Lifestyle

A day in the life of Ria Serebryakova – 285K+ Instagram Followers

Published

7 years ago

December 2, 2019

The Model Ria Serebryakova – known on Instagram as Riasalvation, quickly wrapped up more than 285K followers on Instagram. We take a look at why she’s so popular and if there are any social media lessons to learn from her:

Ever since I first saw Ria’s face in the AG Hair commercial on TV, I sat up and took notice, realizing that this girl is going to get far in the modeling world. Her fresh-faced innocence combined with her natural beauty and brooding gaze was all that I needed to instantly go searching into where she had materialized from and to want to follow her every career step from that moment on.

Well, part of that wish was literally realized when I was asked to spend a day with Ria at a photoshoot somewhere in New York. This was a perfect opportunity to learn more about her and to watch her at work.

Even though it is 8 am when we meet in front of the studios she looks ready to tackle the day. The studios are abuzz with people carrying in clothes, shoes, accessories. People are setting up cameras, lights, hair styling accessories, makeup pallets and beverages.

I cannot reveal any details about the shoot as these are to be announced later, but the clothes, shoes and accessories are gorgeous and expensive. Ria has worked extensively with some of the best designers and photographers in Europe and the U.S. since she was first discovered at the age of 18 in Russia.

Within that first year, she had already moved to New York and at her first fashion week in Paris, she did MIU MIU exclusive, both these are great achievements for a new face in the modeling world.

Ria has featured in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Harper’s Bazaar, while she has also appeared on the 2016 “Never Hide” campaign for Ray-Ban and the 2018 L’Oreal Color & Co campaign. Her other clients so far include Forever 21, and Tory Burch.

In an interview a few weeks back Ria spoke about what the highlight of 2019 was so far for her. “Milan, 2019 the Dolce & Gabbana show at Fashion Week. We were surrounded by a fantastic team of hairstylists, makeup artists and the atmosphere was filled with excitement and anticipation.”

I know that the photoshoot that stands out most for her so far in her career was the ‘Stranger Things’ inspired fashion shoot for Harper’s Bazaar. Ria says that working with the two young stars of the series, Finn Wolfhard and Noah Schnapp was far more fun than she expected. “I was afraid that they would be bored, but they were both as intent as I on making sure that we have fun as we shoot.” She continues on why it is still so memorable for her, “It was fun to see the contrasts of the featured high-fashion with the weird and the set was filled with dirt bikes, pools, wheels, Christmas lights, and beautiful outfits by Moschino, Versace, and Celine.”

As I watch the activities, I notice that Ria is quietly listening to directions from what appears to be the cameraman, while she calmly allows the hairstylist to get on with her hair.

The photoshoot begins and it is amazing to watch the progress of the day’s work. Everyone is working at a fast pace, but calmly and in harmony. Since this is the first time that I am watching one, I must admit that I was expecting to see the opposite of calm and a bunch of temperamental people.

During one of her breaks I catch up with Ria, and she says that usually, fashion shows are far more hectic than photoshoots. I notice that she does eat something light and ask her about how she keeps her 178 cm frame in shape. “I make sure that I eat a well-balanced diet and when busy like this it’s important to keep up my energy levels with light snacks and plenty of liquids.”

After six hours the photographer finally expresses that he is pleased with the day’s work and results. As everyone starts wrapping up, I reflect on what I know about her career so far and from what I see she not only has beauty on her side, but also the personality and temperament that make her easy to get on with, a huge bonus in the world of modeling.

Ria heads off to change out of the stunning outfit that she has been modeling into her own casual outfit that she came in earlier in the day. When she appears, face free of makeup, I am amazed at how her unusually beautiful features and blue eyes stand out. As we leave the studio together and I greet her, I notice that she doesn’t hail a cab, but walks away with a spring to her step. Now I realize how she stays in shape and forego the cab for a brisk walk back to work!

Lifestyle

Why Toba Ogunremi Believes High-Performing Teams Start with Belonging, Not Pressure

Published

22 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Michelle Langton

Most teams don’t fall apart all at once. It happens slowly, missed conversations, quiet disengagement, people doing what’s required but nothing more.

Toba Ogunremi has spent years working inside care environments where that kind of shift is easy to miss until it starts affecting everything. Leading operations at Samorem Care in the UK, he has seen how systems can appear stable on the surface while teams underneath struggle to stay connected to their work.

One experience early in his career changed how he looks at leadership entirely.

He had taken over a team that wasn’t in crisis, but it wasn’t working well either. The people receiving care were safe, but they weren’t thriving. The same was true for the staff. There was no urgency, no energy, just routine.

The usual solution would have been to tighten control by setting new targets, increasing supervision, and creating performance plans. He didn’t do any of that.

“I started with conversations,” he says. “Real ones. Not rushed, not formal.”

One by one, he spoke to each team member. What came out wasn’t frustration with the job itself, but something quieter and harder to spot.

“They weren’t disengaged because they didn’t care,” he explains. “They were disengaged because they felt unseen.”

No one had asked what they thought. No one had taken the time to understand how they were coping. Over time, that absence had turned into distance. That moment stayed with him. It shaped how he leads today.

His approach is simple, but not always easy to apply: people perform better when they feel they belong.

He believes high performance usually comes when people feel like they genuinely belong and know that what they do actually matters.

In healthcare, where pressure is constant and expectations are high, this idea can sound secondary. The focus is often on outcomes, compliance, and efficiency. Toba doesn’t dismiss those things, but he questions what happens when they become the only focus.

Even when all the processes are in place, if the people delivering the care feel disconnected, it eventually reflects in the quality of the work.

At Samorem Care, this thinking shows up in small but consistent ways. Recruitment is not just about experience. It’s about how someone responds to people, how they handle pressure, and how they communicate. Once they are in, the focus shifts to keeping teams stable and supported, rather than constantly rotating staff or reacting only when something goes wrong. He also pays attention to how leaders show up day to day.

According to him, leadership is not just about giving direction; it’s about being present enough to understand what your team actually needs.

That presence matters more in care than in most industries. The work is demanding, often emotional, and not always recognised for what it takes. When teams feel stretched or overlooked, it affects how they interact with the people they support.

For Toba, resilience is less about constant pressure and more about creating a work environment where people can do their jobs well without burning out. In his view, strong teams are not just coping; they are supported enough to stay clear-headed and consistent in their work.

His background outside healthcare still shapes how he leads. Having worked in sales and communications, he understands how important it is to read people and build trust. In healthcare, though, the impact is far more direct, as decisions affect someone’s everyday life, not just an outcome on paper.

That shift makes leadership more personal. Teams need more than instructions; they need stability, clarity, and a sense that they are understood. What defines Toba Ogunremi’s approach is its simplicity. He focuses on being consistent, listening carefully, and addressing issues early rather than reacting late.

In the end, his belief is straightforward: teams perform better not because they are pushed harder, but because they feel valued and part of something that works.