So you might remember Corinne Kerston’s guest post about finding your niche on my blog a few months ago. We talked about doing an interview a few weeks later and decided to do it via Skype. The night came for the interview and it was the biggest video catastrophe ever!
First I couldn’t hear her and we couldn’t figure out why. We finally got the audio to work and then it kept cutting out. We tried filming but the audio was so wonky we couldn’t even get one question answered.
Corinne finally moved to another computer but the internet connection must have been bad because the video was all fuzzy.
Two hours later we gave up and decided to do a written interview instead. You gotta be flexible in business!
Tell me a little about yourself
My name is Corinne and I live in Hawaii with my husband and 2 kids. I’m a blog strategist and I love working with passionate people who are ready to take action and build a blog that gets noticed. I focus on methods that work for each individual blogger and break big goals down into smaller, manageable goals so we can easily see progress and know we’re going in the right direction.
I also just released a course on launching a blog, so how to research and build a plan for your blog, how to set up your website and then launch it to get the most attention.
How long have you been freelancing? Blogging?
I actually started out as a freelance writer back in 2010. I was pregnant with my 2nd child and I knew I wanted to stay home with him. But I also had no idea how to do that. So by chance, I met a freelance writer on a cloth diapering forum who had a course on how to get started, which she sent me for free.
My blog started as a way to attract clients in the online business niche, and it evolved from there.
Do you have a set daily schedule?
Kind of, but not really. I’m a work in progress and I’m trying to schedule everything to make things easier for me to manage everything.
But for the most part, my schedule varies and it revolves around my kids. I get work done and do client calls while they are in school, but I do pick them up and take them to their sports after school. And of course, if they have a field trip, I make sure I’m available. That’s why we sign up to work at home, isn’t it? So we can do these things.
How does having kids affect your schedule?
They are my schedule! It can be challenging, especially if I need to break from work to go get them, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
What are your favorite tools and resources for blogging?
Evernote for sure! I’m actually typing this out on Evernote while my kids are in their karate class. I often create notes and copy and paste into Evernote, and use the hour while they’re in class to do some writing. I’ve also voice dictated blog posts into Evernote from my couch, which I think everyone should do once in a while.
I also love Trello. I use it as an editorial calendar, and to keep to do lists, like things I plan to do in my business, resources I want to look into, things like that.
And ConvertKit. I’m a huge fan. I believe it’s the best email provider for bloggers who plan to manage multiple opt-ins and content upgrades.
How can the average mom fit these kinds of businesses into her life?
I think any mom can, it’s a matter of being realistic. You see bloggers boasting 50k months or thousands of subscribers. What they don’t often say is what it takes to get there. They’re working on their blog 8-10 hours a day. Or they are spending thousands on VAs and outsourcing a good chunk of the smaller tasks, none of which the average mom can do. If you are realistic about your goals and what you’re working for, anyone can build a profitable blog or online business on their own terms and their own time.
What are the best resources to get started as a blogger?
Well, if you’re just getting started, my course is designed to take you from picking a niche and creating a plan for your blog, to picking between WordPress and SquareSpace and setting up your site, all the way to launching strategically.
Final thoughts?
If anyone is interested in very focused, individual help, I’d love to do a free Discovery call with you where we would discover exactly what you want for your blog, what a successful and profitable blog would look like to you, and how to get you there.
Want to start your own business?
What is holding you back? Download the Business Building for Busy Moms ebook and get started today!
Leave a Reply