Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Silva.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jenny. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m definitely not one to sit around and twiddle my thumbs. I own a Real Estate Transaction Coordinating Company, run a lifestyle and travel blog, have two kids and a husband who is anything but short of energy, and we all love to travel. Some days, I don’t even know where I get the energy to do it all?!?!?! #momlife
Now, what they say about drinking the water must be true because when I was pregnant with my 2nd child, it seemed as though my clients were all pregnant with their 1st! I received a lot of questions about pregnancy, labor, postpartum, and pretty much everything under the sun about parenting. So, I thought a blog would be the perfect place to write down my experiences, opinions, and tips about it all. Turns out, it was actually pretty healing for me as well. I was developing a lot of social anxiety, I was losing myself, and would get panic attacks. Writing became very therapeutic and still is to this day.
As my blog started to grow, I wanted it to evolve with me and the direction my life was moving. My husband and I are big believers in travel being one of the best forms of education, so we do 2 big trips a year – 1 with the kids, and 1 without. I really enjoy planning our trips, getting the detailed itinerary put together, researching everything, and seeing it all come together. I also have a San Diego section because I think it’s important to explore where you live. To show my appreciation to my readers and highlight the local businesses, I also collaborate with local businesses to give away tickets to local events, attractions, or restaurants.
I think a lot of my success has been because of my hard work. I get up early or stay up late to work on my blog so that I’m not cutting away from family or work time. I’m always brainstorming new ideas, reviewing my analytics, learning new trends… I even have a social media mentor, I’m dedicated to making myself and my blog better so that it’s serving a purpose.
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’s been a roller coaster ride for sure! When I first started out, I was too afraid to let anyone know because I didn’t want my clients to think that I wasn’t working on their files, or what my family, friends, or peers would think. There was a lot of fear in the back of my head, and that drunk monkey telling me I wasn’t good enough or I had no business doing this. But it was just that – fear. My husband encouraged me to introduce Spouse, Sprouts, and Me to everyone, and I did. There wasn’t any backlash or rude comments or opinions from anyone. And if there was, you just have to realize you’re not going to be everyone’s cup of tea.
Aside from the fear, there’s a lot that goes into blogging – time, learning the different social media outlets to promote on, SEO optimization, Keywords, Photography skills, Photo Editing and so much more that I’m still working on. I’m pretty much my own photographer as well, so the handy dandy Tri-pod is my best friend, and learning different angles is always in the works. Taking the time to learn all of these aspects really has helped me to get where I am today though, so it is definitely worth the time and effort.
I don’t want any of this to scare anyone away who is thinking of starting a blog though. My biggest advice would be to just get started, find your niche, and be yourself. You can always ask questions along the way, and there are a lot of blog support groups on Facebook.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Spouse, Sprouts, and Me – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Spouse, Sprouts, and Me is a San Diego Lifestyle and Travel Blog, encouraging families to get out and enjoy the world around them. I write about motherhood, tips to save time, San Diego Events, and Travel.
I’m very proud that I’m helping other moms and families out there spend quality time together, or push through some type of struggle with motherhood. I just had someone reach out to me the other day telling me that I encouraged her to travel alone with her baby on an airplane for the first time. That completely made my day and reinforced the fact that there is a purpose in what I’m doing and it’s making a difference.
Although this all sounds like serious stuff, I do it all with a bit of humor and have fun with it. I want my readers to be able to take a break from #adulting while still learning about #adulting.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I’m so grateful for this space that I have so just thinking about the future excites me! I plan on exploring more of the different San Diego neighborhoods, and working with a lot more local businesses to expand and implement into my San Diego section and help promote them; I’m working on creating a private Facebook group to provide a community and support for Mom Bloggers in San Diego (currently playing with the name “Mom Bloggergram – SD”), and expanding from there; and in the near future, I’m attending 2 different blogger conferences (social media in general and mom specific) so I can learn, grow, and keep providing value to my readers.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://spousesproutsme.com
- Email: spousesproutsandme@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spousesproutsme/
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