Have you been scrolling through social media, seeing people rise from the ashes to become top influencers, award winners, and trendsetters, and thought, “I want to do that too”?

If your 2026 goals include stepping behind the camera, experimenting with ring lights, and letting your personality shine online, there’s no better time to start.

Terisa Hsu-Lee, from Fourways and Sponsorship & Acquisitions Partner for the South African Social Media Awards (SASMA), shared her advice for anyone looking to make their mark in content creation:

“First and foremost, don’t be afraid. You’ve got to start somewhere. People overthink and worry about what others think, but the only way to gain confidence is to start.”

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Hsu-Lee said the first step is often the hardest. Many aspiring creators get stuck comparing themselves to others or obsessing over perfection.

Her advice is simple: just begin. Post your first video, share your first story, and allow yourself to learn and grow as you go.

“Identify the category you want to represent: fitness, travel, automotive, motivational speaking, or any area you’re passionate about. Every person is a brand. Decide on your style: elegant, chic, powerful, comedic, and engage with your audience. Reply to comments, ask for feedback, and be proactive.”

For Hsu-Lee, engagement is key. Following like-minded pages, connecting with their audiences, and consistently posting content across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or other platforms helps creators build a presence. And most importantly, she says:

“Overthinking, over-comparing, or over-stressing won’t get you anywhere. The key is to take the first step.”

Her advice provides a roadmap for aspiring creators in 2026: start small, define your niche, engage with your audience, and stay consistent. With this foundation, anyone can build confidence, grow a following, and begin to explore opportunities like the SASMA Awards to gain recognition for their content.

She said this guidance is particularly relevant as Africa embraces the next frontier in content creation. Afru-ikigAI, in partnership with Huawei Cloud and SASMA & Celebrity Drive, recently launched the continent’s first Digital Twin AI Creator & Enablement Workshop.

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The workshop brought together high-value, award-winning creators and equipped them with AI-powered tools to elevate their content, streamline production, and expand their creative potential.

Nondumiso Mhlongo, Founder & CEO of Afru-ikigAI and widely recognized as Africa’s rising AI Queen, said the workshop was designed to “ignite possibility, creativity, and economic transformation for young African creators.”

Hsu-Lee, whose experience as a Top 5 Mrs SA titleholder in 2023 and an official Mrs SA mentor to Verushka Singh the 1st Indian Mrs SA crowned on 14 November 2025 informs her approach, added:

“The importance of social media and youth development is key.

Content creation is often overlooked but is an imperative space to propel and excel our South African youth and creative industry, not only in SA but across the African continent as a whole.”

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