I’ve been publishing on this Say Yes platform for 12 years, isn’t that nuts? Today in partnership with LinkedIn, I’m taking a trip down memory lane to give you an idea of where I’ve been, how the industry has changed, what’s keeps me here, and what I’m thinking about looking ahead…
Over the last few years, things have changed a lot. Bloggers have become influencers, and these influencers have saturated online marketing. I’ve seen it all morph and change and it continues to every day. I’m constantly thinking about what I’m in it for. Why I still wake up and brainstorm ideas with my team, create content in the studio, and sit on the computer editing and writing for hours upon hours into the evening. Why am I still in this space, and where do want to be? There have been so many amazing opportunities and brand partnerships over the last 12 years, and I’ve grown so much as a publisher, photographer and content creator, but where do I want to be in the next 12 years? I think about it every day, and to be honest I’m still figuring this out.
One of the amazing things about living in the bay area for 10 years now is that it’s a hub of innovation and startups. I’ve had the opportunity to rub shoulders with so many people. Not just like minded content creators, but also wonderful brands and media companies in face to face events and meetings. But, to be honest, most of my interactions with brands are still online. That’s how they find me and my work, that’s how we connect. One of the best ways I’ve been able to do this is through LinkedIn. It’s an unbelievably valuable way to meet and connect with people in my same industry, similar industries, and potential brand partners. One of the most inspiring things has been meeting other female business owners and creatives. This industry was the wild west 12 years ago. Uncharted territory, with no real direction, best practices, or clear state of being. Aaaand, guess waht? It still feels exactly the same. Innovation and technology is at the core of online publishing. It will always be emerging, challenging, and a fascinating space to create.
Want to take a trip down memory lane with me? Here’s a brief overview of where I’ve been:
In 2006 twelve years ago, I started a blog called Say Yes to Hoboken. It feels weird to call it a blog now. I prefer to call it a site or online publishing, content creation, influencer marketing, maybe even an online magazine if I’m feeling fancy. But back then in 2006, it was a blog. It still basically is, I’ve just grown tired of that outdated term. My blog was originally called Say Yes to Hokoken, and you can see my very first post here. Some of you have been around for long enough to remember that old name! It started after I took some darkroom photography classes in graduate school in Manhattan. I grew to really love photography, and ended up TAing the class. Soon after I was a newlywed living in Hoboken, NJ and working as a school and college high school counselor. Also, I really loved Sufjan Stevens (that part hasn’t changed) who released an album called Say Yes to Michigan.
So, Say Yes to Hoboken was born. It started as a creative and stress reducing outlet for me, as my job wasn’t creative at all and the problems of these children I worked with weighed on me daily.
(Image here taken by Jared in 2006 of Hoboken park, across the river from Manhattan)
For the first couple of years I posted about thrifting and travel and funny guest posts by Jared when I’m was on college tours for my work. Pop over to some of those old posts, they always make me smile. In 2007 we moved to Salt Lake City where Jared started a new job. We bought a home when I was 6 months pregnant with Henry and I started a private college counseling practice. I worked with clients, prepped for our new baby, and kept blogging. Shortly after Henry was born things started changing in the blogosphere. Bloggers started selling button ads on their sites, and working with sponsors. Henry was born, I started a vintage baby clothes shop called baby hank vintage, and the following on my site continued to grow. In 2008 I started selling ads on my site, and it was going well! It started with small Etsy shop trades (you give me a handmade purse, I put up your ad for a month on my sidebar). The trades became cash payments shortly after, and the ads became banner ads managed by ad networks. I was happy to be starting to make a bit of money here and there, and I was loving staying at home with our new baby Henry.
(Baby Henry and I here in Salt Lake City)
In 2009 we moved from Salt Lake City to San Francisco, again for Jared’s work. So much began to change. Ad networks became more than banner ads, and sponsored posts were born which completely raised the bar for bloggers. Advertisers were finally willing to start compensating bloggers well for the content they were producing, and the expectations increased significantly. Around 2012, ad networks became the coveted media companies to work exclusively with. After many years, I was finally able to take this little hobby into a full time job. I could finally hire childcare for Henry, an assistant, work with other photographers, buy a domain (Say Yes to Hoboken became Say Yes) and professional camera equipment. As compensation started to increase, so did the saturation of the market. Many more people and companies began to see the value of online publishing, and financial benefits of starting a blog. I helped Minted start theirs, Julep. I began producing content for other blogs like Apartment Therapy and Babble. Bloggers became online publishers and content creators. I really started to explore and grow as a photographer and stylist, but still found myself exhausted from wearing so many hats, and felt overwhelmed by the multifaceted demands of content creation.
(Image here from my first studio space/Edie’s nursery in our old apartment in San Francisco with one of my first assistants, Maddie who now works at Brit & Co)
The last few years, since about 2015, the online publishing market has completely changed once again with the birth of Instagram, Instagram Stories, and video. Online publishers have become influencers and influencer marketing is a course you can now take in college (this still blows my mind). So many new micro-influencers (those with small but loyal audiences) pop up every day everywhere around the world. The bar of entry is low, and the market is saturated. My team has grown and then shrunk, grown again, and then morphed with each new twist and turn of this ever-changing industry.
(Image here is from last year of assistants Gaby and Stephanie)
Right now, I’m focused on growing myself creatively as a content creator. I’ve been dealing with burn out (and a bit of boredom) the last year or so. I really started to focus on what I was in it for. What still ignited me creatively, what I still was passionate about in my work. I started soaking up everything. I went to every PR event I was invited to, and talked honestly with others over glasses of wine about what I was feeling and thinking. I asked for advice. I opened myself up to new ideas and constructive criticism of my work. I focused on connecting with others in the industry (many of whom felt just like myself). I talked to people that were doing what I was doing, but in different industries and with different titles like stylists, art directors, creative directors, etc. The connections, feedback, and advice, was exactly what I needed. Mentors and new friends, kind, wonderful people have popped up everywhere helping me see through the burn out and focus on the big picture. I even started talking to a life coach, which was incredibly insightful. I started getting requests through LinkedIn, emails, and even DMs about product photography unassociated with my site and social channels. I’ve thought about it, I’ve done some of it, and I’m thinking about doing more of it. I’m still learning and experimenting.
After a bit of time being burnt out with the industry, I’ve found a new passion for it recently. I’ve found a new love in working with a team of the coolest women in roles of advisors to find the best ideas to share with all of you. That’s been exciting, and inspiring. Just this past month I created a portfolio with the visuals of my branded content. You can check it out here if you’d like, it’s still a bit of a work in progress. Putting it together has made me proud of my work and how far I’ve come in my skills. Showcasing it in this way has made me want to take more pride in what I produce for Say Yes. I’ve also been thinking more about kids art and family art projects. I have so many on the back burner right now but I need to prioritize some time for them.
In short, my new found motivation has come from trying new things, opening myself up to new experiences, and letting go of the things I can’t control (like instagram algorithms aarrggg). Learning and growing, making decisions and lots of mistakes has helped me get out of this rut.It’s not about what specific decisions you make, it’s the fact that you’re making a decision, and motivated to grow and learn, even if it might not be the very best choice. An ok decision is better than no decision at all. I’m still here and I’m in it for growth, for creativity, for connection and community. For the diversity of challenges it brings everyday.
Whatever career path or phase of life you’re in, what are you in it for? Would love to hear what inspires and motivates you.
Thanks to LinkedIn for sponsoring this post. Thanks to my assistant Sarah (my third assistant named Sarah!) for helping take the images of myself in the studio.