Content Creator Shivani Dukhande Is Showing Hong Kong What It Didn’t Know It Was Missing

How Shivani Dukhande turned a love of Hong Kong’s hidden corners into a career worth following — while uncovering a new side to the city.

Today, standing with more than 70,000 followers on Instagram and over 40,000 followers on TikTok, Shivani Dukhande is a long way from clocking in at 9am. Having amassed millions of views, Shivani’s social media plays host to a love of Hong Kong and a community of viewers both in Hong Kong and around the world, all eager to discover a different side of the city.

Through the hidden gems, food challenges and lighthearted family videos, Shivani showcases not only her love for Hong Kong but also evidence of a creator who is more than a one-trick pony. “When I first started working, I was in affiliate marketing at [online beauty retailer] YesStyle, focusing on Korean beauty. It was numbers-driven, and I would always look at the social media team and think, “That’s where I belong,” she tells Sassy Hong Kong. That instinct proved to be the catalyst for her career in content creation. But in 2020, just as Dukhande’s TikTok presence was gaining momentum, the platform was banned in Hong Kong, forcing her to pause and rebuild an audience — for the second time around and from scratch. But what initially felt like a setback ultimately became the turning point. 

Read on as Shivani opens up about the realities of being an influencer, the decision to leave behind a conventional career path and the exclusive hidden gem she’s revealing only to Sassy Hong Kong!

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How did you get into social media?

At YesStyle, I moved from affiliate marketing to working in social media, and that’s where my passion really took off. We had a lot of creative freedom there, which still sticks with me today. What I enjoyed most was the strategy behind it — looking back at videos to see which performed well and which didn’t. After that, I worked at CASETiFY in influencer marketing, where I got to see the other side of the spectrum. I saw brand briefs, how brands work with creators and how content is shaped to fit influencer partnerships, which inspired me to try it for myself, with the content I was already making on the side.

What kind of videos did you make?

I was creating my own content while I was at CASETiFY, and as I was growing on TikTok, it got banned in Hong Kong, which left me demotivated, so I completely stopped creating content for a while. When TikTok first started, it felt like a secret — not many people really knew what you were doing there, so it felt like you were testing the waters and reaching a whole new audience you probably never thought you’d meet. It was such a great platform for me to experiment and try out new ideas.

Then, Reels were introduced on Instagram, and I wanted to try and see if my content would work there, and to my surprise, it actually did. So I started making Reels about Hong Kong, creating content around the city, which was a fun way to connect with audiences and share interesting things.

How did you get over the anxiety of people seeing your content?

Once you get on Instagram, your friends and family can all see it. At first, it was a little nerve-wracking, but there’s been a lot of support, and I get a lot of good feedback for my content, which I’m so grateful for. When people come up to me and say they love my content, or even if they just send a message, it really helps motivate me.

Was there a specific moment when you were working your nine-to-five, and you just knew you wanted to do your own thing?

I think I’ve always wanted to kind of do my own thing, and when the videos started doing well, it felt like an opportunity to quit my nine-to-five [job] and go full throttle into it. When I was doing it on TikTok, I didn’t really have much time to nurture it, but I had seen others taking TikTok seriously and growing their channel. So I thought, if I want to keep creating content, then maybe I have to leave and do my own thing.

How did you feel quitting a traditional 9-to-5?

Initially, I was really scared. It felt like there were two paths, and you can pick one: a nine-to-five job or working on your own. But then I realised if I try this and it doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world. I can always go back to working at a nine-to-five job. But at least I tried.

Your parents seem pretty supportive of your work.

Yeah, my mum loves making videos with me — she’s always been a fun, outgoing person — and I think the videos that we do together, people are really enjoying them. I’ve gained a lot of followers from the South Asian community. I’m excited that people in Hong Kong feel happy to see someone like me showcasing our culture and our traditions, alongside showcasing my life in Hong Kong. It’s like a mix of the two sides coming together, and I love making people feel part of my community.

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Could you share any highlights since you started doing this?

I think everything has been really special for me. One of the craziest moments when I was still fairly new was when I went to the opening of The World of Frozen in Hong Kong Disneyland. To know that your video means something to someone, especially someone like Disney, is a crazy experience.

Can you tell me about some of the negatives of your job?

I think one of the biggest negatives is that it’s not stable. Hong Kong is a growing market for creators — if you look at places like the UK and the US, they’re quite established, and they know how to work with creators. If you make a video, you know that it’s not going to be taken and removed or used as an ad without consent. Also, in a growing industry, every creator has to face the challenge of sometimes not getting paid.

Do you have any words of wisdom for someone who wants to do what you do?

I don’t know if I’m in a place to give any advice, but I would say it’s important to know your worth, know that the work that you do is of value and make sure that the people you talk to value your work, time and effort. I’d also say, if you are looking to do it as a full-time job, then really treat it as a full-time job. It’s never a bad idea to educate yourself on certain things. If a company is reposting your videos or running them as an ad, there are certain additional requirements for that, so just knowing all those things will help you so much if you’re looking for a content creation career full-time.

Stay in tune with yourself, do what you enjoy and make the content that is authentic to you. Don’t try to be someone else, do what you like and find your niche. I feel like the more original and the more true you are to yourself, the more it’s going to take your content to another level.

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Would you say that you’re most passionate about Hong Kong or just finding hidden gems in general?

I love exploring. When I was at my job, I would always have a list of places saved where I wanted to go and things I wanted to try, which I would then spend my weekends doing. So when I was able to turn that into my job, it was something that I was super excited about. I love finding unique experiences and discovering things that you wouldn’t really find on Google.

How do you find those experiences and places?

Sometimes it really just takes walking around. A lot of the best discoveries happen when I’m exploring and talking to people. I might find out there’s a private kitchen tucked away on the outskirts of Cheung Chau and think, “Oh my God, I haven’t even tried that yet.” So much of what I uncover comes from wandering around, speaking to locals and being open.

Have you ever tried a place or experience after seeing it online or hearing about it from someone, spent money on it, and then thought, “Oh, that was actually really bad”?

There was one where I recorded the entire thing, but it was so bad. I think it was like a dessert spot or something, I can’t remember, and it was like really hyped up. But when I went there, I thought, “There’s no way that I’m posting that” The quality of the food, the place and vibe — it was just not it.

Do you have any favourite spots in Hong Kong?

The beaches in Hong Kong are great; it’s one of the reasons why I’m so proud of Hong Kong, because we have a mix of city and open space just 30 minutes away. I need to go once a week, because I love just being in open space. I love all the islands too, like Cheung Chau. I always tell people who visit to keep an extra day to go and visit the outlying areas of Hong Kong, because beyond the city life, you can experience a whole different side of Hong Kong.

Can you share a hidden gem with Sassy that you’ve kept hidden all this time?

My favourite spot is this very small Thai restaurant called Thai Nong Khai. They weren’t on Google before, but they are now. It’s one of my favourite spots for good Thai food, so whenever we’re in Sai Kung, we eat here. I also did a video where I tried the most highly rated pineapple buns in Hong Kong, and the Sai Kung pineapple bun is the best; it is unreal. It’s the best pineapple bun in all of Hong Kong.

Thai Nong Khai, Shop 14, G/F, Ko Shing Building, 9 King Man Street, Sai Kung
Sai Kung Cafe And Bakery, G/F, 6-7 Kam Po Court, 2 Hoi Pong Square, Sai Kung

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