Category: blogging

This post is sponsored by Diamond Links.  Any opinions expressed are my own.

I’ve told a few people in my life that I’ve always wanted to create something with my own hands and turn it into a way to provide for my family. I never really knew what that was until I started blogging.  I do make a little side income from my blog but nothing to quit my day job over.

There are opportunities I’ve been offered in the past that I really wish I would have been able to take advantage of.  At one point I was asked to sit on a women’s panel in Pittsburgh, PA for a women’s entrepreneur event. As much as I would have loved to I just couldn’t make it happen with having small children and my hubby working 2nd shifts.  I think it would have got my name out there and added something to put on my blogging resume.  On a side note, I do have a fear of public speaking.

It’s amazing that I do have these offers and opportunities though.  I’ve had experiences I never thought I’d have when I started this blog.  I’ve learned so much and have met some awesome people.  It’s totally worth the work, criticism, and deadlines.  I’ve been able to add to our income for a family of 6. When you have 4 kids extra income is always good.

I look at women entrepreneurs like Chrissy Weems, founder of Origami Owl.  The story of how she started her business could be any mother’s story.  When I read stories like hers as a mother of 4 it gives me a renewed sense of motivation. Though we never know the full story behind everyone’s success. All the trials and errors, all the late nights, maybe they had money to be able to start a business, etc.  I have an Origami Owl piece. When I bought it, I never really knew how or why the company started.  With popular companies I have a tendency of thinking of a guy in a suit in some big office building somewhere making plans to mass produce a product.  But a lot of businesses start off small.  Now every time I wear my Origami Owl pendant I’ll think of Chrissy Weems story.  I may even keep that story in the back of my head for my kids.

One thing that’s for sure, no matter what kind of business a person decides to start there’s never any guarantees. It will take hard work and there will be ups and downs.  I have to keep reminding myself of that. Not every day can be a successful day. I also need to stop comparing myself to others and just do my thing.

If you are a small business owner I’d love to hear your stories of how you started your business.  How did you decide what business was right for you?  What resources did you use to help you get started?

This post is sponsored by Diamond Links. Any opinions expressed are my own

I’ve been blogging for many years now.  When I first started blogging I really didn’t know much of anything in regard to starting a blog. Everything I learned, I learned from blogger groups, youtube videos, and trial and error.  I still have a lot to learn. With digital media constantly changing, I feel like there is no way to know everything.  Just when I feel like I’ve mastered one social media channel a new one pops up or they add new features or new rules.

With that being said, over the years I still am continually trying to grow this little blog.  I aspire to be like some of the other big blogs and vlogs that can make a living income from their blogs.  But when I think about that I think of the increased need for things like hiring people on, higher security and master data management.

I truly hope someday that I have to think about these things more seriously.  It’s amazing what one can truly do with the right content, the right marketing, the right knowledge, and the will power to do so.  We have beauty vloggers making 100s of 1000s of dollars every year. We have gamers getting paid to play video games. The possibilities are endless.

I’ve met some great blogger friends during my blogging journey. I’ve found out who is willing to help you and who is not. Plug-ins and youtube have become my go-to sources when I get stuck.  Even my youngest son says right now he wants to be a “You-Tuber” when he grows up. That wasn’t even a thing when I was his age.  Maybe some day he’ll be able to help his old mom when she needs some advice.

This post is sponsored by Behrman Communications. Any opinions expressed are my own.

I’ve been asked by a number of people throughout the years about how to start blogging.  There’s not really one straight answer.  I often recommend a platform and tell people that you can’t expect to write one blog post every two months and make money.   Being active on social media is another key to getting your blog out there and connecting with brands and PR companies.

Blog about something you’re passionate about. Something you can keep writing about whether it be parenting, shopping, beauty, crafts, sports, whatever you feel is you. There are plenty of groups on facebook and websites for bloggers to connect, ask questions, and connect with companies that want to work with bloggers.  Inspiring stories like Nancy Behrman and her PR company can be great motivation. It gives you an idea of how connections can help your business.  After all, if you’re serious about blogging, it is a business.

Follow companies you’re truly interested in on social media.  Don’t be afraid to put your name out there. I’ve even contacted companies in the past as well.  Be prepared to hear no.  For every 10 pitches you send out, you might get one reply.  Sometimes a brand will contact you because your blog fits with the audience they’re trying to resonate with.  It might be from a PR contact.  So it’s not unusual for a big brand to use a company like Behrman Communications for their blogger recruitment or point of contact.

It’s important to stay active on your blog once you get started.  Frequent, relevant contact is key.  Social media like Twitter, facebook, and YouTube can help add to or amplify your posts.  When you do start getting jobs for your blog, make sure to complete the job on time.  Establishing a good relationship with the company or PR firm you’re working with can lead to a long business relationship and more opportunities down the road.  I’ve had opportunities I never thought I’d have.

Be prepared to work hard.  Writing and rewriting posts, educating yourself on different techniques, creating better content and videos, working on getting the right pictures,  and hitting deadlines are just some of the things you’ll need to work on to be successful.  If you can do this, blogging as a source of income can also be a lot of fun.