Welcome to the Blogger Spotlight Interview. This week we have Gemma from The Work Life Blend taking part.
If you would like to take part, and your blog is under six months old, or has been re-launched in the last six months, please email me randommusings29@gmail.com
1 Firstly, tell us a little bit about yourself
My name is Gemma and I’ve been married to my lovely husband for 7 years. We have two kids who are 5 and nearly 2 years old and they make me laugh so much every day.
I work part time as an accountant for a Charity which I love. I’ve been qualified for 10 years now (that makes me feel so old!).
2 What is your blog’s name and what is it about?
My blog is called The Work Life Blend where I try to help mums to build an income around their families so that they can also spend time with their kids. I write about setting up a small business, starting a blog and finding a flexible career.
The name came from the idea that, with all the advances in technology, the traditional 9-5 job is starting to die out. In theory, there has never been a better time to work flexibly around your family, wherever or whenever you want. As long as you have an internet connection it could be possible.
Your work and family life could be blended to suit you – checking your emails on your phone at school pick up, working while your baby naps, or catching up after the kids have gone to bed so that you could watch their nativity. That sort of thing.
Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t got all the answers. But I thought I could be a sort of supportive “business friend” that’s here to help.
3 Why did you decide to start a blog?
After my first baby, I found it really hard to get the right balance between my career and being a mum. When I spoke to other friends who were mums I heard so many stories about how they had struggled with returning to work after maternity leave, that their employer had messed them about, that they were treated badly, that they didn’t get the flexibility that they needed.
When James started school I met lots of amazing mums who had set up (or were thinking about setting up) their own small business –photographer, cake maker, consultant, graphic designer.
I wanted to be able to help these women succeed in creating an income around their families by offering business, blogging and career tips, tools and resources. The business skills that I’ve acquired while working in different companies as an accountant over 10 years have come in handy. Also I’ve learnt so much while setting up my own blog that I wanted to be able to share that too.
4 Do you have any goals for your blog?
I have so many goals but so little time (I’ve got two kids remember?J) and I’m trying to work on small goals at the moment so I don’t get overwhelmed. Things like increasing my traffic a bit at a time, trying to get more Pinterest followers and setting up my email list.
If I can teach just one person something new that helps them in their aim of working around their family that would be amazing – that’s my main goal.
The other day I got a message on Facebook thanking me for a post I’d written on Job Interview tips saying that it helped her to get a new job. I couldn’t believe it, it was such a great feeling!
5 Tell us one random fact about you
I racked my brains for something that would make me look interesting but I really struggled ha ha!
At university, I met Prince Phillip when he came to visit with the Queen. He was talking to people in the crowd and shaking their hand. Then he got to me and he asked if I was native. I was so awe struck to be meeting him that I said “No” because I forgot what native meant in all the excitement (idiot). He just walked off.
So I suppose my random fact is that I’ve been snubbed by Prince Phillip.
6 What is the best piece of blog related advice you have received so far?
Don’t compare my beginning to other people’s middle and end. In other words, don’t look at other bloggers who are really successful and think that I will never get there because they are much further through their blogging journey. Just focus on you and your blog (otherwise you can easily get disheartened).
7 What is your favourite thing about blogging?
I love that it has taught me so many new skills. I found my confidence knocked after taking time out on maternity leave. I thought my brain would never work properly again (damn you sleep deprivation).
I feel quite proud about all the things I’ve learnt, like how to set up my own website or how to create my own logo. My baby brain still works after all (even if it is fuelled completely by a million cups of tea and chocolate biscuits).
8 Is there anything you would do differently if you were starting over knowing what you know now?
JFDI (Just *ahem* Do It). I always think I need to know everything before I do something. Instead I should have just gotten on with it and launched my blog and learnt as I go. You learn so much more that way.
My husband would constantly say “have you launched yet?’”, I literally researched and learnt how to do things for about a year.
9 Anything else you’d like to share with us?
If you have an idea for a business or a blog that you’re always day dreaming about, don’t wait, start working on it today. The you in a year’s time will be so grateful that you took the first step today.
10 Where can we find you? (blog link and links to any social media)
My blog, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.
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