I have been MIA from this blog recently. Although I had intentions of writing more here, my freelance work has been taking up a LOT of my time. It’s funny though because it was actually blogging that helped me start and grow my freelancing career. Let me tell you how.
It All Started In The Year 2010
In 2010, I was working as the Executive Director of a non-profit organization. The pay was good. The experience was great. I was learning a lot. Then I got pregnant with my third child.
I had no problems working full time while pregnant with my first two kids, so I thought things would be the same this time around. I was wrong. The pregnancy was so challenging that I ended up on bed rest twice. I got so scared of losing my son that I decided to quit my job. I did it with the intention of going back to a full time job again once the baby was old enough to be left with a nanny at home.
It was while I was pregnant that I discovered what a blog was and how moms from all over the world were using it as a platform to share their stories. So, I decided to do the same. I had no intention of using it as an income generating platform. I just wanted to share my experiences in motherhood. And I tell you, it was a lot of fun.
Through blogging, I met so many other mom bloggers. Then, I met people from PR companies and I started getting offers to attend events and join paid blogging or social media campaigns as an influencer. It was then that I realized that I didn’t need to go back to an office job to earn an income.
From Blogging to Freelance Writer in 2012
At the end of 2012, I actually started working in an office again because I felt like I wasn’t earning enough yet as a blogger. However, that new job only lasted two months. We were having issues with hiring a nanny for our baby and I had no choice but to stay home. Money was tight though and I had to find a way to start earning an income again.
It was really hard at first because all of my previous work experiences involved working in an office or for a family business. I didn’t know what to do. However, I knew that things happen for a reason and I just needed to figure out what it was.
It was then that I learned that I can actually offer writing services as a freelancer. Without a writing portfolio though, how was I even going to land my first client?
Thankfully, someone did hire me. It was another mommy blogger who was also a freelance writer/editor. She hired me even though I had no writing portfolio yet. Apparently, my blog was enough of a show of proof that I could write.
That gig was the first of many writing jobs that followed. I had the pleasure of writing articles for local and foreign online magazines. I also worked for a couple of digital marketing agencies and other direct clients, which then helped me transition from just writing articles to writing social media content as well. Then, that eventually led to social media management, community management, and content management too.
What I Do Now
It has been 10 years since I started blogging. Since then, this blog has undergone several transitions already. And although I’m not as active on it as I used to be, it continues to help me land new clients whether as a freelancer or as an influencer.
As an influencer, I continue to work with a variety of lifestyle brands as well as planner and homeschooling-related ones. As a freelancer, I continue to use my blog as my official website where I also post my freelance services, links to samples, and testimonials.
In fact, it was because of this blog that one of my present clients hired me. She hired me first as a freelance writer, then she transitioned me into her virtual assistant after two months. Now I work for her as a Digital Business Manager and Podcast Manager. These are the types of work that I now love to do and that I see myself pursuing for many years to come. It was through blogging that I was led to managing podcasts and loving it so much that I am now thinking of further niching down to just podcast management as a freelancer.
Blogging Has Changed My Life
So, you see, blogging has changed my life. Blogging did not only help me start and grow a freelancing career, it also gave me the lifestyle I didn’t know I even wanted – to work from home so that I can also be super hands-on with my growing family. Also, it paved the way for me to homeschool my kids too and eventually to have my hubby start working from home as well.
It allowed me to make friends with so many other homeschool or work-from-home moms from around the world. It gave me the opportunity to share my stories to the world and have them help others in their own journeys through life.
Blogging has provided not only professional growth but most importantly, personal growth for me as well. For all these things and more, I will always be grateful I found blogging.