Marina Mogilko: Redefining Entrepreneurship and Influence

Marina Mogilko is an internationally renowned blogger-entrepreneur with a staggering audience of over 16 million followers worldwide. With seven YouTube channels in six different languages, Marina has established herself as a true global influencer. Her achievements extend beyond her impressive online presence, as she became the first creator to secure a $1.7 million investment from the venture capital fund Slow Ventures.

Marina's collaborations with numerous brands, including Notion, Four Seasons, Lenovo, Pandora, Toyota, and Valmont, have further solidified her status as a powerhouse in the digital world. Additionally, Marina serves as the official ambassador for YouTube Shorts and has been honoured with the prestigious WIBA Award for Best Influencer in Education. Her remarkable journey has caught the attention of top publications such as Forbes, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Glamour, TechCrunch, and Business Insider.

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How did you start your career on YouTube and what inspired you to create the "linguamarina" channel?

My career on YouTube started with my passion for languages. I have always loved learning different languages and sharing my knowledge with others. The idea of creating the "linguamarina" channel came as a way to share tips and resources for taking standardized tests. I started my YouTube journey with videos about niche topics like GMAT and TOEFL (standardized tests)

How do you monetize on YouTube? What role do advertising contracts and selling your own products play?

I have advertising contracts and monetization from the platform. These make up around 40% of my revenue depending on the month. 60% of my creator revenue comes from selling my own products. I have developed my own educational programs and courses that I offer to my audience.

You collaborate with well-known entrepreneurs and influential people. How have these collaborations helped you in growing your channel and business?

Collaborating with well-known entrepreneurs and influential people has allowed me to expand my audience and attract new viewers. Additionally, I can learn from industry leaders and gain valuable knowledge and experience. I have had the opportunity to create videos with notable personalities such as Tim Draper, Harry Tan, David Yang, Teri Yu, Ali Abdaal, Valeria Lipovetsky, and many others.

Meeting incredibly talented people is one of my favorite benefits that come with this job.

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Your educational channel on YouTube has gained international recognition. Tell us about your WIBA Award.

I was honored with the WIBA Award "Best Influencer in Education." It was my first time at the Cannes Film Festival and I was thrilled to receive it. It’s actually my first international award!

Your entrepreneurial ventures extend beyond YouTube. Tell us about your startups and how you use your content creator experience to develop them.

My husband and I started a company called LinguaTrip – a platform connecting language learners with study abroad programs. Most of LinguaTrip’s marketing is done through YouTube where we collaborate with creators from the language learning industry.

I also run my media company Linguamarina Inc.

How do you build your career in the fashion industry and what role do your collaborations with fashion brands play?

It’s funny that I am so passionate about fashion but live in a place where people don;t really care about what they wear - Silicon Valley. This actually allows me to be different, which I like a lot. I have just started collaboration with fashion brands - special thanks to a haute couture fashion designer Celia Kritharioti who was one of my first haute couture collabs.

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You also actively invest in startups. Tell us about your investments and why you chose these specific companies.

I am an active angel investor and have a keen interest in the fashion, beauty, and creator economy sectors. My significant investments include DressX - a digital fashion startup, Luum - an eyelash extension robot, and Beacons.ai - a platform for creators. I just love helping founders work on their product and marketing.

What are your plans for the future? How do you see your career evolving?

That’s a great question because my plans change constantly. We’ve been traveling a lot with my kids this year -visited 6 countries and also traveled actively in our home state California. This all made me realize I want to be able to take at least 3 months off every year. So the plan for the next couple years is to build several passive income streams to support our lifestyle. We are currently exploring investing in rental properties like Airbnb - I think as a content creator I will be able to set it up the way my audience appreciate it - with plenty of activities for kids, fully equipped kitchen, good lighting so that creators can make content while they travel. Stay tuned!