Thanks to Amy Oztan for this recent shot of me in Times Square
Recently, a new friend asked me what I did work-wise. When I answered that I was a blogger and web developer, we discussed my career journey. In my twenties, I worked in investment banking and research after graduating from Columbia. I started blogging on a “whim” when I couldn’t bear the thought of going back to work and leaving my chunky baby in the care of someone else. I had no idea that blogging would allow me to be a work from home mom (with a teacher as a husband!) in NYC for over a decade…and so much more.
With the Lion King cast on a WDW press trip
In addition to supplementing my family’s financial income, blogging has allowed us to enjoy many experiences that we might not have had the opportunity to participate in due to the fact that I chose to stay at home with my kids. While I am indeed “lucky” to be a work from home mom, the decision has not come without financial sacrifices. It’s still hard for me to believe that I have been blogging for a decade. (Before becoming a mom and a blogger, three years was my time limit for the same job!) I think that one of the best aspects of blogging is that it can “grow” with you and your audience. Initially, Mom in the City was aimed at moms of kids 5 and under…because I was one. Then, the kids grew up (sniff). I was obsessed with food for a few years so I had a food-focused blog, Foodie City Mom. It was both fun and lucrative. I met over a dozen of the Food Network stars, was paid to host cooking demos and wrote recipes for major brands and so much more. After three years, I ran out of enough recipes to update a “food-only” site, so I folded the site back into Mom in the City and focused on a mixture of food, family fun and “just for mom” topics.
Humana Food Demo
Professional images courtesy of Michael N. Todaro/Getty Images North America
After a decade of being a work at home mom, the question that I often get asked now is, “How do you do it? I want to do what you do!” Actually, for most people, that is not true. What they mean is that they want to get what I get. Blogging does have some amazing perks but as I tell my family and friends, “You have to do the work to get the perks.” It’s true. Whether you want to blog for the access to cool experiences, for money, to promote a cause that is dear to your heart or for any other reason…it takes effort. I remind my kids often that people don’t pay me, send me things or invite me to places because they like me. Although I hope that some of them actually do like me, I’m very clear that it’s business. They want a return (exposure, sales, etc.) on their investment. I’m perfectly fine with that because I want returns (financial, experiential, etc.) for my work too.
My mom and I were able to skip some long lines due to blogger press privileges in Paris. (Yes!)
Several people have told me that I should teach a blogging course. I don’t think so. While I might teach a blog design course in 2016, I don’t think that I’m equipped to teach a “Blogging” course. I was taking a financial class recently and the instructor asked us our financial style. I laughed because mine is “mystical”. Basically, I write out what I need and want budget-wise, pray about it…and it just kind of works out. (Of course I work hard too…just not in a way that I can teach others yet.) For instance, I wanted a large sum of money for something that I don’t even remember now…and ended up getting paid over $25,000 for only saying four words in a blogging related Special K assignment that ended up being a national commercial. It’s God’s favor. I can’t teach that! Fortunately, for those of you who want to learn to blog as a business, I have the perfect blogging course for you – BlogPreneur Blogger Training Course from my affiliate partners Business 2 Blogger:
Blogging has literally taken me around the world. Where will you allow blogging (and the BlogPreneur Blogger Training Course) to take you?