WHAT LED YOU TO START WORKING IN DIGITAL/MEDIA PUBLISHING?
I started my blog, The Budget Savvy Bride as a hobby back in 2008, and had no idea it would eventually become my full-time business. About a year into publishing my first post, I started getting inquiries about advertising opportunities. When I realized I could actually build my website into a business and make a living doing what I loved, I decided to put my all into making it amazing!
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
There’s really no typical day for me, and I like it that way. Routine can be helpful for staying on task and getting things done, but I get bored easily. Every day I’m doing a mixture of things. From handling advertising requests to writing content, or from photographing a DIY project to designing new site graphics, no two days look exactly the same. It keeps me creatively filled up and happy to have that variety in my business tasks.
WHAT’S YOUR WORK SETUP LOOK LIKE?
I’m the resident App Junkie/Expert among my group of friends. I love anything that helps me to be more organized or productive. Google Apps have really made my life so easy; I use everything from their email, calendars, docs, drive, and forms to run my business. In terms of productivity tools, I’ve found CoSchedule to be invaluable in managing my site content and social media. I also don’t know how I lived without Dropbox and DocuSign – they both make managing my business on-the-go infinitely easier.
WHAT DO YOU DO OR GO TO GET INSPIRED?
One of my major strengths is that I’m an active learner and researcher. I’m constantly consuming content and seeking out new ideas, strategies, and concepts. I would say I spend a significant amount of time each week devouring inspiring content, whether it be magazines, podcasts, books, or articles online. I also try to take some time to myself. I love to go for walks in NYC or meditate when I need a creative refresh.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PIECE OF WRITING OR QUOTE?
I’m a huge collector of quotes. I have an entire Evernote notebook filled with ones I love, but I could never choose a favorite! One that is really resonating with me right now:
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
WHAT IS THE PASSIONATE PROBLEM YOU ARE TACKLING AT THE MOMENT?
My current challenge that I’m tackling is a site re-organization. After nearly a decade of publishing content, it’s time for a refresh and to give a little more structure to my content. Making the site more easily navigable by our site readers is something that’s a big focus of mine for this year.
IS THERE A PRODUCT, SOLUTION, OR TOOL THAT YOU THINK IS A GOOD MATCH FOR YOUR DIGITAL PUBLISHING EFFORTS?
CoSchedule is a dream come true. I am not sure how I survived so long without it, but it’s significantly simplified my workflow as well as how I work with my team. Anyone with a WordPress-based website needs to be using it!
ANY ADVICE FOR AMBITIOUS DIGITAL PUBLISHING AND MEDIA PROFESSIONALS JUST STARTING OUT?
Be passionate about your subject matter. I’m proof positive that if you love what you do and are passionate about serving the audience you’re speaking to, the money will follow.