Bree Cooley

WE'VE MOVED ---> JOIN US!

2018-05-27T15:33:00.004-07:00

The blog is now being published on my main site HERE

https://www.breecooley.com/blog

BEHIND THE BRAND: A WHIMSY WONDERLAND

2018-05-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

I’m so excited to introduce my new interview series, Behind The Brand, featuring small business owners & creative entrepreneurs! My goal is to inspire and empower you by sharing stories of some ah-mazing bossbabes and bossdudes, as they navigate their business journey. First up is the adorable, rainbow-dipped duo, Jenna & Cortney. These beauties are the smiling faces behind, A Whimsy Wonderland, lifestyle blog and social media brand. Their fun, sense of style and silly approach to life is inspiring and downright infectious!

WHAT DOES BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR MEAN TO YOU?

Entrepreneurs wear SO many hats. So, this answer is a hard one. We are so lucky to be able to make a living doing what we love, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Being an entrepreneur means being ready to hustle. Ready to work until 3 am. Ready to cancel social plans to meet deadlines. But with that, it also means seeing something you sketched out ideas for on the back of a Taco Bell napkin become a business, a platform, something that people relate to, and something that cuts you a paycheck. It’s an extremely emotional ride, basically all the time. Haha!

SHARE WITH US YOUR "LIGHTBULB MOMENT", THAT MADE YOU FINALLY QUIT YOUR 9-5?

Wow. Well, we do have to give credit to our previous 9-5 job. It’s where we met, and where we dreamt up the idea for A Whimsy Wonderland. Once we started Whimsy, we knew we wanted to pursue it full time. Once our income became consistent with this business, quitting became a much more real possibility. And still, by NO means are we rich. It’s still a hustle, and it still can be scary. But we think everyone signs up for that when you go into business for yourself. But when we had to keep turning down jobs and opportunities for our own business due to our schedules at our 9-5’s, we knew we had to just kind of jump and go for it!

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL OR TACTIC IN MARKETING YOUR BRAND?

Most effective tool? We’d say Instagram, by far. Or social media in general. We live in such an amazing era to be able to connect with people around the world to show off places, brands, and experiences we’ve loved. And we do work hard in marketing our brand. We are an Instagram duo (who are basically polar opposites of each other, anyone who knows us can vouch. Ha!); the way we dress has definitely become part of our brand as well, and changed the way we market ourselves and the brands that we work with! Marketing your brand starts with finding your niche in whatever field you’re in and keeping it consistent!

IF YOU COULD GIVE YOUR 'YOUNGER SELF' ADVICE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

We’ve answered this question before and it always gets the same answer out of the both of us. Be less scared of what everyone thinks! Three years ago, you couldn’t have paid us to wear these rainbow outfits you see us wearing on instagram now (even though we’ve always LOVED color), or to stand on the street in front of a hundred people doing high kicks in order to “get the shot.” But what we were SO scared of being judged for has actually been a big part of what has made us successful. And it’s fun. ;)

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHER CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS?

Do your research before diving in. Practice. Take classes. Hustle, hustle, hustle. Reach out for advice when you need it. People in this creative industry are some of the kindest people we’ve met. Also, hire an accountant.

WHAT’S THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A BUSINESS OWNER?

Being your own boss is insanely rewarding, but also difficult. You’re responsible for your momentum. No one is telling you when to come into work, how much to work, etc. And keeping a timely schedule is crucial, especially when you’re first starting, and if you’re juggling another job on top of your business! Scheduling hours was hard for us at first! Second, taxes. Business taxes are NO joke, y’all. Staying on top of finances is everything. *see above where we said “hire an accountant.” ;)

WHAT’S YOUR SUPERPOWER?

Related to business? Hm. We can (and have) put together an entire shoot, shot it, edited, and had content ready for a client in less than 12 hours. But we don’t recommend this. Hahah! Although I think we both felt like we had insanely speedy superpowers that day.

HOW DO YOU PRACTICE SELF-CARE?

Cort: lots of yoga, face masks, hiking, or basically being anywhere that the sun is.
Jenna: sleeping (really!), reading, listening/going to musicals, dancing

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?

Also related to business? I think everyone, entrepreneur or not, has the same fear of not being “enough” in one way or another. But that shouldn’t stop you from wholeheartedly chasing after what you want!

>> Follow A WHIMSY WONDERLAND on Instagram! <<

20 AUTOMATION TOOLS FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

2018-05-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

Being a blogger, entrepreneur or small business owner means wearing every hat you can shove on your head and having the multi-tasking skills like a badass, mother f*cker. I’ve rounded up 20 of my favorite automation tools for your small business to grow, expand your customer base and help implement your digital marketing strategies while saving you time to you do what you really love, CREATE. Many of these small business, automation marketing tools are free or only cost a small, monthly fee.

ACUITY ONLINE APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING
Acuity Scheduling is an online appointment scheduling software. Clients schedule appointments, pay, and complete intake forms online 24/7. Free signup! Never ask “what time works for you?” again. Clients can quickly view your real-time availability and self-book their own appointments—and even pay online, reschedule with a click, and eliminate 100% of the drudgery.

AWEBER
Looking for affordable and easy to use email marketing and autoresponder tools? Launch and sell your next big thing with email marketing.Find your audience, build a relationship and sell your products. Reach your business goals with AWeber’s email marketing and automation platform.

BENCH

Bench pairs you with a team of professional bookkeepers to do your bookkeeping, leaving you to run your business. Real humans. Perfect books. Your bookkeeping team imports bank statements, categorizes transactions, and prepares financial statements every month. Learn more with your free trial today.

BLUCHIC
Bluchic is the premier feminine WordPress Themes for women in business and bloggers. With our gorgeous design, you'll get over your website shame.

BLUEHOST
Bluehost is one of the largest and most trusted web hosting services powering millions of websites. Join Bluehost now and get a FREE domain name!

CONSTANT CONTACT

With Constant Contact, you can create effective email marketing and other online marketing campaigns to meet your business goals. Send great-looking emails that drive big results.

CONVERTKIT

Get the automations and email marketing tools you need to grow your blog and business. Join 19000+ creators and try ConvertKit today. Create more. Worry about email marketing less.Uncomplicated email marketing,backed by a team that cares about your success.

COSCHEDULE

Get your entire marketing strategy under one roof with CoSchedule, the #1 marketing calendar for everything you need organized. Create a unified workflow for every project with CoSchedule's drag + drop calendar. Sync your teams inside a collaborative, cross-functional calendar for social, content, email, events, and more.

CREATIVE MARKET

Creative Market is a marketplace for ready-to-use design assets from independent creators around the world. Bring your creative projects to life. (check out Dear Miss Modern, one of my faves!)

EVERNOTE
Organize your work and declutter your life. With Evernote on your desktop and mobile devices, your notes are always with you and always in sync.

G SUITE BY GOOGLE CLOUD
Get Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Calendar for business with G Suite. All you need to do your best work, together in one package that works seamlessly from your computer, phone or tablet.

HUBSPOT

HubSpot is an inbound marketing and sales platform that helps companies attract visitors, convert leads, and close customers.

INTUIT QUICKBOOKS
Small businesses choose QuickBooks to manage their accounting, get invoices paid on time, accept payments & much more. Their products are geared mainly toward small and medium-sized businesses and offer on-premises accounting applications as well as cloud-based versions that accept business payments, manage and pay bills, and payroll functions.

MAILCHIMP

MailChimp is a marketing platform for small businesses. Send beautiful emails, connect your e-commerce store, advertise, and build your brand. Give your customers a clear call to action. With MailChimp, you can create beautiful landing pages that make it easy for people to buy your products or join your list.

PLANOLY
Planoly is the first visual planner and scheduler for Instagram. We're the end to end Instagram management platform. Manage your Instagram’s marketing campaigns and content visually before pushing it live. View your data and engagement rates for each post. Track and reply back to comments directly on the app.

SC STOCKSHOP
The SC Stockshop is the original and premier source for stunning feminine styled stock photos for creative businesses and brands! Professional and exclusive styled stock photography source.

SENDIBLE

Sendible is a social media management tool that helps agencies and companies boost their productivity on social media. Try it for free.

SLACK
Slack is where work flows. It's where the people you need, the information you share, and the tools you use come together to get things done.When your team needs to kick off a project, hire a new employee, deploy some code, review a sales contract, finalize next year's budget, measure an A/B test, plan your next office opening, and more, Slack has you covered.

SHOPIFY

Shopify is the best e-commerce platform that has everything you need to sell online, on social media, or in person.

TAILWIND

Tailwind is a pinterest and instagram scheduler, analytics and marketing tool. Save time and post at the best times for engagement, grow together with Tribes, get more actionable analytics. Start free!

*If you're looking for more custom branding and digital marketing services such as web design, social media management or influencer marketing, please check out my company, Realm Media Group and request a free consultation!

PIN FOR LATER:

5 TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS WHEN WORKING FROM HOME

2018-05-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

As an entrepreneur, there are three things that can eat up your day. Emails, dead-end client prospects and the deep, black hole of social media. When you're fully aware of how your time is spent, it can be mind-blowing. Think about how many minutes you spend making to-do lists, scrolling instagram, researching something or crafting the perfect email. These boring, but necessary, tasks can easily take up 6-8 hours a week. That's an entire work day if you add it all up! As a creative entrepreneur or small business owner, you have to be spending your time as wisely as possible. Here are 5 time management tips I've learned over the years, when working from home.

1. IDENTIFY WHAT'S WASTING YOUR TIME, THEN STREAMLINE & AUTOMATE.
Email.
It's a love/hate relationship. Who doesn't love to open emails with sold order notifications, new client inquires or partnership opportunities? Typically those emails are buried in a pile of newsletter subscriptions, advertisements or opportunities that aren't beneficial to our brand. Take a few minutes each day and unsubscribe! Before you know it, your inbox will be clean and organized. Only keep things that are of value and can somehow be profitable or informational.

PR Pitches/ Brand Emails. (this one is for my fellow bloggers)
If you are a blogger or work in the media, then your inbox is usually filled with brand partnership inquiries and product pitches. I don't have the time to respond to every one, unless I see it's a good fit or I'm interested in learning more. I highly recommend creating different email templates for these. I have a few that I pull from and it saves me SO much time.

Social Media.
Consolidate your social media channels by using automation tools. (check this out! ---> 20 Automation Tools For Your Small Business) Limit your social media time to certain times of the day and focus on engaging and connecting with your core, demographic audience. Use social media platforms for promotion and marketing as much as possible.

Dead-Beat Client Leads.
If your client leads aren't qualified then it's time to move on. Some clients need a bit more attention or a custom proposal, but don't let them waste your time when their goal is to get your product or service at a discounted rate.

2. LEARN HOW TO DELEGATE AND OUTSOURCE.
There comes a point in business journey where you either finally give in and delegate certain tasks or simply, lose your sanity. If you attend one of my workshops or take one of my courses, you will always hear me talking about "hitting a plateau". This happens numerous times through the success of your business, but you have to pay close attention and set your ego aside. There's two types of these "plateau" moments. The first one comes when you know that you've exhausted all your energy and free resources and now it's time to step up your game or you might not even be able to remain a player. Depending on your circumstances and streams of income, I always suggest that you start with an intern. Maybe do a 3-6 month trial period, with either a small stipend or exchange for college credit, that can then grow into a future employee. The second "plateau" moment happens usually when you go viral or sell out of a product and your brand is simply on fire with followers, fans and most importantly, customers! When you get to this phase it's time to bring on someone or multiple people that excel in different areas to take your business to the next level. Congrats! Welcome to yet another job to add to your plate, human resources. If you haven't had your pivotal ~~mental breakdown~~ plateau moment, don't fret. Try outsourcing in the meantime and (check this out! ---> 20 Automation Tools For Your Small Business), an awesome guide to online, automatic tools that will help to elevate your brand. Keep your eye on the prize, set the intention of what your business goals are and just keep hustling.

3. USE SPREADSHEETS LIKE A PRO.
I can't stress to you enough how much I rely on my google drive. In fact, I probably wouldn't even have a business without it! I'm super ~~anal~~ organized when it comes to keeping my contacts, to-do lists, tasks, editorial calendar and content ideas in order. I use one master spreadsheet, labeled with rainbow colored tabs and color-coded columns. In fact, I might want to read this post a few times myself, because I spend too much time just organizing the shit. But don't follow my lead on this one, you're better than that. Just get yourself organized and don't get too caught up in how pretty it looks.

4. SET AN ALARM CLOCK.
I live by alarms. I use them on my phone and my desktop. When I'm sitting at my desk, I try to stay off my phone (and social media) as much as possible so I like to use a free desktop alarm clock. It's simple and straightforward, no fancy bells and whistles. he he... see what I did there? Anyways... set alarms and follow them. I use several throughout the day to remind me it's time to grab a snack (this is a major problems for workaholics who suffer from a slow metabolism, I don't think I need to tell you who I'm referring to here), take a 15 min. break, call a client, move on to the next project, etc. I schedule out my day by giving myself a certain block of time for each project. Every day is different and at the start of each day, I look at my agenda and prioritize. Take 10-15 min. to organize yourself and set your alarms for the rest of the day, to stay on task.

5. STICK TO A SCHEDULE.
No, we don't have to punch a time clock, but we do need implement structure. The good news is, you are your own boss, the bad news is that you have to be responsible enough to be disciplined. I'm certain a few of you will still be cooking dinner with a toddler on your hip while also taking a conference call, kudos! Good on you, if you can manage that, but it's not ideal. It's important to separate your business life from your home life as much as possible. Don't forget to find your balance. It's a perk to be able to finish the laundry between work projects, but it's also important to carve out your business schedule and stick to it. Be sure to keep your workspace clean and full of inspiration. When you find yourself in the flow, let it happen, but don't let it take over your life. When you love what you do, it never feels like work. Unfortunately, I speak from experience when I say that it's so important to remember self-love and not to push yourself too much. I've pushed myself so much that it's led to negative effects on my health, don't get to that point. Stick to a schedule and be sure to ~~pencil~~ pen in those mani appointments, bestie coffee dates and an occasional spa day. You deserve it, because you can't pour from an empty cup!

PIN FOR LATER:

THE BEST POOL FLOATS FOR SUMMER

2018-05-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

If you can't lay in the pool this summer on your own inflatable yacht, rainbow cloud, poop emoji, giant swan or sprinkled donut pool float, are you really even living? 😜 So it's that time to shop for a swimsuit, grab a bottle of wine and pick out a few summer-must have pool floats ...

CURRENTLY CRUSHING: VIOLETA BY MANGO SS18

2018-04-20T17:03:00.001-07:00

Being a woman full of curves, finding great wardrobe pieces is not an easy feat. For so many years, most retailers and brands just assumed that since you were above a size 10, that meant you wanted to dress like an eighty year old that had given up on life. Finally, they are starting to get it. If you make great plus-size clothing, we WILL buy it. After you take a peek at these gorgeous editorials from Violeta by Mango you will be ready to start building your wardrobe and book a trip to paradise!

SHOP THE VIOLETA BY MANGO PLUS SIZE COLLECTION >>

POPSUGAR USED MY CONTENT AND TRIED TO MONETIZE IT

2018-04-17T15:19:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, after spending all day writing content for upcoming blog posts, I needed a break and went to chat with a few blogger buddies... when I slapped in the face with the most disgusting news.

An influencer had noticed that a picture of her son had been posted on the PopSugar website. When she clicked the link, she discovered that PopSugar had pulled her Instagram feed of the images that were connected to her RewardStyle/LIKEtoKNOW.it affiliate account. While digging a bit deeper she discovered that there were thousands of other influencer and blogger profile pages that were the same. PopSugar had posted RewardStyle members content without consent and were trying to monetize it. Not just a few pieces, but millions of content. The kicker was they even had a page for Amber Venz, the co-founder and president of RewardStyle ...

Within minutes of learning about this, we began posting on twitter, facebook and instagram demanding that PopSugar take down our content immediately. After several hours (and perhaps another entity that persuaded them), they pulled the pages down.

Why did they move so fast? Because they are guilty as shit.

But this isn't the end of the story.

They've received hits on their website and money off our content. Unauthorized, without consent.

I felt violated when I saw my face and content on their website. I had 47 shoppable posts on their site, some bloggers had over 1,500. Many bloggers, myself included, make a living on creating content. As a reader, you see a great photograph or blog post, but you might not always realize the time and energy that went into it. The fact that this large corporation thought is was ok to steal from us blows my mind.

This is a screenshot from their website of my profile page:

Once you clicked on one of my instagram images that were being pulled, it then took you to this page below, where you could click and then purchase the items. These were all originally linked to my own LIKEtoKNOW.it account, as you can find in my instagram feed.

BUT...they had deleted my affiliate links and inserted their own ShopStyle links instead.

...a pretty sleazy move to make a buck.

The extent and effort that the PopSugar team put into this "new" way for them to try and make a buck, blows my mind and is completely disgusting.

They won't let get away with this though, I promise you that.

10 MUST-HAVES FOR YOUR CREATIVE WORKSPACE

2018-04-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

Working from home has many advantages. There's no time clock to punch, we don't have to pile on our makeup to impress anyone and we get to stay in our p.j's all day. Score! I like to keep my desk as minimal and organized as possible, to avoid any distraction. Here are a few of my favorite items that will keep you feeling inspired and happy while you're hustlin' away in your home office.

FRESH N' FANCY FLORALS FOR SPRING

2018-03-06T11:18:00.001-08:00

credit: moschino/gigi hadid spring 2018

Ok, so maybe it's not ideal to want to walk down the runway dressed as a bouquet of flowers like Gigi, but this does get me inspired for spring. Jump start the season with a splash of color and a pinch of blossoming botanicals from head to toe in a floral print romper or pair this gorgeous, floral crop top with high-waisted trousers. I'm always a fan of mixing prints and patterns too, here are a few simple tips to keep in mind, when mixing florals in your wardrobe...

Start with a standout piece

It's easy to build the perfect outfit when you focus on one item to use as your inspiration.

Size Matters

Stick with a mix of either small patterns or with bigger ones.

Stay in the same color family

Try to keep warm tones together and cool tones together. If the pattern is a mash-up, then pick a color or two from the combo and go with that.

Step out of the box

Experiment with patterns you wouldn't normally pair up. Pair up a striped skirt with a floral top! You would be surprised to see what a difference it makes if you try something new, so for the love of all things holy, don't be too "matchy-matchy".

Go bold or go home

To offset the vibrant floral pattern, pair with a minimal and bold accessory.

NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS AND A BRAND NEW ME

2018-01-12T11:12:00.001-08:00

photo credit: jeff mindell for studio diy

I've never been more excited to welcome the new year. Last year was just a pure shit show, filled with grief, sadness, stress and road blocks. Since 2017 blew, I'm calling for a do-over. I'm healing well after losing my dad and I have a new energy like I've never had before. The changes I went through last year, as difficult as they were, brought me to a welcomed place of alignment and evolution. Surprising enough, this "new person" I turned into, was actually ME, but the authentic version of me.

Let me explain...

Throughout life, a lot of shit happens. We experience hurt, hard times, stress and plain ole' ugly feelings of not feeling worthy enough. During these crappy times, we are completely unaware that we lose ourselves in the process. A little piece of our soul is crushed and destroyed with every heartbreak, trauma and moments of second guessing ourselves. There may be tiny signs or glimpses when we get the message that we are going in the wrong direction, but we don't usually pay attention to them. For me, I've had a more than my share over the years.

I'm funny. I mean, there are times when I can have a whole room laughing until they cry and I start to wonder why I didn't charge twenty bucks at the door.

I think laughing can cure us from almost anything in this big, crazy world. So when I've found myself in a moment when I couldn't remember the last time I laughed or made someone laugh, it broke me. I stopped in my tracks and sobbed. These are the those moments where I realized I had let life take away bits and pieces of me and my soul, and I was pissed. How come no one told me? Why had I not paid attention? But most importantly, how the fuck can I get myself back again?

16 months ago, my self-discovery journey began. I was determined to find my way back to self love and embrace unconditional love, no matter what. The results? I did a damn good job. But one year just isn't enough, especially when it came with unexpected heartbreak and loss.

The one thing that did happen was this series of moments, big moments. Mind-blowing realizations where I became so aware of the parts of me that had disappeared and life-changing occasions where my true, authentic self starting to shine through. This person who has a child-like sense of life, who enjoys the simple and silly things, someone who creates and someone who was strong enough to endure everything life had shoved in her face. Me, myself and I had been reborn.

A dear friend of mine asked me last month how I keep going (and thriving) while and staying so positive. He just couldn't grasp how I was so resilient, when most people would of called it quits. My answer was simple.

I'm a beacon of light and love.

THAT is my true and authentic self. As damaged as it's been over forty years, it still shines bright. Today, bigger and brighter than ever. I believe that I've gone through so much in my life, to help you. I also believe that the many hurdles I've had to jump have magically disappeared. They've disappeared because I've become aligned again with my true, authentic self.

Why now? Because it's time to give back.

This year I will be stepping into a brand new pair of shiny shoes. In fact, I will be stepping into a few pairs, some are new and some are old, colorful, structured heels that just needed a little dusting off.

The first step in the new year and my new journey is teaching! I've wanted to start coaching and sharing inspiration with you for a while now and the time has finally come. This Sunday is my first workshop of many, where I will be sharing bits of my own journey of self-discovery and entrepreneurship with you IRL. If you are in the Las Vegas area, I would absolutely love to meet you! You can sign up for the Free Vision Board Workshop here. The majority of my workshops and classes will be based in Vegas with a few more later in the year in Los Angeles and Portland!

And... after stepping away from fashion/wardrobe styling for a bit too long, I'm happy to say, I'm back baby! The creative, styling soul inside me has been screaming to get out and I'm ready to unleash the beast. It's part of who I am. I'm ready to dive in headfirst on focusing on what truly fills my soul and that is hands-on visual storytelling and all the creative directing I can handle!

Needless to say, it's been a super busy and exciting year already and the energy is just out of this world! I know in my heart that this is finally my year. I also know it's finally your year too. Can you feel it? It's just in the air. Pure magic.

All that manifesting I've been doing is finally here and I can't wait to take you along on my journey. If you are a blogger, business owner or creative entrepreneur, get ready, because things are about to get really good... 😉

Here's to a 2018! May this year fill us with everything we've ever wanted and deserved! Cheers!

$1,000 ASOS GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!

2017-12-18T06:54:00.001-08:00

Ho Ho Ho and Happy Holidays! Santa, his elves (some fellow blogger pals) and I have teamed up to spread some shopping joy to one lucky winner this holiday season! If you're just as obsessed with ASOS (and this ah-mazing red dress) as I am, then I'm sure you won't have any problems finding a way to spend your winnings. Enter to win $1,000 ASOS gift card giveaway below, good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS: CONFIDENCE IS KEY

2017-12-09T16:48:00.000-08:00

To say this holiday season is a busy one, would be an understatement. I'm swamped, but in the best way possible. I'm finishing up current projects, trying to find the time to enjoy the festivities of the season, while still planning some even bigger upcoming projects. This past week, I've been chatting with a few other creative entrepreneurs and they seem to all be in the same place. Ambitious, overwhelmed, excited to plan for the new year, but stuck. So I'm interrupting your regularly scheduled holiday programming to just chime in and "preach" for a minute. I'm hoping that maybe this rant will help you overcome one of your biggest barriers.

Success doesn't come easy, but here's a little secret...

I've had numerous personal and business breakthroughs over the past ten years of writing this blog and of the past twenty years of working for myself. But, 2018 is about to be the most successful year I've ever had, and let me tell you why.

Confidence.

If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will.

You are your best salesman, even if you aren't good at selling.

I'm great at selling someone else or someone else's product, because I'm passionate about it. So why was I not passionate about myself? (ahhh... lightbulb!) Yep. Once that aha moment kicks in, you will never be the same again.

You know this thing that people say...

"Don't take it personal, it's business."

...well I say,

"Bullshit."

I am my business and I do take it personal. My business is me. I'm not selling a handbag I've designed (well not yet at least) or tube of lipstick, I'm selling me. So when I didn't land that client or big project, you best your ass I've taken it personal. I can almost guarantee you that most of the time though, it's not you, it's them. The timing could be off, they can't afford you, etc. Whatever reason why it didn't work out, or they didn't buy your product or your service, I can almost promise you it has nothing to do with you as a human being.

This is not an easy pill to swallow and I still struggle with it from time to time. When you are your own brand, there's a fine line between you being the brand and the brand being you, and that fine line usually comes down to money.

Speaking of money...

"Knowing your worth is necessary in building your confidence."

If you don't truly believe that you deserve money and success, then you will never achieve it.

Don't get caught up in comparing yourself to others. Been there, done that. The time and energy you waste on comparing yourself to others only takes away from your own goals. We all are on our own special journey and we just need to stay in our own lane. Focus on you. Whatever has been blocking you from success, figure it out, work on it and move past it.

We all have those people that we look to and compare ourselves to. You know the ones. They have the job we want, the money we want, the wardrobe and the life we are striving to achieve. Guess what they don't have? They aren't you.

Embrace your talents and really understand your value. It's great to look at others being successful, because that just drives you to do more and achieve more, but when you put those people up on a pedestal, you are just giving away your energy. The only person you should be giving energy to, is you.

After twenty years of hustling, creating, learning, teaching, succeeding, failing and getting up again, the one thing that changed me, was accepting that I had lost my authenticity along the way. In those moments of fear when I was falling, failing and filling myself with self-doubt, I lost who I really was. I kept trying to fit into the mold that I thought people wanted. I lost myself in chasing success so much that I forgot my authentic self. I forgot my passions and the weird, little things that make me, me. That one thing that sets me apart from you and everyone else.

In that moment, (or perhaps I should say several months of on-going personal growth) when I finally realized that not being my authentic self being me was the one thing that had prevented me from achieving the success I was after, everything changed.

Confidence isn't something you gain overnight. It's not something that can be taught from a book. It has to come from within. Once you understand where and why you are lacking any ounce of confidence in who you are or what you are trying to "sell", watch the magic unfold and the success pour in.

Don't mistake confidence for arrogance. There is a perfect balance between knowing who you are and what you're worth and thinking you just deserve success because you are you. You have to put the work in. You have to look at yourself with a microscope and be willing to admit your faults. Leave your ego at the door.

Your ego is only fear. Fear that you won't succeed, fear that people won't like you or fear that you aren't good enough. When you are really ready for success and pure happiness, your confidence will kick in and you will suddenly realize that you will succeed and people already love you because you aren't just good enough, but because you're pretty incredible.

photo credit: wildfox

THE BEST BLACK FRIDAY & CYBER MONDAY DEALS

2017-11-23T08:39:00.001-08:00

Are you ready to get your shop on? I've rounded up the best deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday from some of my favorite places to shop! Relax, keep those pj's on, turn up the holiday tunes and let's shop from home this year...

AMAZON

Deals galore, everywhere!

ASOS

Take 30% off everything

Take 40% off everything

Take 20% off Black Friday

CODE: HURRY

MADEWELL

Take 25% off everything

CODE: DONTSTRESS

MODA OPERANDI

Take an extra 30% off sale

CODE: 30EXTRA

NEED SUPPLY

Take 20% off sitewide

NIKE

Take an extra 25% off sale styles

CODE: EPIC25

NORDSTROM

Extra 20% OFF selected sale items. FREE shipping. FREE returns.

NET-A-PORTER

Take an extra 50% off

REVOLVE

Take up to 50% off sale styles

SAKS

Get up to 60% off at the Thanksgiving Sale

SAM EDELMAN

30% off Sitewide + Free Expedited Shipping

CODE: SAMSGIVING

SHOPBOP

Take up to 75% off sale items and 30% off full-priced styles

Get up to 50% off and free shipping

URBAN OUTFITTERS

Up to 50% off

and.. don't forget to

SHOP MY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

for over 500 gift ideas!

2017 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

2017-11-20T14:26:00.003-08:00

It's here! I’ve scoured and searched the interwebs, far and wide to bring you a curated Holiday Gift Guide of my favorite finds for all your gift-giving needs. With over 500 gift ideas, you can finally cross everyone off your list! I put my heart and colorful soul (hint hint) into every page. This season, I’m inspired by life. The simple fact that we are all here on this beautiful earth, so why not live our best life in the most bold and fun way! Sit back, get comfy and SHOP!

WAKE UP WITH MACY'S THANKSGIVING PARADE!

2017-11-17T18:04:00.000-08:00

This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of Macy’s; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

It's that time of year again! Can you feel the holiday energy starting to trickle in? I'm excited to wake up next week on Thanksgiving morning, get cozy on the couch with my morning coffee and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. This has been a fun tradition I've been doing with my family since I was a child. Year after year, I would watch the parade and dream about someday seeing it in person.

This holiday season will be our first one without my dad. I know it won't be easy, but it's important for me to hold on to the wonderful memories we shared over all those holidays we spent together. I feel it's my duty to carry on traditions we had growing up, as well as creating new memories.

I remember my dad telling me stories of how he would watch the parade as a child living in New York City and the excitement he had watching those giant balloons float by. Perhaps it was his own excitement that rubbed off on me. I love watching the broadway performances and those ah-mazing high kicks from the Radio City Rockettes, never get old.

Although, I haven't been able to visit the big apple yet during the holidays, the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade brings back so many wonderful memories. As a child, I would be focused on the tv, while my mom and dad would take turns running into the kitchen to check on the turkey in the oven.

Although this holiday season will be a difficult one for my family, I plan to do all I can to keep my dad's childlike spirit alive by carrying on the joyous spirit he had. No matter how I old I get, my most precious memories are those surrounded my family, laughing and simply enjoying the little things in life. Because as time goes on, we realize those little things were the most important things.

On Thursday, November 23rd, the 91st, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade® will march down the streets of New York City as the country gathers to celebrate. Don't miss out, so be sure to tune in at 9 a.m. ET to watch the new opening of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. This new opening will feature an all-star ensemble cast of celebrities from pop-culture, stage and TV all singing and dancing together in an epic performance of Dancin' In The Street! And don't miss the first hour of festivities when Gwen Stefani performs White Christmas at Bryant Park.

For more info about the Parade lineup, visit: https://www.macys.com/social/parade/

MACY'S PARADE SHOP:

SAMSUNG GALAXY S8+ AND STUDIO POP-UP

2017-11-06T09:46:00.001-08:00

This post was sponsored by Samsung.

As a content creator in today’s world, I’m constantly living my life through a lens. Capturing moments of my day and sharing them with you is just part of my regular, everyday routine. So I was excited when Samsung invited me to their Samsung Studio Pop-Up for an insider's peek at their newest innovation, the Galaxy S8 and S8+! It was a great opportunity to experience Samsung's cutting-edge products up close and personal. Once I got to know just how ah-mazing the Galaxy S8+ was, I took it for a spin and thought I would show off a couple of my fave, inspirational hidden spots here in Vegas!

At the Samsung Studio Pop-Up, guests could experience Samsung’s 4D Gear VR Theater, interact with the Samsung Gear 360° or even challenge a friend to a cycling game. I’m all about a little retail therapy, so I checked out their new products and learned about the features on my new Galaxy 8+. I’m obsessed!

Love this pink, suede Alcantara cover!

Ended the evening with a mini dance party and performance by DJ Marshmello, hosted by Kelly Rowland.

The Infinity screen is one of my fave features of the Galaxy S8+. It’s one of the best smartphone screens and the biggest ever put on a Galaxy phone. It stretches from edge to edge and the curved design easily fits in your hand.

Another few ah-mazing features I’m completely smitten with…

• The Infinity screen even gives you the ability to use two apps at once

• The Infinity screen has 16 million colors and 4.1 million pixels
 
• The Galaxy S8 and S8+ is water resistant in up to 5 ft. of water for up to 30 minutes ( I saw this with my own eyes at the Samsung Studio! )

• Iris scanning for enhanced security and face recognition

•10nm processor that runs on 20% less power, so you get a longer and more efficient battery life

If I’m out on the weekend, you will typically find me hanging out in Downtown Las Vegas.  The old, nostalgic feel of the city combined with the new, colorful art gets me every time.

Some fun, inspirational street wall art I captured with the Galaxy S8+...

Whether you are heading to Vegas for a fun-filled weekend or just choosing to enjoy a little local staycation once in awhile (like me!), the Samsung Galaxy S8+ is the perfect little travel companion to capture the glistening lights and the local gems, like this.

Be sure to check out the newest innovations, including the Galaxy S8 and S8+ at the Samsung Studio Pop-Up in person in your city - click here for the full list of locations!

Caffeine + Communication = Love.

7 SIMPLE WAYS TO PRACTICE SELF CARE

2017-10-19T13:10:00.001-07:00

I've been super busy lately, but when I'm not working on a project or with a client, I'm actually taking time for me. My world has dramatically changed, once I made time for me. Taking care of you, isn't an easy feat. I'm sure there are more than a few of you reading this that always puts your children, your parents, significant other or even your boss before you consider taking care of you first. I'm guilty too and my name has usually been on the bottom of my to-do lists in the past, but not anymore. This year has taught me so much about what it means to self-love and I promise you it has nothing to do with being selfish or narcissistic in any way. So to all my fellow boss babes, here's some easy ways to implement self care into your life.

1. Breathe.
When you feel yourself starting to get anxious and stressed over a situation, stop. Deep breath. Spend a few minutes to take control over your actions by paying attention to your breath instead. Inhale, Exhale. Close your eyes and take yourself to a happy place. Hugging someone you love, laying on the beach, playing with your pet. Stress and anxiety are evil. I promise you that whatever the problem is, it get resolved. Even if it doesn't turn out in your favor, it just might teach you a lesson in the long run.

2. Laugh and Have Fun.
I strongly believe that laughter heals all wounds, even if it's temporary. Life is so damn short to not laugh and smile. During a very dark period of my life last year I met someone and he brought back the laughter in my life. My cheeks actually started hurting. As silly as it sounds, it was pretty sad. How did I go so long without laughing that when I finally did it again, it was a chore? I promised myself in that enlightened moment that I would never let myself get that far down again. For me, work is fun, because I enjoy what I do. But when I say 'laugh and have fun", I actually mean it. Take yourself to the park and swing on the swings, take a road trip Disneyland or just put on a funny movie and let yourself unwind.

3. Live Well.
Drink plenty of water. Take your vitamins. Eat something green! I'm not yelling at you, but I'm yelling at myself. I still struggle with this, but I'm getting much better. I have a gallon of water on my desk each morning and drink throughout the day. I take vitamins with breakfast. When I keep almonds or fruit close by, I tend to only eat good snacks because they are there, well and because I'm lazy... Plan your meals every week if you can and take time to move your ass!

4. Unplug.
Get your ass outside. Even if you only have five minutes before your next meeting, there's no excuses. We are so addicted to our phones and computers that we forget about the simple things in life. Eat your lunch in the park and listen to the birds, watch the kids play and let your mind wander. Whether I take the dog to the park or go on vacation, I always make it a point to unplug for as long as I can stand it. Even though we want to share every moment with our friends or followers, it's crucial to have some memories just for you too.

5. Mind Over Matter.
What we think, becomes our reality. I don't care what your excuse is or how bad you think you have it, stop obsessing over it. Don't be a victim. I can tell you first hand that when I have felt sorry for myself in the past, bad shit always surrounded me. Change your mindset. If you really focus on the positive and the best possible outcome, the universe must deliver. Think about what you want and how you really want your life to unfold. While living in Denmark, I made a dream board. I spent an afternoon tearing out words and pictures of things I wanted to manifest in my life. I hung it on the wall and looked at it everyday. I imagined myself wearing the clothes, flying a plane on vacation and creating an abundant life. This became a ritual that only took a few minutes every morning. About a year later, I looked at that pink poster board covered in magazine cutouts and stood there crying. I had achieved 90% of what was on my board. Trust me, the mind is a magnificent thing.

6. Treat Yourself.
Whether it's a facial, manicure or a retail therapy trip to the mail, you deserve it. Even if you can only afford $5 on yourself, do it. You don't have to go overboard and buy that gucci bag you can't stop thinking about (or maybe...) but just give yourself a gift. I, personally, get excited over a new nail polish or stationary. Investing in yourself is necessary. It's an external way to practice self-love. Do something for yourself every day, no matter how small it is, you will see the difference it makes in no time.

7. Practice Gratitude.
There is so much to be grateful for, even the little things. No matter how bad your situation might be, there is always someone else that has it worse. I've been homeless, poor and depressed, but there were still people in this world that had it far worse than I did. For me, success is something that was handed to me. It wasn't something that just magically happened one day. I'm grateful for every experience, even if it was traumatic, if it changed me in any way then it helped me grow. I'm grateful for my friends and family and even the strangers I meet. A smile from the barista handing you your coffee or someone holding the door, can go a long way just at the right moment. Write in a journal or just spend a few minutes every day silently listing out what and who you are a grateful for. When we appreciate life, it appreciates us right back.

photo credit: wildfox

RUNWAY: ALICE + OLIVIA SS18

2017-09-12T14:07:00.005-07:00

Good style makes me happy. Colorful, fun, fashion makes me even happier! I've been in my cocoon lately, working on some exciting, new projects and feeling the emotions of the world as its' battling mother nature. I just wasn't in the mood for NYFW this season. Until I just saw this. Alice + Olivia just turned my frown upside down! This collection inspires me so much, it's exactly what I needed. The world does need more sparkle, don't you think?

CURRENTLY CRUSHING: FAVE FALL FINDS

2017-09-04T22:43:00.004-07:00

credit: gigi hadid for missoni

It's that time of year again. When my anxiety kicks in because we are only a few weeks out from it officially being fall and I'm still sweatin' bullets in 100+ degree weather.

All I want to do be a basic bitch and sip my pumpkin spice latte with scarf wrapped around my neck, while wearing velvet pumps. Is that too much to ask? While I daydream about my cozy, autumn ensemble here are some pieces I'm crushing on for fall...

HOW TO CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY VEGAS STYLE

2017-08-21T20:44:00.002-07:00

Last month, I turned the big 4-0! For many months leading up to my birthday, I was terrified. Sad and scared that I was leaving my 30's and discouraged that I didn't reach every goal so far. There was so much anxiety and grief I was dealing with in my life that I wasn't sure I felt that it was right to have fun. As it got closer to my big day, I realized I just had to embrace this next decade and party like a boss. I also knew that if my dad was here, he would of kicked my a$$ if I didn't. I suddenly knew I had to live in the moment, to celebrate me. Las Vegas is the ultimate destination to celebrate your birthday and as a local, I don't always take time out to enjoy everything this crazy city has to offer. So even though my 3-day birthday binge left me with a sore cheeks from laughing every night and an ugly (sugar + alcohol) hangover, it was worth every moment. Whether you are a local or tourist, I promise you this fun guide won't leave you disappointed!

DAY 1 (FRIDAY): Check-in hotel (we stayed at the Palms Place Hotel & Spa & loved it!), indulge on delicious food at a fun dinner, then sing/dance your guts out. ✔

SUGAR FACTORY

Where do I begin? We started the birthday weekend off with a bang! The lovely folks at Sugar Factory treated us like royalty and the delicious and outrageous food created by Chef Mitch Homes was jaw-dropping! As a guest of the restaurant, we were able to try and taste different drinks, appetizers, and desserts. Some of our favorites were the Sugar Factory Rainbow Sliders, The Big Cheesy Burger, Caramel Sugar Daddy Cheesecake Milkshake, Lollipop Passion Goblet and of course the World Famous Sugar Factory King Kong Sundae! (even delivered with sparklers!) This was such a fun experience and if there was ever a real-life Candyland, this is it!

THE BEATLES LOVE CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

This show was everything to me. I've been a die-hard Beatles fan since I could remember and with my 25+ years working/performing in the theatre arts behind me, it took this show to bring me back to life. Lately my work has had me stuck behind this screen, but for 1.5 hours while singing to songs like, "Get Back" and "All You Need Is Love", I was so fulfilled with happiness that I wanted to cry. Inspiration overload! The vivid costumes, acrobats, energy, talent and special effects was almost too much for one stage to contain. This historic and visually-stunning, musical journey inspired me to my very core. It brought back a sense of wonder I had suppressed and for that I'm grateful to every single member of the cast and crew for their talent and energy. The Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil show is by far the best show on the Las Vegas strip!

*************

DAY 2 (SATURDAY): Wake up & celebrate with a mini road trip, eat way too much birthday treats, spend quality time with friends and family, soak in all the memories and throw an epic hotel room birthday party! ✔

Apparently everyone runs on DUNKIN' DONUTS and so do I. So head over to your nearest drive-thru for a pretty, pic-worthy donut & a much-needed, morning caffeine boost and hit the road! Enjoy all the gorgeous scenery at Red Rock Canyon and Seven Magic Mountains remain grateful for yet, another birthday.

Now that you are back in the city, it's time to hit the strip and get an energy boost! First stop, SPRINKLES CUPCAKES. Load up on a few dozen birthday cupcakes for the party and don't forget to stop by the oh-so-cute, pink cupcake ATM around the corner from the shop!

Next stop, M&M's World. Both your party guests and friends back home will appreciate the bright, chocolate drops of heaven so stock up like I did on some fun colors like pink, teal and lime green. Four floors of adorable gifts and souvenirs of your fave cute and colorful M&M's characters.

It's party time! Hotel parties make me feel young, so maybe that's why I suggest them. When your friends and family take the time to fly into town and celebrate with you, it's nice to have a private place to gather and enjoy their company. Then after you've drank a ton of pina coladas (and zima!) you can hit the casino later and ~~get~~ ~~crazy with strangers~~, uh.. I mean respectfully nod and say hello to other fellow tourists. I had fun making a photo backdrop for selfies and curating a fun party theme. I wanted it to reflect me. Happy, Bold, Bright and Silly! When it's your birthday, it's the perfect excuse to embrace your inner child and dance to 80's/90's music all night. ...he he he

pictured: cupcake, plates, gold glitter party crowns, glasses, pink shirt

pictured: cupcakes, happy birthday cake topper, yay candles

pictured: m&m's, napkins, cups, plates, confetti

pictured: smashmallow, party fiesta fans

pictured: dunkin' donuts, happy birthday cake topper, 40 cake topper

pictured: balloons, sparkling ice

*************

DAY 3 (SUNDAY): Sleep in, nurse hangover, eat cupcakes for breakfast, soak in the sun, head downtown for photo opps and enjoy a few local hidden gems. ✔

DRAI'S BEACHCLUB is the perfect place to shake yo' ass and continue the party and enjoy the rooftop view of the strip.

Downtown Las Vegas is an entire adventure all on it's own. The street art and vintage signs at The Neon Museum will leave you inspired and A few other of my fave spots end the evening at a couple of my fave DTLV spots. Grab drinks with friends at The Griffin and then a bite to eat at the whimsical Park on Fremont. Don't forget to sneak in the back of the patio and take a turn on the teeter totter, then stand in front of the green neon sign (below) and take a selfie. Let it be a reminder that you are fucking beautiful and what an incredible birthday you had...Vegas style!

A huge thank you to my ah-mazing brand partners for helping me celebrate the big 40!

Sugar Factory
The Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil
Drai's Beachclub Nightclub
Sprinkles Cupcakes
Dunkin' Donuts
M&M's World™ and My M&M's™
My Mind's Eye Paper Goods
Jillian Maddie Paperie
Paper Source
Lane Bryant
Eloquii
Yours Clothing
Smashmallow
Sparkling Ice

*Disclousre: I did not receive compensation from any of the above brands mentioned and featured in this post. The Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil provided complimentary tickets, Sugar Factory provided complimentary meals and my other brand partners provided product. All opinions and reviews are my own.

SHOP NOW:

BREATHE, THINK, SLEEP AND REPEAT.

2017-08-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

Our mind is a funny little thing, it likes to play tricks on us at the worst possible moments. I think I want to create blog posts, talk about parties, fashion, travel and business, but the only thing I can actually do is sit here staring blankly at the screen, wishing I was back in LA laying on the beach and trying to remind myself to breathe.

For the majority of this year, my life consisted of sitting in the hospital beside with my dad, dealing with his doctors and trying to heal him through every way possible. But now, these past 2 months have been spent trying to cope with the loss of him. How do I move on? What do I do now? I'm numb and completely lost. Should I be pressuring myself to figure it out? Maybe the pressure I always put on myself is the first thing I will get rid of. I really just think I'm in shock. As much as I want to be on social media and inspiring you through business tips or pretty designs, I'm just not ready. Those things are all part of who I am and what makes me happy, but in the big scheme of things, it's not what is important. I think I need this time out to re-invent myself. I need to take the time to practice self-love and care and plan for my future. I'm going to decide what I truly want and then make a plan to get it. Life is too short to be mediocre. When I return back to the blog, I hope you are still here to follow along as we share this journey together, called life.

SAYING GOODBYE TO MY DAD

2017-07-05T12:34:00.003-07:00

Words can't explain the empty hole I feel inside. These past few months have been some of the hardest I've ever gone through. My dad was in the hospital for over 3 months, while my brother and I took turns spending every other day there by his side. Nothing else mattered. My mind was being pulled in a million directions and most days, I was just going on auto-pilot. Work projects got pushed, personal responsibilities were forgotten and the only thing we were concerned about was being his advocate and fighting for every answer we needed to save him. We tried everything we could, but in the end his body just couldn't fight anymore. My dad and I had our battles, we shared tears, we shared laughs and despite it all, we loved each other wholeheartedly. He believed in me and was so proud of every accomplishment, no matter how small. I have his ambition and tenacity. He taught us to follow your dreams and NEVER give up. My heart is broken, but I know he would want me to continue living loud in his honor and to always have hope.

My family and I had to start a fundraiser for my dad's funeral. I would be so grateful if you could help spread the word. CLICK HERE to share the link.

16 PRETTY POWDER ROOMS: IDEAS + INSPIRATION

2017-07-05T12:34:00.002-07:00

These past few months have been agonizing, stressful and downright traumatic. At the end of each day the only thing I can think about doing, is soaking in a hot bath. I'm gathered a few of my fave bathrooms for some inspiration, but I just can't seem to make up my mind if I want a more zen space, fun and modern spin or an over the top glam room. What's your powder room style? The only thing I'm dreaming of is some me time...

hgtv

the perennial style

palms springs life

the perennial style

brit + co

kelly golightly

hgtv

the perennial style

brit + co

aol

elle decor

the perennial style

If these bathrooms can't inspire you to create your own girly getaway, I don't know what can. Just be sure to add some ah-mazing bathroom fixtures, dual flush toilet and some gorgeous wallpaper!

*in partnership with decoraport

PR 101: HOW TO WORK WITH BLOGGERS + INFLUENCERS

2017-05-08T15:54:00.001-07:00

photo credit: wildfox

Alright, here it is. This is a post I’ve been wanting to write for quite some time now. With 10+ years of blogging, content marketing and PR under my belt, I thought it was time to shed light on a topic that no one seems to be talking about. This is the raw, ugly/pretty truth and the do’s and don'ts of influencer marketing. Whether you own a small business, work in public relations or are a kick-ass blogger, these are crucial tips and reminders when it comes to working with bloggers. These are the cold, hard facts that every brand need to know, but no one is telling them.

There is a mutual frustration across the board when it comes to blogger/brand relationships. At the end of the day, the simple truth is, the brand needs the blogger and the blogger wants the brand. I’ve worked with numerous small businesses who want to partner with influencers. Not all of them understand this easy, although still tedious process. The clients that are open to understanding it, or allow me to lead them on the journey, are the most successful ones. Don't be one of those brands that are missing out.

" Once you understand how we work and think, you should be on your way to building successful blogger and influencer partnerships in no time! "

These are vital tidbits and tips on understanding the blogger/brand dynamic. I hope to empower each and every one of you, by sharing these important insights that every brand needs to know. I'm just going to pull the band-aid off, so be warned this may sting a bit. This is not personal, it's business. I want us to grow together so I'm going to save you the time and cut through all the bs.

The influencer doesn’t need the brand, the brand needs the influencer.

Shocked? Don’t be. Back in the day, only celebrities were the ones dancing while sipping your soda, chewing your gum or wearing your shoes. Welcome to 2017, where bloggers and influencers rule the game. Whether it’s a micro- blogger or a top-tier style influencer, these are the ones validating your product and filling your pockets with all that dough. Bloggers are your best friend. We tell it like it is and we don’t like to talk about a product that we don’t love. We are your voice. The key ingredient, between product and consumer.

Blogging is not a hobby.

This is our business. Whether it’s a side business or a full-blown operation, every blogger has put their heart and soul into their baby. Thousands of hours, a shit ton of blood, sweat, tears and huge sacrifices were made in building our brand. We take this seriously and we expect you to do the same.

Brands don’t give influencers enough credit, where credit is due.

Just because you might view us a one woman (or man) army, don’t underestimate our dedication, success and ambitions. Blogging is not an easy feat, and there are layers upon layers of things we have to manage. We are entrepreneurs, just like you. Whether we owe money on a business loan, hired out our entire family or are so exhausted from juggling it all 24/7, we are the ultimate boss babe. From the outside, it might look like all we do is receive gifts in the mail and eat sprinkled cupcakes for dinner, but that is just what we choose to show you. Really, we are sitting in our pj's with a head full of dirty hair and five empty cups of coffee on our desk. We are dedicated more than you know and we won't stop until we check off every goal on our list!

Please, no micro-managing.

We are big girls and boys and this isn't our first rodeo. When working on a sponsored partnership, we completely respect and understand there are specific brand requirements and rules. However, just leave the creative part to us. That’s why you hired us, right? Make the guidelines and details simple and easy to read, then let us work our creative magic. We guarantee you will be more than satisfied with the results.

Don't try and calculate our worth.

Yes, you have a budget, but we also have set rates too. 99% of bloggers will be a bit flexible in their rates if they absolutely love your product or brand and just really want the partnership. However, you have to respect our value. There are several websites that offer an online calculator for determining an influencers worth based upon followers, comments, etc. This is not accurate information. If you simply based my rates on my instagram following, you wouldn’t know that I actually have 275,000+ monthly readers on my blog and each one of my instagram pics are posted right on my website. You also wouldn’t know that I push my instagram posts to pinterest, facebook and twitter. We don't blindly set our rates and we have a reason they are what they are. If you want to know our stats, just request a media kit. Bloggers, if you don't have one, stop reading this and create one right now.

Party invites don't pay our bills.

Do you have any idea how many invites a blogger receives? Way too many to attend each one. Our time is precious, as most of us are balancing all the writing, photo shoots, website edits, shopping, business meetings, conference calls, traveling and attempting to control our monster of an inbox everyday. We want to attend your events. It gets us out from behind this screen, we get to meet people face to face and enjoy a cocktail while snapping pics to create new content. But, we have to be selective with the events we can attend and if it’s not of value to us, we usually have to politely pass. If we can’t attend your bash or pop-up, don’t just accept a no and hope to connect with other bloggers instead. Send over a bottle of wine and a goody bag from the event with a note that reads “sorry we missed you” . A simple note can go a long way to show us you really to value the relationship and believe me, we notice those things. We might even give you a shout-out just for you being you.

Be professional, but be yourself.

You don’t have to be stuffy in your approach, in fact, just be yourself. Make a joke, tell us you wish you had the nerve to pull off a bold, pattern dress too. Be real. Approach us in a fun way, but keep your sense of professionalism. We aren’t saving babies, we are promoting fun brands, products and experiences we love. This is an ah-mazing gig we have and we are grateful to be able to make a living doing something we love. Brand partnerships are the icing on the cake for us, so bring it!

Your email is one of hundreds we receive every day.

I hope that you've learned a thing or two and that you have taken away enough info to make your pitches stand out. The truth is, unless the blogger has a team working with them, if your email doesn't stand out it will just get deleted. Build those relationships, put in the time and do your research. It takes just a little bit of effort and you will have a fan and customer, for life.

We don’t work for exposure.

Unless you are a global brand and we just joined the blogging world yesterday, we don't work for exposure. This doesn't mean we aren't open to a mutual partnership where you share our post or interview to your audience or include it int you newsletter, but this is pretty rare. Your invite to have us share a 10% discount with our readers on a product we have no interest in has absolute no value to us whatsoever. We know exactly where to go to find discounts if indeed that is what it is we want to share with our readers. But that is only beneficial to you and we aren't interested promoting for free.

No, I won't promote your product in exchange for a high-res image.

I laughed so hard, I spit out my coffee. Yes, this is quite common. Seriously?! I can't even comment on this because if you think we can tell our readers how great these new jeans fit, by seeing a high-res image that we can simply find on your website, then you are in the wrong business.

We are just as valuable as “old school” traditional advertising, if not better.

TV, radio and billboards can be great for brand awareness but guess what, you can't click and buy. In today's world, we are way too distracted by unicorns and pretty flat lays, that if you aren't shoving your product down my throat through one of these methods, you might not capture my attention. Everyone is online and everyone is addicted to their phone, even in the bathroom. If the blogger has influence on instagram, then there is great value there. End of story.

We don’t give a rat’s ass about your press release.

Unless you are invited us on a private jet to the red carpet premiere of the latest Johnny Depp flick, where I get to sit on his lap during the film, while he feeds me popcorn and champagne and Ryan Gosling brushes my hair, then I'm probably not interested in your long ass, boring press release. (*disclaimer* this is strictly my personal wish, but you get the point. Oh, and if you are the media contact for Johnny’s latest flick, you know where to reach me.)

We don’t need content ideas.

Being a content creator, is knowing how to create enticing, clickable content. That's our job. If you want to pitch us , then tell us about your product but don’t assume we are sitting around without a clue or idea on what to write. Believe me, I'm sitting with more than 100 blog post ideas that I still don't have time to write.

Ease up, on the follow up.

Yes, we know it’s your job but the more you harass us, can almost guarantee you won’t hear from us, even if we were interested. We heard you, we saw your email and we will get back to you if we are interested and have the time. Plain and simple. Just like dating.

No ghosting.

On the flip side, you reach out to tell us about an exciting campaign or an idea for a partnerships and we take the time to research and respond then we never hear back. If you're just not into us anymore, there are no hard feeling, but can’t you at least have the courtesy to tell us? Just like we had the courtesy to get back to you too.

What’s in a name? A whole hell of a lot.

Please for the love of {insert your preference here}, Know who you are pitching. The first time I received a pitch from a very large and reputable PR firm that said “dear gmail.com”I threw up a little in my mouth. This isn't for only bloggers or influencers, this is for anyone with an email account. If you are an intern or fresh out of college and you still haven’t learned that you should not be dressing people with a "dear gmail" then (I’m gonna pull a Simon Cowell here...) you shouldn't be in this business. Your job is to sell me, not annoy me in the first two words.

We make the rules.

Every blogger has their own way of working with brands. For me, I offer dedicated, sponsored posts on both my blog and social networks. I also accept products for review. Before we jump into bed together though, I'm upfront and honest about the details. My standards and morals are high and don't sell out for anyone. When I say I love a product, you can guarantee that is the truth.

If there isn’t a budget, don’t bother.

Do you work for free? Then why would you expect us too? Think of it like this... We are an extension of your marketing department. Your job is to promote, create brand awareness and drive sales. Our job is similar, but in a more creative and organic way. You wouldn't hire a production company to produce a commercial without paying them, would you? Instead of being on the payroll, our portion just comes out of the marketing budget.

On the other hand, we don’t always require monetary compensation if the partnership is exciting enough for us. I partner with brands all the time, because I simply love the product. A great example of this is when I partner with a hotel. If I have a trip planned already, then it's the ideal situation, to stay at their property complimentary in exchange for exposure. In this case, the blogger is getting something out of great value and the hotel is getting the exposure, basically for free. Especially if the hotel was fully booked. It’s easy. This isn’t new and it goes all the way back to the ole' barter system.

Big numbers don’t mean big sales.

As cheesy as this ole’ saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”, it's true. After the reader/follower leaves our site or social platform, we have no control. All we control is how we are going to show off your product and create awesome and unique brand awareness. Of course, the more followers an influencer has on their blog and social media, the bigger the reach is, but this isn't always best for the brand. How is the product being showcased? Is their audience your ideal demographic audience? Are you selling sweet-tasting champagne to an audience of underage teenagers? These are things to think about and factor in. I promise you this is not rocket science.

Keep it short and sweet.

Define your goal and execute it. What is it that you are pitching? We don't have time to read a novel about how your beauty serum is the newest and greatest fountain of youth. Show us a photo, highlight the product in 1-2 sentences and tell us what it is you want from us. PLEASE include links! This is the single, most ignorant mistake you can make. Welcome to PR 101.

Do your homework.

If you’re going to pitch your product or client, don’t you want it to be successful? Take the time to research who we are and what it is that makes us special. Why do you want to work with us? Do we own a dog? Are we vegan? Are we recently engaged? Any partnership should just organically flow and fit into our aesthetic and be a perfect fit.

Woo us.

Influencer marketing is just like dating. You need to impress us, wine and dine us, appreciate us, then you can tell us what it is you really want out of this relationship. This has to be organic. It has to be fun and exciting, but don’t rush it.

Despite this post being a bit lengthy, I still feel like this discussion is just getting started. I’m sure I will chime in again soon on this topic. I want to help in any way I can when it comes to these pivotal relationships. Bloggers, I would love to hear from you and get your feedback. PR reps and small business owners, I invite you to join in this conversation, so please leave a comment below if you have any questions.

Influencer Marketing and Blogger Outreach is a fairly simple process, as long as you can put yourself in our shoes. Recap...

Get to know who you're pitching.
Appreciate them and their value.
Pay attention to the details.
Keep it short and sweet.

*another quick tip when pitching to bloggers/influencers, try using Gmass , a powerful mass emailing service that integrates seamlessly with Gmail, Google apps, and Google Drive with the ability to send auto follow-ups, break sending limits, avoid spam filters, and send customized individual emails in mass email campaigns.

For Influencer Marketing, services please click here to learn more.

TARGET SUMMER FAVES + GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!

2017-05-03T11:47:00.001-07:00

It's no surprise that I'm addicted to Target and I'm sure you are just as obsessed too. You know that feeling you get when you walk in, grab the red cart and immediately see that they have new products in the dollar spot... You're ready to get in your car and drive there now, aren't you? Say it with me, " Hello my name is (insert name here) and I'm a Target addict." You aren't alone, it's going to be ok. In fact here's a few of my summer faves and a chance to win a $200 gift card to help satisfy your needs. ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Use the Rafflecopter Widget below to enter. Giveaway is for $200.00 USD. Open to US residents 18+ only. One (1) winner will be chosen. Prize must be claimed within 48 hours of announcement or a new winner will be drawn. Prize delivered via email. All entries will be verified. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Target, Rafflecopter, or any other entity unless otherwise specified. Blogger not responsible for delivery of prize.