Amber of @global_munchkins is not one to sit still or stay stagnant, so when she happened upon a blogging conference and realized she could turn her passion into her career, she set goals and has achieved them tenfold. Here’s how she started and how she is managing it all!
Q: How do you stay focused and manage it all?
A: I think it starts with goals. I am very goal oriented and that is where I believe it all stems from. I probably plan everything at least three years out, and I think that gives me a lot of clarity because I know where I am supposed to be focusing my attention, and then from there I organize it. I’ve tried a lot of tools when it comes to organization, but for me, the easiest thing is iCalendar and Evernote. I also use Google sheets and Slack with my team. I have a small but mighty team that has grown over the years to include myself, my husband, an SEO-editor, and an assistant. We also batch work everything. That’s a huge part of our process.
Q: What is something you do to maintain sanity and stay focused?
A: I meditate every day before I start work and then sometimes, if I need to, at the end of the day as well. It has made the biggest difference in being able to stay focused. I also swear by Equilibria’s CBD products. They have helped calm my anxiety and have increased my ability to focus.
Q: How did you start pivoting your passion to make a living out of it?
A: For me the pivotal moment was I went to a blogging conference, it was Mom 2.0. The funny thing was I had just started my blog and Instagram as a hobby and I thought the conference was about parenting and helping moms connect with each other.
When I went to that conference I realized that all these amazing women were making careers out of blogging. It was an eye-opening moment, I was like wait a second ‘I can make a career out of this?’ I was lucky because I had that aha moment right when I arrived, so I was able to attend the sessions and learn how I could monetize.
Q: How important is the support of your family as a driver for building your dream life?
A: It’s huge. And, there was also a pivotal moment there because the business was doing somewhat well and my husband was like, I think that we should sell our other company and I should join you in this venture. And I was like, “uh what?”
You know that’s a lot of weight to put on your shoulders when it’s your whole family’s livelihood. I was definitely nervous, but knowing that my family is counting on me pushes me that much more..
Q: What are some things/tasks you pass on to others?
A: Reporting, accounting, and graphic design. I feel it’s important to know your weaknesses and hire out, when you can afford it, in those areas. That way you can stay focused in your zone of genius.
Q: What is your number one tip for the growth of your brand?
A: I think in this business particularly it really has to do with thinking about blogging/ influencing as a business. So many of us are coming at it from a hobby standpoint or maybe it’s like a side hustle that somebody’s doing. But, when you really look at it like it’s a business and there is power in that. For example, it allows you to find ways to invest yourself and in your business’ growth. Whether it’s taking classes to improve your photography skills or learning to use Lightroom presets, we definitely invest and experiment.
I believe experimentation is also really important. You really don’t know what your audience wants until you start trying things and looking at the analytics. That gives you the insight you need to see what’s working and what isn’t. And, you always have to be ready to adapt because the platforms are always changing too.
So, invest in yourself, be willing to experiment, and make sure you’re always analyzing those results because results don’t lie. Those are a few of the keys I don’t think many talk about. And, then of course, authenticity. Sharing your true self is probably the biggest.
Q: Share some of your plans and dreams for 2021 and how do you set goals?
A: I’m actually super excited about a pitching course I am putting together for 2021. I took on three Black mentees when everything kind of went crazy this year. It was one small way I could take some of the privilege I’ve been given and give back. Mentoring these women has been what I look forward to the most each week, I’ve loved that process. So, that’s on the horizon. And, then we also have goals for travel again because that’s a huge part of our business that has been on pause due to covid.
Q: What is working for [ The ] Oprah really like?
A: Oprah herself you don’t get to have much one-on-one time with obviously so it’s more about her team and who’s around, and the team at Oprah Magazine is fantastic. They know their audience really well and when they choose their OMAG Ambassadors they look for specific characteristics that resonate with the different audiences they have.So, it’s a lot of like-minded people who share similar core beliefs that they’ve chosen and the result is this really awesome group of people, that are sort of like a family to me now. We’ve gone on cruises together with Oprah, met and worked with the Oprah Magazine editorial staff, toured their offices and met each other’s families.That partnership has been an amazing gift.
