Today we’d like to introduce you to Roshni Gehi.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Roshni. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always had a passion for writing. Photography was a hobby, I picked up a couple of years ago as a distraction outlet for myself while I was getting over an emotional breakup. I started to post a lot of my photos on my Instagram account and slowly my work started to get recognized by other bloggers and companies. I figured a blog would be a good outlet for myself so, I could share not only my photographs but also some writing and thoughts with an audience other than my Facebook friends and my Instagram followers. And so, A Girl Named Roshni was born. Through the past year or so, certain pieces have done extremely well on my blog. Examples include “I’m So Much More Than Just A Pretty Indian Girl”, “Long-Distance And Washington D.C.”, and of course the most popular “An Open Letter To My Birth Mother — For Giving Me The Best Life Possible, Thank You.” Along with photography and writing, I absolutely LOVE to travel. I eventually began blogging and documenting different cities and countries that I have visited. As of today, I guess I would consider my blog as a photography blog, travel blog, thoughts blog, food blog, inspirational blog — so basically a lifestyle blog.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s been such an adventure growing and expanding this blog and I’m overwhelmed by all the love and support I’ve received thus far. It’s definitely been a huge learning experience no doubt, lots of trial and error and understanding what draws people to view your content, what are ways I can promote or expand my page, how can I make it better. I’ve definitely struggled at times. There have been occasions where I won’t post for months, not because I don’t want to or because I get bored, but solely on the fact that I just won’t feel inspired to post quality content. That’s when it gets hard for me, it’s hard for me to post appealing content frequently. Regardless I try to post as often as I can, and I try to post content that my readers and followers would enjoy. If there’s anything I’ve learned while managing my blog, it’s that quality always wins over quantity. I would rather have a blog filled with well thought out and constructed posts rather than a blog filled with weekly or daily “ok” posts. There is still so much, I have yet to learn and there is so much room for growth. I look forward to continuing this journey I’ve started.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
As I’ve stated before, I am still new to the blogging world and I’m still learning. I would say my blog is best known for the photos that are shared. When I was living in Chicago, I would visit a new coffee shop every Monday (I called them coffee Mondays) and I would share my findings through my Instagram page. This love for exploration and coffee caught the attention of numerous companies and I have been featured on a number of Chicago Instagram pages and also have been noticed by marketing agents at Whole Foods Market. Other aspects of my blog that are most popular would probably be some of the more personal writing I do. I’ve written a couple of posts that have done extremely well and have been known to reach an audience on a more emotional and intimate level. I guess that’s what I’m most proud of. I love that my writing can affect people and make them feel things.
What were you like growing up?
I was all over the place growing up, I was actively involved in many extra-curricular activities. My parents loved to keep me busy. I studied ballet for about 14 years. My ballet company put on a yearly performance of “The Nutcracker” and we toured across the country performing in the winter months. I have also studied other forms of dance such as modern, hip-hop, contemporary and also Indian forms of dance such as Bhangra and Bollywood. My dad got me into music at a very young age and I studied the piano for about 16 years. I started singing around 6th grade and continued to train with a vocal teacher and with my school’s school choir up until I graduated high school. When I turned 18, my parents bought me a Ukulele for my birthday and I self-taught myself through books and the internet. I actively performed at local mics and would perform at family weddings. Growing up I enjoyed all forms of art. Whether it be painting, crafts, jewelry making, drawing, I loved it all. Personality wise, I was happy. I had good friends and a supportive family. I was definitely more shy when I was younger but that changed as I got older.
Contact Info:
- Website: agirlnamedroshni.wordpress.com
- Email: roshninini@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roshninini/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agirlnamedroshni/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/roshninini
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
