Hello My Beauties!

Intro By Jodie: A La Jode is a London-based fashion and lifestyle blog. Born in October 2014, it aims to bridge the gap between aspirational and accessible.

1. So your blog seems to be a mixture of elements all focused around what makes women happy. Can you tell me what drove you to create it?

I’d been reading blogs for a while and after seeing a friend grow hers I thought, “I could do this!”. It was time I finally joined in with the community I’d been observing for a while. It was only once I started my own blog that I realised what an amazing community there is – and I’ve never looked back.

2. While maintaining your blog, you are also a Digital Marketer. How do you balance both your work and your blog?

I’m really lucky that my work and blog complement each other so well. My blog was one of the main reasons I got the job as it was how I heard about the company, the reason I knew the industry existed, and had given me a good foundational knowledge of blogging and SEO. I spend my days reading blogs at work and then come home and put what I learn at work into practice on my blog!

3. What has been one exciting thing that you’ve gotten to do because of your blog?

I’ve had so many amazing opportunities from my blog, none of which I ever expected when I started. I was just a girl, sat in her room, wanting to know what this blogging thing was all about and now I have some incredible experiences to look back on. If I had to pick one thing, however, it would be the huge South West Blog Social event I organised last June. It started with an idea to go for drinks with some local bloggers and quickly turned into a one-day conference covered by several magazines and with over £13,000 of sponsorship from leading and upcoming brands!

4. What is your favorite post and why? (Include link!)

Now that’s a tricky one! I would probably have to say my 2014 highlights post as I had a lot of fun putting it together. One of the best things about blogging is that you have a kind of virtual record of everything but it was only when I began pulling it all out that I realised just how much my little blog and I had been through in one year. Looking back on it all made me feel a little emotional – and super glad I have it all saved to look back on.

5. What is something that keeps you motivated to continue blogging?

Without a doubt, the number one thing that keeps me here is the number of amazing people I’ve met through blogging. From Twitter chats and blog comments, to events and meet-ups, I’ve met some of my closest friends through blogging. It’s so much easier to connect with another blogger as we seem to have that instant bond and it’s a really powerful thing.

6. Finally, what is one piece of advice you have for beginner bloggers who want to be successful at it?

Only blog about what you love, but don’t worry if that changes over time. It takes us all a little while to find our feet and some of us have changed our blog’s main theme multiple times over the years. Also never post something you’re not proud of as your most recent post will be the first one people see when they first land on your site. Finally, don’t compare yourself, never underestimate how many skills blogging will give you and make sure you get out there and meet other bloggers. They could become some of your best friends 🙂

I hope you all enjoyed this post and liked reading about Jodie! She is so sweet and very experienced in her craft! Make sure to stay updated, I post Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday!

Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks,

Marin XO