I’ve been a full time blogger now for almost SEVEN years now. Wow. Back in 2009 I was working an office job where I didn’t even see the light of day. Talk about uninspired. I worked in the home decor and design industry though, so it definitely held some appeal, but dream job it was not. I had been blogging for over a year when I left my office job. Was I blogging every day? No. More like once a week. Was my blog making money? Definitely not, but I decided to forge ahead anyways. Actually, it was my husband’s suggestion! Yes, he’s super supportive, I’m a lucky girl.
I decided I’d do some freelance computer graphic and design work (which is what I got my BA in) while I ramped up my blogging efforts and just see where it went. I went from blogging once a week to blogging five days a week. It didn’t take long for my audience to grow. I went from making around $8 a month on Google Adsense to making $200+ within a couple of months. Not a bad growth rate at all 😉
When I first started the blog it was all just a creative outlet. My husband and I bought our first house in the San Francisco Bay area in 2006 and were just completely house broke. It was pretty frustrating working my day job for the Pottery Barn catalog and seeing all these beautiful rooms all day, then coming home to a bare house. I started trying to find look-a-likes and was amazed at the deals I found. The blog began because I wanted to share my finds with friends and family and the rest is history.
It’s amazing to see how much the industry has changed since I first started. People graduate college now and say they want to become a blogger. Mind blown. Being a blogger is a career choice now?! AWESOME. It’s been such an great ride. I can’t wait to see where it goes next.
You can read more about the Quitter’s Club on the Fohr Card Blog.
Pictures by Jessica at HejDoll.
Debra says
Are you quitting blogging or another job? By going to The Quitters Club, i can assume you quit another job and are going to keep blogging? Just a little unclear.
stellabelle says
Debra, You can read more about the Quitter’s Club on the Fohr Card Blog.
ann t. says
Pardon me if i am a little confused. when i read this post the first time, i thought you were saying that you were quitting your blog. however, after checking out the fohr card blog, i gather that you have officially joined a group of quitters; that is, people, who have quit their traditional full time jobs working for other people, in order to blog full time. however, as you have been blogging full time for seven years, it seems a little late to join the quitters club. so, what gives? I sincerely hope that you have not decided to stop blogging, because i love your blog, and consider it an invaluable service. i have followed many of your leads, and hope for more finds in the future.
Reichel says
Sorry for the confusion Ann! Not quitting the blog. The Quitter’s Club is just a group of us full time bloggers/influencers that are celebrating the big step of leaving our full-time office jobs to do full-time blogging and social media. 🙂
MONICA DIAZ says
i was pretty confused by this post too. not sure if this blog was ending.
Reichel says
No! Sorry for the confusion Monica 🙂 Not quitting the blog at all! Just talking about my transition from working full-time to blogging full-time.