Girl Boss: Blogging Q & A - Lizzie in Lace

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Happy Friday, beauties!

I hope you all had an amazing week! Wish all the craziness going on, I felt it was best that I took off a few days to recharge. Sometimes life can get overwhelming and the best thing you can do for yourself is just to step back and take a little break. As a result, I’m feeling so much more refreshed and focused and now I have a more clear idea about what needs to be done moving forward. Very excited to change up a few things! 😉

Anyway, each month I like to interview other bloggers and female entrepreneurs for my Girl Boss series. I thought that this month I might change it up a bit and interview….myself! *gasp!* But I mean, this is my blog after all haha! Read on for my personal blogging Q & A!

Why did you start your blog?

It’s a very long and crazy story (like a Lifetime movie hah!) and you can read about it fully in this post and learn more about my journey in these podcast interviews (here – Episode #31 and here), buuuttt here’s a cliff note version:

I always wanted to a fashion designer. I went to school for it and everything but nothing worked out. There was always an obstacle in my way and as someone that always had a plan and only wanted to do this one thing, it was frustrating. After I lost my job, I found the world of blogging while searching for fashion related topics online and I was instantly intrigued. I couldn’t believe that these girls were sharing their outfits with the world on their very own platform. I thought that was completely amazing and I wanted to join in. I started a secret blog with the intention of sharing my fashion designs from school and after my husband found it, I deleted it out of embarrassment. Years later, the thought never left. I had a strong feeling that I just needed to start it again. But this time, it was to fill a creative void. I was working in a non-creative job and felt like I had lost that part of me. I craved freedom and wanted a place where I could not only fulfill my creative desires but also share my passion with others. And it just made sense….everywhere I would go (at work, at school, at the supermarket), people would stop to ask about my outfits. At work, they would try to guess what I would wear the next day and friends and family were constantly coming to me for style advice. It was then that I realize that I wasn’t only a designer, but a stylist as well and that while I always saw myself as more of an artist, I actually enjoyed the aspect of putting together outfits. I loved that I able to do something I enjoyed in my free time while also helping other women feel good about themselves!

How has your blog evolved since you first began?

I feel like my blog has evolved SO much since I began and it will continue to evolve along this journey. Even though there is still so much more work to do and experience I need to get to where I want to be, I feel like my writing style, photography and branding has definitely evolved. Also, while I’m still mainly fashion focused, I’ve been incorporating more beauty, travel and motivational content in recent years.

How do you balance a full-time job with your blog?

You guys….It. Is. HARD. When I first started, I was working as a full-time longterm substitute teacher that was driving an hour each way for work then driving around even more in the evenings for lessons anddd working on both my blog and operating an online Lularoe boutique on the side. Looking back, I honestly have no idea how I even functioned, let alone stayed consistent with posting content three times a week on the blog and everyday on Instagram. But honestly, that type of schedule just isn’t sustainable longterm so little by little I “quit” my jobs. I closed up my boutique and phased out my subbing. Now I am at the point where my blog demands almost all of my attention and it is getting difficult to manage with 20 students. I’m in the process of figuring out where I want this to go and ultimately, what I want and need for the future.

But for now…how do I balance? I have an extremely detailed schedule that I adhere to, otherwise it’s just not possible (more on that below). I get all of my blog work done in the first half of the day and teach during the last half of the day. I have a million spreadsheets that I use to keep track of every little thing, always keep a running list of things I need to get done and have two different editorial calendars along with a daily schedule. You would not believe how many “to do” lists are on my desk right now haha! You can read more about how I balance both in this post and how I prevent burnout.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced with blogging and how did you overcome it?

Time management has been the hardest for me only because it seems like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. With blogging, I really have to watch my time because I will work all hours of the day if I don’t (the fallback of doing something you’re passionate about haha!). It’s also hard because I always seem to have so much going on and I tend to say “yes” to a lot of things causing me to get overwhelmed. Definitely learning to overcome this everyday!

Another challenge I’ve faced is the feeling of not “being enough.” As I’ve grown, I’ve felt more and more pressure for certain things and sometimes other people are not so welcoming of those that are different than themselves. Constant rejection can also be a hard thing to deal with but that’s the nature of this path I’ve chosen and while things can get challenging at times, I wouldn’t have it any other way. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? 😉

What are some common misconceptions about blogging?

I think the biggest misconception is that it’s easy… HA! Last year during the holidays, I ran into the UPS guy on my way out as he was proceeding to bring a dolly full of boxes up the stairs. As he side-eyed me, I swore to him that I didn’t have a shopping addiction but that these boxes were, in fact, for a work project. Intrigued and curious, he asked what I meant so I proceeded to explain it to him. His response was…”Oh, so you just sit around and play on the computer all day? That’s really neat! I’ll have my daughter look you up on that photo app.” Yes, UPS guy…this is exactly what I do.

I think that a lot of people just don’t understand it…friends, family, the UPS guy and even new bloggers. And can’t even tell you how many friends email me asking me how to start a blog so they can get free things too (nothing is “free” btw). People see all the glamour of it looking in but don’t really see all the blood, sweat and tears that go into it behind the scenes. Yes, there are many amazing perks and it’s unlike anything else, but it’s doesn’t come to fruition without a lot of hard work, patience and time.

Can you give us a peek into what a typical day is like?

I shared a detailed schedule in this post, but here is a snapshot of my day. Everyday is different but it usually goes something like this. Also, I usually have more energy in the mornings so I like to do my most important tasks at that time.

6:30am-8am:

Wake up (go to the gym or do a workout if I’m up early enough)
Make a quick breakfast
Map out my day and make a to-do list (because I will forget lol)

Early Morning:

Share blog post on social
Read and interact with other blog posts
Go through my email inbox
Check DM’s and any other messages
Strategy and goal check in

Late Morning (depends on the day – usually doing one or more of the following):

Photo-editing
Post planning
Writing
Social media planning
Shooting flatlays or products

Early Afternoon

Make lunch and watch 30 minutes of TV/Netflix or read ( I have to force myself to take a break)
Post and engage on Instagram
IG stories
Get ready for my lessons

Mid Afternoon/Early Evening

Teach
Listen to podcasts on my drive

Evening

Dinner and Netflix date with the hubby

Late Night (once hubby goes to bed)

Go through email inbox again
Finish up blog post, if needed. If not, relax and read/watch TV

What is something that people are surprised to learn about you?

People are surprised to learn that I’m quite the daredevil haha! I’ve been skydiving seven times and love big, scary, crazy rollercoasters! Also, people are very surprised when I bust out Van Halen solos on my guitar haha! You can read more surprising facts in this post.

Where are your top three favorite places to shop?

Hmm… it depends but probably:

You can find my full list here!

If you could switch wardrobes with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?

OMG Blair Eadie, hands down! She has the most fabulous pieces ever – I would die for her closet! And Julia Engel because I’d feel right at home with all her feminine items 😉

What has been your biggest “pinch me” moment?

So many! Blogging has brought about so many incredible moments and I still can’t believe that this is my life. My very first “pinch me” moment was when I worked with Kohl’s for the first time for the LC Lauren Conrad collection (I was obsessed!). I about died when I saw her handwritten note in the package! However, I think the biggest ones thus far are being published in InStyle Magazine, attending my first NYFW and seeing the phone case I designed picked up by both Best Buy and Lord & Taylor. It’s surreal and I am so thankful for all of it.

Outfit Details

If you weren’t blogging, what would you be doing?

I would be a fashion designer! That has always been my biggest life goal and something I’m still hoping to accomplish in the future 😉

What advice would you give to those wanting to start a blog?

I actually have a whole post (and series) dedicated to this! To summarize, I think that new bloggers should first and foremost, do it for the right reasons aka don’t do it for money. Figure out how you can stand out from the crowd because right now, it’s more important than ever to have a distinct point of view. Be prepared to put in the work. You will have to learn through trial and error..it’s just part of being a blogger. There is no set formula for success (and success can mean different things to different people). Don’t give up when times get hard (because they will). Most importantly, be yourself! Don’t compare yourself to others or try to imitate what someone else is doing. You have something unique to offer that no one else can so use that to your advantage!

Words to live by:

I just shared a post with a ton of great motivational quotes but I think this one is appropriate for my fellow Girl Bosses 😉

“If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” -Jim Rohn

What is one Girl Boss tip you would share?

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