What do you if you’re a small-business owner, with your doors shut in the midst of a global pandemic? You use the time to take stock of what you really want to do with your life, and then you start doing it
I started my laundry business in Nyanga, Cape Town, in 2018. It was purely a personal need at the time. I soon realised there were other people who needed the service, and I’ve been operating ever since.
But entrepreneurship is all about diversification, and I’m always on the lookout for other opportunities. So when a friend invited me to a monthly meet up, organised by her mentor at her workplace, I was happy to go along.
It was a small gathering, and the speakers were specialists in their fields.
One of them was a life coach, who specialises in helping people build successful online businesses. I managed to get a chance to chat to her briefly, during lunch break.
Since I couldn’t afford her coaching services, I downloaded her e-book, which is a guideline on how to build a successful online business.
I must say that when I downloaded the book, I wasn’t thinking about this. I was reading for fun and knowledge, as I always do. What stood out from the book was a bold statement that anyone can build a successful online business.
The main requirement was that you had to want it so bad and believe that you are worthy of the success you dream of achieving. Reading books is all good and empowering, but what you read does not count much until you put it into practice.
I started my blog when I was still employed. The idea was inspired by a stranger I met on holiday in Durban. She suggested I start a blog when I told her I was exploring the hidden gems of South Africa, the small or less popular towns
The blog was a perfect idea to document my travels. When I quit my job, I repurposed my blog into writing about entrepreneurship, since I could no longer travel.
I’ve always been passionate about writing and storytelling, and sharing my thoughts with the world. The transition from blogging about entrepreneurship into lifestyle blogging was an intentional one.
I recently started growing my natural hair. This change gave me a new perspective for my blogging. I’ve also started spending more time on Instagram.
Every time I buy products for my hair or my face, I post pictures on my Instagram, tag the companies and write mini reviews. Depending on the benefits the product has, I sometimes write reviews on my blog.
These are not limited to beauty and hair products, but include food discoveries on my healthy eating journey. By doing these mini reviews, I’m creating opportunities for endorsements and partnerships with brands.
Building an audience requires consistency and accuracy when it comes to information. It requires patience and commitment. I guess that goes for any career endeavour or entrepreneurial venture. You don’t earn rewards immediately.
It’s a labour of love, with a focus on making a business out of it, eventually. I also think it’s trial and error, refining your product until you find what works for you.
Turning blogging into a viable business is a lot of work. I don’t think there’s one way of doing it. Many people, black women in particular, are going back to the roots by growing and keeping their hair natural. That means anyone can choose to become an influencer in this area.
This is the reason I’m choosing wellness as my main theme. After experiencing a lot of anxiety and stress due to entrepreneurship, I had to relook at what I eat and my overall lifestyle to maintain good health.
I’ve incorporated other holistic practices such as meditation and yoga into my daily routine. I drink healthier beverages like herbal teas to help keep the anxiety at minimum levels.
Now that we are on lockdown, these practices have come in handy. The key thing for me is to be authentic in my blogging and not just write glowing reviews, hoping for product endorsements.
This can be a difficult balancing act. I believe the key to making a success in this business is to remain yourself and not focus on numbers or social media following.
Keeping your content aligned with your values is another factor that can determine success. I believe the right partners or sponsors recognise fake from authentic, and I’m convinced the right ones will come on board.
When you do what you believe serves a greater purpose, money will follow. You won’t have to chase it. The purpose of my blog is to share my wellness journey while educating at the same time.
I’m committed to my blogging and brand building as a long term plan to create a sustainable income.
*You can visit Liziwe’s blog at www.sahiddentreasures.wordpress.com
Leave a Reply