Happy Sunday Ladies (and Gents)! I hope you are all getting excited for Fall. We finally put our pumpkins & mums out today! So, I get a lot of questions from you guys about starting a fashion blog and thought I would just address them all in one post. Starting a new blog or any business, for that matter, is usually more complex than it seems at first glance.

Fact vs. Fiction in Starting a Blog:

(1) FACT:  $$$ Few bloggers become profitable within the first year or even longer. This is no different than any other start-up that requires heavy investment in the beginning. Most bloggers will not secure paid brand partnerships within the first year, advertisements, or earn measurable product commission. Those things come over a period of sustained growth and engagement. Luckily, I was able to secure retail partnerships early, reduce my overhead and start-up costs, and increase my margin enough to cash in sooner.

FICTION: I will become profitable so fast…bloggers look like they make so much money. They are always wearing the newest and nicest clothing and are always traveling to exotic locations. This must all be for free!

Conclusion: A blog is no different than any other start-up. Having the expectation to be “rolling in the dough” by the end of year one is a nice dream, but hardly true. This is why most bloggers give up after their first year. You expected “fast money” and when it didn’t come, became discouraged. Lastly, you have not made a budget and determined what it will take for the blog to survive past the first year; it becomes an expensive hobby instead of a business that is long-term oriented with an actual strategy.

[Read more…]