“Do you know what’s needed for growth in social media? Content! If you’re lip-syncing or doing anything that isn’t substantial, it won’t work. You need real content, and you need to put in the effort.”
Today, Nancy Tyagi, a Delhi-based designer and fashion influencer, is loved by millions of Instagram followers. Originally from Uttar Pradesh, Nancy moved to Delhi to prepare for the UPSC examination but soon shifted her focus to fashion.
Raised by her maternal family in Meerut and Saharanpur, she faced financial challenges but benefited from her mother’s and uncle’s support in prioritising education.
Nancy’s Background
Raised in a challenging environment, Nancy initially pursued the idea of preparing for the Civil Services (UPSC), despite language barriers and financial constraints. Unaware that the exams could be taken in Hindi, she felt immense pressure to succeed and even bought coaching material from Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar, known as a hub for UPSC aspirants.
Her mother, who has always been a pillar of support, had sold her wedding jewellery to fund Nancy’s education and aspirations. The limited resources left Nancy at a crossroads of investing in coaching or pursuing her budding interest in creating content. Nancy reveals,
“My mother had said I could take the money for one thing, but not again for the same purpose. So, I decided to carefully consider what I really wanted. I ended up choosing to buy a camera, which I thought would be a good investment. When I got the camera, my mother didn’t mind. She just wanted me to succeed, in whatever way I could. She said, if you think this is the way to go, then do it.”
Nancy began experimenting with videos, using the camera setup she had purchased with her mother’s encouragement.
Navigating Challenges
After completing her 12th grade, Nancy felt the weight of financial struggles and societal expectations. Her mother, once a village teacher with stable hours, faced gruelling work at a factory following the lockdown. Witnessing her mother’s sacrifices and enduring long hours made Nancy determined to break the cycle of hardship.
Initially unsure of her own dreams, Nancy started small by creating memes and videos, which she admits felt insignificant at first. However, as her content began going viral, she realised the potential of her hard work and creativity.
Her efforts have brought recognition and respect from her community, neighbours, and relatives—people who once doubted her ambitions. Now, Nancy’s life is different. She proudly supports her mother, who enjoys a more relaxed life at home with the family’s new puppy, a gift from Nancy.
At that time, Nancy’s focus wasn’t on big dreams but on immediate survival—earning enough to relieve her mother of the burden she carried. Her primary goal was to make her mother proud.
Accomplishments
Her major accomplishments include “Disruptor of the Year” and “Fashion Favourite Heritage Icon of the Year” at the National Creators Award 2024 and recognition in the “Creators For Good” category at the Femina Awards. Named one of India’s top influencers by Forbes, she is now a well-known name in the digital and fashion space.
Major Takeaways
Despite her accomplishments, relatives often questioned her about marriage, pushing the traditional expectation that women should settle down, especially if they were working. Refusing to conform, Nancy shares her opinion on marrying off young working girls. She says,
“In our village, marriages happen till the age of 30, and sometimes people say, “Why don’t you just settle down, save money, and get married?” But I believe I need to focus on my career and not waste time. People in my village think that girls can’t work or do jobs, but I do. Some people believe that women should just get married, but I don’t agree with that.”
Another thing Nancy has learned over the years about content creation is that substance matters. Nancy asserts,
“The content must have substance. Even if it’s just a five-minute video, if it’s good content, it will work. The creator also needs substance to bring energy and authenticity to the content. We worked hard on those videos—staying up late at night, with entire days passing as we tried to perfect them. The effort was real, but sometimes it was misplaced. The substance is what makes content effective. Even if creating a video takes just five minutes, quality is what ensures it resonates.”
Translated excerpts from Nancy Tyagi’s interview.
