WHAT began as a setback eventually became an opportunity.
When the pandemic brought the travel industry to a halt, freelance videographer Stephenie Bong Hui Hui found herself rethinking her career.
Six years later, the 29-year-old leads ‘Wanka Travel’, showing how resilience, creativity and a willingness to embrace change can open unexpected doors.
As the founder of lifestyle content platform ‘Wanka Travel’, Stephenie represents a new generation of entrepreneurs whose careers have been shaped by digital skills, innovation and the confidence to embrace change, echoing the message of World Youth Skills Day.
As industries continue to evolve alongside technology, the definition of valuable skills has expanded beyond traditional qualifications.
Today’s young professionals are expected to be adaptable, embrace lifelong learning and continuously refine their craft in an increasingly digital landscape.
For Stephenie, building a successful content creation business was never about chasing viral fame — it was about developing the discipline, creativity and consistency needed to turn a passion into a sustainable career.
Sarawak Tribune spoke to Stephenie to learn more about the work that goes on behind ‘Wanka Travel’.
Who were you before becoming a content creator?
I am a multimedia and design graduate.
After graduating, I worked as a freelance videographer before joining a travel content creation company.
How did your journey as a content creator begin, and what inspired you to take it seriously?
I have always loved travelling and capturing beautiful moments through photos and videos.
When I worked for the travel content creation company, I enjoyed every project because it combined two things I love — travel and filmmaking.
During the pandemic, I had to find different ways to support myself, and that was how I founded ‘Wanka Travel’, a lifestyle content platform on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Xiaohongshu.
Were you ever worried that content creation would not be a sustainable career?
Yes, especially during my first and second years.
At that time, I wasn’t charging clients and wasn’t earning any income from content creation.
But when I saw its potential, I decided to put all my focus into it.
I realised that content creation is my passion.
I love what I do at ‘Wanka Travel’, and I can see that there really is a future in it.
It has also opened up new opportunities and allowed us to learn valuable skills that are useful in today’s digital era.
What keeps you going?
Passion keeps me going. I love creating content about food, travel and lifestyle.
I enjoy filming videos and promoting different places, while also supporting the local food and beverage scene.
Many people think content creation is easy. What skills or hard work happen behind the scenes that people usually don’t see?
People usually only see our one- to threeminute videos, but they don’t see everything that happens behind the scenes.
A typical food video can take an entire day to complete.
More complex projects, such as property, automotive and event videos, can take even longer, with editing sometimes taking up to three days.
What skills do you think are most important for young people who want to become successful content creators?
In my opinion, consistency is the most important skill.
You don’t have to be the best photographer or editor when you start, but you need to keep learning and improving.
Which skill took you the longest to master?
Video shooting and editing took the longest.
Even today, we are still learning and constantly improving our work.
Sometimes when I look back at videos we produced a year ago, I realise how much my skills have improved.
Have you ever faced setbacks, criticism or creative burnout? How do you overcome them?
There have been times when I have, but I try not to let them discourage me.
I have learned not to judge my success based on a single post.
The most important thing is to keep improving myself.
With ‘Wanka Travel’, you are creating job opportunities and giving others the chance to develop content creation skills. Can you tell us more about the team behind it?
We have six videographers and editors, two hosts, one manager and one administrator.
We give our team the flexibility to choose when they work, as long as they complete their tasks.
In your opinion, what role does content creation play in helping young people build confidence, creativity and entrepreneurship?
I think content creation is one of the best ways for young people to grow. It teaches communication, problem-solving, creativity and confidence in speaking.
What advice would you give to young people who want to turn their passion into a profession?
My advice is not to wait until everything is perfect.
When I first started as a freelance videographer, my father bought me a camera that I used for five years.
It began as a passion project, but over time it became my career.
It is also important to stay consistent, keep improving yourself and avoid comparing yourself with creators who have been in the industry for many years.
Treat your passion professionally from the very beginning and always deliver your best work.
What’s the biggest mistake content creators make?
I think the biggest mistake is trying to copy everyone else.
You can learn from successful creators, but you also need to develop your own style and personality.
That’s very important.
For ‘Wanka Travel’, we have our own editing style, and when people watch one of our videos, they know it is ours.
How do you stay relevant as social media trends and algorithms constantly change?
Always pay attention to trends, but don’t follow every trend just because it is popular.
You still need to use your own judgement and focus on creating content that provides value.
