You may have seen Sam Feher on your Instagram feed rockin’ a killer OOTD or sharing her latest designs from her own brand, The Brunch Club. With almost 50,000 Instagram followers, a job at Cosmopolitan, and now her own brand, it begs the question, how does she do it all? Sam, a girl from Jersey came to Elon to pursue a career in Journalism but wanted to incorporate her life-long love of fashion and beauty into her professional ambitions. In addition to her academic work, she was a member of the Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority here at Elon. But, how does one go from being a college student one day to a social media Influencer the next?
When did your love for beauty and fashion begin?
Fashion and beauty have always been major parts of my life. Apparently, as soon as I could talk, I began voicing my wardrobe opinions to my parents (classic), and there are TONS of baby pics in which I’m stealing, holding or even applying lipstick (also classic).
What did you study at Elon? & what were some highlights from your college experience?
At Elon, I majored in journalism and minored in multimedia authoring. My professors were absolutely instrumental in my success — they taught some of my favorite (and most useful) classes. One of my favorite academic experiences was an independent study I conducted with one of my professors about how social media shape the workforce and affect organic brand integration. Obviously, it was special to me because of my work with Instagram, but it was also a really challenging and rewarding program.
What was it like growing your social media presence in college? Was it difficult to balance school with Instagram and your blog?
I think growing my Instagram account was actually easiest in college because I got to experience really cool things and meet a lot of cool people. Studying abroad was huge for my profile — I gained over 20k followers in the three and a half months I was in Florence. There were times when I felt overwhelmed by the balancing act, but now I look back on it and wonder what TF I did with all that free time. Since graduating, my days are so busy I can hardly focus on Instagram at all.
You are known for your fashion tips and fabulous Instagram feed and now your brand, Brunch club. What was your journey to becoming a social media influencer like? Did you encounter hardships along the way?
Honestly, it’s been a really interesting journey from start to finish. It all began as a total accident — I’d made my account public when a fratstagram posted my pic, simply because I was sick of filtering follow requests. Eventually, it turned into a business and a full-time job. In 2018 alone, I made more money through brand marketing than I’d made on my own in my entire life combined. (And that’s not because I only had “summer jobs” — I’ve been a working model and actor since childhood, so I’ve literally been earning paychecks since the age of seven.) It was a really exciting year, and I learned a lot. Eventually, my social media took a backseat to my career goals, and I began focusing more of my efforts toward landing the job of my dreams. Now that I have a full-time job off-screen, my Instagram heyday feels like it was decades ago. My newest project, brunch club, has gotten me re-invested in social media, because it’s focused on a passion of mine: fashion. I’m really excited to see where it takes me.
People on the Internet are not always kind, how do you overcome negativity online and stay true to yourself?
I’ve gotten pretty lucky when it comes to negative engagement online. While I’ve had my fair share of rude comments, startling threats and gross DMs, it’s rarely escalated past a simple block. To me, Instagram is all about connecting with people and sharing my experiences with the people who care about them — thus, it’s pretty easy to let the negativity roll off my back.
Do you have advice for anyone pursuing a job as an influencer or in the fashion Industry?
My advice for anyone pursuing a career as an influencer: make your platform about more than just a pretty face and some sponsored ads. Nobody is impressed with a sellout. Turn your account into a space where you can connect with, inspire, and share what you’re passionate about with people.
Finally, currently, you’re working in NYC at the famous magazine, Cosmopolitan. (CONGRATULATIONS!) What is your dream job in the future?
Thank you! It’s truly a dream come true — every day, my insanely talented team reminds me that I’m living my best life. In the future, I hope to run the show. It’s a long way off, but I’m lucky enough to have an incredibly strong support system and some extremely bright people helping me along the way. I will never doubt or limit myself, because I am so grateful for the guidance of my role models and the last thing I want is to squander it.
Sam continues to work toward her professional and personal goals in New York City at Cosmopolitan. She is prioritizing following her passions with confidence and grace. Her story shows us that through hard work, and loving what you do, you can accomplish what seems to be impossible. Be sure to follow her on Instagram n send her lots of love @Samanthafeher! & Don’t forget to check out her brand, @eatbrunchclub or www.shopthebrunchclub.com/.