Name: Melissa Cantey
Instagram: @melissachanel
Website: www.melissachanel.com
Years of being an Influencer: 8 years

1. What does success as an influencer look like to you?
Helping people follow their dreams. That could be giving them tips to take the leap in being an entrepreneur or dressing for the job you want and not the job you have.

2. Would you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert?
I'm 100% an extrovert.

3. How do you try and stand out from other people with similar followings? What makes you different?
I'm always 100% myself. What you see is exactly the same as what you get in person. I always stay true to my roots, share my stories of where I come from and why I enjoy doing what I do, and I never do anything for likes, comments, or money. If it doesn't flow with my brand you won't see it on my blog or social pages. I stand out by being the girl-next-door, reachable, and share things my peers can afford. 

4. Do you feel like blogging can provide you enough success to make a satisfactory living?
Of course! I know tons of bloggers who've turned their hobby into successful businesses with online boutiques, selling courses, t-shirt lines, shoe deals, clothing lines. The list goes on. The sky is the limit when it comes to blogging. If you take it seriously and treat it like a full time job it will one day become just that. Your dream job!

5. Who do you look to for inspiration?
I love reading articles and looking at other bloggers like Fashion Bomb Daily, xoNecole, and podcast like "My Taught You" for inspiration. I also look to magazines like Essence, InStyle, and Glamour. 

6. What’s the hardest thing about your job?
Staying consistent. If you have one or two off days you can fall behind. 

7. What’s your favorite image that you’ve ever taken?
A picture of me on the steps at my apartment building. It's just flawless and I surprised myself with the pose! [laughs]

8. Where is the influencer landscape headed—will your job exist in 5 years?
I think it will exist for sure. You'll see more bloggers being a part of the conversation when it comes to brands learning about their consumer, case studies, and ways for brands to take their business to the next level.

9. What has being an influencer done to your self image / self confidence?
It has taught me to love myself. Being an influencer has showed me that I'm a walking billboard for myself and I should always keep that back of mind when attending events or hanging out with friends.

10. If someone were starting out today, what advice would you give that person?
Stay true to yourself. There is only one you, no one else can share things the way you share it. Stay confident and stay consistent. 

"10 Questions" is a series where Fohr asks influencers, well, 10 questions to get to know them better.