If you’re ready to start your blog, you’re going to need these WordPress plugins to get you started! I talked about why WordPress in my ‘start blogging in 2020’ post. If you haven’t read that one, click through and read it and come back. With the name selected and blog hosting done, it’s time to fit out your WordPress blog with all the stuff that keeps it running. That’s where plugins come in.
Plugins help you do all the thing that you need to do with a blog without needing any real HTML or CSS knowledge. You’ll be pulling together a function, impression blog website in no time. From there, the sky is the limit. Blogging is a lot of work, anyone who tells you otherwise is full of it, but these plugins will make your life so much easier. They do for me. So, let’s get started with a few of my favourite plugins that I never set up a blog or small business website without them.
Site Kit is a recent addition, and easily the most useful is you’re looking to grow a blog. It allows you to link to Google Analytics, Search Console, PageSpeed and AdSense natively. Which let me tell you, after a decade of blogging, it’s best to go direct to the source if you can. And I don’t know if this is a coincidence, but my search impressions have gone up 50% since I installed it. Maybe there’s something to that.
Editorial Calendar is an essential plugin to all those who plan to blog ahead of time. When I was working full-time using this was the only way that I managed what was going out on my blog in advance. While the Site Kit plugin was the most recent addition, Editorial Calendar for WordPress was the first. It’s always the first when I’m building a blog or website. I use it to draft out my posts in advance, see what’s coming up and write notes for the post.
If you’ve had a WordPress site before you know that the comments section can be a nightmare, not to mention the Contact Forms. The spam that comes through without a spam blocker like Akismet to block the majority of it. It’s not sexy or something that people get excited about, but it’s the most must-have of the must-have plugins. Trust me on that. Download and it and get the free version running asap.
Suggested by a friend, WP-Optimise will do everything from creating a blog cache to compressing images to ensure they’re a reasonable size to deliver on the blog. This plugin is all about the speed your site offers content which is important to your readers, first of all, but to Google and other search engines too. This is the favourite of those that I’ve used over the years because the images don’t come out looking crappy. It’s important to me to have a fast website, sure. But so much of what I do is related to images; I need them to look good.
If you want to ensure that your site is ‘working’ correctly, you need a broken link checker. And this one is simple, effective and rarely gets it wrong. It makes it easy to unlink broken links, as well as adjusting or fixing those with errors. A simple plugin but it’s essential in the most boring of ways. It will help your blog stay on the right side of search engines by ensuring that you’re not seen as a dumping ground for links who have gone to die.
This is the big one. If you’re becoming a blogger, you need search engines on your side; Yoast SEO is the best way I’ve found to do that. It will give you a score, as well as actions to take, to make your post more readable and better able to be found by search. Yes, people tend to focus on building an audience on social media, but the traffic driven by search will be your bread and butter. Once you install this plugin its a simple matter of taking the suggestions, filling out the keywords and metadata and you’re good to go.
You’re going to all this trouble to write blog posts, of course, you want people to read them. Even better for you if they choose to share them. Shareaholic makes that easy by offering options for share links. At the top and bottom of your posts and things like related content blocks. If you make it to the end of this post (which is getting longer by the minute), you will see them in action down there. All visitors need to do is click the link, and they can share your post, pin it or even email it to a friend. Sharing makes a blog go ’round, don’t miss this chance.
As far as sharing goes, there is no better place to hope your blog post lands than Pinterest. The easiest way to do that, other than making sure you have great vertical images to pin, is to have a Pin It Button on your blog. It makes it easy on the reader and ensures they can just hover, click and send your post to Pinterest in half the time it takes to share it elsewhere. Don’t miss the opportunity to share your posts on Pinterest. Want to know more about that? Try this old blog post I wrote about pinning your own content.
And now, this may be a controversial one, but I use the Classic Editor to revert my WordPress backend to the ‘old way’. I don’t need the ‘builder’ side of things because I have Divi (see below) and to be honest, after all this time, I just didn’t want to get into learning a new backend. If you’ve blogged with WordPress before and are a little into the old way like I was, this could be an option for you. And yes, I know that change is as good as a holiday, but well, this time I just didn’t bother.
I pretty much go for Divi by Elegant Themes every single time. There are plenty of other themes available on places like Creative Market or Etsy, but for me, the foundation offered by Divi is too strong to pass up. The best part is if you’re not sure what style of website you want they have loads of built-in templates in their dashboard to select from, and each one has template pages for all the basics; Home, Landing, About, Contact etc.
We used to pick my nephew up from school on a Friday, and he would stay with us while his Mum was at work. Back at the start of March, with plans for a milk and cookies movie night, I bought the boxed ingredients for chocolate chip biscuit. We were going to make them together, so I thought I would keep it simple. Add stuff and stir – done and done.
But then self-isolation happened.
It was four or so weeks since we’d seen him and the biscuits were calling to me. I’ve been building my portfolio on some stock image websites as a way to earn a little side income from my photography. (Very little at this stage, let me tell you, haha). With the thought of capturing some photos as a “two birds with the one stone” thing, I baked the biscuits.
It turns out, while they would’ve been kid-friendly (super easy) they were more like biscuit cakes than cookies. I get that that is some people’s thing, but not me. I like my biscuits to be a little bit chewy, a little crunchy and a lot bendy rather than crumbly. I’m sure if I was more of a baker, I could have adapted the ingredients. But I’m not. There I was with cake-like chocolate chip cookies.
So, I photographed them anyway.
Why not. The biscuits look alright. Though chunky enough to disclose the cakiness for those of us who know what we want in a cookie. And while I uploaded the main set to stock image sites, I thought YOU might want to use some images during this stay at home period. I mean, people are baking stuff left, right and centre. Get on board. And that’s what I did.
If you click through to the free downloads page, you’ll see a link to the Dropbox folder to download the cookie images and a couple of others, I thought might come in handy. All the terms of use and that jazz are on that page too. It’s pretty basic; don’t worry about that. I hope you enjoy them; whatever you use them for. Now, excuse me while I head to Pinterest to find a decent chocolate chip cookie recipe for when my nephew is allowed to stay for sleepovers.
Download the failed cookie experiment images on the FREE DOWNLOADS page here.
Wondering if you should or how to start a blog in 2020? Then, you’ve come to the right place. I don’t even know if I can write this post in the detail I want. But I can feel it bubbling out of me. This is a good sign; that’s what it is to blog. A blog is to have something to say and the space to say it that is entirely your own. So, I’m writing this post for you, and I know it will be of enormous service if you have found yourself with something to say.
Earlier this year, I wrote about what I saw as the signs for a return to blogging. Then in March, it made more sense as we were all confined to our homes thanks to COVID-19. Why wouldn’t you want a space, just for yourself, to share your views and ideas and journal what was happening around you? I know I liked that. If you do, too and don’t know where to start, I hope this helps.
Now, this is the info you need to start a blog.
To niche or not to place, that is the question.
If you know you want a blog, you probably know what you want to blog about. I’ll not say much about the pick your niche thing here because I’ve never followed that advice myself. Blog about what you’re interested in and passionate about. The rest, like people to read it, will fall into place. There are plenty of courses and suggestions on narrowing your focus on your blog, creating a niche resource, and building a business around the blog and personal brand. This isn’t one of those; I’m all for doing what interests that. When my blog earned some decent money, I followed my advice to do that. Passion, excitement and enjoyment are undeniable when they are missing. Start now, and you can always narrow your focus later.
A rose by any other name
One of the first things when you start a blog that I’d do, is to think about a name; second, only decide on a topic. What do you want to call it? I suggest just going with your name if it’s a personal blog. It’s the easiest, and no matter where your blog goes, it’ll always be relevant. Search on Google and your favourite platforms for others using the same name. If you can get something unique, it will make your life easier. I wouldn’t recommend competing with someone using the same name and doing the same thing. It isn’t good for either of you. And if it’s trademarked or something, you may also find it an expensive exercise.
If you want to start a blog for your business or brand, I’d suggest just incorporating it on your existing website (for SEO and ease of having it all in one place). You can give it a catchy name, but it’s not essential. Add a blog landing page, and go for it. Not so confident to do that? Your developer (or even my business) can do that for you- easy as pie. But ultimately, if there’s one thing I know, you can get stuck on what you name something and never get started. So, leap. Done is better than perfect.
Blogging platforms to start a blog on
FREE (with upgrades)
Blogger – If you have a Gmail account, and want something simple and accessible, maybe Blogger is for you. This blog started on Blogger, and I was happy there for about three years. It’s straightforward to use (I’ve compared it to using Publisher or Word) and will get you blogging if you care about getting something up and running. Layouts are easy, and there are plenty of options to customise. But be warned, I had my blog taken down once for a Terms of Use Violation without warning. It was gone for a day before someone who knew someone gave me a contact address to reach out to and plead my case. That doesn’t sound that bad, but trust me, seeing years of your work ripped from the internet sucked. So, if you want to use Blogger to start a blog, make sure you play by the rules (which you should be, anyway).
WordPress (Managed Hosting) – This is a free platform from the people at WordPress, more like the Blogger option below; they handle most of the backend stuff. However, they do this by limiting what you can do, the plugins available, and things like that. This has always been a frustrating offering for me, but with a free account (upgrades available), it might just be the best place to start. Want to know more about how to distinguish between the two? Hear it straight from the horse’s mouth on the WordPress blog.
PAID (various pricing)
WordPress (Self-Hosted)– My blog, and plenty like it, are built on self-hosted WordPress sites. It’s a bit of a go-to as you can do pretty much anything with a WordPress site. Want a shop? Add a plugin. Feel like your post needs a gallery or a contact form? There’s a plugin for that. Just want to keep it simple, start a blog, and get going? WordPress works for that too. The best part is that most hosting providers will allow you to purchase a domain and hosting in one place, and some will even have a WordPress package where the initial installation is taken care of. I use and recommend VentraIP if you want a place to start; they’ve been great to me for years and years now.
If you want some options for WordPress Themes, I’ve put together a post with a heap of options here. And then, for plugins to customise your blog and get you up and running, I have this post here. With these two posts, you’ll have everything you need to streamline setting up your WordPress blog. Any questions? Don’t hesitate to ask.
Squarespace – You’d have to be deaf and blind to be on the internet (specifically YouTube) and not know who/what SquareSpace is. They use content creators and influencers to shout their benefits from the rooftops. But you know what? It works. By all accounts, this platform is not only good for businesses, but it’s perfect for portfolios and blogs. An ideal home base for your internet creations. But those designer templates and award-winning customer service make them the least affordable. But if looking good straight of the gate is essential to you, along with ease of use, it might be worth a look.
There are several options out there for hosting a blog. If there isn’t one here that works for you, there will be one out there. Just do some homework, ask those around you, and you’ll find something that works for you. I did!
Write your heart out.
You’ve got your topic, your name, and somewhere to put all this bloggy goodness. Now, all there is to do is write your heart out. If that’s your thing. If there’s one thing I have learned about blogging over the years, you need to know more informal writing styles, even if you’re blogging in a professional setting. And even if what you are saying is essential. It doesn’t matter. People want to get to know the person behind the screen on a blog. They don’t wish to be generic; they can get that on any old news site. So, keep your spelling and Grammar in check (difficult for me, I use Grammarly, which I recommend) and write how you would talk.
Free Images for your blog
Now that you’ve got a platform and maybe have something to say, you want cool images to spruce up your content. Trust me, even if you don’t think you want that, you do. Firstly, I’d do my best to take photos you love. Personal always performs better on social than generic (no matter how beautiful it is). that doesn’t mean you can’t use stock at all.
Combining the two is an effective way to maximise your time and the resources available—the intro image in this post I took myself. The Pins below are from a stock image website. Here are some great free (not just royalty-free, free-free) stock images to get you started on your blog.
Unsplash – I have an account on Unsplash if you’d like to download, for free, some of my images to use on your blog, social media or website. It’s mostly food and beverages, but what else do you need? Haha.
Now you’ve set up your blog, created a post with carefully crafted words and beautiful images, and it’s life! Well done. The worst of it is over. Publishing a blog post is hard. You are saying something and having a position and an opinion on the internet takes guts sometimes. But now what?
Well, you’ll want to let people know it’s there. Whether by promoting it on your personal Facebook or pinning those post images on Pinterest. Or shout it out on Instagram or create a marketing strategy around your blog. This isn’t a case of if you build it, they will come. Some may, and as your blog grows and garners interest from search engines, that may well be the case. But for a new blog, it’s about getting bums on seats and selling yourself to anyone who will listen.
Don’t just sit on the info that you have something to share. Tell people. Use your platforms or build new ones (or both!). For a long time after I started my blog, it was a loosely kept secret. It’s not that I was embarrassed to blog, but I was embarrassed about what people would think. For some of you, that will be the hardest part. But do you know what? In the end, those who are going to support you will. Some will come around to it later rather than sooner. And some won’t get it. They’ll refer to it as silly or a waste of time—fluff in otherwise serious life.
But who cares?
You started this blog for yourself, right? To share what there was for you to say to the world. Take photos, write your story, and share tips and tricks. Make sure, if you’re going to all that effort, that you let someone know it exists – when you’re ready. Start with someone who has proven themselves to be a cheerleader in the past. Go to them, and get that blog traffic rolling. If you didn’t want people to read it, that’s fine. But why, then, didn’t you start a diary? Haha.
Are you someone who wants to start a blog this year? Tell us about it. Already a blogger? Share your link below so we can check you out.
Recently, I closed my MailChimp account. An account I had since 2011! 2011, team, do you remember the good old days? And if you receive the Suger News, you would know I switched to a new kid on the block, FloDesk. I’m going to talk a little more about it later, but first I wanted to let you know why I went looking for a replacement in the first place.
Now, to be fair, I’ve been with MailChimp for nine years. There was a lot to like about the platform, including a lot of the analytics and integrations. But after the integration with Shopify was ended and there have been issues with accurate tracking and sign-up form options. There wasn’t one specific reason that I decided to keep my eyes open for an alternative. A lot of little things; things that should work but don’t.
And the cost, which is always a problem when the bigger you get, the more expensive it is to keep your list. Plus, there are very few additional features or bonuses with your upgrades. When I spoke with my clients who use MailChimp about what they are paying and whether they believe it was worth the money, most had similar feelings to me. It seemed to work, and we hadn’t found better. Then I saw a tweet about FloDesk.
A little more about FloDesk
The tweet came from a fellow blogger who sells their book via their website. I knew immediately that it would work for me. That said, I haven’t done a lot recently with eBooks or Online Courses, but they are on my list for 2020. After a brief look around, I went about setting up the Suger News as a test. A couple of hours of work and I had three fully functioning lists with sign up forms and welcome series emails. I decided that night to shut down my MailChimp and bring my account over.
But that wasn’t all.
Soon I discovered how much easier it was to deliver PDF content directly through emails and found my way around the templates and analytics. Bit by bit, I wondered if my product-based business clients would benefit from how slick and easy to use it all was. So, I reached out and asked one of them if I could try the program for them. They were paying over USD 200 per month for their MailChimp subscription; we excited to try out something that might cost them only slightly more than that a year.
(with a sign-up code, see below, wink wink)
I warned them that I didn’t feel that we would get the same level of sales analytics. However, since we were tracking it through Google Analytics and the Shopify Dashboard that it was worth a look. They agreed and later that week we set them up and officially put their MailChimp account on pause. It only took two weeks of the new emails going out for them to decide to switch. We didn’t miss the analytics, and their brand fonts were already available as standard in the program (along with heaps others) making it simple to design everything from more straightforward sales emails to lengthy updates.
They too were sold on FloDesk.
And then, the final; example I have is from a friend who desperately messaged late one night saying she was at the end of her rope with MailChimp. She had written, designed and set up a free download around working from home that people were signing up for but it wasn’t delivering to them. Getting people to sign up and then not providing the content they signed up for is always a bad look. So, I jumped into her MailChimp to see if I could locate the issue. After some digging, a few tests and coming at the problem from every angle I knew to come at it from (she had probably tried them all herself too) I was stumped. It’s just one of those things that MailChimp sometimes does, I told her.
But if you want something fast, do I have the program for you!
And after some quick consideration, a play in the software, that night she set up her free download, sent an email to all those that hadn’t received it, and was back up and running. It was about that time that I thought I should sit down and write this post. After all, there are a lot of you that write a blog or have your own business. Maybe you’re battling it out with some out of date program that is too complicated for what you need or want also. So, here we are. For me, for the people I’ve talked about and a handful more, this has been a great solution. Maybe it will be for you too. Below the screenshots (provided in FloDesk as part of their Affiliate program, open to anyone with an account) I’ve put my link if you want to try it out.
If you want to sign up to FloDesk, I have an affiliate link. You will receive 50% off your subscription. Which makes it just $19USD per month no matter how big or small your list is. Want to see how it works? Create your account with that link to lock in the savings, and use the two-week trial. Check it out, let me know what you think. And if you read the Suger News, don’t you agree that we’ve been looking pretty flashy recently?
This is it! The time has come for the resurgence of the personal blog. Not that they were gone-gone or anything. But with the rise of the Insta-blogger, twitter-superstar and all the tween Tik-Tokers, blogging has been a little out-dated. Short, punchy and on platform updates seem to have taken the lead.
But not so much anymore.
In 2020, we have something to say. More than the Instagram caption will allow and more important than some algorithm deciding who will see it. On a personal blog, you can take your time, find your words, and deliver them to your audience without the interference of Zuckerberg et al.
It’s s resurgence. From the back of the dusty wardrobe, people are dragging out blogs, dusting them off, and sharing the things that matter to them. I’ve seen it with several accounts I follow. Some have done very well in the recent social media boom. A lot of them blogged before, some had stopped, and others are finding their way to a blog now. But whatever their path they all agree, the time is now.
And I couldn’t agree more.
I mean, to be fair, I’m pretty biased. Team blogger, that’s me. I’ve been in love with blogging since I published my first, tiny dinky post. And yes, I’m uniquely placed to be like, WOOOT, can’t wait. But I can’t ignore a trend towards people having space to voice their opinions and ideas; to share their story.
What’s better than that? Here on this blog, I am the boss. Sure there is still some reliance on social media to promote a post, but when it comes to subscribers (both blog and email), they hear from me because they asked to. No middle man. And certainly, no signing up only to be shown a post every week or two. My thoughts and ideas travel from me to you. The words (and images) are here just as you asked them to be.
Unfiltered. Uncensored. And most of all, unapologetically me.
That’s why I think that personal blogs will make a comeback in 2020. There are too many of us with something to say for it not to happen. I don’t know about you, but I feel like now is not the time to be quiet. To go quietly when they shut down our accounts or put us in some algorithm based sin-bin. Oh, no. NOW is the time to be heard. And I plan on taking advantage of that. How about you?
It’s about that time, team! Another year has come to an end (this one went FAST). And since I still consider myself something of a blogger, it’s wrap-up time. I decided that we should do the best of the blog. Take a walk down memory lane and all that. Which as you’ll see is more of a best of what I got done sort of thing. Some months I literally didn’t blog at all. So, yeah. Let’s get started, shall we!
Best of the Blog: 2019 Edition
January
There was no real clear competition here, I did a new year post, an outfit post and a recipe. That’s it. January, hitting the blog hard. Not really. So, after deciding that picking just one post per month would be way too difficult, I chose two. These are my choices for January. An outfit and a recipe, because what else are January’s for if not wearing clothes you love and eating food that’s easy and delicious.
February
In February, it was about challenging ourselves and the way we are with each other. Again, there were only three posts, and I could have easily picked them all. But since two is the number per month I randomly selected (one was too hard); here we are.
March
Well, despite it being my birthday AND that we took a cruise in the final few days, there is very little to write home about in March. Two pots total which I guess, by default, makes them the best. At this stage, I was pretty into YouTube for the majority of my viewing, so that is represented, and I was starting to feel a little like myself when I started cooking again.
April
Did not complete… Haha. Sorry, no posts in April.
May
Again with the two post month! An improvement, though, for sure from ZERO. This month I ranted about Australian Fashion Week (along with every other plus-size woman in Australia). Then, I talked about big energy and how those of us with it have to be able to manage it for good. Direct it? Yeah, direct that energy for good. Powerful women gather, and all that.
June
The middle of the year was clearly when I hit my stride… I had actual multiple choices this month. There was even an outfit post. When I had completely missed April, I was determined to be less hard on myself about the volume of posts. It is what it is. The year I have had in terms of work and being generally busy, I’m surprised I blogged at all.
But, I remember it was around this time that I thought maybe I would get back into it. Create some stuff for me again. Blog because I wanted to, nit because I should. And I think it shows. Not only because I put up more posts, but there was a lot of drafts in the folder. Back in the swing of it, let’s see how that goes, shall we? Haha.
July
Being only a few months off the year working for myself, I was reviewing a lot of ‘stuff’ in July. It was about what I was doing, what I was wearing and acknowledging that my life LOOKS different now. And not just from the outside either. A lot of things had changed by this point in the year. This was a way for me to take stock of that, I think. It feels reflective, but also celebratory. I have this life that I designed for myself, and I get to live it every single day. It’s insane. I’m so insanely proud.
August
August I wrote the one post about body image. About how often we find ourselves feeling less than when our body isn’t performing. I’d been injured and sore, tired and feeling crappy and this post was a function of that. It’s a little hard to read now, but at the time, I wanted to get those thoughts out of my head and work through them a little, so that’s what I did.
September
I settled into this month, kicking off with an update on life in general. It’s always a good sign, I think when I have a post or two up in the first week of the month. It’s all systems go from there. This month I chose a guide for buying maxi dresses (from those I was actually wearing) and how I was changing my phone social media habits. I love these posts because they feel like the things that I enjoy most about blogging. It was a tough call though,the update postand one called things I know about working for myselfwere pretty good too. Worth a look if you’re reading these posts as we go.
October
This was the month that the blog turned TEN!It came and went way too fast, and I’m a little sad I didn’t do more to celebrate it. To be honest, I’ve felt a little isolated from people this year. Alone in a way, that I haven’t felt, I am in a lot of years. It’s nothing to worry about, just one of those ‘feelings’ that can get in the way sometimes. This time they did, but that won’t stop me trying again. Maybe a legs 11 party? Haha. Anyway, this was a great month for showing off how my photography style has changed in the last year and sharing things that make me happy on the blog.
November
Last month I tackled a lot of stuff, from planners to the renovations of our house and then a challenge to those holding back this summer. If I was going to point to a month where the blog had ‘stuff’ on it that I want to keep doing in 2020, this (and maybe September/October) would be it. Ultimately, when it comes to the blog and blogging, I feel like this is the stuff I care about. Things that matter to me and usually, you guys too. Less planned and curated, just more me. That’s what I learned this year. It was time I stopped listening to anyone but myself on the topic of my blog. It was time to get back to basics.
December
As we wrapped up the year, there wasn’t a lot to see on the blog. With a few good months under my belt, a load of work on, and the silly season upon us, I was okay with that. December is a notoriously bad time for blog traffic (for me, I don’t gift guide). So, I figure if you’re going to take a break, it might as well be when no one is paying attention, right? There was one post that just BEGGED to be written though. A post about not knowing what you want or where you want to go. About the time I burst into tears rather than answer a question about my goals in life. If you’re struggling with the new year/new me rah-rah excitement out there at the moment, maybe this post is for you. Maybe you’re in the same place I was. If you are, I hope it helps.
The End!
And there we go! 2019 wrapped up in a neat little bow. 12 months worth of posts, and another year worth of blogging under my belt. This year I learned that I love to blog. When I don’t, I miss it, way more than I miss posting Instagram photos or sharing updates on Facebook. And indeed, way more than I ever have enjoyed making videos (so awkward, haha). I also learned that it has to be on my terms. That I should blog about things that interest me and never on too much of a fixed schedule. This started as a personal blog, and I think it will always be that. Sure, along the way I’ve tried to make it other things, more serious or more specific, but in the end, this is what makes me happy. What more can I ask for?
Well, it’s here. On this night, ten years ago, I discovered Blogger and an entire journey started for me. There were a number of attempts at naming the thing; I wanted something upbeat but not too wanky. Something about looking on the bright side or the positive side of life. Then, after a small spelling error, Suger Coat It was born. Right there, by the light of whatever movie I was watching, on the couch that we had bought with money from our engagement party. October 29th, 1901. We were in the Jasmine House then. A house we planned and built and thought we’d live in forever. Heck, even raise a family there. How times change, right?
It seems such a long time ago, especially as the teenage exchange student we had with us at the time just got married. It’s funny to see that amount of time pass, and yet, I feel like the same person. In a lot of ways, that isn’t accurate because I’ve grown so much. But, ten years, man. It passed so quickly. How has an entire decade passed since I wrote that very first post, anonymously, with an image pinched from Google Images?
Full disclosure, if you’re not into sappy walks down memory lane, you’re not going to be into what comes next.
This blog is home to an entire piece of my history. Our history, of the life we’ve built and the choices we’ve made that brought us here. And here is pretty great, let me say that. Good job twenty-something us, you did good, and we’re proud of you. Even better than that, to have those stories and memories live on the page is pretty special. Thought in a fit of madness a few years ago, I archived and removed a bunch of posts for goodness knows what reason. I miss them. Never do that, if you have a blog, take that from me.
Along the way, you have gotten to know us.
You came along in the early days as we tried and repeatedly failed to start a family. Those were some hard times that I found it so necessary to use my voice in. To say what was going on in my head out loud, to anyone who would listen — letting it out so I could move on. I don’t know how I would have gotten to through that before the blog. Blogs are great for that, for talking through something you’re going through. I’d highly recommend it for those needing an outlet.
Then along came the personal style thing. Something that it took me way too long to get started doing. I felt like I was someone who wrote words, not a fashion blogger (errr, they’re the same thing, for those playing at home). And not only that, it felt crazy to call me a fashion blogger. I live in a rural area, at the time, my budget was super limited, and I sure as heck wasn’t thin and perky. I resisted hard. But in the end, here we are. I’ve even had a few pieces of clothing named after me by some of my favourite brands. I mean, who didn’t recognise the Suger Tee Dress as right up my ally!
You’ll notice I still call it a plus size fashion and lifestyle blog. Fashion didn’t seem to fit; pun intended.
Along the way, I’ve blogged about pretty much anything that has interested me. Personal style and confidence being the centre of a lot of my writing when I saw the way women, in particular, plus size women were talking about themselves and their bodies. But that wasn’t the half of it. We talked about social media and blogging, lifestyle stuff and I cooked a lot, once back in the day. That’s all here too. It was truly a personal blog. Something that over the years would become known as a lifestyle blog. Emphasis on doing life MY style. Haha.
We were right there, in what was the golden age, at very least the coming of age, of Australian blogging. Along the way, we figured out how to work with brands and monetise our blogs. There were no rules, so we made them up. Together, the Australian Blogging Community came together to ensure that these communities we had built were stronger with collaborations and fair pay for the work we were doing. We would talk to each other about rates and opportunities in the interest of ensuring we were all being treated fairly. We would welcome new bloggers to the fold, celebrating their wins when things took off. It was a community of people supporting each other.
Or that was the intention.
Sometimes I wonder how we ended up so far from there. Or as far as it seems unless you go looking for things like blog link-ups and Facebook Groups filled with bloggers who, like me, still love to make stuff for the internet. We’re there in the influencers with millions of followers on platforms that weren’t even around when we started. We held meetups and workshops, attended conferences and events; not just for what we could get but to be part of it all. To see friends and make new ones. To share the room with other people who made stuff for the internet and cared about how Google Analytics worked!
And a lot of us are still here. Because whether it’s 5,000 readers a day, 500, 50 or 5, we have something to say. Give us a blank page, and we’ll be right where we need to be, saying the things that we have always needed to say to somebody. There have been many times over the past few years that I wondered why I kept blogging. Why when I couldn’t see my place in the industry anymore nor bring myself to care about things ‘they’ said I should. But I know now that I do this for me. I don’t mind if it never looks like it did before, as long as the opportunity is there. And please don’t tell me it’s on TikTok, I’m too old for that new-fangled kid’s app.
The blog life chose me, what can I say?
You’ve also gotten to know Kel. Please know I’m sorry I ever referred to him as Hubby. I don’t know WHAT I was thinking. You know that Kel loves to find himself in odd situations and on fun adventures. The stories of him taking my outfit photos, digging up our yard or renovating our dining room allowed me to share him with you too. He has enjoyed it; the original Instagram Husband (unofficially, we didn’t start that phrase, we’re not that O.G.). The way he still tells everyone he meets about my blog will never get old. He’s proud, and so he should be. It’s not just me who’s done this. He’s given a lot to this blog, and it’s as much his as it is mine.
So, today we celebrate. I’m not sure how and where, but there are glasses to be raised. Around this time last year, I tried to imagine what I would organise for today. In the end, it snuck up on me. Sorry, team. I’ll come up with a way to thank you all too, soon. Until then, all suggestions are welcome. But again, especially if you made it this far, thanks for being here. For the support and love, this blog has received in the past ten years. For all the comments and shares and the times you have reminded me who I am; thank you!
Something happened when we bought the camper trailer. First, it was an Instagram account to document our travels (of course) and registration of a domain (nothing to see there as yet). Then we purchased LED light kits and solar mats. We talked about selling my car and upgrading to something that could tow the trailer.
It was a whole thing.
Then, after daydreaming about our future travels we got into the idea of a drone. I mean, those people on Instagram make it look so cool. Sweeping cinematic shots of the stunning Australian landscape. Shot, snappy edits of people, places and events. I wanted all that! Of course, I did.
Let’s just say that DJI saw me coming.
So, we did it. I stalked the prices and packs online. We watched and saved and subscribed to more email lists than was probably necessary. Until the day arrived; the ding of my inbox notified me that there was a refurbished Mavic Pro in a fly more kit, in our budget. It was go-time.
Whipping out my card faster than you can say DJI, I entered my details and we commenced the wait for it to arrive. In preparation, Kel and I started watching starter guides, first flight reviews and photography tutorials for the Mavic Pro. We updated our flying information and found out about extending my public liability insurance. Not that I plan to use it commercially, but that seemed like a good idea.
Safety first, team!
And then the day arrived. The box was on our doorstep surprisingly fast and as I carried it downstairs to the living room, the excitement built. It was here! I couldn’t wait. It had arrived and just before a long weekend too. It was kismet! Without even thinking about it that much, we did all the setup and calibrations and prepared to wake before dawn for our maiden voyage.
And it was FOG as far as the eye could see!
Let’s just say, not ideal. Haha. But we stayed close to our launch spot, kept a visual of the drone as much as possible, and kept the flight mode in beginner. Kel was really cautious to start; a personality trait he doesn’t normally display.
I was a little more confident that with all the avoidance sensors and such in play, we’d be fine. Overconfident perhaps? But we made home safe and sound to fly another day. And by another day I mean later that same day, then the next afternoon, and a few days since. Haha.
To mark the occasion, I took some photos.
First with my little Fuji travel camera And then we snapped a couple of pics with the camera on the drone. We’ve got lots to learn, but right now, we’re having fun learning it. Watch this space for adventures! Or the Instagram, we’re heading to our usual spot at the beach this weekend, I’m sure the drone will make an appearance there.
I receive emails sometimes with PR requests and offers, and opportunities. Always lots and lots of opportunities. I consider my blog to be a PR friendly blog; I respond to emails that have a call to action or request, love to attend events and will do so if I can. And I am genuinely interested in content that would be of use to me. So, I welcome emails and correspondence, and ideas from my PR friends.
However, sometimes it’s a bit much.
I feel like a pawn in a tug a war. My inbox is littered with random announcements for brands I’ve never been associated with. Peppered with offers to do giveaways. And I’m grateful to be acknowledged in this way, really I am. But it feels rather generic. I get that PR’s are just like any of us who have measures to meet and time to do it in. But for me, it’s just a reminder in my inbox over and over again that I’m not special enough to warrant a one on one email.
Then sometimes, I accept an offer, and there’s a post or social media coverage. I send off the post link and hear back crickets. Nothing. Zip, zero, zilch. And I’m not going to lie; it would be nice to get a thank you sometimes. A thumbs up. Thanks for the mention/attending. We appreciate the post—that sort of thing. And yes, some contacts will do that every single time. They take the time to read the link, and I sent and respond. I love those; those have my heart.
This is a first-world type problem, a problem that only some bloggers have. I get that.
I don’t mean to be a jerk about it. On the contrary, I am genuinely grateful for the opportunities I get that fit the blog and the type of content we make. For example, OVO in Brisbane totally worked. We loved that event and have offered ourselves up to the PR in the future, trusting her judgement to select stuff that will be of interest to me and, therefore, you guys. ECCO’s event was the same thing. I was treated really well; great event and something I could report back on without feeling like I was going through the motions. Which, we all know, I’m just not very good at doing. There are others, oh my yes, sorry to not mention them; these were fresh. Recent.
So, how do we, as bloggers, find a balance?
How do we remain available with becoming, errr, TOO available and compromising our blog?
When it comes to working together, how do we make it work for everyone?
Within the blanket pitches, I search for the tiny call to action in there somewhere, and I pounce. I read the article and either respond quickly, thank you, keep them coming but not this one. Or it’s the starting point of a beautiful friendship. And by friendship, I mean that they offer me what I need, and I offer them what they need with varying methods of delivery and compensation.
I love tailored ideas delivered with my blog in mind, and I want to be pitched. Wow’ed and wooed even. This isn’t always possible, but just once, I would love for an email to drop into my inbox that I thought WOW. Yes, that! And maybe it’s a scale thing. My blog is where my blog is. It’s nowhere near the king of the castle. Perhaps those pitches are saved for the top of the tree? If I ever get one, I’ll ask and let you know.
That said, I think bloggers need to remember their manners.
Or, as I like to call it, professionalism. Rule one, I never ask for products/samples that I have no intention of reviewing. Two, I don’t attend events I don’t intend to cover. And, three, I don’t misrepresent my blog by fluffing the facts or fudging the stats. From there, it’s about delivering posts on time, working hard to promote them and doing everything I can to make them a success. That’s my side of the bargain, and for all the demands out there by bloggers, it’s important to remember our side of the deal.
Maybe these things are universal, or perhaps they are just me. But I thought, maybe it would be fun to talk about the things you should know about working for yourself. I’m a veteran now, basically. I’ve been back full-time working for myself for a year. And in some way or another, I’ve been doing my own thing since I was 21 years old.
Though, at 21, I SUCKED at it, just quietly.
But now, let’s have some fun. I’m here to shed some light on what it looks like to work for yourself. Hopefully, you should know about working for yourself that will make the transition or life as you know it easier. Working for myself includes working at home. And even though I have a designated and slightly separate from my house office, it comes with its own distractions. Lord help me, if I were working inside my house or in the lounge where I sued to work, it would be free for all. This brings me to ‘thing’ number one;
You should know that you’ll get really into doing the dishes.
If you work from home, like me, all of a sudden, every dish to be washed and every pile of laundry to be folded will suddenly become irresistible. Your home will become the procrastination station, and this includes those tasks or chores you haven’t done in five years but are now suddenly essential! By the way, did you see my new outdoor area and recycling sorting bins? (see, exactly). While it can be easy to resist these things and call them out for what they are, I find now that it’s easier to do them. Want to do the dishes and put on a load of washing? Go ahead. In the end, it might cost you 10 minutes or so, but resisting will cost you longer. But make sure you call a spade a spade; what you’re doing here is procrastinating. Maybe ask yourself why THAT is. You know, while you’re loading those dishes…
You should know that motivation is a flighty bitch.
Let me tell you, you can’t wait on motivation to show up when you work for yourself. Know that motivation won’t show up when needed but instead will visit at THE most inopportune times. Think middle of the night, in the coffee line or just as that Netflix series you’ve been waiting all week to sit down and watch gets good. To some degree, you have to go with it. But on the other hand, you have to set boundaries around your work time and have ways to bottle that motivation for you to use later. The most important thing is not to be too hard on yourself. It’s hard to work on command when you’re the only one giving orders. It’ll take time; give yourself space.
You should know that you’ll never really feel like you’ve got it all together.
My business is pretty impressive when you look at it on paper. We work with some big companies and have great success with the regular clients we work with (life update blogged here). I still love the work, and the small team of people I have around me (not literally, digitally) are so fun and easy to work with. But even then, I have a hard time feeling like I’ve got it all together. Maybe that’s one of those goals that you never officially realise (or should stop chasing), but it’s true. Good as it gets, and as impressively smoothly it operates from the outside looking in, expect to feel (at times) that you have no idea what you’re doing or how it even works. But just get dressed and show up; no one has it all together, so you’re in good company.
You should know that not everyone will pay on time.
I hate to be Debbie Downer on this one, but you should allow for the people who pay late when you’re estimating your income. Make some allowance for those who won’t pay you at all. I’ve had this happen before – when I could least afford it too. It happens, and we do what we can to prepare for it. Sound practices are a start; don’t be afraid to ask people to pay when they said they would, get deposits for larger projects or have service agreements drawn up and signed (a leg to stand on if you have to sue them). But also, save a little more than you need to as a buffer. Be prepared for less income than expected to account for longer payment terms or to have to shake the tree. While people will pay you on time in a perfect world, it just doesn’t work that way. Be prepared; no one wants to come up short and cannot pay those who do work or supply to you.
You should get good advice and know enough to take it!
When I started my first business, the best thing I did was go to an accountant that specialised in small businesses. The stupidest thing I ever did was ignore his advice (on and off) for over a decade. I mean, young and dumb doesn’t cover that. I thought he didn’t understand MY business or what MY goals were, but really, I was a brat. Business is business and when you find someone who has proven themselves with experiences to be worthy of listening to, do yourself a favour a try to do it. I should have been saving 20%-30% of my income for taxes etc. But did I? Of course not. Did I keep my business and personal expenses separate? Pfffft, who has time for that. Not doing these small things (in the past, I learned THAT lesson) led to a whole heap of problems that could have been avoided if I just listened to the expert I was paying to advise me. Find good people and ask for their advice, and then, take it! Trusting your gut will only take you so far, and usually to places you’ve already been before.
You should know that you are not alone, even when it feels like you are.
Oh man, some days when I look at my computer screen, steaming coffee in hand and emails piled up, I feel like I haven’t spoken to anyone in days. And sometimes, that literally happens. But you should know that you aren’t alone. Others are doing what you do, and the internet is an amazing place to meet them. I feel like some one-on-one interaction (I call it using up my word count!) take a fitness class, do a workshop or head to a cafe to work and say hi to strangers. Ask a friend for coffee or lunch, call a family member or do whatever it takes to feel connected again. Do the things in my how to lift your mood post, whatever it takes. Working for yourself, especially at home, can be like living in a bubble. So, get out more.
You should know that the perfect schedule doesn’t exist.
Trust me; I’ve tried to find it. Haha. I’ve got a pretty good daily routine at the moment, but if I’ve learnt one thing in the past year, it’s that best-laid plans ALWAYS go to shit. Haha. This means that I never leave things until the last minute (because Murphy’s Law says that when things will go wrong), and I always leave space in my schedule for other things to pop up. I love working for myself. After all, it means I can be available to my family when they need me and take naps in the afternoon because it makes me feel good. Don’t get too focused on having ‘the perfect day that you forget why you do this in the first place. Maybe your perfect schedule is a five-point to-do list that you get done when you feel like it? Sound okay? Good news, you get to decide.
And most of all, you should know that your best is good enough.
If you’ve made a mistake or tried and failed, I want you to know that your best WAS good enough. I come across this concern so often working with businesses and on my own business. You can’t always get it right, and worrying about getting it wrong has stopped many people from doing anything at all. Done is better than perfect. And in my books, saying you’re sorry, you made a mistake, or you’ll do better next time is more effective than never having tried. The right people will support you in developing and growing yourself and will never ask for more than your best effort. This doesn’t mean you should be slacking off and doing things half-assed – I would never give you permission to do that. But as the old saying goes, when you know better, you can do better, and I work to that all the time. Always improving and getting better, but learning (after all this time!) that part of that is not knowing or sometimes falling short. If you tried, and especially if you gave it your best, that’s enough. (FOR NOW, haha).
And that’s my list!
Allow me to finish by saying, you, my friend, are fantastic. If you’ve made this leap or are planning it, you’re already a rock star in my books. I know the freedom and joy that doing your own thing can bring. I’m so proud of you for giving it a shot. But, the flipside of that is that we adventurous types can be hard to please. We tend to beat ourselves up or expect way more than someone else would ever expect from us. Try not to do that, okay? Yes, there are plenty of serious things you should know or do, like taxes or metrics or reporting, but in the end, the most important thing is how you’re doing. Check-in with yourself, and I guarantee the rest will fall into place.
Images by Renee Shae Photography for her Big & Boss brand – Renee is a Brisbane based photographer specialising in branding photography and headshots.
Having a work from home daily routine isn’t something I planned on. I was pretty casual about such things. But I’ve been working for myself for a while now, so it was time, right? I left my job almost a year ago, and I’ve been working for myself full-time ever since. It’s been the best! Seriously, I’m glad I leapt when I did. And if I were someone who wondered what if, I’d wish I did it sooner. The first few months involved many afternoons spent in the spa, soaking up the sunshine or napping. Then it was summer, and we ALL know how I am during summer; sunshine, naps and cocktails (see the theme here).
I call this the recovery period.
That said, I think it would be crazy to talk about my current routine without acknowledging that I gave myself plenty of time to settle into it. I’d been working hard; some rest was required. If you’re new to working for yourself or working from home, give yourself a grace period. Time to recover from whatever came before is important.
From there, I’ve settled into a routine that works for me – productivity-wise, as well as being in communication with and available for my client’s and their digital marketing schedules. Of course, there is some variation, but I’m a creature of habit. I like to know what I’m doing and preferably when, so a daily routine works for me. I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself if it’s not your thing; all of us are different. You do you, boo.
Let’s get into my work from home daily routine, shall we?
Mornings
I’ve learnt that I work better in the morning. It’s too easy to be distracted by ALL THE THINGS in the afternoon, so I focus on getting my work done first thing. The essential stuff or items with deadlines, anyway. This sees me in my office around 7 am with a coffee in hand and breakfast in my belly. After taking it into the house the night before, I’m usually returning my pencil case, a few notebooks, and a refilled water bottle to my desk.
As part of what works for me, I run an A4 page to-do list that I continue to add to or cross things off until I either use up the page or bugs me. The first thing I do is check my emails for news from my team or clients and add any new notes or work to the list. Nothing makes me happier than seeing those things get crossed out at the end of a productive stretch of work.
Around mid-morning, when the sun starts to hit me in the face, I take a break. There’s usually more coffee or a fresh bottle of water. Around this time, I might post to my Instagram story, queue up my shows on YouTube or reply to comments on the socials. After that, I usually eat something and reply to text messages or emails that have come in during the few hours I’ve been working. Then I get back to work on the stuff on my list.
Lunch
After my mid-morning break, I find that it’s usually after 1 pm before I get hungry again and the kitchen starts to call. Within the hour, I’m in the house making lunch and tidying the kitchen as I go. It can be easy to get distracted by the state of your house when you work from home, but I find that I can ignore almost anything if the kitchen is clean and tidy, the dishes are stacked in the dishwasher, and I know what is happening for dinner.
Moving forward, I would like to incorporate a walk or a swim either before or after lunch. Exercise is something that has been pushed aside a bit in the last year or so. And as someone who thrives on activity and moving my body, this doesn’t work for me. But I have space here to do it, so hold me to it, okay? Ask me about my walk or swim next time we’re chatting. I can’t keep spending 12 hours a day slumped over a screen. Must improve.
Afternoons
I have a thing for afternoon naps. Give me 45 minutes to rest and recharge, and I’ll take it. Some days that is exactly what I’ll do. Other days I sleep for hours, and some I don’t sleep at all. I’m learning to go with it and do what I need to do. Getting back into the office in the afternoon refreshed, that’s my go-to plan; lunch, nap, crush all the things.
We work with a lot of businesses that are heavily involved in email marketing, most with bi-weekly marketing emails (EDMs) as a minimum. That means afternoons are usually spent checking EDMs, checking sales figures and tweaking content plans and advertising as required. Some days this alone can take all afternoon and into the evening. Other days, it leaves time in my work from home daily routine to either get back to my list or deep dive into my emails or reporting.
That said, I tend not to work on the creative or ideas side of things in the afternoon. It’s not that I’m not capable, but I certainly have to force things a little more in the afternoons. Sometimes I book client appointments or meetings in the afternoons, but it’s usually a good time for the grunt work of my business. The invoicing, connecting with the team, book-keeping and all that essential, but certainly not flashy, stuff. By 5 or 6 pm, I’m looking to be out of my office and back in the house preparing for dinner or watching classes, courses or more youtube.
Evenings
Dinner in our house is a bit of a hit and miss type affair. Often Kel works late or drops in on friends and clients later in the afternoon or evening. So it would be unusual to see him at home before 6 pm. Sometimes this means that I’ve eaten and have settled in for a movie or scroll through the socials when Kel gets here. A bonus of not having kids is that our nighttime routine, our entire afternoon really, is way more casual around here than it would be for parents.
Part of my new work from home daily routine is that I prefer to log off when I leave my office. Sometimes I’ll post an image to Instagram or share something fun with Facebook. But there’s no work after I leave the office, and mostly I stick to it. Kel uses evenings to do quotes for his business, so it used to be pretty standard for us to be working. But doing things this way makes me wake up fresher and ready to get started if I don’t work into the night.
And then, this.
I like to work on weekends when my inbox is quieter. For better or for worse, it works for me. Kel is heading out to do the same most of the time, so it doesn’t feel strange to spend a few hours in the office. I use this time to wrap up the week or plan for the next one. You’ll usually find me starting a new page for my list on the weekend while admiring what a productive human I am.
But there’s no ‘admin stuff’ on the weekends if I can avoid it. I like to get creative and work on my blog or content for the most part. And yes, I know you’re wondering where that content has been, but I did say for the most part. Haha. Lately, we have onboarded three new clients; my weekends have been used to get them sorted.
But NORMALLY…
On a Saturday morning, I like to write my Suger News email. It is a review of my week and what I’ve been dealing with or learning. Sunday mornings, I have some fun with my photo or video editing for my youTube channel, content planning or writing. Then, I play music, courses or classes in the background, pump up the volume on some great tunes and get into the groove of making stuff. It’s the best.
When I think about it, I should probably get out more, but to be honest, this is what I’m into right now. It’s where I want to be and what I want to be doing; until that changes, I’m okay with my business also being my hobby. Right now, it’s fun, I feel good, and while I do need to do some work on the systems in my business being more streamlined, I’m good. I can’t argue with that!
There you go, team! If you have any questions about my work from home daily routine, leave them below. Want to know more about one aspect or another? Ask away. And with all that said, I’d love to hear about YOUR daily routine. What’s working for you?
It comes up in conversation more often than I can count. People wondering what IS IT exactly that I do? I have a blog, for sure. But that can’t earn me a living, right? (right! Haha). So with family Christmas card season just around the corner, I thought I’d make my Mum’s life (and yours) easier and just tell you.
Break it down bit by bit.
If you wanted how I make money specifically on the blog, I have a video about that. Pop over to my (poor, sad, lonely, neglected) YouTube channel to check it out. I do plan to make more videos, but you’ll see below, I’ve been busy so it’s been put on the back burner for a hot minute.
Kicking it off with Suger Coat It.
Right! Let’s kick it off where it all started with this blog. Suger Coat It was my first endeavour into the online world, digital marketing and list building after spending two years failing out of a Business degree. What can I say, I’m not a great student, and never have been. But I love to learn new things by myself from a book or the interwebs; so, I just figured it out.
I write this blog as often as possible and share to the NUMEROUS social media channels attached to it including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube and a neglected Tumblr and Google + page. Through Suger Coat It I generate income through sponsored posts, content creation (for brands not displayed on my social), digital product sales and ad.
Attached to this is the Suger + Ink podcast (we are re-branding!! Watch out for THAT) with Samara, formally of Blonde Ink. We have learned SO MUCH over the past three seasons of the show and I just love that it just gets better as we go along. Season Four is going to be epic, just two girls living their best 30-something lives.
Then there’s my new Instagram Suger Eats where I can share more of my food photography which has been so successful on Unsplash. I’ve always loved cooking and taking photos of food, something that has gone by the wayside a bit. As part of doing more stuff I love to create, Suger Eats was born. We’re so close to 100 followers and it’s as exciting as the first time I had an account hit that milestone. So cool.
And of course, there’s the Suger Coat It YouTube. As I mentioned above, about this time last year I was 100% in and making a video a week NO MATTER WHAT. It did awesome things for learning an entirely new and somewhat tricky medium (which hurts and I’ve bitched about THAT a lot). It also taught me how to build something from scratch instead of relying so heavily on the audience I do have here and on Facebook.
The Leave Home Blog.
While we’re talking about blogs, there’s also the little engine that could, The Leave Home Blog. My big idea that keeps plodding along with spurts of attention and drabs of forethought. I love this idea and have always referred to it as my big break waiting to happen. It’ll need some changes to bring it into 2018 for that to happen, but I have hope.
The consistency here has improved a lot since Charlotte started doing the majority of the work relating to the Leave Home Blog, especially its Instagram. The rest of the platforms are more automated, but we make (very little) money through sponsored posts and ad sales. The Leave Home Blog is currently funded by Suger Social, which brings me to, Suger Social.
The actual business business.
I registered the business name ‘Red Phone Business Services’ in 2010 as an umbrella to put all my social media, digital marketing, and at the time, copywriting, VA, and freelance services. This business operated in the background of numerous full-time and part-time jobs over the years. It bumped along sometimes making hobby money and sometimes being close to my full-time income.
About two years ago I decided that it needed to come under the Suger brand (invoicing for blog posts or content was confusing as a starting point). I wanted to call it Suger Media (taken!) and didn’t want to lock it into Suger Social Media (also, wordy). So I just went with Suger Social and locked that down throughout the internet.
Shortly after I brought on Charlotte who is our first ’employee’, followed closely by a book-keeper who was a godsend getting my invoicing and bank statement reconciliations under control. Plus, my accountant loves her, so that makes for an easy tax time. And I bought on a VA of sorts to help with the WordPress sites when we build them. I lay them out, set them up, and he fills them in.
Later this year, or next, I’d love to bring on a video editor (I have one locked in when I’m ready!) and more of a full-time assistant with strong admin skills and a drivers licence. Someone who can work more autonomously so we can continue to grow because I’m doing the ‘stuff’ I’m actually good at.
Because we’ve been growing, fast!
Suger Social currently runs the social media for seven businesses full-time from financial planning to fashion, recreation to accommodation. The team, which started as just me, but thankfully has grown have also created or assisted to execute marketing plans for numerous businesses in 2018 through consults and planning masterminds. There is nothing we don’t do really from hourly VA services to re-branding, marketing consultations and training. We also deliver workshops, build websites, some ads strategy and planning, and I’ve been trying my hand at more and more photography for specific social media use.
So, yeah. THAT’S what I do these days.
I’m not sure Mum is going to be able to fit that ALL in the Christmas newsletter, but it should make a nice change from Melissa does something on the internet and seems happy. Which, let’s face it, is the truth of it. Haha. Mum nailed it again.
Do you work online? Is explaining what you do something that happens regularly? I know I need more of an elevator pitch to summarise all this goodness, but do you have one? Give it to me below!
