Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Von Losch.
Maria, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Like most girls, you start out working in retail or a restaurant or both. I loved fashion and still do which led to opening up my own vintage boutique at age 22. I started to style friends and an ex who was in a band, along with his bandmates. My friends said I should be a personal stylist. But I didn’t listen. I ended up closing my store after two years and starting a couple of other businesses. The one that brought me to styling and blogging was my PR & Media agency. After eight years of having my agency, I ventured into styling and blogging.
I had three blogs prior to Savvynista, one called Eat Your Cake and Have Your Shoes (wayyyy too long) it was more essays and creative writing. The other was Super Hot Nerds, an online magazine that covered pop culture in a snarky, witty slant. My third blog was Gadgets XO for techie ladies. Running three blogs was bananas, so incorporating all three topics under one blog made sense. I’m all about being savvy and love to share what I discover, hence Savvynista.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Blogging isn’t smooth at all. It’s a lot of work because you’re doing everything yourself at first. You’re the graphic designer, writer, creative director, photographer (self-timer, tripod), editor, publicist, researcher, etc. At first, I didn’t know where my blog would evolve. Also trying to find balance in your life while maintaining consistency is tricky.
I say know what you want from the beginning and make a plan for the first year. Even if it’s a hobby, have some type of schedule, so it doesn’t affect the rest of your life which it can because it takes up more time than you think.
What should we know about Savvynista? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I run my lifestyle blog and YouTube channel, Savvynista. I focus on restyling pieces, how to incorporate seasonal trends into your existing wardrobe, savvy skincare reviews, style hacks, events, travel, and dining. My main focus is to show how to “be a savvy” woman in today’s world.
The biggest accomplishment I’ve done with Savvynista was to share my Shop My Closet Challenge for 365 Days every day for a whole year. I gained a lot of exposure with that movement and column on my blog. That story led to being one of the co-authors of a best selling Amazon book titled, Passionistas: Tips, Tales and Tweetables From Women Pursuing Their Dreams. It’s also led me to draft my own book about my year-long journey which I plan to publish in 2019.
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
Mentors are important, I’ve had several in my life. I also love mentoring as well and have younger women reach out to me often. I say don’t be afraid to ask someone who you look up to. The worst you can get is a “no” and that didn’t cost anything. If you never ask, you’ll never know. This pertains to anything.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://savvynista.com
- Email: maria@savvynista.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/savvynista
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/savvynista
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/mariavonlosch
- Other: http://youtube.com/savvynista
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