Our Account Manager, Sam Cortes, sits down with Business Owner & Content Creator, Sabby Jey, and chats about life as an ‘influencer’.

Tell us about yourself – what does a typical day for Sabby look like?

I’ve built a lifestyle around my work and passions but with enough room to indulge in self-care.

I wake up and read, go on the treadmill, eat breaky, and do some admin until about midday. Through the afternoon, I'm working on client marketing projects for my own marketing agency, Sabby Jey Social. I mix up my day with shooting and editing content for brand partnerships or UGC. In the evenings I edit and post content on my personal channels which is a mix of empowering lifestyle tips and a series called ‘Boujee on a Budget’. Then if I feel like it, I work on growing my brand, otherwise, I relax! Right now I spend a few late evenings working on my website which is launching soon - I’m super excited for that.

It’s an extra fun day when Rise & Shine is hosting a client event to go to!

Sabby (left) at the Glasshouse Fragrances A Tahaa Affair Devotion launch event by Rise & Shine PR, with Varsha Reddy (middle) and Sujata Singh-Raju (right).

What’s something exciting that you’re working on at the moment?

For a few years, I’ve been working on an inclusivity initiative that provides free resources to PR companies on how they can have an inclusive lens over their campaign visual and written content and influencer selection processes. I’ve had great chats with the Rise & Shine team who are doing a fantastic job of having an inclusive lens across their campaigns. In time, I’d like to turn this into a not-for-profit and provide resources for the entire marketing, advertising, and entertainment industry.

What’s your current must-have product?

I’m a proud Skintopia/Dermalogica ambassador so my skincare must-haves at the moment are the Dermalogica BioLumin-C Serum and PreCleanse. It’s not a product, but I also can’t live without my Skintopia membership/monthly treatments!

Plus, I always need a fresh scent in my home so you’ll see me burning a Glasshouse Fragrances candle daily.

How has the rise of TikTok impacted your work?

TikTok has significantly impacted my work for the better. I have a higher following and different engaged audience on the platform compared to Instagram. This has enabled me to reach a younger, more engaged audience who appreciate a more unfiltered comedic side of me which I usually don’t show on Instagram. I now have two different platforms I can monetise, and my brand deals have doubled since having this presence on TikTok. TikTok also helped me find my love for video content - gone are the days of static content!

What’s your favourite part of your job?

Being able to do many different things that I love - executing marketing projects, making funny or inspiring videos, speaking, acting, modeling, and having the luxury to turn down partnerships that don’t entirely align with me. I have great flexibility too, so if I need to take a day off or mix up what I’m doing, I can do it guilt-free. Plus I get to work with with great people like the ladies at Rise & Shine ;)

Most importantly I know that the work I do helps Kiwi women of colour, and I can go to sleep knowing I’m making a tiny difference to those around me.

Get To Know Sabby Jey