- Blog: Yoli’s Green Living
- Niche: Green/Eco-Friendly
- Founder: Yoli Ouiya
- Twitter: @YoliOuiya
Ask green living blogger, Yoli Ouiya what her ultimate career goal is and she’ll say, “To be the Queen of Green.â€Â Well, she is certainly on her way to donning the crown as her blog, Yoli’s Green Living, provides thousands of monthly visitors tips and discounts on all things eco, including nutrition, food, fitness and fashion.
Ouiya is determined to debunk the common belief that living a green and healthy lifestyle is complicated and expensive. Her expertise is in demand as she speaks at various green/wellness events, hosts weekly women’s health Twitter chats (#wmnhealth) and records regular podcasts. Along with fielding numerous brand ambassador opportunities each year she is also a board member of the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food.
After speaking with Ouiya about her knowledge of green and healthy living, it’s clear her passion and blogging savvy made her a perfect choice for BlackEnterprise.com‘s second annual Black Blogger Month.
I started blogging because…
As a woman, I found expressing myself in a digital medium empowering. I started a digital magazine around 2005 focused on fashion, sample sales, and upcoming designers because I wanted to talk about clothes and share my enthusiasm for paying less for more. The website ended two years later, after accepting it was a full-time job to maintain and I didn’t have the time. In 2009, I started my initial site discussing healthy eating and green living. My goal was to show people that healthy living and eating is not expensive if you know how to shop and make simple adjustments.
Yoli’s Green Living stands is unique because…
Initially, living green and being health and wellness-oriented appeared to be intimidating, expensive, complicated, for “tree-huggers†and generally foreign to me. Through trial and error, I’ve found ways of making it convenient, cost effective and achievable at every income level.
My site provides market insights, accessibility and knowledge of brands, events and people who have integrity in the space. From a sustainable and environmentally responsible perspective, I focus on aspects of everyday living including seasonal and local eating, shopping at farmers markets, producing home remedies, travel and technology.
People trust my brand because…
I’ve been steadily
growing in this capacity for over a decade. I’m constantly looking for ways to make living green easier. Between Twitter, Facebook and my site, I share daily insights as they come to me and provide leading research from other trusted sources.The best piece of business advice I ever got was…
Have an exit plan. If you don’t plan the death of your business, a competitor will. [My good friend] Jamal Lucas told me that. He’s the person that’s always there to remind me of what I promised myself I need to have.
The biggest mistake I ever made in business was…
Not starting [the blog] earlier. Don’t procrastinate on making personal and professional improvements. There is always a time and space to grow from and into.
Click here to continue reading and to watch Ouiya’s video interview…
Networking in the digital space is…
Extremely important. You are whom you associate with.
The biggest lesson I learned about branding in the digital space was…
Organic growth leads to sustainable rewards.
I measure success by…
The amount of time I spend everyday doing exactly what I want to do moment to moment.
None of my success would be possible if not for…
Committing to being honest with myself and surrounding myself with people who are honest with me. I’m an artist; I have to work from inspiration.
My passion for healthy living comes from…
My grandparents, who passed away way too early from preventable conditions and diseases. I want to have healthy children and be a healthy grandparent, if the opportunity presents itself.
The biggest misconception about being green is…
That it isn’t worth the initial investment in time and expense.
The secret to making a green lifestyle easy is…
Remembering the benefits of being careful and the repercussions of being careless. Don’t be afraid to embrace seemingly small changes–going for a walk, not overeating and getting proper rest–all have long-term benefits.
In business you should never be afraid to…
Ask for what I’m worth.
If you weren’t in the digital space today I’d probably be…
Figuring out how to get into the digital space, which I love. I still review technology [trends] and design my own materials. I’ve also designed for Erykah Badu, Wu Tang, and other companies.
Next on the horizon for me is…
Finishing a series of green living books with Karama Horne of Savvy Brown Blog, as well as producing green events and expanding my podcast series.
My advice for anyone who wants to follow in my footsteps is…
Find your passion, surround yourself with honest people who will challenge your authenticity and put yourself into the world. The Internet is global. The possibilities are endless.
Be sure to check out the rest of the digital thought leaders as they’re revealed each day by logging on to BlackEnterprise.com/BlackBloggerMonth.
Watch below as Ouiya reveals the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of Yoli’s Green Living’s’ success.
Video shot and edited by Brain Food Film. Shot on location at the 40/40 Club New York.