Ever feel zapped of inspiration? Creatively challenged? Or somewhat lost? We all do at times but I’ve found the best way to overcome these feelings is to pick the brain of those of around us and you never know what inspiration may arise.
Each week, style etcetera will feature a blogger that we enjoy, look up to and that certainly has their creative juices flowing… all in the name of style – and blogging, of course.
Name and blog:
Monica Woodhams of 45Fairmount.com
What prompted you to start 45Fairmount?
In my old job as an assistant buyer, I was spending the majority of my day analyzing numbers and needed a way to fill the creative void in my life. I wanted a way in which I could develop my writing as well as share my love for fashion and travel. Blogging has become a perfect fit in my life and I look forward to working on it every day.
Is it your full-time gig or do you have another job? If so, what is it? And how, if at all, does one help you with the other?
Up until recently I was an assistant buyer for Neiman Marcus. I recently moved to Los Angeles and accepted a new position at NuOrder.
My full-time job allows me to develop my work skills. Over the years, my time management and people management skills have developed and have helped me move forward in my career. Blogging helps me in my full-time job because it reminds me to have patience and strengthens my problem-solving capabilities.
Where do you find your inspiration?
I find inspiration everywhere. I have always been a curious person and could come up with a handful of follow-up questions to any statement. Knowing it is ok to ask these questions opens up so many learning opportunities.
What is your favourite thing to blog about?
I love blogging about my outfits. The process from choosing the outfit to styling it and then writing about it is exciting because I am always coming up with new ideas. Even as I am about to post the outfit, I think of five other ways in which I will be able to wear this outfit the next time.
What has been your biggest blog win so far?
I would say I have two major blog wins. The first is learning how supportive my friends and family are of my blog. I was scared for a long time to put myself out there and spent too much time wondering what people my think. Ever since I finally did it, I’ve experienced nothing but support. The other blog win is seeing the growth of my blog. Ever since it launched earlier this year, I have experienced growth and set small goals to reach the little victories.
Did you have a mentor and/or regularly network?
One of my friends, Taylor, from A Pearl Kind of Girl, has been a great help in the blog development process. She, too, is an up-and-coming blogger and it’s helpful to bounce ideas off someone who understands the blogging world. When I lived in Dallas, I joined the Dallas Bloggers Collective. Through this group I met Megan Weaver, who had done a lot of the photography on my blog. I also recently attended the Bloguettes branding workshop in San Diego. It was so inspiring to be around young women who have similar goals of building their own business.
What is your biggest stumbling block?
My biggest stumbling block is probably the same as most bloggers starting out – having enough hours in the day to complete everything you want to do. It’s so easy to get caught up in feeling like there are thousands of things you need to do in order to build your blog. I get caught up in this sometimes and am so excited to work on it that I stay up a little too late a little too often.
What are your goals for the future?
I hope to see the continued growth of my blog as well as to use it as a way to inspire other women in their 20s to express themselves and to travel and see the world. I am also working on developing a section of my blog for living in Los Angeles in your 20s.
What advice would you give to someone starting out on their blogging journey?
I would say focus on the little victories in the beginning. Don’t worry about how many page views you have or subscribers. All that matters is that you’re doing it for yourself. This will give you the confidence to build your blog so that when your statistics do begin to grow, you know why you’re doing what you’re doing.
I would also say don’t get caught up in the thousands of things you have to do to make your blog successful. Have daily goals and complete them. This is not supposed to be an overwhelming process. Yes, it is hard work, but it is supposed to be a positive and exciting process.
