Every blogger has a story so we took some time to chat with ShopStyle influencer, Maria of Mia Mia Mine, to hear about how she got started, her experience with ShopStyle Collective, and advice she has for bloggers just starting out. Read on for the full interview:
Q: How did you get started with blogging?
A: I stumbled upon fashion blogs back in 2012 when I was working in Investment Banking in Los Angeles. I was a little bored of finance so I started a fashion blog merely as a creative outlet. I had no idea it would eventually turn into a career one day. I maintained my blog as a hobby until 2016 when I decided to take a leap of faith and make it my full-time career. At the time I was working as a Stock Analyst on Wall Street where I covered fashion, home and beauty companies. CEOs of the companies I covered were beginning to talk about how important influencers were becoming to their businesses so we poured a lot of resources into understanding the space – a task I was charged with. After I began more closely analyzing it, I realized so many of the influencers were just like me – girls with big dreams that took a leap of faith. The majority of the successful influencers that companies were focused on were self-made entrepreneurs. My paradigm kind of shifted at that point. I realized this little blog I did on the side could grow into something much bigger if I just poured time and resources into it. So I spoke with my boss (who fully supported me) and we planned an exit strategy for me. The transition from Wall Street to blogging full-time was a much smoother transition than I expected it to be. It helped that I had done tons of financial analyses and projections and came up with a business plan – which really helped guide me those first few months.
Q: What are a couple of your career highlights?
A: My very first career highlight was when I got a collaboration with Nordstrom. I covered the company closely while I worked on Wall Street so to work with them again on the creative side was really fun.
Another highlight came when the Investment Bank that I worked for asked me to be a keynote speaker at their annual investor conference a year after I left. That’s when it kind of hit me that I had successfully established a new career path for myself. I was there as Maria the Digital Influencer not Maria the Stock Analyst. Being able to share insights into what I do and why it matters to the stock market was really an honor. It also made me appreciate what we as Influencers do collectively. To see investors and companies so fascinated by our collective influence really helped validate the longer-term outlook of our industry.
Another big milestone for me was when I secured management. That really helped transform my career path and work towards bigger goals.
Q: How do you use ShopStyle Collective to monetize your influence?
A: At the end of the day I know my audience just wants to be able to shop the products that I share. I link everything I feature both on my blog and through Looks & Collections right when I publish each photo. I use ShopStyle Collective to not only search for new products and track when they go on sale, but I also spend a lot of time diving into my analytics. I love being able to see exactly what items people are clicking on versus purchasing – which helps guide the type of content that I share.
Q: How has your style evolved over the years?
A: I lived in LA for a number of years in my 20’s and back then my style gravitated towards more bohemian looks. When I moved back to Minnesota (where I grew up), my style got a little more polished – especially since I worked in a more professional setting at an Investment Bank. When I started blogging full-time and working from home more, my style got a little more casual and denim became my go-to. Now that I’m in my 30’s, I’m much more focused on maintaining a well-edited closet with pieces that I can get wear out of. I’m all about investing in a few key pieces to anchor my wardrobe and I think my readers really value that I wear a lot of my pieces and show them how to get mileage out of their own wardrobes too.
Q: Do you have any advice for someone just starting out with blogging?
A: The biggest piece of advice I have to identify your niche. Blogging has very few barriers to entry so there will always be a plethora of people giving it a try. In order to set yourself apart, you really have to bring something different to the table. Whether it’s really professional photos, inspiring travel content or just great affordable fashion finds – make sure your audience has something to gain by tuning into your social channels or blog. The business side of me will always say to make a business plan. Treat your blog as a business from the get-go even if you aren’t making money right away.
Stay tuned for more influencer interviews coming up!
xo,
Courtney
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