Hon

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself—where you’re from originally and where you live now.

My name is Hon, and I’m the founder of Inside History, a digital media brand dedicated to bringing history, culture, and fascinating stories to audiences around the world. I’m currently based in London, where I focus on growing the brand and exploring new opportunities in digital media. I started Inside History in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what began as a small social media experiment has since grown into one of the largest history-focused accounts on Instagram. Over the years, I’ve developed a passion for storytelling and finding creative ways to make history entertaining, engaging, and accessible to a modern audience.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.

One thing I love about living in London is how much history surrounds you in everyday life. It’s a city where centuries of history exist alongside modern culture, and there’s always something new to discover. Being surrounded by so many historic landmarks, different cultures, and interesting stories makes it an inspiring place to live, especially given my passion for history.

Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?

Inside History is a digital media brand focused on sharing history, culture, and fascinating stories with a global audience. We cover everything from major historical events and influential figures to rare photographs, forgotten stories, and modern cultural moments.

I started Inside History in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as a friendly competition with a friend to see who could gain the most followers on TikTok. Within just one week, the account had gained over 10,000 followers, which inspired me to expand onto Instagram. In 2022, Inside History became part of Doing Things Media, helping the brand grow even further.

Today, we focus on making history engaging and accessible while also helping brands and organizations connect with millions of people through creative storytelling.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

My biggest piece of advice would be to just get started and not wait for everything to be perfect. Inside History began as a simple experiment with no real expectations, and it eventually grew into something much bigger than I ever imagined. I think it's important to stay consistent, be willing to adapt, and learn from both your successes and mistakes. Building something successful takes time, but sometimes the smallest ideas can turn into the biggest opportunities if you're willing to give them a chance.

What is one piece of feedback from a happy customer or client that you won't forget?

One of the most rewarding things is hearing from brands and organizations that our work helped them reach an audience they wouldn't have been able to connect with otherwise. It's always great to receive positive feedback about the creativity and impact of our content, especially when a campaign exceeds expectations. Knowing that we've helped someone share their story with millions of people is something that makes the work especially fulfilling.

Where do you see your company in the future?

I see Inside History continuing to grow as a global digital media brand, reaching new audiences and expanding beyond what we do today. Social media is constantly evolving, and I want us to continue adapting, exploring new content formats, and finding creative ways to tell stories. I also hope to build more relationships with brands and organizations while staying true to what made Inside History successful in the first place. Ultimately, the goal is to keep growing while inspiring millions of people to discover something new every day.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

I think one of the biggest misconceptions about the social media industry is that building a successful account is easy or simply comes down to luck. While a post might go viral overnight, building a brand that consistently reaches millions of people takes a lot of work behind the scenes. There's a great deal of research, creativity, planning, and understanding of your audience involved. Social media is also constantly changing, so staying relevant requires you to keep adapting and finding new ways to engage people. What might look simple from the outside often takes years of experience and consistency to achieve.

What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?

One of the biggest challenges has been keeping up with how quickly social media changes. What works one month might not work the next, and building a brand around an ever-changing industry requires constant adaptation. I've learned that the best way to approach this is to stay open to new ideas, experiment with different content formats, and pay close attention to what resonates with our audience. Rather than seeing these changes as setbacks, I've tried to use them as opportunities to learn and improve. That mindset has played a big role in helping Inside History continue to grow over the years.

Who was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

Growing up, my favorite music artists were Michael Jackson and Eminem, and my favorite athlete was Cristiano Ronaldo. I listened to a lot of their music growing up, and Ronaldo was always my favorite footballer.

Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?

The best place to learn more about Inside History is through our Instagram account, @InsideHistory, where we regularly share content covering history, culture, current events, and interesting stories from around the world. You can also find us on other social media platforms, where we continue to reach and connect with audiences worldwide.