Building Authority Through Education: Riya Shrestha’s Strategic Approach to Personal Branding

Riya Shrestha
Marketing Consultant, Personal Branding Coach, Educational Content Creator

Riya Shrestha is one of Nepal’s youngest marketing professionals and a pioneering female voice in the country’s educational content space. Over the past four years, she has built a career that spans consulting, coaching and content creation, shaping how businesses and individuals communicate, grow and establish authority in the digital landscape.

As a marketing consultant, Shrestha partners with businesses to elevate their digital strategies, specialising in content marketing that aligns brand essence with impactful, organic content. Known for her meticulous approach, she helps clients amplify their presence and ensure every campaign reflects their core identity while driving measurable growth.

In her role as a personal branding coach, Shrestha works with HNWIs, entrepreneurs and founders to establish them as recognised leaders in their industries. Drawing on a deep understanding of the content landscape, she curates tailored strategies that showcase her clients’ expertise across platforms, translating knowledge and achievements into a compelling public persona.

As an educational content creator, Shrestha runs Rato Rupaiya and other channels where she simplifies complex business, marketing and entrepreneurial concepts into bite-sized, research-driven content. Across four years of consistent content creation, her content has garnered over 110 million views across platforms, featuring stories of Nepali startups, top entrepreneurs and marketing insights that rarely receive coverage. As the first female creator in Nepal to focus on this niche, she has built a space that combines depth, insight and storytelling in ways that resonate with professionals and students alike.

What unites all her work is mastery of content strategy and marketing. By leveraging content as a tool for growth and influence, Shrestha helps businesses and individuals not just communicate but establish authority and lasting impact in their respective spheres.

In this issue of Business 360, Shrestha speaks about branding and its relevance. 

If your personal brand were a single word, what would it be?

Educator. At my core, I love learning and simplifying complex topics. I have had business school students tell me they watch my videos before exams, which tells me the content is not just engaging but genuinely useful. That is the role I value most: making difficult concepts accessible and clear.

What part of your journey shaped your personal brand the most?

Content creation itself. Consistently creating educational content shaped how people perceive me long before they ever meet me. My work often speaks for me in the first meeting. Over time, it helped position me as someone who is research-orientated, quality-driven and serious about educating, not just creating content for views.

How do you balance authenticity with professionalism?

For me, authenticity does not mean oversharing or chasing relatability. It means never sacrificing integrity for views. I am very aware of what works on platforms but I choose not to compromise on accuracy, research or values. Professionalism is simply authenticity with discipline.

How do you define a strong brand in one sentence?

A strong brand is one that stays consistent to its essence while earning trust through clarity, quality and repeated proof.

Do advertisements influence your purchase decisions?

Yes, they do, like most people. Even as a marketer who understands the mechanics behind ads, human behaviour is still emotional at its core. Good advertising does not trick you. It makes you curious and curiosity is powerful.

How do you stay consistent when motivation drops?

I do not rely on motivation but on routine. Once systems are in place, decision fatigue disappears. That said, when motivation drops significantly, I believe in giving myself grace, listening to my body and slowing down temporarily instead of forcing output.

A branding myth you wish people stopped believing in

That you should do what ‘everyone else is doing’. When content and branding are not aligned with a brand’s true essence, it shows, and it weakens trust in the long run.

What mistake taught you the most as a creator?

In the beginning, I underestimated how important volume is for learning. You need to create a lot before you understand what truly works. After doing it hundreds of times, patternrecognition becomes natural but that only comes through consistent output.

What kind of content builds trust the quickest?

Research-driven content. When people can tell that you have gone deeper than surface-level information, it immediately builds credibility. The kind of content that makes you wonder, ‘How did they even find this?’ creates trust very quickly.

What usually inspires your best ideas?

People. I work closely with business owners, professionals and creators who do exceptional work. Being surrounded by thoughtful, driven people naturally leads to better ideas and sharper perspectives.

What is the biggest mistake professionals make when building a personal brand?

Trying to be known for everything. Strong personal brands have clear associations. One primary niche creates distinction. Everything else should be closely related, not scattered.

Consistency or creativity

Consistency. Creativity matters, but without consistency, it never compounds. Consistency is what turns ideas into credibility.

What is one marketing strategy that you swear by?

Alignment. When content, messaging and brand essence are aligned, marketing becomes more effective and sustainable. Misalignment usually comes from desperation for views rather than clarity of purpose.

If you had to describe your content style in one sentence, what would it be?

Research-driven educational content that simplifies complex business, marketing and psychological concepts with clarity and depth.

What is more important for creators today - storytelling or strategy?

Strategy. Storytelling works best when it is intentional. Without strategy, stories may get attention but they rarely build long-term authority or trust.