BY SIBUSISEKILE NDLANGAMANDLA
MANZINI– Content creators have been encouraged to build strong personal brands for themselves while remaining consistent, intentional and open to growth as their creative journeys evolve.
The message emerged during a seminar at the Eswatini International Trade Fair 2026, where creative entrepreneur Zindzi Thwala and content creator Mduduzi Dlamini shared insights on personal branding, content creation, creativity and authenticity.
Thwala stressed the importance of building a brand for oneself and consistently maintaining it, saying a well-managed personal brand can help individuals establish credibility, strengthen their identity and create opportunities.
She said consistency is key in content creation and explained that she uses bulk content creation to ensure she has content available during periods when she is busy or unable to create.
This approach, she said, allows her to remain active and consistent without putting pressure on herself to create something new every day. Thwala also highlighted the value of surrounding oneself with creative people. She said being close to other creatives gives her a support system she can rely on when she is struggling to generate ideas. “When I’m low, they kind of bring me up in terms of creative ideas,” she said.
Creators should be intentional about the content they consume because it can influence their creativity and expose them to new ideas. “ I carefully chooses who i follows across social media, particularly people who inspire me and creatives from outside the country” she said. Following international creators, exposes her to different ways of approaching content and helps fuel her own creativity.
The conversation also addressed one of the challenges many creators face – maintaining authenticity while building a personal brand and navigating constantly changing social media trends.
Eswatini content creator Mduduzi Dlamini known as “Mdura” said creators should not view authenticity as something that has to remain unchanged throughout their careers. He explained that people naturally evolve as they gain knowledge, develop new interests and experience different stages of life.
“What was authentic, what felt authentic to you five years ago may feel different now,” he said. Dlamini encouraged creators to allow themselves to grow rather than trying to remain tied to an older version of themselves. He said content that a creator produced three or five years ago may no longer appeal to them, but it was still authentic to who they were at that particular time.
“Allow yourself to grow,” he said, adding that as a creator’s vocabulary and knowledge increase, their authentic expression can also change. It requires creators to understand who they are, consistently show up, surround themselves with people who inspire them, carefully choose what they consume and remain open to personal and creative growth.
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