Hello Lovelies!
I have been officially blogging full time for 2 months now! So I thought I could share with you what lead to this moment and how I plan to position my business for the future!
Developing Your Brand
SO MUCH led up to the moment I decided to work for myself, and the archives of this blog paint that picture. I started my brand back in 2018 while still in college, writing lifestyle content, shooting outfit photos, and sharing my life from school to adulthood, dating, faith, marriage, and now motherhood! If you have been here the whole time you know there is A LOT going on here.
From the beginning I wanted to share my story, especially my struggles with body image and food. Through fashion and styling I have been able to focus my message on one important thing: your body and how you have been treated doesn’t prevent you from feeling beautiful and being the best version of yourself.
About 6 months into writing I named my blog She Laughs! This phrase is based on Proverbs 31:25 and to me, She Laughs embodies the idea that life should be lived without fear and rather joy. You are a gift; today is a gift, and I hope you enjoy it!
Evaluating Finances
The finances are probably the biggest factor in deciding to be your own boss. For me, I first considered going full time back in March this year when I had one month of blog income that surpassed the income I had with my day job. I quickly ignored that thought in my head because while I was reaching some smaller goals with my business, those “good months” as I call them were still too sporadic. At the time the idea of holding onto predictable income seemed like the smart thing to do.
And then I didn’t have to make the leap! In July I was laid off from that corporate job and within a minute I knew this was the sign I needed to go full time. I had hoped to have a more stable financial picture, but the past few months of planning and strategizing campaigns and other projects has me significantly more hopeful for our future!
So that is the full tea on how this happened! Yes this is what I wanted, but I really do not know if I would have felt “ready” without that push!
Making It Official
Beyond generating sufficient income, so much more goes into building a business. Two big things I am currently working on include setting up my taxes and creating an LLC. Taxes can be daunting to diy but for a lot of bloggers it is “easy” (obviously not actually easy) to go the same route as any freelancer! Personally I am starting quarterly taxes once all the details are set up, and stay tuned for that official LLC!
Finding Help For The Long Haul
One big goal I have is to develop a team or create connections in order to grow in various areas of my business. It is so cool to see content creators with either management, assistants, or editors and I am really excited to grow to a point where I can expand the work I offer!
So all that is to say, this took a long time, did not happen how I expected, and stay tuned for all the new fun here!
Xx,
A