Collective Voice

Meet blogger and actress Candy Washington. This talented lady keeps busy while balancing a blossoming career, writing about her true passion, and sharing helpful tips on her blog. Keep reading to learn a little bit more on Candy and why she started blogging.

What is your best blogging tip for new bloggers?
My best blogging tip for new bloggers is to blog about your passions and what truly excites you. I would also strongly suggest to schedule out your content, posts, and social media shares. Even though I view blogging as a business, I’m truly obsessed with fashion, style, and pop culture and making it all accessible to my readers and viewers, so I never feel like blogging is a chore, but it’s something that I wake up wanting to do and I go to bed thinking about.

Scheduling and staying organized is also really important because the best way to build your fan base and audience is to deliver quality content on a consistent basis. I try to stay on top of current events in fashion, entertainment, and pop culture so I can make sure to be delivering content that is relevant and timely. I use Hootsuite to schedule out my Facebook and Twitter posts so everything is scheduled and ready to go so I can focus on creating quality content throughout the week.

If you weren’t blogging and could do anything, what would you choose?
I would probably be a psychologist. I love talking to people and connecting with them on an authentic level. Trying to figure out what makes people tick and what drives them really intrigues me. Robin Williams‘s character in Good Will Hunting was so inspiring because he used his own personal journey to unlock the potential within Matt Damon’s character. If I could do that, help others through my own story, then I would be fulfilled.

On a certain level, that’s why I love blogging. I love adding value to the lives of others through storytelling, even if that story is how to be confident in your own skin by rocking skinny jeans, a floppy black hat, an oversize tee, and a statement necklace!

Who is your go-to brand/designer?
I really love anything Alexander Wang. His collection started with a sweatshirt and now it’s one of the most coveted lines out there. I also like how he seems so humble — I would love to do happy hour with him and dress up in his clothes! He mixes downtown New York and Brooklyn hipster chic like no one else. His campaign with Zoë Kravitz was one of my favorites.

What is your best fashion advice?
Take risks and forget about trends. This may seem contradictory since I frequently report on trends, but I use trends as a guideline and then I make them my own. Colorblocking isn’t for everyone, but you can add a pop of color with a bold shoe or a purse.

Also, don’t be a slave to labels or feel bad if you don’t have superexpensive pieces. Check out thrift shops, Target, swap clothes with friends, and raid your mom’s closet for new fashion finds. One of my favorite things to do is mixthe high with the low to create a unique and signature style, regardless of the price tag.

When it comes to taking risks, I wore Moon Boots in eighth grade and got teased about them in the cafeteria! It was a fashion risk at the mere age of 13, and I haven’t looked back since. Flash forward a few years and now people ask me for fashion advice all the time! So don’t listen to any naysayers and continue to do what makes you happy and what feels right to you.

What is one thing you wish you knew before you started blogging?
I didn’t know anything about blogging when I first started out. I was home over the holiday break and happened to stumble across a few fashion blogs and couldn’t stop reading them. I decided to start my own blog and just started posting pictures, my thoughts, my wish lists, and what inspired me. So this type of naiveté allowed me to be free creatively and really use my blog as my personal outlet.

However, I wish I knew to view my blog as a business when I first started out. To think about metrics, advertising, marketing, cultivating an audience, and branding. Over the course of the next few years, through trial and error, and a lot of research, I was able to start to fully monetize my blog.

I would also note that just because you want to monetize your blog that doesn’t mean that you have to lose your integrity or compromise your creativity. Stay true to who you are and what you want to represent, and that will attract a wider audience and retain your current readers. Partner with brands and products that are a natural fit with who you are as a blogger and be OK with saying no or turning down opportunities that aren’t the best match. Also, remember transparency and honesty are key, and if you aren’t being truthful then you will quickly lose any credibility — and relationships and your reputation are paramount in this business.

What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I’m a huge homebody. I love staying in, watching a good movie on Netflix or Scandal, cooking dinner, and having a glass of Merlot or hot chocolate. I also love going out to dinner with my boyfriend and then watching a True Detective marathon. My social life is pretty low-key.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Every year my mother and I go for a long drive and look at all of the houses with holiday lights and take photos. It’s one of my favorite holiday traditions because the lights are so beautiful and I get quality one-on-one time with my mom, which can get difficult when you have a big family and everyone is home for the holidays. I also love cooking on Christmas Eve. We all gather in the kitchen and listen to music, catch up, snack on treats, and cook the Christmas feast. 

Read More Blogger Spotlights:
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Laura Adney of Have Need Want
Rachel Martino of rachmartino.com
Amber F
illerup Clark of Barefoot Blonde
Emily Jackson of Ivory Lane 
Kimberly Smith of Penny Pincher Fashion
Jordan Reid of Ramshackle Glam

One of the most common responses I hear about blogging is the sense of community. With common interests and a shared entrepreneurial spirit, bloggers just “get each other.” We work with so many amazing bloggers so we decided to create an opportunity for bloggers to discover new friends and learn tips from each other. Our new series features a blogger and gives a glimpse into their life.

Meet Cameron Greene, a recent college graduate and entrepreneur. Chances are you have come across one of her pretty pins on Pinterest.

How did you get started pinning?
Srahardforlife started as a Twitter account in 2011 and expanded to Pinterest in January 2012 (a few months after Pinterest was established as the newest addition to social media). I will admit that I’m not the biggest reader, but I love taking and looking at pictures in magazines. What interested me the most about Pinterest was the recipes, fashion, and of course planning my future wedding (LOL- girls, you know this one is true). Pinterest was a great escape for me especially in school when studying – even though a Pinterest minute is more like 30 minutes in reality.

What is your best tip for gaining new Pinterest followers?
The best tip to get followers is to pin from category pages (Women’s Fashion, Food & Drink, etc.) from users that you don’t follow. This is the best way to increase your direct exposure, since a lot of users will want to click on your page after you repin them.

If you weren’t blogging/pinning and could do anything, what would you choose?
If I wasn’t  blogging or pinning, I would be traveling. I love to travel, to meet new people, and to experience different cultures. My favorite countries are Italy (I’m part Italian, so of course I’m a bit biased) and Japan since it’s so beautiful and exotic.

Who is your go-to brand/designer?
Honestly, it’s hard for me to pick just one. My go to designer is Tory Burch for shoes and handbags, Kendra Scott for Jewelry, and Burberry for clothes. My favorite brand is Show Me Your Mumu, which is very boho chic.

What is your best fashion advice?
Fashion is about taking risks and being confident in what you’re wearing. Don’t be afraid to mix prints or wear something different. I believe that Fashion is a form of art and is a way to express yourself. 

What is one thing you wish you knew before you started?
I wish I had started my blog several years ago and had not waited until now. Srathardforlife recently joined the blogging scene in October 2014. Be sure to check us out at www.srathardforlife.com.

What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I have traveled to 25 countries and 27 states. 

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
My favorite holiday tradition is making gingerbread men with my mom. We’ve made them every year since I can remember. 

Read More Blogger Spotlights:
Laura Adney of Have Need Want
Rachel Martino of rachmartino.com
Amber Fillerup Clark of Barefoot Blonde
Emily Jackson of Ivory Lane 
Kimberly Smith of Penny Pincher Fashion
Jordan Reid of Ramshackle Glam