In the BD industry profile series, we get to know some of the professionals working in health and beauty. We hope to shed more light on the various companies and roles that make up our bustling industry.
This week, we sat down with Pia Muehlenbeck to find out how she got to where she is today.
Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself and how became an influencer?
My story with social media is actually a bit of a strange one! I used to be a lawyer and while I was studying at University I used to get bad back pain from hunching over those atrociously huge textbooks for hours on end. So, I turned to yoga to help relieve stress and decompress my spine! I really fell in love with the practice and decided to buy myself a brand-new yoga mat. While I was researching the best mat to purchase I discovered that almost all of the mats on the market were made from PVC, which releases toxins into the environment and never biodegrades. It didn’t sit right with me that yogis, who are generally environmentally conscious people, are practicing on a tool that is so harmful to the environment.
From there, I partnered up with my fiancé, Kane, and we got to work trying to produce our dream product of eco-friendly yoga mats. Once we finally created the mats, we hit a stumbling block of having absolutely no money to market or advertise the mats. So, our best option was to turn to social media and try and post great photos on Instagram. We spent all of our weekends shooting content together and from consistent posting of great content, my Instagram grew from around 700 followers to 1 million. So that’s actually how and why we started this crazy ride!
What’s your favourite thing about the job?
Without a doubt, my favourite thing about my social media is the fact that I get to travel the world with my best friend and fiancé Kane. I always dreamt of a career that would allow me to travel, so I feel incredibly grateful and excited to have the opportunities we do.
Are you open to collaborating with brands?
Yes, but I am very selective when selecting brands. It’s important to me that I only work with brands that I genuinely use and endorse. It must be an authentic collaboration otherwise it just won’t work.
What is your signature fragrance?
My signature fragrance is a mix of coconut oil (which I use to moisturise my body) and the perfume Lolita Lempicka! I pretty much try to smell like a tropical vacation! Haha!
What are your “can’t live without” beauty products?
I can’t live without my:
- Armani Maestro foundation,
- SALT Intensive Eye Treatment,
- Glam by Manicare All Over Powder Brush, and,
- Warpaint Natural Teeth Whitener.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Snuggle our miniature schnoodle Muesli.
Who is your favourite person to follow on Instagram?
My friend Lauren Bullen (@gypsea_lust) she is just unbelievable!
Follow Muehlenbeck @piamuehlenbeck
