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Growing up, I always dreamed of working in the fashion industry. Being from small-town Alabama, I was never too sure HOW I would make that dream a reality – but I was determined to follow my passion.
Through college I was able to dabble in different aspects of the fashion industry from interning with different brands in the fashion/beauty realm. After college, I went back and forth between “following my dreams” to steady/corporate jobs (learning to budget post-college was a challenge in itself!), and eventually with the success of ThePerennialStyle.com, I quit my (last) corporate job five years ago and never looked back.
WHY WE STARTED THE BLOG:
Unlike many bloggers today with a career plan and social media strategy, my sisters and I started our blog on a whim. We’ve always done everything together, and we were at a point in our lives where we really wanted a new hobby – a creative outlet we could share. We had no intention of turning it into a business when we started, but thanks to our awesome readers, ThePerennialStyle.com has evolved into what it is today!
Quitting my corporate job to become a full-time blogger was one of the biggest risks I’ve taken, but by far the most rewarding. Determining when and how to take this risk was a challenge, so I made a plan to make sure I could handle being self-employed. I gave myself three months after quitting my job to blog. If I could match my previous monthly salary over those three months by blogging alone, I would continue. If I couldn’t match my salary, I would look for a part-time job that allowed for flexibility and additional hours to work on my blog. It has been five years since that day, and I’m so proud I took a chance.
WHAT WE’VE LEARNED + HOW TO FACE CHALLENGES:
The number one thing I hear from girls when I say I’m a full-time blogger is how awesome it must be to get “free stuff all the time,” “get paid to vacation,” or “work whenever I feel like it” – but the biggest misconception of blogging is despite how it may seem on Instagram, a LOT of time goes into each and every project. It has been a long road of determination and an everyday challenge to grow a successful business, but worth every minute of it.
Olay is a brand celebrating all women who break boundaries to rise above and live fearlessly. Today I’ve teamed up with Olay to share some tips on how I found success in the blogging industry to help empower and motivate other women to take risks and follow their dreams!
1 – Be Passionate About What You’re Doing
If you’re doing what you love, it never feels like work. This is the most important part. No matter what type of company you’re starting or job you’re working, the best way to be successful is to be passionate about what you’re doing. You’ll be amazed how much better your work and life will be if you LOVE your job.
2 – Do Not Compare Yourself To Others
This is the hardest, especially working in social media, but everyone’s audience, growth, and success timeline is different. Some bloggers will focus more on everyday style and #ootds, and others are focused more on editorial content and photography. Ours is the latter. It’s important not to compare yourself to others. Some bloggers have exploded overnight, whereas we’ve been working for seven years. The industry is constantly changing, and there are so many different ways to be successful in the blogging world. Your readers come to YOU for a reason. Don’t compare. If you find yourself getting discouraged by certain influencers, unfollow them. It doesn’t mean you don’t like them, but social media should be a positive and empowering experience, so it’s ok to moderate the accounts you follow. Seek inspiration in outlets that result in an uplifting and motivating experience.
3 – Understand It Can Be A Long Road To Success
Success doesn’t happen overnight, so you have to be ok with knowing it may take a long time to establish yourself. We’ve been blogging for seven years, and in the early years I struggled not knowing if I could ever feel secure with my career. However I honestly loved what I was doing, believed in myself, worked longer hours, and made certain sacrifices to build my business. It was tough, but 100% worth it!
4 – Believe In Yourself And Don’t Let Others Get You Down
In an industry like blogging, everyone has an opinion. When you’re posting your life on your blog or social media accounts, people often feel entitled to share their opinions – good or bad. If you’re sharing what you believe in, learn to tune out the “haters.” Everyone has an opinion, but your opinion is the most important. You do You.
5 – Get Used To Working Longer Hours
This may come as a surprise, but I work longer hours than I did in any corporate job – but as I said above, if you’re doing what you love, it never feels like work. While fun events and beauty treatments can fill my work schedule, I am often glued to my desk with emails, editing photos, negotiating contracts, and more. Understand that time is money. When you’re building your own business, you’ll find the more hours you put in, the more results you’ll receive – and not just income, but experiences, opportunities, and growth. It’s an exhilarating challenge!
6 – Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone
One of the most rewarding (and surprising) things I’ve learned through blogging is how important it is to step out of my comfort zone. I think as a female, sometimes it can be hard to stand up for what we believe in – but through blogging, I’ve discovered a sense of independence I never knew I had. I’ve learned to stand up for what I believe in and to know my worth in the business world. I’ve learned to travel by myself, speak confidently on tv shows/interviews, attend events by myself (though they’re always more fun with my sisters), and mainly to believe in myself. Learning to do this will allow you to take on any challenge.
7 – Challenge Yourself And Set Goals
If you’re starting your own business, it’s important to set clear career goals. What do you hope to attain through your business? What will it take to get there? How will you pay your bills and expenses during this time? By setting regular “office hours”, meeting monthly partnership goals, and keeping a color-coded log of my monthly and annual income are three ways I stay on top of my projects and goals. Find out what you need to attain your goals AND how you will do it.
8 – Learn To Do Every Aspect Of Your Job And Keep Learning New Skills
While this can pertain to every business, I think it’s super important to note in the blogging world. Learning to master every aspect of what goes into your blog is the most valuable thing you can do. Splurge on a camera and learn to shoot and edit your own photos. This will end up saving you SO much money in the long run, plus it will give you the creative freedom to perfect your personal style. We’ve shot and edited each other’s photos on our own cameras since we’ve started, and it’s one of our favorite parts of blogging. Also, learn the basics of website development. When I first started I taught myself HTML, CSS, and Javascript. While I don’t use it too much these days, it allows me to be in full control of my own website – rather than relying on an expensive web developer. While there’s nothing wrong with hiring help, it’s important to know the basics of every aspect of your business to be in full control and never miss an opportunity. The blogging industry is always changing and growing, so I love teaching myself new skills to always be prepared. By knowing how to do everything, you never have to rely on anyone else to do YOUR job.
9 – Remember Why You Started & Let Your First Victories Serve As A Reminder Of Your Success
With any job, it can be disheartening at times. Whether you’re feeling unmotivated by your business or perhaps your experiencing a lull in reader engagement, it’s important to remember WHY you started, what inspired you, and the opportunities that originally excited you. When we first started our blog, we flew to Beverly Hills for the Lucky FABB conference. It was the most exciting opportunity for us at the time, and we met so many inspiring women like Nicole Richie, Sophia Amoruso, Coco Rocha, and more. It was an unforgettable weekend. We also learned that weekend we had no idea what we were doing (ignorance is bliss), so it was such a great experience learning from so many inspiring women. Since then we’ve had the opportunity to meet successful female entrepreneurs like Nicole Miller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicky Hilton, Diane von Furstenberg, Reese Witherspoon and more. We’ve worked with AMAZING brands in the fashion and beauty industry (like Olay!) that we never would’ve imagined. We’ve filmed a travel video that’s featured on every American Airlines airplane. We’ve worked with hotels globally for unique travel partnerships. Not every day can be exciting or inspiring (or even successful), but remembering what inspired you when you first started is always the best way to motivate and inspire you to keep going. Don’t let one bad day hold you back.
10 – Never give up
Most importantly, never give up. Starting a business can be challenging, intimidating, and often draining – but it’s important to remember to never give up. You started this business because you believed in it. Don’t give up on your dreams.
Whether you’re a blogger or starting a new business in a different industry, it’s important to follow your dreams and never give up. As females, it’s important to empower and motivate each other to fulfill our greatest potential. Take risks, step out of your comfort zone, and allow yourself to live fearlessly. I’ve loved partnering with Olay to share my tips on how I found success as a female, and I’d love to hear your story in the comments below!