Meet Unsah Malik, Author of Slashed It
I’m Unsah Malik. Most people know me as the author of my ebook SLASHED IT: The Ultimate Social Media Guide. I’ve recently created a two-in-one motivational and inspirational journal, INVITE THAT ENERGY too.
A little bit about me: I spent around a decade working for some big brands in-house – delivering and leading social media and influencer strategies — and launched into the world of self-employment in late 2020. I figured it was time to put all the knowledge I had accumulated over the years to better serve the customers in the niche (and where I had seen demand too). As much as I now work for myself, I definitely give credit to my 9 to 5 life more than anything else because had I not had the experiences, I wouldn’t have been in the position to write my ebook in the first place.
What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?
INVITE THAT ENERGY is the direct result of dissecting the organic following I have accumulated on social media (especially Instagram). While one half of my audience follows me for marketing and social media advice, the other half follows me for motivation and inspiration. I have a no-BS tone (it’s not really intentional, it’s just how I speak), so I attract the type of person who wants no-BS words of encouragement too. I created the luxury journal as an exclusive, very limited drop. The aim was to create something which makes you feel inspired and organised and is equally high in quality. I sourced the best possible cover material and paper. It’s undated (so you don’t waste any papers) and each little section of the journal is intentional. There’s a vision board section, a challenges and lessons section, a daily planner split by times of the day, quotes spread throughout, and even a plain lined paper and bullet journal section.
The end goal isn’t to compete with the big players. There is beauty in playing small and serving a select audience. I never intended to make this something that’ll be huge and takeover other brands. As an entrepreneur, I think you need to have a good understanding of where you want your efforts to be and what your goals are because that’s how you end up reaching your goal. Since my ebook is my main source of income and I can see myself growing more organically in this field (plus it’s my background so I am more passionate about this), this is where I put 80% of my efforts into future plans. If the demand continues for the journal, I will restock another limited edition. If not, I won’t. I am considering a few different ways to share my words of encouragement because I know there is a demand for that.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?
You’ve got to let go of things that aren’t working out. It doesn’t matter how much love you’ve put it into or how much you want something to succeed. If your audience or target market isn’t responding to it, you need to cut the cord and move onto something different, or completely switch up your current ways.
What are your thoughts on failure?
It’s a word that needs re-defining, or at least a perception shift. Failure, to me, just means you need to look at a different path. No more and no less. It’s a no biggie to me, so it doesn’t eat up too much of my time. Of course, I am human and there are some days which have you feeling down, but ultimately, failure isn’t as negative as we have made it out to be.
If you could be in a room with 4 entrepreneurs, who would they be and why?
Whitney Wolfe Herd: Billionaire founder of Bumble and the youngest female CEO to take a company public. She’s really set the precedent for females, especially those wanting to build in the tech space.
Oprah: I’d leave the meeting a changed person. She’s nothing short of inspirational, heart-warming and genius.
Amina Muaddi: I studied the history of fashion in my early years, hence why my career started in fashion/luxury journalism. I also love a female go-getter.
Lewis Howes: I love his interview style and I love how he exposes his audience to many incredibly successful people. I watch his interviews and take notes as if each of his guests is personally mentoring me.
What’s the most important question entrepreneurs should be asking themselves?
You should always ask where the value is for the customer, and what advantage your customer receives from you versus your competitors or others in the market. If you can target, attract and maintain a customer, you’ve hit jackpot.
How much time do you spend on things that don’t add customer value?
I guess my last answer is an indication of where I’ll be going with this one. The answer is none. Everything is for the value of my customer, and even audience on social media. I am one person and I’m not the one who’s going to be contributing to the profit of my business — that’s up to everyone who buys my product or service. So, if it doesn’t benefit them in any way, I’m not interested in exploring the option.
Is word of mouth working to your advantage?
Absolutely. It always has. My ebook wouldn’t be where it is today without word of mouth. The same goes for my journal, which picks up sales solely from word of mouth and reviews. It's not something I want to pump with paid ads just yet. I always say the ‘1000 super fan rule’ known by many marketing heads is no longer needed. We can adapt it to 100, or even 50 super fans in the age of social media.
What would be your top marketing tip, to grow a business that is niche?
I have two key tips.
1) Keep your content equally niche. Don’t try to tell several different stories at the same time. It doesn’t matter if everyone’s jumping on a new trend. People should know what you’re about the second they land on your website or see your social feeds, and if that person is your target market, they should find the content they find interesting immediately.
2) If it doesn’t make sense for your audience or if it’s where your audience isn’t based, you don’t need to spend your time or money thinking of ways you too can join the trend.
What social media channel would you say has worked the best for your business and why?
Instagram because that’s the platform my target market uses the most. They have disposable income and look for quality. Secondary to that, I've picked up sales from Twitter and LinkedIn too.
Unsah Malik is the UK’s leading social media and influence expert. She is a female entrepreneur and the Author of number one best selling ebook ’Slashed It’ which has been dubbed as better than a degree. Keep up to date with Unsah on instagram @UnsahMalik
