Member Spotlight: Hang Nguyen
This week, we spoke to Hang Nguyen. You may have seen her on Instagram, hanging out at NY's hippest cafes and enjoying living each day to the fullest in the city. She's a lifestyle blogger, developer, designer, photographer, and inspiring woman in tech, born and raised in Kansas City, MO.
Hello Hang! Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi there! For anyone who doesn’t know me, my name is Hang Nguyen. I’m a digital creative and lifestyle blogger who recently just quit her corporate job to pursue content creation full-time. I write, document, review, and share a lot of content from fashion, home, and travel to personal development.
What are some reasons why you like content creation?
I enjoy the whole creative process starting from the idea to the execution to the post-production of it. It’s really fun for me and it’s rewarding when people tell me that they enjoy my content or find it helpful. Additionally, I’ve been able to connect and make friends with a lot of amazing people.
What kind of role do you think media plays in today’s society?
The media plays a huge role. It’s where we get our news, entertainment, and connect with others from across the world. When I was younger, I used to be limited to television, radio, print, and slow dial-up Internet. A lot has changed since then. With the rise of social media and easier access to Internet, it’s given everyone more options to consume content. We can choose what we want to watch, research and learn anything on our own, and even have a voice online now.
How do you use media to spread positive vibes to your followers?
My platform is all about exploring ways to live more vibrantly and sharing real life experiences. I think energy is really contagious so I keep that in mind whenever I write. I hope my optimism and positivity can reach others and help them see life in a vivid light. On my blog, I share a lot about my life lessons, outfit of the days, and anything that can be helpful to others.
What are three things about fashion that you like the most?
- It’s a form of self-expression.
- There are no rules.
- I can easily change up my style any time and become a whole new person if I wanted to be.
Can you give us some tips on how to be confident in front of a camera?
Of course! What really works for me is to practice. I practice at home in front of a mirror before any photo shoot and wear clothing that makes me feel confident. I also listen to music that hypes me up before a shoot. When I’m in front of the camera, I try to be myself so it comes more natural.
You recently decided to pursue content creation full time. What was the decision process like?
The decision was very hard. Coming from an Asian household that doesn’t believe in a creative career, I felt very conflicted. My mom was proud that I was at a nice corporate job and I was fine there. But I always had a longing to do content creation full time. I mean, I did it on weekends and after work but I would spend my days at the office thinking “what if”. My mind had all these other ideas that I could be working on.
I debated on it for a long time and I made a pros and cons list. At the top of my pros list was a bullet that read “you’ll be happier” and my boyfriend, Kyle, pointed it out to me. It was at that moment when I realized that I had to give myself a chance.
What is a piece of advice you would give someone who’s trying to switch career paths?
My advice is to prepare massively before switching career paths. Research, learn the skills, and build the right foundation before making the leap. This takes a lot of time and patience but worth it.
It’s like jumping out of an airplane. You want to make sure that you’re well equipped to either float or fly when you jump out of it.
What is the best thing about being your own boss?
I can work with pajamas on!
Thank you for inspiring us, Hang! You can follow her on Instagram @hangtw or read about her adventures and musings on her lifestyle blog. Say hi if you run into her working around NYC.