Becoming an Influencer

Hi loves!! I get asked a TON of questions about how I got started with my blog and grown my Instagram and became a fashion, beauty, and travel influencer. My intention for this post is to share my experience in starting my blog, how I got to where I am, and hopefully it answers some of the questions I get frequently.

In any aspect of life, I’m a firm believe that if you set your mind to something, you can do whatever you want. That’s not to say it’s going to be fast and easy, but personally this is very relatable to me deciding to start a blog.

About a year ago, I was in NYC with my husband visiting friends and family. To be completely blunt, I literally woke up one morning and was like, I’m going to start something. I knew I wanted it to be fashion and beauty related, but deciding my focus took some time. I also had to decide whether to start a blog, social media posts, etc. I just had this insane drive to just do it and start quickly.

A few weeks later was my best friend’s bachelorette party. To preface, I’ve always been makeup obsessed! It’s rare for me to not do all of my friends’ makeup when we’re going to an event or out when we’re reunited (everyone lives far away now). I mentioned my idea to start a fashion and beauty blog, and every single one of my best girlfriends thought it was a great idea!

And that was it.

I went home from the bachelorette weekend, thought of a blog name (Always Meliss just came to me), and got started! I updated my Instagram name and started taking pictures. I look back and they were horrific, but I had to start somewhere and learn from my mistakes, right!?

Honestly guys, since that very day, I’ve dedicated SO much to Always Meliss. Even when I got the flu and was on my honeymoon, I was creating content, taking pictures, and blogging.

At first, my husband thought it was an obsession that he didn’t really understand (that’s not to say he wasn’t supportive, he just didn’t get it), but now that he sees how excited I am when I work with new brands, and how many incredible blogger friends I’ve been lucky enough to meet, he totally gets it.

I really wanted to write this blog post, because SO many new bloggers or bloggers who feel like their growth is stunted, reach out and ask for my “secret sauce.” The truth is guys, there is NO secret sauce. There’s a lot of ways to grow fast, that are totally inorganic and I don’t agree with. However, my way is dedication, consistency, persistence, and kindness.

Not to mention, you can NEVER stop learning. I am always looking at bigger bloggers, reading magazines, figuring out the latest trends and styles, and refusing to become complacent or complain about the algorithm (it is what it is, right?). I want to see what the latest crazes are, and find my own way through these learnings. I aim to inspire, so always staying true to my style is vital.

I’ve been fortunate enough to meet some of the most incredible women in this community, who are doing the exact same thing! We laugh about working 100 hours a week and wearing sweaters in the summer to shoot our fall looks, but really that’s what we’re all doing. For those of you who don’t know, I actually work a full time job, too!

A real day for me looks like:

5am – wake up and work on the blog

7am – get ready for work

8am – 4pm – work

430 – 530pm – go to the gym

6 – 10pm – eat dinner and blog

On the weekends, I basically blog one entire day from 630am until 5pm, and enjoy the evening with my husband. I give myself one day to not do any shooting (but let’s be real, it’s a Sunday at 6:30am and I’m writing this blog post, so there’s no days off!).

I love when someone tells me how busy they are, because it’s just another excuse to not get started. If you want to make something great, you’re going to work your butt off and find time to do it. I promise you, it’s so worth it!

Anyways, my point is, if you find something you love, whether it’s a blog, a sport, a game, a new business you want to launch, you can make it happen. It’s just going to take some serious dedication and time!

I hope this helps answer some of your questions and inspire you to get started on whatever you’re thinking of doing! One other tip is to check out Julie Solomon’s Influencer Podcast and 100% sign up for her course!

If you still have any remaining questions, feel free to comment on this post.

xo//meliss