5 milestones in Liza Koshy’s journey that will inspire you

From embracing your awkwardness to stepping away from the hustle, Koshy’s journey to stardom had pivotal moments we can all learn from.

Making friends laugh turned ‘Lizzza’ Vine-famous

Liza Koshy embracing being herself. — Via GIPHY

Koshy began her online journey in the most natural, wholesome way – by making her friends and family laugh. She began posting comedic sketches on the once-popular Vine platform in 2013 under the persona of ‘Lizzza.’ Unsurprisingly, her relatable comedic sensibility, characters and physical comedy resonated with Vine’s young users, soon making her one of the platform’s most watched stars. Reflecting on her early success as a content creator, she credits it to being unapologetically herself and not overthinking it.

Meteoric YouTube rise

Liza Koshy making entertaining gestures while cooking. — Via GIPHY

Tapping into her success on Vine, Koshy began posting weekly YouTube content like clockwork. Her dedication, consistency and talent made her unstoppable – in just one year, she grew her audience from a few thousand subscribers to over 5.5 million. With over 300 million total views on her channel, it was soon clear that she was destined to be a star. One of her most popular videos, a parody of Vogue’s 73 Questions series, got so many views, it even got her an offer from Vogue for a real-life 73 Questions.

Wearing one too many hats

Liza Koshy in a pink cowboy hat gesturing throwing a lasso. — Via GIPHY

Right from acting, scripting, producing, and editing, Koshy managed all aspects of her content creation alone, despite having millions of subscribers and being at the peak of her YouTube career. Her humorous and light-hearted videos, seemingly almost ad-libbed, took days of research, scripting, costume design, acting and editing. Starting off with just “me and my thumbs on the bed with the notes app,” Koshy began realizing the pace she was working at had become overwhelming.

Where is Liza?!

Koshy flipping her hair with annoyance. — Via GIPHY

While Koshy made it seem effortless, she found herself losing her inner spark as she tackled a mammoth workload alone. In 2018, she made the decision to stop posting on YouTube and took time off to rediscover her creative energy (heck yes), this time with the support of a team. With a big team of writers, producers and editors to help her “create magic” and support her vision, she began filming her successful YouTube Original series Liza On Demand.

The big-screen splash

Koshy wielding an axe in a scene from Freakish. — Via GIPHY

Koshy broke into the world of film with BOO! A MADEA HALLOWEEN, which was widely praised, while also returning back to YouTube much to her fans’ delight. She also made her presence felt in the television industry with a lead role in the Hulu Original series Freakish. Her impact on the film industry and undeniable on-screen presence have sparked questions about what’s next. Will Koshy bag a spot on SNL? What is she starring in next?

To see Koshy talk about her journey live, have the chance to take a picture with her (yes, you read that right!) and ask her your burning career questions, grab tickets to IGNITE’s Real Talks with Liza Koshy on Nov. 20 at 12 p.m. at the Student Centre at Humber’s North Campus!

It’s going to be an event you cannot miss!

Featured image via Instagram @lizakoshy

Want to read more inspiring stories about people’s journeys to success? Check out Humber alumni Kelly Boutsalis’ journey to being an Indigenous storyteller.