Meet Lilia Kazakova

We were lucky to catch up with Lilia Kazakova recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lilia, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I believe that discovering one’s purpose lies within us. We might not actively be aware of it, but when we look inward and ask ourselves the right questions, we ought to find it. I’ve always been somewhat of a dreamer growing up, and I believe that is the reason why I ended up in the ultimate city for dreamers, LA. I have a passion for motivating people to pursue their goals, even if they seem unconventional, unrealistic, or too ambitious to ever materialize. I would be the person who would cheer on anyone’s dream. If my friend had a crazy idea, I would be the one thinking about how to make it happen because I truly believed that the sky was the limit. It made me a little delusional at times, but it was that delusion that pushed me outside of my comfort zone, for example when I fit all my things in 3 suitcases and moved abroad to a different continent, all by myself. Originally, I moved to the US to study law at The George Washington University in Washington DC. However, I realized I was missing something creative. Starting an online blog and YouTube channel about my experience as a law student and my passion for beauty, fashion & lifestyle filled that void. Despite the challenges, balancing my degree with daily content creation was rewarding. After graduating with my Master of Laws, I decided to move away from law and start a business focused on social media content creation. Moving to Los Angeles, where most of the brands I worked with were based, seemed like the right choice. Then, the pandemic hit. I didn’t know anyone in LA and felt incredibly isolated and depressed during that time. I was looking for something to fill that void within me, again.

Growing up, I was a competitive figure skater, and the ice rink was always my happy place. However, all ice rinks were closed due to the pandemic. At that time, roller skating was blowing up on social media, and I wanted to try it out. I splurged on a pair of artistic inline skates and was worried I made a bad investment. Instead, it became one of the best and most life-changing decisions of my life. Now, I’m balancing being a full-time social media content creator & influencer with a career in roller skating. I perform on skates, manage my skate crew called LA Roller Crew, teach roller skate classes, compete at the US National Championships in Roller Figure Skating, and model as an artistic inline and roller skater. Connecting with my skating past was one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself, both mentally as well as career-wise! It also made me realize how my path could serve as inspiration for anyone out there who feels like they can’t be put in one “box.” It showed my true purpose of motivating people to pursue whatever dream they have – as multi-faceted or unconventional as it is.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Lilia Kazakova, and I’m a multi-faceted online creative at my company Lily Like LLC. I work as an online inspirer (I prefer using this term over influencer), and social media content creator for brands and businesses in the beauty, fashion & lifestyle industries. I’ve built an audience of over 300,000 followers on my socials and have worked with big brands such as Ross Dress For Less, Clean Beauty Collective, and DoorDash. I’ve also worked with small and local businesses in LA such as Hammitt LA, Arden Café, and Coffee Attic LA. I’m very passionate about creating unique, beautiful & relevant content for brands that truly speaks to their brand identity and customer base. I’m a very visual and aesthetics-oriented person, and I pride myself on seeing every post I create as a little work of art. What sets me apart from others is my ability to truly capture a brand’s ethos and create content through different “lenses”. For example, I’ve made unique content by combining roller skating with various types of brands, or by creating dream-like and romanticized imagery for the right products. In addition to working in social media, I’m an artistic inline, ice & roller skater. I perform on skates, manage my skate crew called LA Roller Crew, teach roller skating classes, compete at the US National Championships in Roller Figure Skating, and model on skates. I’ve had the opportunity to be part of some incredible events, such as a rollerblading disco in collab with Spotify and Benson Boone, skate at the West Hollywood Pride Parade for the Barbie Movie Float, perform at the LA Tourism IPW 2024 LA Olympics Trade Fair and represent the city of Santa Monica with my skate crew LA Roller Crew, and work with the non-profit CicLAvia to promote public spaces, active transportation and good health through car-free street events in LA.

What I love most about my day-to-day is that it varies every day. One day I find myself shooting content and working as a photographer at a cool location or studio. The next day I’m roller skating and teaching classes at Venice Beach. This diverse lifestyle and routine is what keeps me inspired as a multi-dimensional creative.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
My top 3 would be the following:

1. Building your community: Moving to a new country, and re-building my community has taught me how important your network is. The skill of connecting with people, forming meaningful relationships and creating a community has been incredibly valuable to me. Whether it’s picking up a new hobby, reaching out to new contacts in a new city or collaborating with individuals in your area of expertise (or outside of it!), the ability to network has been instrumental for my career and the opportunities that have come on my path. It’s not just about professional connections; it’s also about finding your support system, sharing your experiences together, and learning from each other.

2. Creativity and Outside-the-Box Thinking: Being a creative is much more than just a potential career path; it’s about approaching life with a unique perspective and mentality. From content creation to exploring new passions like roller skating, embracing creativity has opened up exciting opportunities for me and helped navigate challenges in unexpected ways. Thinking outside the box, trying new things, and finding innovative solutions to problems has been pivotal in my career.

3. Resilience and Flexibility: Life throws curveballs, and being able to roll with it is crucial – just like being on skates ;). Whether it’s moving to a new country, adapting to unexpected changes, or overcoming setbacks, resilience and flexibility have been key for me. Being able to bounce back from tough times, staying positive in the face of adversity, and embracing change as an opportunity for growth are key qualities to have.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
The most helpful individuals in helping me overcome challenges and develop essential skills for success have been the diverse array of people within my network. While I do believe the stereotype of creatives as independent individuals resonates with me, I’ve learned that the strength of one’s network is key. Moving to LA right before the pandemic without knowing anyone in the city, I quickly recognized the importance of connecting with others for my career, and mental health. Stepping out of my comfort zone and engaging with individuals from various backgrounds has provided me with unique perspectives, opened doors to new opportunities, and fostered inspiring collaborations. Every person I’ve met, even those seemingly different from me, has taught me something valuable. I wish I’d tapped into this resource sooner in my career.

Also, my mom, a single immigrant entrepreneur, has been a huge inspiration. Her support and entrepreneurial spirit shaped my outlook on life. Together with my passion for inspiring others to chase their dreams, I aim to spread positivity and resilience.

Furthermore, I must acknowledge the invaluable support and acceptance I’ve found within the roller skate community. Being embraced and encouraged by my fellow skaters has truly made me feel at home in LA. Their friendship has given me the confidence to get creative and push my limits when it comes to skating and beyond. Hanging out with them isn’t just fun; it’s like fuel for my creative fire, keeping me motivated and resilient when it comes to my creative career. If I can be a source of encouragement for fellow dreamers, online or offline, helping them turn their ideas into reality, then I feel like I’m fulfilling my purpose.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Lilia Kazakova, Lily Like LLC

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Portraits of Resilience

Sometimes just seeing resilience can change out mindset and unlock our own resilience. That’s our

Productivity
Perspectives on Staying Creative

We’re beyond fortunate to have built a community of some of the most creative artists,

Confidence
Kicking Imposter Syndrome to the Curb

This is the year to kick the pesky imposter syndrome to the curb and move