Today we’d like to introduce you to Tay C. Bolden.
So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my blogging career after working in retail for just a bit under a month. I noticed that more and more people were becoming bloggers and influencers, which made me a bit curious about the fact that people could create an entire career, by simply writing about things. I had always loved writing growing up, so I decided to create LovedByTay.com to write about the things I love most and share them with the world, instead of only write for myself. LovedByTay.com is focused on all of the things I love, with hopes that other people will fall in love with them too. I started out just writing about whatever flowed best, but then started creating specific content to fit in a niche I wanted to be a part of, or in other words, about things that I personally loved.
It has been quite a journey so far, and I have definitely had some ups and downs, some wins and some disappointments, but what I have gained most from it all is the ability to get out of my comfort zone. I decided shortly after creating my site, to begin vlogging (video blogging), which started out a bit rocky for me because I felt uncomfortable talking to the camera, but I have recently fallen completely in love with it. I started with only travel vlogs, but have now begun recording at-home vlogs, and soon hope to push over to fashion-related vlogs as well.
After almost two years with minimal traffic and no campaigns, and many times of being totally discouraged with that fact, I finally received my first campaign, which happens to be one I am still working on, with Victoria’s Secret Pink, among several others.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It definitely has not been a smooth road at all. There have been obstacles, big and small, every single day, from being nervous about a blog post to just being tired from working a full-time job, in addition to blogging, and still trying to make the time for all things blog- research, writing, shooting, the list goes on- and other personal things that I want or need to do. I have also really needed to learn about myself and understand what works for me, what doesn’t, and where I need to step out of my comfort zone in order to succeed. As you can probably imagine, none of that is easy, but it has been beneficial to my recent success.
Whether it is blogging, or just anything that you really want to do, my number one word of advice is “Do it anyway.” I have found that if you love something enough, nothing and nobody should be able to stop you from doing it. Definitely take the time that you need to recuperate when necessary, but do not use “I am too tired” or “It’s too hard” as an excuse for not getting things done. In addition, there is no way to please everybody or gain everyone’s approval, so worry about those who do support you and your dreams and forget about the people who don’t. You will get so much further this way.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I am a blogger, who focuses on fashion, travel, and just life in general. I believe that what sets me apart is that I try to be as organic as possible. Piggybacking off of this, what I am most proud of is the fact that I am truly as organic and authentic as I can be. I stay true to who I am, while still being able to achieve goals that I have daily. I find that a lot of people in the blog world tend to fluff a lot of their lives up and that’s just not who I am as a person. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t post all of the negative things that happen in my life, and I do look at social media as a “highlight reel,” but I definitely make it known that I have struggled with real-life things, along with depression and anxiety-like so many others, and I like to encourage people as much as I can, rather than portraying that I live the perfect life.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
So far, I do not have a personal mentor, but I definitely look up to a lot of bloggers via social media and their blog pages. Many of the bloggers that I choose to follow either have similar views on life as myself and/or motivate me in all aspects. As far as networking goes, I find that attending any and all events possible is the key, and overall, just talking about my blog has been the best way for me to get myself out there, gain an audience, and grow the support that I have.
Contact Info:
- Website: lovedbytay.com
- Email: taycboldenblog@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/taycbolden
Image Credit:
Quinn Dunziellas (all photos) Instagram: @dunziellas
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