On Instagram, her handle—@cherrydana27—is taking the industry by storm. Despite a meteoric rise to the top of her profession, she thinks of herself as the Aussie girl next door. However, Dana Grigg, aka, “Cherry Dana,” shares the stage with the most popular Instagram models in Australia—and she has an inspiring story. Let’s delve.
Solid Following
From memes to editorials on relationships, dating, sex, and well-being, Cherry Dana’s website, CherryDTV.com, and blogs feature unique, edgy, fan-inspired content.
“I still get amazed to gaze at the sheer number of followers I have, more than a million on Instagram, and I love and respect each one of them,” she says. There is no denying that a huge loyal follower base has catapulted Cherry Dana to become Australia’s much-loved Instagram model. Her website also aligns with and promotes her persona as a successful Instagram model, dating coach, and influencer.
Inspiring Journey
In her teens, Cherry Dana moved to Sydney to study dance and fitness full-time. While studying, she worked as a waitress at parties to pay education fees. Reminiscing on that time, she says, “ I left dance and fitness due to injuries and took up waitressing full-time. That’s when she started to test the social media waters, successfully building her Instagram follower base to over 150,000 before starting a Snapchat account. She recalls, “My Snapchat went viral about five years ago. After that, I’ve grown out of doing brand endorsements and focused more on creating my brand.”
As for pivoting to business, she says, “Originally, I started my social media for fun, to challenge myself to see how popular it could grow. Once I saw how popular my accounts had become, I recognized a business opportunity there. This was eight years ago, and I haven’t looked back since.”
Challenges Along the Way
The road to becoming one of Australia’s most famous Instagram models was not a bed of roses for Cherry Dana. She says, “This bed of roses had a lot of thorns, but I looked at them as challenges, beyond which success lay in wait for me.” Her biggest challenge in starting a business was identifying and acquiring the right knowledge. She encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to embrace the idea of wearing many hats, saying, “Initially, it’s hard as you have to take on so many different roles and responsibilities at the same time. You must remember to delegate when you can.”
Secret to Success
What differentiates Cherry Dana from other Instagram models and perhaps makes her successful is her positive energy and authenticity. She makes sure her character shines through her content, allowing her audience to relate on a personal level. She shares, “The effort I put into interactions across my social platforms allows me to connect on an intimate level with each of my viewers.”
Cherry Dana is a makeup artist, photographer, and a dating coach who is giving others in the Australian adult industry a run for their money. Her story reaffirms that big dreams start small.
