For most social-media users, Instagram is a place to share flattering selfies and proof of fun times. For those with tens of thousands of followers, it can also be a way to influence how other people shop, eat, travel, work out, and dress. Here are four Columbians who are harnessing the app’s visibility to build their personal brands.
Trevor Bell ’16CC
@trevorbell | 160,000+ followers
Bell, a former Columbia runner and football player, is a fitness model and social-media consultant. When he’s not showcasing his washboard abs and perfect pecs, he likes to dress up as a superhero and inspire everyone’s inner champion.
Cynthia Chen ’19PH
@dxxchen | 111,000+ followers
Chen’s passion is public health, but it’s the glam selfies and luxurious dining and travel photos posted by her Instagram alter ego that have earned her a massive following.
Selby Drummond ’09CC
@selbydrummond | 63,000+ followers
Drummond has made a career out of being a style influencer. A former accessories director at Vogue, she now heads fashion and beauty partnerships at Snapchat.
Jamie Grimstad ’19CC
@jamiegrimstad | 23,000+ followers
Grimstad, an entrepreneur and health and beauty marketer, posts about skin-care, workout, and fitness regimes. Her Insta also documents vacations guaranteed to bring on a severe case of FOMO.
This article appears in the Summer 2019 print edition of Columbia Magazine with the title "Connect Four."
