When you ask Instagram influencer Ambar Driscoll about her group, “Bamby Collective,” she’ll make it clear that whereas the group does have a few of the makings of a small enterprise – they’ve launched a signature product, their model revolves round a central tenet, and their following consists of many who love their mission – it’s actually about making a secure area for younger ladies in every single place.
In actual fact, in Bamby Collective’s first ever Instagram submit, the caption reads: We’re an internet neighborhood & secure area for women + younger ladies to speak brazenly, search recommendation, be motivated, be taught self-care and be uplifted
Ambar began the Collective in 2019 not as a result of she had a spark for an progressive product or has a ton of enterprise savvy, however as a result of she benefited from on-line areas prior to now. Particularly, Ambar had used a health app that, together with offering customers with workouts and exercises, additionally included a communal side the place ladies may join and help one another. However, to entry this area, people needed to pay a subscription charge. This acquired Ambar pondering of easy methods to recreate an analogous area for others.
“I simply wished to have an accessible neighborhood for any younger girl from wherever, with any background, to have the ability to be part of and have that neighborhood side at no cost,” she mentioned.
However earlier than the thought for the group got here collectively, Ambar was already recognized by a whole bunch of hundreds of followers. Although she initially was thrust into the general public highlight due to her relationship with YouTuber Casper Lee, Ambar rapidly made her personal title for herself on social media. Particularly, customers resonated along with her openness about physique positivity.
Ugne Jurgelenaite, a 24-year-old Bamby Collective member based mostly in London, initially got here throughout Ambar by means of Caspar’s content material, however mentioned she finally adopted Ambar due to her physique positivity posts. Ugne was capable of relate to Amber’s content material because it was one of many first occasions she noticed this specific message being unfold by somebody who wasn’t essentially plus sized. One submit specifically, the place Ambar uncovered how her abdomen appears to be like naturally with out flexing, caught Ugne’s eye.
“Instagram was – and nonetheless is – such a spot the place you assume all of those folks have these wonderful our bodies,” she mentioned. “But it surely’s like wow, [Ambar’s] not afraid to point out that.”
Speaking brazenly about her physique wasn’t all the time simple for Ambar. For years, she had struggled with disordered consuming and even had an consuming dysfunction. However ultimately, she discovered consolation in different Instagrammers who have been posting content material revolving round physique positivity which in flip helped the influencer heal and develop a extra optimistic self worth. She then realized she could possibly be sharing comparable content material to her 269,000 followers.
“I believed, properly, if that is the content material I am having fun with and if I’ve acquired type of a giant following, and but, none of my content material is displaying my vulnerabilities then I simply did not wish to be a kind of individuals who [their followers] evaluate themselves to with out seeing the actual weak sides past that.”
And whereas Ambar was already serving to ladies like Ugne by means of her private account, the itch to construct one thing greater that will transcend herself and develop right into a community of like-minded younger ladies fueled her to launch Bamby Collective.
It began with a Fb Group
Ugne’s first enterprise into Bamby Collective, like most members, was by means of the non-public Fb group. Although she had been following a number of different Fb teams – together with one for women new to London – she was shocked at how energetic and engaged Bamby Collective’s members have been. On any given day, you can discover posts asking for relationship recommendation, on physique positivity, and shifting ideas. However it doesn’t matter what the dialog revolves round, Ugne mentioned members are all the time type and useful to 1 one other.
This supportive and open surroundings was precisely what Ambar had envisioned early on. However even she was stunned by how rapidly members have been capable of join with one another regardless of by no means having met.
“It is fairly touching seeing ladies share their weak sides on Bamby,” she mentioned. “So many are fast to supply help, assist, or simply be somebody to speak to. So it is wonderful seeing the influence Bamby has had on members’ psychological well being simply by means of the help of different ladies.”
Although Bamby Collective initially launched in late 2019, it carefully coincided with the start of the Covid-19 pandemic — one thing that seems like divine timing for Ambar. At a second when many individuals have been coping with lockdowns, restricted social gatherings, and simply feeling remoted usually, having an internet area like Bamby grew to become an excellent outlet for many who have been confused by the pandemic.
Whereas a ton of Bamby Collective members occur to be based mostly in or round London, the place Ambar herself resides, this on-line neighborhood contains younger ladies from all around the world, permitting contributors to bond and join with folks they usually wouldn’t have an opportunity to fulfill. For Ugne, scrolling by means of her Fb feed and seeing the assorted posts from the group has been a optimistic addition to her social media routine.
“Ladies should not afraid to only submit there and everybody may be very supportive,” Ugne mentioned. “Nobody’s ever gonna decide you. It’s a pleasant, secure area.”
Asides from networking by means of the Fb group, Bamby Collective members are additionally invited to on-line gatherings, together with month-to-month Zoom e book golf equipment and Netflix events the place the women may watch a film collectively just about and chat by means of the feedback.
However as soon as Covid restrictions eased, Ambar was eager to create in individual alternatives for members to fulfill and develop deeper relationships with each other. The group has had a number of conferences together with an ax throwing occasion, pet yoga, and a galentines artwork occasion.
Oftentimes, Bamby members arrive to occasions solo, with the hopes of connecting with others there. Exhibiting as much as occasions by themselves is only one instance of the methods Bamby Members are capable of categorical their vulnerabilities.
“The occasions are wonderful. A lot of the ladies come on their very own, which I feel is kind of a courageous factor to do,” mentioned Ambar. “I really feel like in our tradition, assembly up with a stranger thus far is so normalized, however it’s not [normalized] to fulfill as much as make associates.”
Initially, Ugne held herself again from going to a Bamby meet up for this very cause – she had nobody to go along with. However after connecting with some ladies by way of the Fb group, she ventured to her first in individual occasion: pet yoga.
She even attended Bamby Collective’s first ever in a single day retreat this July. Ugne had such a good time hanging out with different Bamby members that she and a gaggle of ladies she met from the retreat at the moment are planning to have their very own private getaway. As somebody who not too long ago moved, this neighborhood has supplied Ugne with alternatives to fulfill new folks.
“I moved to London 9 months in the past. So moreover folks at work, or my flatmates, I did not know many individuals and now I positively have a wider community by means of going to those [Bamby] occasions. I’ve gained just a few new acquaintances and associates.”
And whereas assembly different members has been a spotlight for Ugne, having the ability to join with Ambar has additionally been a optimistic expertise for her particularly due to how relatable she says the influencer is.
“The primary time [meeting Ambar] was sort of intimidating. However she’s tremendous pleasant to everybody and makes everybody really feel very welcomed. She’s very all the way down to earth and never intimidating in any respect.”
Bamby Collective’s optimistic affirmation jewellery
According to Bamby Collective’s mission to supply an encouraging sisterhood for younger ladies, Ambar launched a jewellery assortment of optimistic affirmation bracelets. Clients may buy the fragile bracelets in both type – “I’m sufficient,” and “I’m robust.” Creating these merchandise was one thing Ambar had been pondering of doing even earlier than she began the collective as these phrases have been mantras for her rising up.
“My mother is an artwork therapist and he or she’s all the time been actually massive on gratitude,” Ambar mentioned. “And she or he’s all the time used optimistic affirmations. So ‘I am robust’ and ‘I am sufficient’ actually come from her and the influence that had on me, and seeing the facility that phrases can have.”
Implementing these affirmations into her each day routine has allowed Ambar to reverse destructive thought patterns and helped her dwell a extra balanced, wholesome life. Whereas she was excited to launch these merchandise so her followers may gain advantage from these affirmations, she was additionally cautious. The influencer mentioned she by no means desires to make Bamby Collective members really feel like she is making an attempt to revenue off of them.
That is why it was additionally essential for Bamby Collective to donate 5 p.c of proceeds from the jewellery assortment to Imkaan – a UK group with the mission of addressing violence towards Black and minority ethnic women and girls.
On this approach, Ambar is considerate and deliberate in all the things she shares along with her followers – together with her love for train. Just lately, the influencer has participated in a number of marathons and has integrated long-distance operating into her each day routine. Nonetheless, she is cautious to not ship the flawed message about figuring out and has made it clear that she workouts for her psychological well being and to not acquire a slimmer physique.
“I feel [exercise] is such a life hack,” she mentioned. “If I am feeling like sh*t, after which I am going for a run – I really feel 10 occasions higher afterwards.”
The Way forward for Bamby Collective
At present, most Bamby Collective occasions are centralized to London, however Ambar was capable of host one occasion in Cape City, South Africa as she has a ton of followers there due to her boyfriend Caspar’s South African heritage.
Internet hosting extra gatherings exterior of London is a aim for Amber as she would love for Bamby Collective to develop. She envisions that at some point the group may even have a number of areas all through the world – Bamby Collective hubs in massive cities. And whereas Ambar plans to be carefully concerned in these potential areas, she can be snug with, ultimately, permitting them to be run by native Bamby leaders.
On this approach, Ambar desires the main target to be on the people who make up the collective, and never on her. A sentiment that Ugne can already relate to.
“It is good to fulfill Ambar however the neighborhood is not about, ‘let’s meet Ambar,’” she mentioned. “It is about, ‘Let’s get collectively as a neighborhood of robust ladies.”
