Bold are You – Interview with Anchyi Wei

Who are you inspired by?

I’ve always been inspired by Amal Cloony – the best of beauty and brains and combined! In addition to having amazing style, I’m in awe of her work in fighting for human rights.

What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced in your profession?

It’s very difficult to find the time to grow creatively and purse your passions while working two careers and being a parent. When it comes to content creation, it’s still difficult to find many paid jobs to sustain a living. I always end up making decisions between following my passions or paying the bills. For me to have a creative outlet and financial stability, I’ve had to keep two jobs.  Eventually I will have to let go of the latter to fully follow my passions.

What has been the most significant barrier you’ve broken in your career?

People don’t imagine Washington, DC when they think of fashion. As a fashion content creator, it takes more time to get recognized to a worldwide audience, and there’s less appreciation, opportunities and exposure here than say, New York City or Paris.  This gets easier in the digital age, and I allow my true personal style to shine.  The truth is you can be a style maven anywhere you are. DC is still more conservative when it comes to fashion, but I’ve never let that hold me back.

Looking back would you change any of your decisions?

Yes – and that is to just DO it.  I have a tendency to not follow through with my actions because I’m a perfectionist.  It’s still something I’m battling with.  Sometimes making a move, even if it’s not perfect, is better than not making any moves.  I wish I started getting into content creation at an earlier time, before the industry got so saturated.  On the flip side, I don’t have to cringe looking back at any of my work when starting out!

What are your views about your respective industry that discourages women?

In the content creation and business industry women are just as capable as men. They can we whatever they set their minds to. If you have a goal and a means and passion to achieve it, you will have success in whatever industry you’re in.

What is the most rewarding part about working in your industry, or your career?

I LOVE learning and challenging myself, and always being able to learn something new and pushing my creativity is extremely rewarding.  Helping others to be more creative or make better decisions is also very rewarding.  Even if I can inspire one person for the better, it makes a difference.

What are some recent projects you’re working on? Can you share with us some details about them?

I am working on a campaign to promote a new facial bar in the DMV area.  The concept very well suits those with a busy schedule like myself, since there is a membership program.  I haven’t had a regular facial for almost 2 years, before the pandemic!  I’m excited to not just have a facial but have an excuse to relax and even take a nap!

When you have time off from your busy schedule, what do you do in your spare time?

It’s so hard to find spare time outside of parenting duties and two careers!  But all I want to do now with any time I have is to learn more about filmmaking.  I have signed up for a couple courses and I’m going through the lessons little by little.  It’s a very slow process, but it makes me so happy.

What is your favorite project you’ve worked on?

Going to Miami (my first trip since the pandemic) to help celebrate the opening of the first Kayak hotel, along with fashion brand ASbyDF. It’s not a paid project but combines 2 of my favorite things in the world – travel and fashion. I got to enjoy staying in Miami for a few days as well as multiple outfits from the fashion brand.  It was a great time!