Category Archives: Career

Five-Part Content Creation Brain Dump

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Having trouble coming up with content ideas for your personal brand, small business, or side hustle?

As a marketing writer and content coach, I’ve come up with five questions I recommend you ask yourself at the start of each month. These five questions will help you get all your best ideas out from inside your head and onto the page (as any good brain dump should), allowing you to slot great content into your editorial calendar and begin posting!

Before you get going on your first Content Creation Brain Dump, there are two steps I’d like you to complete first.

Step 1: Determine your CONTENT PILLARS for the year.

I recommend that a content creator (whether that be a person or a business) have three content pillars. These are essentially the “themes” in which your content falls under.

A person creating content for their online jewelry shop, may select:
1. Jewelry Making & Crafting
2. Fashion
3. Travel & Outdoors

Step 2: Determine your MARKETING PILLARS for the quarter.

As you look at your business goals for the quarter, your marketing pillars prop those up. If you want to increase revenue coming in from sponsored Instagram posts, one of your pillars might simply be sponsored content. Trying to build your mailing list? Maybe your pillar is a lead generator.

Our online jewelry shop owner chooses:
1. Sale on Summer merchandise
2. Cross promotion of brick & mortar store that sells some of her pieces
3. Working with a few travel content creators on an influencer marketing campaign

[I advise that you repeat Step 1 every year and Step 2 every quarter!]

Once you’ve determined your CONTENT PILLARS and MARKETING PILLARS, it’s on to the Brain Dump! Grab some paper and ask yourself the following questions…

Question 1: What are some pieces of content I already have that I can repurpose?

Our jewelry shop owner took beautiful product photos of all her Summer merchandise before that line launched. Now that the remaining pieces are on sale, she can use those photos in her Instagram stories to promote her End Of Summer Sale.

Question 2: What is going on this month that I could create content about?

The brick & mortar store that sells her jewelry is a couple towns over and is hosting a small event. She plans to travel there for the event as well as do a restock of her merchandise.

She also donated a couple pieces to a local nonprofit for an online auction at the end of the month.

Question 3: What products or services should I highlight this month?

She’d like to promote her new jewelry collection that’s going on sale next month. She sent out a few pieces from the collection in advance of the launch date to travel content creators.

Question 4: What content did my followers/clients/customers respond best to last month that I can iterate on this month?

Her customers always respond well to giveaways! Maybe she can include some other local products she finds at the small event she’s attending this month?

Question 5: What content am I missing that would help me achieve my quarterly business goals?

Sales in the brick & mortar store are an important part of her business goals this month. She needs to sell the store (as well as the little town it is located in) just as much as the merchandise she has inside it this month. She might think about some content from her trip to the store that falls under her Travel & Outdoors pillar.

Once your Brain Dump is complete, you can build out the content ideas and get them scheduled on your calendar. Repeat each month for ongoing awesome content! Remember: Validate each idea against your two sets of pillars. They should serve one or the other and ideally BOTH!

If you ever want to talk strategy, my inbox is open! Send me a message at ebeth.berger@gmail.com ❤ Let’s work together to make some internet magic!

P.S. My 10 brutally honest tips about content creation.

Office Inspiration

Career, Style and Design, , , , , ,

Stapler // Coffee Table Book // Pendant Light

Planner // Cozy Rug // Notebook

Rose Pillow // Loveseat // Furry Pillows

Office Chair // Bookends // Lamp

Throw // White Desk // Travel Mug

P.S. Increase productivity with these office design tricks!

10 Brutally Honest Tips About Online Content Creation

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10 brutally honest tips about online content creation

You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again — content is king. Online content creation and marketing was once just a way to set yourself apart, but nowadays it’s pretty much a necessity. And if you’re a small business or solo-preneur, your online content can make or break a successful marketing campaign.

Over the years I’ve worked with a ton of brands (both new and old) to develop meaningful online content strategies. Here’s what I can tell you — everyone, from a dog-walker to a CEO who writes bestselling books, can create valuable and relevant online content that will connect with potential customers.

And it’s not too late to get in on the action! But it can certainly feel overwhelming. Do you make YouTube videos, start a podcast, write a weekly newsletter? What should you share? And how often? While there’s no one-size-fits-all formula, I’ve put together a list of my top 10 tips:

1. Have fun!

This one may seem obvious but you’d be surprised how often I find myself offering this simple piece of advice. In terms of building and maintaining your audience, personality matters. Nobody wants to hang out with the person who isn’t having a good time. And they’ll probably be able to tell if you’re faking it, too. But more than audience, you have to consider sustainability. Can you keep something up if you don’t enjoy it? Create the content you enjoy making, at the rate you enjoy making it.

2. Invest in ways to make it easier and more fun.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to create online content. Work with what you have to start out. But when you’re ready to invest, consider spending your money on things that will make the process easier and more fun. If the aspect you enjoy most about is photography, maybe you spring for some camera gear. Whereas if drafting written content to accompany those photos is taking up too much of your time, consider outsourcing to a freelancer.

3. Provide value within your niche.

People aren’t going to care about your brand or your products right away. Until you’ve developed a bit of a fan base or a sense of community within your audience, they’re going to scroll right past that blog post about your company vision or the video covering your life story. That’s not to say there won’t be a place for those things eventually! But you’ve got to start by providing value. This can be as simple as a blog post with relevant tips & tricks or an infographic with useful information. But could also include things like printable PDFs, detailed templates, or an inspiring podcast.

4. Have patience!

Organic growth and ROI will come, but it won’t come over night. It takes time. Building up your online presence or brand is dependent upon also building up that community of followers. So, you might hook them with valuable content but now you have to give them time to get to know you. Put out the the content that lets them do so. (And take time to get to know them, too! ) This also means you have to be consistent. You have to tell them when content is coming and then follow through.

5. Track your analytics.

Yes, this is a creative endeavor. But you can have a little more method to your madness than throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. Look at the numbers. Create a spreadsheet to chart growth in key areas and keep track of what worked and what didn’t so you can modify as needed.

6. Develop a relationship with your audience.

I’ll say it again — you’re building a community FIRST. The brand will blossom from there. One very simple way to do this within online content is online COMMUNICATION. Reply to comments, answer emails, tag people, reach out to other brands and people when you feature them in your content. Folks love recognition, whether that be clicking the heart next to their Instagram content or writing a LinkedIn article about how much you love their business. Another way to build relationships is by engaging with other creators in your niche. Your voice is amplified when it’s in a chorus of others!

7. Be authentic!

It’s going to be hard to develop lasting relationships with a community of loyal customers if you keep changing who you are and what you stand for based on passing whims (or paychecks). Be yourself. Only communicate what you believe and stand for. Again, people can tell when you’re faking it. You’re interesting and enough just as you are!

8. Don’t be afraid of the ask.

Yes, you want to consistently provide your audience with value when it comes to your online content. But here’s the thing. You got bills to pay! You can’t give everything away for free! So, now that you’ve built up that community that loves and trusts you, you’ve shown time and time again that you’re a reliable source of [information, advice, inspiration], someone out there is probably going to want to actually pay for one of your goods or services. Probably a LOT of someones. But…not if you don’t ask!!! So many of my clients over the years have expressed hesitation when it comes to the sales aspect of their online content strategy because they, “Don’t want to sound sales-y.” And I get where they’re coming from. You don’t have to shove sales pitches down peoples throats 24-7. But you won’t get a sale if no one knows you’re selling. My advice? 1) Keep your content diverse — a fun post here, a value add there, this product, that service, etc, etc. 2) If you think of your overall online content strategy as a novel, make sure you’ve written your audience as the protagonist.

9. Start now.

There’s no “right” time to begin incorporating online content into your marketing plan. You could wait for that new camera, website redesign, or social media intern — but those things may never happen. And you’re missing out in the mean time.

10. Keep learning as you go.

Need inspiration? Look to other content creators. See what YOU enjoy watching and reading, what resonates with YOU, who is providing value in YOUR life. What are they doing that you can incorporate in your content? Without copying them, of course! Need more resources? There are a plethora of educational materials available about online content creation, many of them completely free.

Keep trying new things. Keep creating. Keep seeking out additional knowledge and strategies. You got this!

If you ever want to talk strategy, my inbox is open! Send me a message at ebeth.berger@gmail.com ❤ Let’s work together to make some internet magic!

P.S. 10 Tips for Working an Event.

A DAY IN MY LIFE | Online Content + Marketing Strategist

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Today I thought it might be fun to share a “S**T I GOT DONE TODAY” list from a recent workday.

[I’ve talked about these lists as self-care HERE.]

This was a day I accomplished a lot. But at the end of it, I still found myself feeling uneasy about all the BIG PICTURE items I had coming up in my calendar. To quell my unease, I took a step back to reflect on all the things I’d crossed off my list that brought me closer to completing the scarier deadlines I felt looming large.

If you’re curious, here’s how this day went down —

Copy edited a project – Editing requires careful reading. Careful reading requires full attention. I try to tackle editing work first thing in the morning for this reason. Plus, starting my morning with reading feels like a great warm-up for the more creative work to come.

Wrote and designed 3 monthly newsletters – I’m at my most productive in the morning, and my brain was feeling effectively warmed-up after the editing work, so I jumped into a project that required a lot of writing next. The design aspect of newsletters like these requires a lot of work up front, but I had already designed templates for all three before this day so I mainly had to perfect layouts and make things pop.

2 weeks of social media content – This was the second most creatively-focused task of the day so I rolled right into this after the newsletters. I usually try to batch 4 weeks of social media, but this client had a lot of upcoming events that would be filling their feed in the latter half of the month. I sent off the copy and images for approval and then took a well-deserved lunch break.

LUNCH BREAK 

Created a letterhead – Brain warm-up part 2! I try and slot in a few easy to accomplish tasks right when I get back to my desk. It’s kind of like how Target places the Dollar Spot right as you enter so you’re in the habit of throwing stuff in your cart by the time you roll into the rest of the store. I need to get in the habit of checking things off my to-do list so I can keep my momentum up for the rest of the day. Today it was a simple document design but these sorts of things can also include lengthier email responses, phone calls, scheduling social media, or making small website changes.

Research for a client’s book – This took up the bulk of my afternoon, but while it took brain power and thoughtfulness, it didn’t require a lot of creativity. Making it a great afternoon activity for me. (I get the 2 pm slump!) I love helping clients through the entire book writing process but there’s something about filling in research gaps with a bit of internet sleuthing that I find especially engaging.

Compiled data into a deliverable – A perfect item to end the work day on! The research was already done, so essentially this was just some data entry. But the final product needed to go to a client which meant it felt high stakes enough to keep myself on task and to go the extra mile to make it look pretty.

And there you have it! I hope you found that interesting. If you’re ever feeling anxiety about work (there’s just always MORE to do!), I highly recommend taking a moment at the end of your day to reflect on the S**T YOU GOT DONE! Let me know if you give it a try!! 

10 Tips for Working an Event

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One aspect of work-life that I look back on fondly now that I’m a work-from-home freelancer is working events. From hosting speech tournaments on college campuses when I was a forensics coach to planning and executing a street fair during my days on the marketing team at a food co-op, these all day affairs used to be a pretty common occurrence for me. They were always stressful. Always a lot of work. But oh so rewarding at the end of the day when you pulled it off.

After a lot of years, and a lot of trial and error, I feel like I eventually got working events down to a fine science. Whether you run conferences, host all-day trainings, or volunteer at your kid’s model UN tournaments, you know the deal! Here are my top tips —

Preparation –

1. Get plenty of sleep the night before.

I’ve worked plenty of events in a state of exhaustion and, let me tell you, it ain’t fun. Do everything in your power to show up bright eyed and bushy tailed. It will feel like way less of a slog and the hours will fly by if you go into the day feeling energetic. If the event starts later in the day still get plenty of rest the night before and make sure to eat well and drink plenty of water throughout the day.

2. Eat a hearty, well-balanced breakfast.

When you’ve gotta go, go, go – sitting down for a decent meal isn’t always possible. Waking up just a tiny bit earlier is totally worth it if it means you won’t have to scarf a pop-tart in the car on the way there.

3. If you can, spend some time outside and/or do some form of light exercise before you go or when you get a break.

This will give you a nice boost of energy and stamina. It seems counter-intuitive, especially if you know you’re going to be running around and doing a lot of set up throughout the day, but I promise those exercise endorphins are worth it. And the sunlight part is a no brainer if you’re going to be spending the next million hours inside.

During the event –

4. Wear comfortable shoes.

If the event is a more casual situation and you can get away with rocking walking shoes, by all means! But even if this is a biz-cas affair, make sure your shoes are selected for comfort and not style. (I mean, you can have both…but you know what I mean.) I spent way too many years rocking ballet flats at events before I realized those aren’t the BEST option for gallivanting from one end of a college campus to the other and being on your feet all day.

5. Hydrate.

I’ll say it again for the people in the back — HYDRATE! Keep a water bottle close at hand and just keep guzzling. Nothing takes the pep out of your step like thirst.

6. Keep your pockets stocked.

I always want to remain incredibly mobile when working an event…and I don’t really want to carry a bag everywhere I go OR have to add even MORE steps to my daily total to run to a “home base” for what I need. For me, this means keeping some cash and my debit card on my person throughout the day.

7. Have portable snacks on hand.

Sometimes your only downtime when working events is when you’re walking from one place to another. So, I like to bring along portable snacks that I can eat on the go. Bananas and granola/protein bars are great for this. NOM.

8. Avoid the urge to pound caffeine and sugar all day.

Another reason to show up well-rested. All the caffeine and sugar crashes just aren’t worth it…not to mention it will mess with your sleep after the event is over. Don’t you want to sleep like a baby after your marathon day? I think yes.

9. Say “Thank you!”

Successful events truly take a village. Show your gratitude as much as possible. Even if you’re not the one at the tippy-top running the whole shebang, there are certainly people who are making your part in the whole thing easier. Tell them you appreciate them!

10. Don’t bark orders.

And if you ARE running things, be considerate with how you manage and delegate. Events can feel way more high stakes than day-to-day work for everyone involved. Tensions will run high. Ask for help with a specific task instead of giving an order. Slight rhetorical shifts can make grunt work sound a whole lot less demeaning.

What tips would you add? xoxo

P.S. 11 Ways to Sneak in Healthy Habits When You’re Traveling.

5 Ways to Diversify Your Income Streams and Make Money from Home

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* This post may contain affiliate links.

If you consider yourself even the slightest bit interested in personal finance, you’ve heard it before — diversify your income streams. Whether you have a traditional 9-5 or work for yourself/freelance, new sources of income that can be made from home are often the goal. Especially if you don’t wanna tack on extra commutes (*raises hand*). ESPECIALLY if you’re introverted (*raises both hands*). In our super online world, there are all kinds of ways to make money without leaving your house, but finding the options that bring you joy can sometimes be tricky. 

Read on for some ideas that could help you boost  your income without feeling like too much work…

Turn a Hobby Into a Side Hustle 

If you have a hobby that you love and want to hone, consider how you might make money by turning this hobby into a side hustle, or even a full time gig. This is a great way to pull in a bit of extra cash along side a full time job. After-all, you’re already taking part in whatever this hobby is in your free time, right? Like to make cakes? Start a baking blog. Into scouting for vintage jewelry? Start an Etsy store. Painting savant? Start teaching an art class once a week. Even if you’re brand new to a hobby there are so many resources online to help you grow a side hustle. For instance, here’s how to become a microgreens farmer, a certified pet sitter, and an extra in tv and movies. Pay close attention to what makes you happy — whether that’s growing plants or hanging out with kittens or standing in front of a camera — and do more of it. Then, consider whether this could be a lucrative business option for you.

Use Your Expert Knowledge To Help Others

If you have substantial knowledge in a subject, you could use this knowledge to help others. How? Become an online consultant or even a tutor. There are lots of sites out there for you to market your expertise and look for clients. If you’re willing to do a bit more work upfront, consider creating online courses on your favorite subject matter. If you already have an online following or email list, you can easily send out info about your new class. Without an embedded audience, there are great websites like Teachable and CreativeLive to consider. Sharing your knowledge and expertise can feel great when you’re talking to people who really want to learn!

Create Content Others Can Enjoy

Many of us enjoy creating content for ourselves. You have full control over the message and you’re able to feel involved with the larger community of whatever your niche may be.  Some people enjoy writing Ebooks, others like writing blogs, some enjoy making videos, the list goes on. It’s now easier than ever with sites like Upwork and Fiverr, to put yourself out there and use the skills you’ve acquired making content for yourself and do it for others. This could be as simple as writing a blog post or two for a website you love or designing cool slides for an influencer’s Instagram stories. If there’s an aspect of content creation you love, there’s definitely a way to monetize that! 

Take Pictures

If you love taking pictures and consider yourself skilled with a camera, you could sell your photography to stock image sites. It can be a little bit trial and error to figure out what sort of images are accepted and do well on these sites. However, I’ve seen lots of folks make a killing once they hit a nice little rhythm. Even if you’re waiting to get accepted by the bigger sites, smaller, free stock image sites often offer incentives to photographers, like being able to link to a PayPal or Ko-fi account. That way, if someone really loves your image they can thank you for letting them use it. If you’re already walking around with a camera all day practicing photography, keep these stock image sites in mind. 

Clear Out and Sell Your Unwanted Stuff

There’s no feeling quite like clearing out all of your unwanted stuff and then enjoying the free space of a decluttered home. Once you have everything that you no longer want, you can use online platforms to list and sell these items. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure! 

What am I missing Do you have any ideas for making money from home that you think could spark joy?

The Life Hack I Learned from Playing The Sims 4

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I had a serious light-bulb moment the other day while, of all things, PLAYING THE SIMS 4…

Have you ever played it? If not, let me clue you in.

The Sims is all about simulating life. So, your sim (the little person on the screen that you control) goes to work, forms relationships, and pursues hobbies. And you play to move up the ranks in different categories — like to reach level 10 of the scientist career or become an expert in gardening. The higher you get, the more you can do in the game.

Now, there are certain things you can do to make sure your sim is killin’ it in all these categories.

For instance, my sim works as a newspaper reporter. If I make sure she goes to work “focused” instead of “playful” or “sad,” she advances faster in her career. Makes sense.

Before she goes out on a date, she needs to feel “social.”

When she’s headed to the gym, she should already be “energized.”

If I want her to succeed in a certain hobby, she needs to be “inspired” before diving in.

You get the idea.

So…

As the person in control, you direct your lil sim to do whatever it is for them that will flip on the correct emotion.
Before work…read a book.

Before a date…talk on the phone.

Before the gym…take a cold shower.

Before gardening…research plants online.

See where this is going?

While directing my sim to pick out a book to read before she headed to work, I realized…
I could do the same thing!

When my brain is going a million places at once, and I can’t focus on a project that requires some super single-tasking; instead of taking a break that involves MULTI-TASKING (like playing on the internet or tidying up the kitchen while listening to the news), why not pick up a book and read a chapter? When you’re reading, you really can’t do anything else.

And I’ll tell you, dear reader. I tried it and it works.

I’m ready and FOCUSED for the work that lies ahead.

And it’s worked in other aspects, too. Morning phone/skype meetings are definitely not my jam. But if I make an effort to do something else social…even if that’s just chatting with a barista…before I hop on the line, I’m much more in the head space for being outgoing.

While applying this sim-hack might not be quite as easy in the real world, (afterall, I can’t just click a mouse and feel happy!) it really boils down to taking a moment to check in with yourself.

To ask…

What will I need to make this next task a success?

How can I create that for myself instead of looking for it in an external source?

What makes me feel happy/social/productive/zen/inspired/creative?

And then HOOKING YOURSELF UP!

Give it a try some time and let me know how it goes! xoxo

Do or Don’t: Out of Office

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Any freelancers out there struggle with actually putting up an “Out of Office” message? Even when I go out of town, I still like to be available to my clients, and because I work remotely anyway, continue to work as much as feels right.

If I still worked in an office, my message would look something like this…

Subject: Beth’s out of the office
Hi there,

I will be out of the office from December 23rd through December 27th.

If you need immediate assistance during my absence, please contact my associate, Will (email HERE). Otherwise I will respond to your emails as soon as possible upon my return.

Warm Regards,
Beth

But that just doesn’t feel quite right when working from home/for myself. (I mean…I don’t have an office to be out of and I also don’t have any associates.)

Inspired by this post on Normal Happenings, here’s that same message in a (goofy) Shakespearean style.

Subject: Elizabethan O.of O. from Elizabeth
Good Morrow Thither,

I wilt beest out of the office from December 23rd through December 27th.

If ‘t be true thee needeth immediate assistance during mine absence, please contact mine associate, William Shakespeare. Otherwise I wilt respond to thy correspondence with expedience upon mine noble return.

Your most dutiful friend and servant,
Elizabeth

Every day, Normal Happenings posts a writing prompt for appreciating daily life. They call them “Daily Inklings.” I’m so glad I was tagged in this particular “Daily Inkling” because it really got me thinking about how difficult it can be to take a break from your inbox when you work a less traditional job.

I’d love to make it a goal in 2019, to take  time off where I actually set up an out of office! What do you think? Any tips on what it should say?

This option would be cute —

Subject: Vacation’s all I ever wanted 🏖️
Whoops! You caught my inbox while I’m on vacation so I won’t be opening this bad boy up until July 22. If your message is urgent, please reach out by phone. K, Bye!

This one…maybe not ballsy enough for quite yet —

Subject: Sending you this out-of-office from my “office”
Thank you so much for your email.

Technically I’m out of office this week. However, since I work remotely… my out of office IS my office. Very confusing, I know. Anywho, I’ll be working through these emails in the order they appear in my inbox once I’m back at it on October 14th. (So, quit hitting reply! It just pushes you further down the line.)

Talk soon,
Beth

What are your thoughts on OUT OF OFFICE messages? Would you take a crack at writing one in the style of a famous author?

P.S. If you’re a blogger, check out the INKLINGS over on Normal Happenings! Their daily prompts are always thought provoking and a great way to bust through writer’s block. 🙂

3 Things to Remember When Your Blog Becomes a Side Hustle

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3 things to remember when your blog is your side hustle[* This post may contain affiliate links — because my blog is my side hustle!! 😉 ]

Congratulations! Your blog has graduated from a fun hobby and creative outlet to something that is pulling in a bit of money on the side. This is an amazing development! But now what???

If you’ve decided to roll with it and turn your much-loved baby blog into a full-fledged side hustle, there are a few things to keep in mind.  Blogging can be a fun way to make some extra cash, but only if you’re prepared to put in a fair amount of work. While Finding Delight is by no means my full time job, I do consider it profitable enough to be included in the lil pie chart in my brain that is titled “work.” Unfortunately, there are a lot of resources out their for folks lookin’ to turn their lifestyle blog into the whole dang pie but not that many for those of us who are happy with keeping it at a good, hearty slice. 

With that in mind, here are a few things I wish I had implemented as soon as I decided to consider my blog a money-making side hustle…

Keep It Separate

First, successful blogging is just one chunk of your life. So it needs it’s own chunk of time! Schedule dedicated time for your blog that is separate from the hours you need for your main income source but also separate from your home life, too. It took me awhile to get a hang of this and I would often let blog stuff leak into both realms. My saving grace in this department was definitely my perfect planner. This thing lets me schedule my day down to the half hour–which might sound crazy to some! But if I can see where in the week I have “blog work” scheduled (always highlighted in a pretty pink!), I’m less likely to pop into WordPress when I should be working or email that company back when I’d rather be hanging out with my husband. 

Making Time For You

I think there’s a tendency among bloggers to stack their plates too high. When something that started out as a hobby becomes a part-time job, it can be hard to reconceptualize. It doesn’t feel like work. However, you might find that there is great potential and power in slowing down and allowing some time for yourself. Last week I didn’t put up a single blog post because I wanted to give my full attention to a new project I was really excited about. And that’s ok! Sure there are things I do, like affiliate linking, that allow my site to make money without me around. But for the most part, I just don’t worry about it anymore. Think about this time away from blogging as the space in which content can be born! You allow yourself time to read books, or play games (www.finalfantasyxvapp.com#home), or travel, or bake a cake…whatever it is that you enjoy…and then you’ll have these rich experiences and opinions to share with your readers later!

Know The Reader

If there is anything that means success in the literary world, it is the ability to know your readers well, inside and out. And the same goes for blogging – if you can make sure that you really have a strong grasp of your audience, then you will be able to provide enjoyable and useful content. This becomes a careful balance when your blog is a side-hustle. You might start to feel pulled in a lot of directions. I know I did. You want to create the content you enjoy creating…but also get paid to do so by brands. You want your friends and family to continue stopping by…but you also want to grow your audience to include new folk. I put new posts to the test with a series of questions:
(In order of importance)
Will I enjoy creating this?
Will the readers I currently have gain something from this?
Can I optimize or monetize in some way?
Could this encourage new folk to join my tribe?

Any blogging-as-side-hustle hopefuls out there? I’d love to hear your questions, challenges, or thoughts! ❤
And bloggers who already have this blogging-for-biz thing nailed down — What would you tell someone just starting out on this journey? xoxo

Sunshine Blogger Award Q&A

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sunshine blogger award

The Sunshine Blogger Award is an accolade given by one blogger to another in recognition for work that they find creative, inspiring and positive. I was super honored to be nominated and leapt at the chance to join in the fun!

The rules of the award are:

  • Thank blogger(s) who nominated you in the blog post and link back to their blog.
  • Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
  • Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
  • List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

Recently, Finding Delight was nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by my sweet friends over at Sweet Tea, Science!

Meridith and Rachel are the masterminds behind Sweet Tea, Science. They are Kentucky gals like yours truly (we all went to Western Kentucky University) and sassy scientistas. They blog about their lives in the STEM-world as they complete their PhD’s. (Rachel in Ecology and Meridith in Statistics.) Some of my fave STS posts include:
Public Speaking Hacks for Scientists
What’s in Her Bag: International Conference + Honeymoon Edition
Day in the PhD Life: Statistician 
Guide to Graduate School Grief
Field Work Flashback
You can also follow Sweet Tea, Science on Twitter HERE and Instagram HERE.

The ladies of Sweet Tea, Science asked the following questions:

How do you take your tea?

Sweet, of course! But I’ve switched from sugar to stevia. 😉

What motivates you to blog every week (or as often as you blog)?

I genuinely enjoy doing it! There have been times throughout this little blog’s life where writing posts has had to take a backseat…but I think keeping a full editorial calendar is fun and I don’t beat myself up if not every idea comes to fruition.

Long before Finding Delight was a twinkle in my eye, I kept an online journal for 4 years — from my junior year of high school through my sophomore year of college. I really liked having a place to share about my life where I could connect with other people doing the same. I enjoyed knowing that someone would read what I wrote. I felt like it was the perfect creative outlet for my little introvert heart. Blogging is just my flashier, more grown up version. 😉

From a more practical standpoint, I work as a freelance marketing consultant and web content manager. My blog is a great way for potential clients to get to know me (freelancing is all about selling yourself alongside what you can do!).

What’s your favorite way to keep in touch with folks that have graduated/moved away?

While I love snail mail and social media, nothing beats taking an hour long walk through my neighborhood while on the phone with a bestie.

Where would you like to travel to next? Is it for work or pleasure?

Savannah, GA to meet my nephew! Besides that, I’ve always wanted to go to Iceland and Australia.

How has a mentor inspired you to take a risk? Or how have you inspired yourself?

A mentor gave me the push I needed to start this blog! During a conversation about how I could get to where she was in her career, her biggest advice was to start a project that would encourage me to write every day, as well as practice design, branding, and marketing. Finding Delight was born shortly after!

At the time, sharing about myself on the internet felt like a HUGE risk! I thought, “My life isn’t all that exciting. Will anyone even care? What if no one reads it.” But, of course, that wasn’t the point.

What is your favorite post you’ve written? Link that post! Go you!

I stopped paying women compliments on their appearance and here’s what happened…
How to Eliminate Decision Fatigue
A 30 Day Mantra Challenge (+ FREE activity guide)
and all the posts about my wedding.

What is your favorite post someone else has written? Link that post! Go them!

Nice Girls vs. Kind Women
Handmaids, Hospitals, and the Pageantry of the Newborn Nursery Window
My Sister’s Home Makeover
You’re Totally Allowed to Buy That Latte
I Talked to a Woman for 4 Hours on the Train

Where do you do your best blogging work? What sort of environment?

At my desktop computer – although I’m known to fire off a few paragraphs into my phone notes when inspiration strikes. Here’s a look at my desk set-up. It has stayed pretty much the same since our move to Alabama…except now, instead of being about a foot away from our bed, I have my very own home office!! *trumpets*

What is that one productivity tool (app/website) you enjoy using for your blog?

I’ve recently started using Asana which has really helped me visualize larger projects as a bunch of smaller tasks as well as keep track of deadlines. I enjoy assigning due dates to my goals (even when they’re totally arbitrary) because it helps me stay on track. Plus, sometimes a unicorn flies across the screen when I mark things complete–and I’m all for that!

What is a big career challenge you have overcome?

I think narrowing the scope of what I wanted to do. Starting out, I faced two big personality traits; 1) interested in everything, and 2) decisionphobe. That meant I was excited about a lot of possibilities, but would stall out in planning mode. Once I realized I can be interested in things without needing to make money doing them, I had a lot more time to build a career around things I was actually good at.

If you could only read one book, over and over, for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I don’t want to live in a world with only one book! (Perhaps that would be enough incentive to start writing my own!!) I don’t often re-read books because my reading list is just too long for circling back around! But if I had to, I would choose one of these.

My Nominations:

  1. A Silent Observer
  2. This Curvy Life
  3. Views From My Garden Bench
  4. Little Things With Jassy
  5. The Barefoot Angel
  6. Katnapped
  7. Em Busy Living
  8. Dreamer Achiever
  9. Chaus’ Adventure
  10. Miss Portmanteau
  11. Hello Whitney

My Questions:

  1. How did you first get involved with blogging?
  2. Besides the comments section, where do you chat and connect with other bloggers?
  3. What’s the hardest blog post you’ve ever written? Was it worth it?
  4. What’s your favorite book?
  5. What three goals are you focusing on right now?
  6. Where do you get inspiration for your blog posts?
  7. What are some positive things blogging has brought into your life that you didn’t expect?
  8. Is there a post you’ve always wanted to write but never have? What’s holding you back?
  9. What’s your favorite social media platform? Why?
  10. Is there someone who doesn’t have a blog but you would read every thing they published if they did?
  11. What have you recently achieved that you’re super proud of?