Meet Chikodinaka (Kodi) Ejiogu | Beauty, Fashion, & Lifestyle Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chikodinaka (Kodi) Ejiogu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chikodinaka (Kodi), what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
The most important lesson that my career has taught me is that it is okay to be different and not do what everyone else is doing. On several occasions, I found myself comparing myself to other creators and picking my content apart wanting to be like them because I saw that they were doing a lot better than me. I soon realized that this would only wear me out and distort my passion for creating content. Instead, I had to reassure myself that being different from other creators doesn’t make me less valuable or less worthy of support from others. Allowing my creativity to flow from a place of authentic passion and freedom instead of anxiety and fear hoping that my content looked like everyone else’s has definitely served me well. A quote from St. Francis de Sales that really resonates with me goes like this: “Be who you are and be that well. So that you may bring honor to the Master Craftsman whose handiwork you are.” Being myself brings honor to God. Him seeing me live out who he has created me to be brings joy to His heart because He created me out of sheer love.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I create content mainly centered around beauty and fashion while still capturing moments from my life. I love creating and recreating different makeup looks and outfits, sharing my favorite skincare products, as well as documenting my everyday life as a Catholic college student through vlogs, Reels, photos, and TikToks. At times, I find myself watching my old videos and viewing old posts and am in complete shock when I think of how much I’ve changed as a person and how much my content has evolved. I’m most proud of how much more thoughtful and intentional I’ve become with what I create and when planning content out. I allow myself to be inspired by the creative process and content of other creators and I’m not as afraid of taking breaks from posting. I feel as though as I’ve grown in love for my craft, the length of time that my creative process takes has also grown with it. However, I didn’t get here overnight. I have created content on social media for just over ten years and it wasn’t an easy ride. I’ve experienced high highs, low lows, and everything in between. I overcame challenges like burnout and creator’s block by simply allowing myself to rest (especially in the Lord) without feeling guilty for not posting. What I learned that and what I want the world to know is that it is okay to not be one hundred percent all the time and that falling into hustle culture will only wear you out and won’t allow you to truly grow in whatever career field you’re in.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Coming from New York City and having the opportunity to spend ten weeks here in Colorado for Summer Projects hosted by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) has been amazing. I’ve been able to visit so many beautiful places while being here and I honestly feel as though a week simply isn’t enough time to bring my best friend to every single place. Some of the most fun places I’ve been to so far have been the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver, the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Golden, The Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, The French Press for coffee in Lakewood, and Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar in Denver for dinner. There are so many more places that I love so much but those are definitely my favorites.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
While there are a multitude of people and groups I would like to recognize, I feel as though it is only right for me to acknowledge one of the biggest gifts God has blessed me with, my family. My family members were my first supporters. They watch and interact with what I post and provided me with the equipment I needed to improve my content when I first started. Whenever I feel burnt out or discouraged, my siblings and cousins are there to be my hype squad and to remind me of how much I love sharing my love for beauty and fashion with others. In addition to motivating me, they give me constructive criticism and let me know how I can further improve my content. I can trust that they will always tell me exactly what I should do to take my content to the next level no matter what.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kodiejiogu/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chikodinaka-ejiogu-847342228/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kodiejiogu

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@kodiejiogu

Image Credits
Second photo (blazer, black top, silver necklaces) taken by Ryan Ng Second to last photo (black top, flower in hair) taken by Emily Martinez