I gave up my part-time job to be a full-time influencer – I get paid £4,000 per post & get nearly everything for free
AN influencer has revealed how she made a complete career change when she ditched her part-time job to focus on becoming a social media star.
Instagramer Yana Bononi, 29, explained that her following gradually grew to the point she ended up getting paid £4,000 for each post - and getting almost everything she needs for free.
The fashion influencer from Moscow, Russia, told CNBC Make It: "We have an opportunity today to keep our expenses low because I am getting a lot of things for free as an influencer.
"For example, if we want to go to a restaurant in New York I just contact them, they will be happy to accommodate us.
"Basically everything starting with clothes, ending up with makeup shower gels, shampoos, anything you can possibly imagine.
"Even furniture I can get for free."
The Instagramer detailed how her new career started when she moved to New York City alongside her husband Lucas in 2017.
While Yana was looking for a job she started documenting her immigrant experience on social media.
She said: "I was basically just sitting home and stressed about how to make money."
"So one of my friends advised me to get an Instagram account and start writing my story about how I moved to the United States."
Yana's following kept growing as she posted her experiences in "risky and creative" outfits.
She eventually ended up being represented by an agency that negotiated sponsorships on her behalf.
Last September she was able to quit her part-time job at Tiffany and Co. as she made as much as £4,000 per post.
Yana made a jaw-dropping £16,000 in the first three months after leaving her job - about half of her total income of the previous year.
The fashion influencer says that both she and Lucas use their earnings to invest in their work- like buying camera equipment or software.
She added: "We’ve learned to invest in ourselves. I personally believe it’s the same as investing in stocks."