So as i’m sitting here writing with my freshly painted, blood red, coffin shaped nails trying to figure how the hell i am supposed to create premium content and help 2018 pop off – i realize that:

The whole not knowing what to do thing.. That’s okay! There’s a learning curve and honestly I want my brand to stand out and so i’m trying to grow it organically as possible so I don’t have tooooooo much influence from other brands. Not to say I don’t stalk other blogs – but that’s really more for personal benefit.  (My skin has seriously never looked better thanks to The Skinny Confidential).

As for not knowing where to start – i’m all about launching fast and niching down. Getting your name out is the most important part. It doesn’t how much work you put in behind the scenes if no one knows who you are.  Once you get your name out and people start reading your posts you want them to keep coming back because your blog and platform provide VALUE to them. I truly believe that by finding your niche and focusing on that area, your able to provide more value because your brain isn’t looking for content all over the place. For me, finding and focusing on my niche really helps me to bring more of myself into my brand and actually represent my brand more. When I see you guys on the street, I fully intend (and hope) that you look at me and think “omg that is THE Carolina Gypsy..”
But more on that in a separate post.

My biggest tip and overall theme for myself and my brand in 2018:

FAKE IT TIL YOU MAKE IT

Now, I’ve jokingly said this for a while now as an answer to everything, but the reasoning behind it is insanely good.

My in-depth thought process over this tiny little phrase started over a Christmas meal chat with my cousin.  We were talking about her new business and marketing, branding and all things that really light my fire and she said she needed help.. would I help her?  I jokingly said “well i’m not a professional – i wouldn’t be that much help” (oh hey, self-doubt), and she looked at me, almost dumbfounded, because I didn’t view myself as a “professional.” She looked at me and said something that put everything into perspective:

“YOU HAVE TO VIEW YOURSELF AS A PROFESSIONAL TO BECOME ONE –

IF YOU DON’T VIEW YOURSELF THAT WAY, NO ONE WILL.”

Like.. DUH! How you view yourself directly effects how you carry yourself and your literally a walking billboard for your brand.  SO if you don’t view yourself as a bad ass – your probably not going to be one and your brand is going to suffer.. end of story. So walk around with your coffin nails, glowy skin and vegan leather jacket (killer booties and some faux gucci mules never hurt anybody either) and show the world that you are absolutely a bad ass and MURDER 2018.

You are worthy of your dreams and everything that you want. Today is as good a day as any to get started. The time is going to pass regardless..

So are you going to be a bad ass in 2018 or nah?