, I can blend everywhere. A lot of stories to tell def!” she says.
Mehvash has kept her storytelling style consistent since her RJ days, helped boost her reach. Despite intense competition for followers, she has seen a consistent rise in followers.

“The audience that I have built are not followers, they are fans. Because I have built it slowly over years. There was no shortcut for my success. And they have seen my journey such that they can see themselves in me now. That is enough for you to always get seen when they can relate to you, they will always come back to you,” she explains.

A smart creator will always use the popularity earned to diversify into other businesses. Mahvash understands this and has started to expand her persona further,
“At this point of my life, I have stopped working for money. I work for opportunities. People lack that sense. Even if they are paying less and there is a big opportunity, you can earn later. Grab the opp first,” the RJ-turned-creator-turned-actor explains.

“I am very sharp at taking risks. If my first instinct says “go for it”, I would not rethink about putting my money or efforts there. Either you will earn or learn” she adds.

Future Plans

Lately, RJ Mahvash is excited about her role as a producer for Section 108, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Arbaaz Khan, set to release this year. After starring in an OTT series and hosting reality shows, Mahvash is looking to don various hats- as a producer, actor and creator.
“We have some big projects lined up for our production house as well. So hopefully some great movies and shows. And as far as acting is concerned, some interesting projects are coming out very soon!” she announces.

<p>The post What does it take to become a confident and ambitious woman? RJ Mahvash explains first appeared on Hello Entrepreneurs.</p>