Rosanna Bhanji @ Manifest

Winner of Manifest’s Manifest Innovation Award with the motivation that I’m always keen to color outside the lines.

Name: Rosanna Bhanji

Current Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Birth Place: Gothenburg, Sweden

9 to 5: Creative Campaign Manager @ Manifest

Instagram: @rosannabhanji

A Brief Intro…

I don’t really do brief. Once you give me the mic I’m up on stage for hours - But I’ll give it a go! I’m from the west coast of Sweden, born and raised close to the ocean and been craving it ever since I left my hometown at 18. I am known to be a very restless soul, filled with energy and always looking for new adventures. Those qualities are what made me move around quite a bit for some years. I’ve been a dancer in Turkey, serving tequila in Greece, abseiling down waterfalls in Vietnam and chilling on the beaches in LA. In between all this, I’ve tried almost every career path out there, but never found my true calling – Until I stumbled upon Manifest 2 years ago.

Tell us about your career path. How did you end up at Manifest?

Ever since I was born, I’ve been a super creative person with a wild (sometimes too wild) imagination, a major lack of realism and a passion to always learn new things. I think that is why I’ve changed jobs so much over the years. When I learned about Manifest I actually worked within TV production. I was scrolling though Facebook when I noticed that they were looking for someone to join their team. It was a long shot but I wrote to them and just like that – I was a Manifestee!

What makes you a boss?

A combination of my no bullshit attitude, ability to really see people and the fact that I don’t take life to seriously.

Proudest moment in your career AND personal life?

Career wise it has to be when I got the job at Manifest. They were actually looking for a Digital Campaign Manager at that time, but we really connected on a crazy level so they asked me what I wanted to do and created the Creative Campaign Manager roll for me. That was just mind-blowing!

And when it comes to my proudest personal moment I think it was when I quit my job, left my apartment, packed my bags and jumped on a plane to LA to start over at the age of 25. The proud part being that I refused to settle and did something I really wanted despite everyone told me not to. I did it, and most importantly – I did it for ME.  

Lowest point?

Lowest point in my career must’ve been when I was working at McDonald’s and running the drive-through when a guy pulled up and asked how much he’d have to pay to get me included in his meal! I kind of blacked out of anger, but got back to my senses as my colleague carried me out of the booth kicking and screaming. Needless to say, he didn’t get his meal that night.

And on a more personal level... Probably had a few during my teens, but maybe when I briefly moved to Uppsala and completely lost track of who I was and what I believed in. When living there I was basically working 24/7 and stopped living, I was just alive. Thankfully I wasn’t there for too long; I left for LA once again and met the love of my life. So something truly beautiful and magical came out of that mess.

Most famous quote? Explain.

“Sometimes plan, but sometimes wing it.” I actually have this tattooed under my right butt cheek, haha! It’s just such a cool quote that really helps me understand that life doesn’t have to be so planned all the time. Half the fun of living is just doing what your gut tells you and enjoy the ride.

Why should everyone have a #LadyTribe to lean on?

Cause we all need support. The time when girls fought about being on top is over, the top is way more fun if you can have a glass of wine with someone up there. We all need a #LadyTribe to inspire us, lift us up and let us enjoy the view.

What passion project are you working on right now?

I’m in a massive renovating mode and my apartment is currently changing by weekly. I love to surprise my boyfriend with new colors on the walls, furniture or just tiny decorations. I mean he really doesn’t care, but I am obsessed! Thank you YouTube for teaching me so much, haha! Next step – Changing the floors.

What's your next big move?

My mom would love for me to say babies on this one, but I actually don’t know. Just in case someone missed it, I’m not much a of planner so I’d rather see what’s in store for me and keep my fingers crossed that it’s something fun.

What is the hardest decision you've ever had to make?

A few years ago I decided to exclude everyone who was not bringing joy and energy into my life. That was really hard cause I had to cut a lot of people off. At the end I gained so much from that experience though, and live a much happier life with good vibes only.

Rapid Response Questions…

Spirit Animal? Elephant.

Why? Cause they are everything I’m not. Old, wise, calm, collected and grounded. I feel like I get a little bit of that if I keep the elephant close to my heart.

Favorite Color? Orange.

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Wish I could say something smart like “the urge to make a difference”: But in all honesty, it’s Snoop Dog (my pup) cause I don’t want him to pee inside.

Do you love yourself? 1000%!

Share one piece of advice that you find most important with all the ladies out their working hard to make their dreams come true.

Trust your gut, believe in the power of you and don’t ever be afraid to ask for support. Oh, and don’t spend time with people that put you down! EVER!

*Bonus: Here’s the Medium article where I first discovered Rosanna— “Instagram — our generation’s heroin”!