Since lockdown, the platform, which offers self-love tips, self-care routines and healthy living inspiration, has taken off and now boasts Nadiya Hussain and BBC Woman’s Hour amongst it’s 2.5 million followers. We spoke to Sofia to find out more about the inspiration behind the platform, her journey since graduating and her future plans.

Can you tell us about your journey after graduating to building a successful online platform? How well do you think your course of study prepared you?

I started building My Self-Love Supply while I was in my last year at RGU. The knowledge and experience I gained from my course at RGU were invaluable. Other than the technical business knowledge that informed me on different business models I could shape my idea into, my work placement in my third year gave me all the technical tools I was looking for. For 12 months, I interned as a User Experience Placement Student for Aberdeenshire Council and I learnt a lot about digital technologies, usability and content management which ultimately gave me the skills and confidence to get started on this journey.

Where did the inspiration come from for My Self Love Supply? Can you tell us a little bit about the platform?

I have always been deeply passionate about personal wellness and the “small” things that we can all do to shift our mindset, improve our health and ultimately have a real impact on how we live our lives on a day to day basis. I noticed there was no real platform putting all the pieces together; I could either see motivation, fitness or mental health platforms but not really a definite mission to approaching self-care from a comprehensive perspective. This is what My Self-Love Supply is all about - providing resources and inspiration for people to practice self-care on a mental, emotional and physical level, because ultimately, they all have an impact on our wellbeing.

The platform has gained an incredible amount of support in a very short time. How do you think it differs from other online mental health resources?

I believe the success of the platform comes from how accessible and simple the suggestions and resources are. My Self-Love Supply doesn’t focus on giving prescriptive instructions on how people should set up their days and routines but rather encourages everyone to check-in with themselves and identify what their needs are and how they can be met. Amongst everyday stresses and to-do lists it’s easy to forget to listen to ourselves and to what we need to feel a little better.

Has there been one article or piece of advice that has particularly resonated with or supported your followers in some way? Why do you think that is?

I think my favourite quote from early in this journey, which became very popular, was from Bronnie Ware; “make happiness a priority and be gentle with yourself in the process”. I think too often we get caught up in our to-do lists and think happiness is something we will reach in the future, once we achieve certain goals... only to set new goals once we get there and start this process all over again. This is what got me thinking about enjoying the present moment and sharing tips through My Self-Love Supply on how to prioritise well-being daily, through the small things.

Tell us about your decision to apply for the RGU Innovation Accelerator?

I’m very excited to be applying for the RGU Innovation Accelerator. Of course, I don’t know if I will be selected yet, but my hope is to go through this programme and be able to launch my idea for a self-care app, which would take the business to a completely new level. While, until now I have focused most of my time on building an engaged audience for My Self-Love Supply and provided mostly free content, I also got the chance to get to understand the issues and blockages people have in practicing daily self-care acts. This is what I wish to be able to solve with my idea for a Self-Care tracking app in the future.

What are your future plans?

This year I will be progressing on to my postgraduate studies in Psychological studies with Mental Health MSc to learn more about these topics I’m deeply passionate about and ultimately gain the professional knowledge I need to better lead the project. I hope to be working behind My Self-Love Supply for years to come and continuously learn more about psychology, wellbeing and ultimately how to make these practical tools accessible to everybody.

What advice would you give to alumni who might be considering starting an online business or growing their online presence?

 It may seem like very cliché advice but just start. There will be many missteps on the way but if you can push through them, use them as opportunities to learn and ultimately stay consistent you will be able to create something meaningful. I think what helped me the most has been moving fast and staying flexible. I think in digital business one must be ready to maintain a solid long-term vision but an ever-changing, short-term strategy that can be tailored to new market changes and what you continuously learn about your customers’ needs and trends.

My Self-Love Supply can be found on social media at:

• Instagram: @myselflovesupply
• Facebook: @myselflovesupply

 

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