I realized blogging was a business when…
I started to see fashion bloggers like Man Repeller and BryanBoy being quoted, making six figures a year, it really dawned on me that there were real revenue opportunities in it. Though I had been working on my site because I was passionate about it, and not for money, I started to question why I couldn’t do something I truly love and still make a living. So I took a leap of faith, quit my day job and started investing 100% of my time into my brand. Best decision I ever made.
What I’ve learned about branding in the digital space is…
Consistency is key. You can’t be Beyonce to one person and Rihanna to another. You have to be the same brand to everybody. That’s why I only have one Twitter account. Who I am is who I am, whether I’m watching ratchet reality TV or covering the latest trends backstage at NYFW.
The best piece of business advice I ever got was…
“Be the woman you want to be.” That’s a quote from my favorite fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her several times, and I even participated in a huge PR initiative she did a few years ago when her fragrance debuted. We marched around NYC spraying people with her fragrance and shouting “D-V-F! Be the woman you want to be!” She’s such an advocate for women’s independence and living a well-balanced life. I really admire her for that.
I measure success by…
Happiness. Yes, I just finished this project, but am I happy with this work? Am I proud? Do I feel fulfilled? If the answer is no, then it wasn’t successful.
In business you should never be afraid to…
Fail. It is inevitable. I cannot say in my entire career that everything I have pursued was a success, but I didn’t give up. It took me three years to finally make it out to Coachella in Cali. Â I wanted to go for so long but was too scared to ask anyone to sponsor me. This year I overcame my fear and pitched myself to a few brands–and I finally went.
Anyone who wants to follow in my footsteps should…
Make a plan, work towards actionable and attainable goals, and believe in the impossible.
Next on the horizon for me is…
Starting a new website with a slightly different focus than that of LoveBrownSugar. I can’t give away too much detail, but keep your eyes peeled. I’m also looking into potentially starting a fashion or beauty line–something I’ve always dreamed of.