Name:Raquel Pineira 
Blog Name & URL: Organized Island http://www.organizedisland.com
Twitter Name: @Organizedisland
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OrganizedIsland
Instagram:  Organizedisland
Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/OCRaquel/

When did you first start blogging and why?

I started about a year ago after thinking about it for years. I wanted to share recipes and time savings tips that I have learned over the years.

What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

I wish I had known how much fun it would be and how many wonderful people I would meet because of it. I wish I had started a few years ago when I first thought about starting to blog.

What is your best blogging tip?

Take time to write in peace and try not to let all the social media efforts distract you during this time.

What is the one food that you hide from everybody else in your family so you can eat it when no one is around?

I am a pretty good sharer, but if it is down to the last few pieces of chocolate, I might move them where they are not so easy to find.

If you could hop a plane today and go anywhere in the world for a week alone, where would you go?

I would go to Hawaii, it is one of my favorite places ever. I love how green and beautiful the beaches are there. The water is nice and warm there too.

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

I would love to be a writer for Redbook, or Real Simple (or something similar) magazine/website.

If suddenly you woke up and money was no object, what is the first thing you would buy yourself?

Ooooh, this is a tough one. I guess I would buy a Canon Rebel. I take all my photos with my iPhone and I know I really should get a better camera.

If you could change one thing about your life and do it over again a different way, what would it be?

I would not have worried so much about stuff over the years, also I would have started my blog a few years ago.

Interview conducted by Susan Cooper of Finding Our Way Now. Connect with Susan on Twitter and Facebook.

If you talk to 10 different people, they will probably tell you 10 different things about what the blogging and social media “numbers” really mean. As I sat through session after session at Mom 2.0 this past weekend, I suddenly began to get the big picture: ALL the numbers mean something.

PR Reps and Consultants who are looking to work with bloggers will typically ask you for your “stats”. What they are looking for are a few things.

1. Unique Page Views (or Unique Impressions) – these are NOT the total amount of page views you receive when you look at Google Analytics (or a comparable statistic-gathering site). This is the number of people who are unique to your site in any given month. The “repeat” readers aren’t included in this. Meaning, if someone comes to your site to read a post… they are “unique”. If they go back to your site to read the post again, or to visit check out another post you did… they are added into your TOTAL page views, but not your UNIQUE ones. Brands want to see how many NEW people come to your site each month. So, having your friends and family visit your blog 100 times a day is going to get you nowhere.

2. Twitter Followers – Believe it or not, even more than page views to your blog, the brands and PR Reps are looking at your twitter followers. Think more is better? You’d be wrong. What they want to see is the percentage of people you follow vs. the percentage who follow you. Ideally, you WANT more people to follow you than people YOU follow. If you are following everyone back and your stats look like this: 500 followers, 500 people you follow… the brand isn’t going to be impressed. Remember… they want to see that you are influential – that people will follow you to the ends of the earth and hang on your every word.

3. Facebook Friends/Likes/Fans – Whatever you call it, Facebook works in conjunction with Twitter and your Blog. Do you need a FB presence? YES. Is it as necessary as Twitter? Not really. But, it’s the whole picture a brand is looking at – they want to see that you are as engaged on FB as you are on Twitter as you are on your Blog.

4. Pinterest and Instagram. Not on these two social media platforms yet? GET ON IT. They might seem like fluff and frivolity (and hey… I still don’t really “get” Instagram) but the brands ARE looking at these numbers as well. Social Media has expanded and the more platforms you are on and the more engagement you have on ALL of them, the more valuable you will be to that brand.

5. Post Comments. As we’ve delved deeper into alternative social media (Pinterest, FB, Twitter), we have all seen a decrease in blog post comments. I definitely get more comments in the status section of FB than I get in the actual blog post. Unfortunately, brands are still looking for those comments. And not just any comments… really engaged, interactive comments. Only have 5 per post? That’s okay. If they are conversation driven, that’s a really good thing. No comments on a sponsored post? Then you probably aren’t doing your job well enough.

6. Klout. Don’t hate me, please. We all hate Klout and what it measures (and doesn’t measure). As bloggers, we know that this is an imperfect way to measure our true clout. (Bet you forgot how to really spell it too.) Three top PR brand reps who spoke at the recent Mom 2.0 Summit Conference told us that they aren’t looking at Klout and that it really doesn’t matter. That sounds great… but these were 3 people who actually really understood the pitfalls of a Klout number. Not all PR Reps and brands are that sophisticated. There are still hundreds (thousands?) more out there that really DO look at your Klout number. My advice? Get it up and keep it up.

I just started my blog in January, so I’m a newbie! I was unhappy at work and needed a creative outlet to explore all of the things I really love (interior design being the main one).

What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

I’m sure I will have a lot of “I wish I had known” as I get deeper into the process of building my brand, but for now I’m just happy I have readers!

What is your best blogging tip?

Check a post for spelling and grammar mistakes before sending it out there to the world. I follow a lot of blogs, and I’m always so surprised at the number of simple spelling mistakes I come across. I read and re-read and re-re-read everything I post before I hit that “Publish” button.

What was the last book you read?

I just finished reading “The Night Circus,” about a magical circus and a competition between two magicians’ apprentices at the turn of the century. It had love, mystery, suspense, and the supernatural. It was a pretty easy read, and a lot of fun. At the moment I’m in the middle of a book called “The Philosophy of Sustainable Design,” the text book for my Ecology of Design class. It’s very interesting and has great information, but I prefer fiction!

If you could hop on a plane today and go anywhere in the world for a week alone, where would you go?

I have always dreamed of going to Thailand, so I’d probably go there. Although, to me half the fun of traveling is being with the people I’m traveling with! I have a trip coming up with my husband and some good friends of ours for a week in Turkey (Istanbul and Cappadocia) and I really am just about jumping out of my skin, I cant wait to get there!

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

I truly want to have my own interior design business, and that’s what I’m working toward right now! It’s the thing that I’ve always said was my “back-up” career, but I’ve come to realize it may have been my first choice career all along!

If suddenly you woke up and money was no object, what is the first thing you would buy yourself? (Can’t be for someone else.)

I would do a full kitchen remodel, and add a bedroom and a bathroom to my house. Maybe most people would say they would buy a new house altogether, but I really love my house and my neighborhood! Both are wonderfully cozy, and have all the best of that 1920′s charm. If the house were just a little bit bigger, I could stay here forever!

If you could change one thing about your life and do it over again a different way, what would it be?

The first thing that comes to mind would be to have pursued an interior design career sooner, but the thing is I wouldn’t be doing it now if I hadn’t had all of the experiences that have led up to this moment. I’ve always been very intentional about the decisions I make (or at least the major ones) and never want to regret having not tried something, so I believe that every big decision I’ve made has been the best decision I could have made with the information I had at the time. You never know what curve balls life will throw you, but as long as you feel confident in the moment you won’t have to regret having done (or not done) something later on.

Interview conducted by Monica at A Pear Shaped Girl. Connect with Monica on Twitter and Facebook.

For those of you who weren’t able to attend this year, you might be wondering what makes this conference different from all the others. In a word: diversity. What started out as the “Latina Lifestyle Bloggers Conference” has become the “Lifestyle Bloggers Conference” for the simple reason that the conference has opened it’s arms to women (and men) of color… all colors… black, brown, beige, tan, chocolate, peach, white… if you are human, you are welcome.

Our VIP Cocktail Party was held at the L.A. Brewing Company in downtown Los Angeles where we were fortunate to be the first ones to try out Delicia, the new dessert wines from E&J Gallo.

We also taste tested Joia drinks, all natural sodas that combine fruits, herbs & spices to create an amazing and refreshing beverage.

And while we were snacking on the amazing appetizers, we were treated to Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, the author of “The Dirty Girls Social Club” who shared with us her journey from writing her best-selling book ten years ago to her plans to turn it into a movie.

It was an incredible evening, but it was only the beginning.

From our Opening Keynote Speaker, Angela Dean, to our Closing Keynote Speaker, Davina Ferrara, 100 bloggers learned how to brand themselves, how to write better posts, how to approach brands, how to fine-tune their photography skills, and how to better collaborate with each other to succeed beyond their imagination.

Our speakers were prepared, enthusiastic and inspiring. They made this event a true success. Huge thanks to Vicky Ayala, Gabriela Hernandez, Jeremy Pepper, Martha Gil de Montes, Ricky Garay, Mi Tu Network, Francis Bertrand, Cesar Rolon, Sarah Grear, Chris Lam, Stephanie O’Dea, Lee Reyes-Fournier, A.J. Feuerman, Jose Resendez, Lisa Roche and the fabulous Marie Denee.

And many thanks over go to our sponsors -

A few more thanks to…

Ana Lydia Monaco (Latina Lifestyle Bloggers), who believed in me and the SoCal Lady Bloggers to let us be a part of this incredible event.

Ashley Pena, who worked her magic all the way from Chicago and took care of logistics and contracts and emails and all the detail-oriented stuff.

Alex Manriquez, who was the Social Media Maven of the conference and tracked all of our tweets, impressions and hashtags.

Wendy Chen & Allen Taylor, for photographing the entire conference and sharing their beautiful pictures with us.

David West, for videotaping all of our sessions and for being a super-supportive husband.

And the biggest thanks goes to all of our attendees. YOU made this dream a reality. We hope you learned something, met someone, shared a piece of your own knowledge and had fun. That’s what this crazy world of blogging is all about.

Carolyn

For every single person who believed in us to attend this conference… THANK YOU! We are already talking about plans for 2014 and we’ll be back bigger and better…. because that’s just how we roll.

I love how the concept of business cards has transcended the boring plain white rectangular card with the black lettering. There are companies springing up right and left that can do all kinds of interesting shapes and sizes. There truly is something for everyone. I have to say, I’ve ordered business cards from many different places over the years – some were fabulous, some not-so-much. When I was approached by Minted to give their company a try, I took a look at their website and started getting that giddy feeling again.

These were some of my favorite designs. I had no idea which one to choose. You can also upload your own photographs or designs and completely customize your card.

Minted is more than an online paper goods retailer. They seek out amazing new designers and provide consumers with access to creative designs that we normally wouldn’t be able to obtain without hiring our own graphic designer. While they are providing incredible new products for us, they are also giving some great designers a chance to showcase their work and build their careers.

Minted holds monthly design challenges for stationery, invitations, calendars, and other categories and all graphic designers are invited to enter. The Minted community selects the best designs in a highly competitive process, which gives us a top selection of the freshest, finest cards in the world. Winning designers earn cash prizes, a place in the Minted collection, and commissions on all sales of their designs. – Minted

So, which one did I go with?

Love, love, love it. Love the quality of the cardstock, love the printing, love the entire design and I love that they ship super fast.

Minted was fabulous to work with and they want to work with YOU.

If you are a SoCal Lady Blogger (are a member of our private Facebook page), find out how you can sign up to work with Minted HERE.

Minted reserves the right to approve or deny bloggers applying based on their particular blogs and statistics.

Name: Amy Barseghian
Blog Name and URL: Mommy Mentor http://mommy-mentor.com
Disney Mentor Moms: http://disneymentor.com
OC Mom Blog: http://ocmomblog.com
OC Mom TV: http://ocmomtv.com
Twitter Name: @AmyBarseghian
Facebook Page: Mommy Mentor on Facebook
Personal Facebook Page
Instagram: Amy Barseghian on Instagram:
Pinterest: Amy Barseghian on Pinterest
Other: Amy Barseghian on Google+
Amy Barseghian on MomTV

When did you first start blogging and why?

I first started blogging in December of 2007 as a hobby while I was a stay at home mom with our children.   I always combed the internet for reviews before we purchased new products. We decided I should share my thoughts on a website…and that is how Mommy Mentor was born.

What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

I wish I had known more about SEO.  There is so much to learn that I didn’t focus there right away. If I had…WOW!

What is your best blogging tip?

Be true to who you are…in all forms of print and verbal communication.  Your word is your brand so only say what reflects the true you.

If you could trade places with another person for a week (living or dead) who would it be and why?

Celine Dion.  I would love to have her voice and experience how that feels. She seems very strong so I feel like a week in her shoes would be really good mentoring.

If you could hop a plane today and go anywhere in the world for a week alone, where would you go?

Italy.  I could drink wine and write.

When you go to a movie, do you buy popcorn or candy?

Ummm…both of course because there is nothing like salty popcorn and chocolate.

Would you rather go on Big Brother or Survivor?

Big Brother. I do pools, contests, and am competitive enough with my mind.  I don’t do eating bugs and crazy physical stunts. But, I would lose these last 5 pounds if I could only eat bugs.

If you could change one thing about your life and do it over again a different way, what would it be?

We lost our second son to a stillbirth when I was full term seven years ago.  I went in for my check up and told her something was not right…she sent me home so he could cook for 5 more days. He passed away 4 days later.  If I could go back, I would get a high risk doctor in immediately and not trust that she knew what to do.  It might not be any different…but to have clarity would be a welcome feeling.

Interview conducted by Ashley Khawsy from Chronicles of a Foodie. Connect with Ashley on Twitter and Facebook.

Name: Mary Lansing
Blog Name and URL: Along Comes Mary, www.alongcomesmary.wordpress.com
Twitter Name: @Maryfarquhar
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/alongcomesmary26
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/maryelansing/

When did you first start blogging and why?

I have attempted blogging for years, & even had a pretty successful MySpace page dedicated to a singer (Kate Bush), but it really took off for me when I made ACM about a year ago. My friend, Jamie, got our mutual friend, Erin & myself started. I wanted to blog as an outlet for my writing, as well as to have a feeling I had a bit of a ‘deadline’ with something since I was gearing up to go back to school & was concerned about homework, due dates, etc.

What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

Technically, little things like how to link a URL with a word, rather than spelling out the entire web-page address in a post, or right clicking certain images to copy & paste rather than upload a lot to your computer!

What is your best blogging tip?

Be open. Use your blogging as a way to try new things & meet new people. I would have thought in the beginning my blog would have simply been a way to showcase what I already enjoy & do; but, instead, I have tried new things & gone on adventures I never would have had it not been for blogging, as well as who I have met through the blogosphere.

If you could hop a plane today and go anywhere in the world for a week alone, where would you go?

Well, there are so many places I want to go but don’t know if I want to alone. That being said, I think I would fly to New York City, since I have gone there on my own. I am craving some gluten free pancakes again at a diner in the Upper West End.

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

Artistic Director/Founder of a theater; a goal of mine is to start a youth theater group one day.

What reality/talent show would you go on if you had the chance and why?

Dancing with the Stars. I am a bit of a celebrity blogging, no?  I am a horrible dancer, so I would like the challenge of trying to get better at it. That show seems to inspire people to get out of their comfort zone, just like how I have tried to blogging.

What is the best blogging advice you ever received?

“Its 40% blogging, 60% promoting.” from my dear friend Susan, over at Finding Our Way Now. If you want opportunities from a blog, it truly is 60% self-promoting.

If you could change one thing about your life and do it over again a different way, what would it be?

I wrote a post about how social media can make us detached from our feelings & much too easy to hit ‘remove’ from a networking page if we have differences with a so called friend. While I have been the victim of that, I certainly am not to be at fault doing just the same, too. There are some people I use to know & wish I had said what my concern was with them rather than shunning them like that.

Interview conducted by SCLB Member Raquel Pineira of Organized Island. Connect with Raquel on Twitter and Facebook.

Let us know what’s been going on with your blog this week by linking up your favorite post. If you link up, please remember to visit at least 2 other blogs and let them know you stopped by.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Name: Caryn Payzant
Blog Name: The Mid Life Guru
Twitter Name: @TheMidLifeGuru
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/caryn.payzant
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/themidlifeguru/
Good Reads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2568392-carynpayzant

When did you first start blogging and why?

I started in November, 2010, at the end of my fiftieth birthday year. When I turned fifty, I knew I wanted to change directions in life as to my professional growth. My oldest daughter, who is a blogger in her own right, suggested I try the world of social media and blogging. She knew I loved to write and since people are always asking me for advice, she hinted that a blog would be a great way to connect with more people.

What do you wish you knew then that you know now?

How much time it takes to make a difference in the blog world. Writing posts is nothing compared to all the networking that needs to be done.

What is your best blogging tip?

Be consistent. Set aside regular, specific intervals to write and do business development so that your readers can count on you.

What was the last book you read?

Reading is my passion. I always have a book on my nightstand and work at mixing up genres so I’m not just reading the same type of book over and over. I like non-fiction and biographies to shake up the regular novels. My last book: Lots of Candles and Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen (didn’t particularly get in to it. It was a gift so I felt compelled to finish it). Currently reading The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Triglani. Loving it. I met her at an author event. She was adorable.

If you could trade places with another person for a week (living or dead) who would it be and why?

This might sound lame, but I wouldn’t want to trade with anyone. Sure, I have my ups and downs like everyone else, but generally, I LOVE MY LIFE. I am fortunate to be married to a good man for the past 31 years, I have three wonderful grown children, two fantastic son-in-laws, an adorable grandson with one more on the way. I was raised by great parents. I have wonderful friends. I live in beautiful Southern California. I have my health. I appreciate a strong spiritual foundation from my church. I have had some great growing experiences. I recognize that I have been and continue to be very blessed and I am very grateful.

If suddenly you woke up and money was no object, what is the first thing you would buy yourself? (Can’t be for someone else.)

A fully landscaped backyard. We did an addition 10 years ago that ripped up our backyard. Since then, my husband lost his job and started his own business, two daughters got married, three children went to college, we supported our son for 2 years in Mexico when he served a mission for our church, etc. etc. etc. –no extra money to invest in a backyard. I would love some grass, pavement, patio, hot tub, shrubs, a garden and a built in barbecue.

If you could change one thing about your life and do it over again a different way, what would it be?

College.  I have always loved learning so going to college was a natural decision. But I put too much pressure on myself trying to find the right major for me. I went to two universities, had three different majors, and when graduation came, I felt gypped.  If I could do it all again, I would relax and enjoy the journey more, ask more questions, and reach out more to other students and faculty.

Interview conducted by Mary Lansing at Along Comes Mary. You can connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Read about other SoCal Lady Bloggers Members Rebecca Rider and AJ Feuerman.