Madhu Kumar, known online as “Madz,” is a fashion, beauty, and user-generated content (UGC) creator.

Her creator journey began during her final year of studying media, journalism, and photography. “I wrote a whole dissertation on social media,” she says. “My topic was on how you can turn social media into a full-time career.”

This academic exploration sparked a passion that would shape her professional trajectory. After graduating, Madhu faced the common challenge of finding employment.

Undeterred, she began posting content online. Her efforts gained traction, catching the attention of a university peer who had launched a social media agency for Asian creators. 

This connection led to gifted collaborations with Asian brands, providing Madhu with valuable industry experience and projects that could help her strengthen her portfolio. She leveraged this knowledge to secure a position as a content creator at a media agency. 

Madhu’s success led to a promotion to content director within six months of working in a media agency. During this time, she also taught content creation to disadvantaged youth, an experience that ultimately inspired her to fully commit to her creative pursuits.

In January of this year, Madhu leaped into full-time content creation. The transition took time, but persistence paid off. By March, she had successfully monetized two of her platforms.

Madhu’s breakthrough came when she secured a long-term partnership with UK fashion retailer Boohoo. 

“The fact that a company like Boohoo, which is a billion-dollar company, can believe in someone who didn’t even have that many followers at that point gave me hope,” she reflects.

Madhu’s journey is a testament to the power of persistence, strategic thinking, and genuine self-expression. 

She pulls back the curtain on the realities of content creation, sharing her strategies for platform-specific content, handling criticism, and tackling monetization challenges in the creator economy.

From Rejection to Recognition

When initially rejected by Sintillate Talent, a prominent talent management agency, Madhu viewed it as an opportunity for improvement rather than a setback, showing her resilience in this field to succeed.

“When someone doesn’t accept me, I have to now prove to them that I’m worthy to be accepted,” Madhu explains. She spent a year refining her portfolio and reapplied when Sintillate reopened applications, ultimately securing representation.

Madhu faced several challenges that are common to emerging content creators. “Some of the main challenges were, firstly, follower count,” she notes. Many brands expect a specific follower count and engagement rate, which can take time for newcomers to achieve.

To overcome this hurdle, Madhu focused on developing a unique content style. 

“I put everything into my work and my craft in such a way where I was able to show these brands that I might not have the followers to begin with because I’m just starting, but I have a skill set here where I can create content in such a unique way,” she says.

Another significant challenge was maintaining support from family and friends as her career progressed. “As soon as you start getting brand deals and start rising, you start seeing the support from friends and family kind of lower or just go into the sidelines,” Madhu observes.

The isolating nature of content creation also posed difficulties. Madhu found herself “losing touch with reality” due to long hours spent filming alone in her room. 

She credits Sintillate for encouraging her to attend more events, which helped her connect with fellow creators and build a supportive community.

Social Platform Strategy

Madhu strategically observes platform-specific content and audience engagement. 

“Understanding each platform is very important,” she points out, noting that different platforms, such as TikTok and YouTube, cater to different audiences with varying preferences and require tailored content strategies.

Madhu’s method involves analyzing performance across platforms and adjusting her content accordingly.

Consistency plays a crucial role in her strategy. She commits to posting daily on multiple platforms, explaining, “When you’re starting, you need to get as much exposure as you can to get your stuff out to the right audience.”

Beyond platform-specific tactics, Madhu stresses the importance of genuine audience connection. 

“When someone is watching your content, they want to know more about who you are,” she says. To achieve this connection with her audience, Madhu believes in portraying herself as a “real, raw human being.”

This approach has enabled Madhu to build a community of like-minded followers. She views her role as a “peacemaker,” creating a stable, understanding, and honest community around her content.

Turning Negativity into Opportunity

Madhu has developed a unique perspective on handling negative comments, viewing them as indicators of her growing influence. 

“I see hate comments in a positive light now,” Madhu explains. “I feel like you have to be someone for someone else to give you hate.”

The creator believes that triggering reactions, even negative ones, demonstrates the reach and impact of her content. “The fact that your content is still reaching them and they have so much belief that they disagree, they need to speak their mind. It shows how powerful your words are,” she notes.

Rather than allowing negative feedback to dampen her spirits, Madhu ignores such comments without removing them. She believes “everyone needs to see a raw and authentic version” of her online.

Madhu also views negative engagement as a potential catalyst for increased visibility because it “pushes your content out to even more people.”

Ultimately, Madhu advocates reframing negative experiences: “You always need to take a positive spin on a negative situation, and that’s the way you can go about living your best life.”

Voicing Your Value

Madhu identifies monetization as a significant challenge in the creator economy, particularly for newcomers. “Many people will only take on gifted collaborations,” Madhu observes, noting that brands often hesitate to offer paid opportunities up front.

Madhu highlights self-advocacy. “You can always ask them for their budget on campaigns, negotiate with them, and show them what you as a creator can bring to the table,” she advises.

According to her, creators must be more vocal about their rates to improve monetization opportunities. “If you do not ask, you do not receive,” she states, encouraging creators to inquire about campaign marketing budgets. 

She’s witnessed fellow creators secure paid collaborations simply by asking.

For aspiring creators, Madhu offers three key pieces of advice: “Step out of your comfort zone, network actively, and maintain consistency.”

Madhu also addresses the common experience of waning support from friends and family as a creator’s influence grows. 

She concludes by empowering creators to find their community within the industry: “You’re going to find your people and your community, and it might take a bit of time, but I promise you those people will come to you.”