Daisy’s love for saving money with coupons and deals helped her launch her side hustle.
Tell me a little bit about how you got started?
Four years ago we financially hit rock bottom and struggled with making ends meet. I began couponing to save money and learned that you could get free products in exchange for a review. Everyone I knew asked for tips and ideas on how to do it. Soon, I was getting my co-workers to save money (it was the thrill that got them excited) and influenced so many to stop boasting about the money they wasted but instead showed off the great deal finds they accomplished. I created a blog as a way to pass along the AMAZING deals I was finding from couponing, monitoring sales, and thrift shopping. It was mostly for me to stop cluttering my Facebook friends’ newsfeeds and to make sure I was accessible publicly. Little did I know that this little blog would grow into the site it has become now.
How do you earn money?
I get paid per project, through annual contract partnerships, and sometimes as one time fees. I will also sometimes accept high-value items to review in lieu of monetary compensation, however, it has to really be of value to me before I would consider it.
What Areas of Marketing have worked best for you?
My marketing has come primarily from friends, family and PR firm referrals and my social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest are my major social media networks that bring in the most amount of traffic).
When do you find the time to work on your side businesses with a full-time job and other obligations?
I have been blessed with an amazing employer who is 100% aware of my side business. I think when you’re working full-time, you should check your company’s HR policies to make sure you aren’t breaking any rules when it comes to working on the side or earning money outside of your position with your organization. I laid out all the cards on the table and have had such an amazing relationship with my manager that I have some flexibility. I typically conduct my side business on weekdays early in the morning (between 5am – 6:30am), during lunch between 12:00pm – 1:00pm, and then after 9:00pm. I also stay up late on Friday nights and work on most Saturdays but still manage to make a way to serve in our church ministry and attend church service on Sundays. You still have to balance between family, other activities, and job so it’s all about managing priorities and carving out time and sticking to it.
Did you set any business Goals when you started?
Yes, I created a Marketing Plan and simple Business Plan and included weekly goals and monthly goals. I also created a vision board (which I’m happy to report that after two years, accomplished everything on my vision board!). Goals included increasing my social media following, bringing in traffic, improving the quality of content, finding new business, building relationships with brands and PR firms, and making sure I stayed organized with an editorial calendar, etc.
What advice would you give someone just starting out?
The moment you decide to take that first step, you will be overwhelmed with the operations side of your new business. Do things step-by-step and make sure you organize your “To-Do” list realistically so you can get it all done in a timely manner. Just know that you will ALWAYS be learning something new each day, and if you fail it’s not the end of the world – just get back up again and keep pressing on.
If you were starting all over again, what would you do differently?
I would’ve paid closer attention to the details that make my website stand out — things like professional images and content are so important. I would’ve invested in a professional DSLR and hired an experienced blog designer earlier on.
How can people find out more about your Business?
I’m all over the place, but most of the time you can find me online or at my website www.TheItMom.com
Andrea is the Chief Chick of Smart Money Chicks. After filing BK twice (once because she panicked, second time because the pro messed the first time up), she realized that it all could have been avoided if she understood more about how her Finances worked and the options available. At that point, she wanted to help as many as she could never make the same mistakes again. Our Promise is that all the content you read on here is created or edited by Andrea