What’s the name of your blog?
Where do you live?
Raleigh, North Carolina
Tell us how did you start your blog and what did it take to get to where it is today?
I started blogging as a creative outlet from my real life job in education and slowly transitioned it to the space with the best of North Carolina. I initially started it as a lifestyle blog, moved to fashion blogging, and then back to a lifestyle blog where I show off our home projects, weekend getaways, where to eat, and the occasional fashion or beauty post.
What’s been the hardest business lesson you’ve learned from having your blog
The hardest business lesson I’ve learned is that not everyone wants you to succeed, but finding businesses that align with my mission and vision, plus friends who do the same, has made it a much more enjoyable experience.
Take us behind the blog, what does a typical work day look like?
A typical work day for me looks like this: I wake up, respond to emails and messages, double check blog posts, and schedule using Buffer. I head off to my full-time job and take a break from blogging during that time. Then, I come home, do grad school work, before working on editing photos, creating content, and other managerial items for my blog. I have found that compartmentalizing my day and scheduling specific times makes me much more productive and less likely to try to do too many things at once.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone who is just getting started
The one piece of advice I would give to someone just starting out in blogging would be to stay true to yourself and be authentic. Don’t try to conform because that’s what other successful bloggers look like. Businesses are looking for ones that stand out and that have a niche.
What’s been your most favorite project or post you’ve worked on for your blog?
I have loved traveling and showcasing that part of my life on my blog. However, my favorite project was a collaboration with my blogger friend, Courtney, on the best fast food places in Raleigh. Courtney is from Pittsburgh and hadn’t tried some of these restaurants before, so it was a lot of fun to get her perspective.
How do you stay inspired?
I keep a running list of blog post ideas so if I hit a writer’s block, I can reflect on those. It helps to stay inspired. I also find inspiration in traveling and experiencing.
Blogger or Influencer? What do you consider yourself and why?
I don’t think that you can be a blogger without being an influencer. There is power in messaging and words, which is why I am careful about accepting collaborations with businesses that don’t align with my own. I also am intentional about my presence on social media and also ensure that people I work with are appreciative, gracious, and maintain a possible message.
Which social media platform do you wish you knew more about or dedicated more time to
I wish I spent more time on Twitter. I know that it’s so important for building a network, but I don’t spend as much time on it as I should.
We love a cocktail, if you were stranded on a deserted island what would be the one cocktail you’d take with you.
It’s not a cocktail, but I’d bring Prosecco.
We love a good blog hack, what’s a secret you can share with TBS?
My favorite blogging trick is hiring a really good photographer. It makes the experience so much easier because the photographer is capturing the shots. It makes my stress level so much lower on press trips when I have someone with me to shoot.
