Bayanda Mvelase On Her Amazing Journey As A Content Creator and Winning Big at Dentsu School of Influence 2026
Bayanda Mvelase On Her Amazing Journey As A Content Creator and Winning Big at Dentsu School of Influence 2026. We live in an era, where a lot of people are making it big as content creators, One such is Bayanda Mvelase, who is shinning in the industry. She is all about lifestyle, beauty, wellness and sharing authentic moments from her everyday life.
On more wins, Bayanda was part of the Dentsu School of Influence 2026, where she got to network with other creatives. She got recognized as the “Most Likely To Get Shared Award”. The award was presented by FoneYam, which was one of the programme’s sponsors. This particular award reflects Bayanda’s goal of creating content that people can enjoy, relate to and be inspired to share. Learn more about Bayanda’s incredible journey from the interview below.
1. Can you tell us about your journey as a content creator and what inspired you to focus on lifestyle, beauty, and wellness content?
I actually studied Speech-Language Pathology at Wits, so content creation wasn’t the “obvious” path, but I’ve always been drawn to communication in every form, whether that’s helping someone find their voice clinically or helping a brand find its voice online. Lifestyle, beauty, and wellness felt natural because those are spaces where people are looking for real connection, not just product information. I started small, testing content, and over the past four-plus years it’s grown into collaborations with brands like Maybelline, L’Oréal, La Roche-Posay, and 4th Street.
2. How would you describe your personal brand and the type of connection you aim to build with your audience?
My brand is playful and fun. I want people to smile or laugh while they’re learning something useful, not feel like they’re being sold to. I build connection through consistency and honesty: showing what actually works for me, being transparent about partnerships, and creating space for my audience to talk back and feel part of the conversation rather than just watching it.
3. What has been the biggest challenge you have faced while growing as a content creator, and how did you overcome it
Algorithm changes have probably been my biggest challenge,content that used to reach thousands of people overnight suddenly reaches a fraction of that, through no fault of the content itself. I overcame it by not chasing the algorithm and instead doubling down on what I could control: consistency, genuine engagement with my community, and diversifying across platforms so I wasn’t dependent on any single one. That mindset shift, from reach to relationship, has made my content more resilient.
4. What did being part of the Dentsu School of Influence 2026 mean to you, and what were some of the most valuable lessons you took away from the programme?
Being part of the Dentsu School of Influence 2026 meant being recognised alongside creators and industry professionals who take this work seriously as a craft, not just a hobby. It pushed me to think more strategically about my content, not only what performs well, but why it performs well, and how to build a personal brand with real longevity rather than chasing short-term virality.
5. You received the “Most Likely to Get Shared” award presented by FoneYam. What did winning that award mean to you personally and professionally?
It meant a lot, honestly? that award recognizes what I care most about: making content people actually want to pass on, not just scroll past. Personally, it felt like validation that my playful, relatable approach connects with people. Professionally, it’s proof to brands that my content doesn’t just get views, it gets shared, which is exactly the kind of organic reach they’re looking for.
6. What do you think makes a piece of content highly shareable and encourages people to send it to others?
Content gets shared when it makes someone feel something; recognized, entertained, or like “this is so me.” It also has to be easy to consume and easy to relate to a specific moment in the viewer’s life. The best-performing content I’ve made, like my 4th Street campaign that hit over 1.19 million views, tapped into something people wanted to tag a friend in.
7. How do you balance authenticity with the pressure to follow social media trends and create content that performs well?
I treat trends as a format, not a script. I’ll use a trending sound or challenge, but the content inside it still has to sound like me. If a trend doesn’t fit my voice or my audience’s interests, I let it go rather than force it. That’s what keeps my content feeling authentic even when I’m playing into what’s popular.
8. How has your experience at the Dentsu School of Influence influenced the way you approach content creation and your future career?
It’s shifted me from thinking purely as a creator to thinking like a brand builder. I now approach content creation with more intention, considering positioning, partnerships, and long-term growth, rather than just chasing what will perform this week. That perspective is shaping how I want to grow my personal brand and the kinds of partnerships I want to pursue next.
9. As a creator working in lifestyle, beauty, and wellness, how do you ensure that your content remains relatable and genuinely valuable to your audience?
I stay close to my own experience, testing products and routines myself before I talk about them, and paying attention to what my audience actually asks me. That keeps things grounded instead of performative, and it means the value I offer comes from lived experience, not just trends.
10. Looking ahead, what are your goals for your content-creation journey, and what can your audience expect to see from Bayanda Mvelase next?
My focus going forward is on growing my personal brand and building more meaningful partnerships with brands that genuinely align with my voice, in lifestyle, beauty, and wellness. My audience can expect more of the playful, honest content I’m known for, alongside bigger collaborations as I continue to grow this into a full-fledged career.
