I’ve seen you say many times how you love Mexico and would go there as many times as possible if you could/can. Have you been to Cancun? I’m going for my birthday in a few months for a girls turn up and wanted to know some suggestions! What all should I do there, and where to stay, hot places and everything else.
Ironically, I’ve flown into Cancun a dozen times but have never stayed there my entire trip. The best comparison I can make is by calling Cancun the Vegas of Mexico. It’s a long strip of hotels, restaurants, shopping centers and some of the prettiest blue water you’ve ever seen. The night I lost my passport (long story) I did stay at this simple but really nice hotel for $80 a night which was perfect for me. The Krystal Hotel is one of the prettiest and most affordable. Like anywhere in Mexico, there will be a ton of water activities like skiing, boating, snorkeling, etc. There will be no shortage on where to eat, shop or party. You’ll be able to hear the music from outside at the really good spots. Senor Frogs and Mandala Cancun are popular party spots, but the best thing to do is to ask locals. While you’re at lunch, ask your waiter the best place to be for happy hour, or to watch the sunset. They know better than anyone else will! Have fun and be safe!
When it comes to collaborating with brands, can you share some tips on how to get brands to work with you and where do you look for contact information on brand websites to send media kit information?
Getting brands to work with you is going to be a combination of a few things. Quality of content, aesthetics and numbers. When I first started blogging I’d see so many bloggers with less followers than me (5000 or so) landing campaign after campaign and I couldn’t put my finger on why. Well, for a lot of reasons. She probably posts more often than me, she also probably has more interaction on her photos than me and she’s also probably pitching way more than I am. In the beginning, although it’s not ideal, I always think it’s best to pitch to a brand you really want to work with in exchange for free product or a giveaway. A lot of times, brands want to see you know how to put a sponsored collaboration together before they agree to do one with you. Even if you’re not making any money off of it, it’s necessary to show you’re working with a brand and to give it your all. I used to spend a few hours a week Googling PR brand contacts [i.e. Press Release for Old Navy] for and shooting them a generic email, from my info@thebwerd.com address (I advise against gmail or yahoo emails) introducing myself, my brand, my audience and how I can put their products in front of them. A lot of of my emails went unanswered and that’s OK! I kept pitching and got my elevator speech down pact. Make sure you have contact info in your social media bios. It helps to have something specific like “Collaborations -> emailmehere@whatever.com” so that if a brand comes across your profile they know you’re open to partnerships. Stay patient! It takes time. Continue to grow your readership and following and soon they’ll be emailing you all the time. I’ll have a workbook out in a month or so that will walk you through pitching and collaborations so that’s something to look forward to!
I’m in a wedding in Mexico at the end of May and I need a rehearsal dinner dress. I’m having trouble finding something fun. Any suggestions?
Mexico always makes me want to go bright and sexy. Your tan will be amazing and the humidity will have your skin so glowy. A jumpsuit is also an appropriate option! Here are some of my picks below –
I am soon about to complete my masters degree abroad and I’m thinking about taking a job away from home. However, I will have little or nothing left in savings. What advice do you have for making this transition as smooth as possible?
First, congratulations! That’s awesome news. Now if we’re being realistic, savings isn’t too important if you have a job secured because you know for sure that money is just a few weeks away. If you didn’t have a job set up and were still planning to move away from home to search for one, then I’d be pretty adamant about making sure you keep your savings intact. The cushion of a savings account can really give peace of mind, but realistically, we all started with $0 in ours. If that’s the only risk you have to take to secure a job you really want, I’d say go for it. The good thing about money is, we can always make it back. If you need money quicker than waiting to stack it up or make it back, you can make a couple extra hundred bucks in a weekend through a side hustle, or even driving Uber! Money is sometimes the cost we pay for going after things that will be best for us in the long run. To make the transition easier, I’d cut back on spending now and try to think of as many avenues as possible to make some extra cash beforehand. Good luck!
I’m currently a Senior in college graduating in May, whoooo! Reality is setting in and I’m getting anxiety with the job search. I am a communications major like yourself and just need to know where to start.
I had that same exact anxiety. I was so eager to move onto the next step in my life that I was in constant fear of not finding a job. Six weeks after graduation, I had one. Apply for jobs you may not think you want. When I got called to interview for my current job, I showed up solely because I figured I was going to need interview practice for all the dozens of interviews I told myself it was going to take to land a job. I ended up really connecting with the women that I interviewed with and taking the job even though it wasn’t one I really wanted when I applied.
I need to buy a domain and build a website for myself so that my future employers can find me! Who is your blog through?
My blog and domain are both hosted through Bluehost. I’ve had them since the beginning and they’ve been awesome with great support. Also, I get my domain for free as long as I’m hosting my blog with them so that saves me a pretty penny each year. You can get a free domain by signing up here.
You always post the cutest coordinate sets and when I’m looking for them I can never find any! Can you help please? Under $100 is preferred.
Oh those are my favorite! They take away the stress of having to put an outfit together. Here are some I’m loving –
What advice would you give about making and maintaining female friendships? It seem like the older I am it’s harder to meet like-minded women and have solid friendships. I moved to the city 3 years ago and it has been hard to do, so any advice is helpful!
If I’m being honest, I haven’t made a new “friend” in quite a while. Sure, I meet women often and enjoy getting to know them, but they’ve never turned into full fledged friendships typically for that same reason. I only have 5 close friends and that is plenty for me. The newest women I consider friends I’ve met on social media. It gives me the chance to get a real feel for what kind of substance they have and what their life is like. We likely ended up following one another based off of like-minded accounts and views, then that turned into comments and conversations. Are there any women you follow on Instagram that you’d like to get to know personally? Let your relationships come together on social media and when you feel comfortable, ask if they want to get together for happy hour, or invite them to an event you were interested in going to. For me, that’s been the best way to form a circle of women on the same wave length as me.
I work a lot, in the medical field. I find it hard for me to date and meet people because of my career. I work long hours and I take call some weekends. I’m currently trying online dating. Have you ever tried it? Do you recommend anything? I’m 34, no kids and never been married…very independent and have been successful in most everything except my love life. Any advice?
Work was my LIFE before I started dating Nate…. and even after, (sorry boo!). Other than getting together with men I was dating every so often for dinner or drinks, my dating life consisted of texting daily and a few Facetime’s a week. I never did get around to online dating, but I did meet guys on Instagram or Facebook that I would talk to, so kinda the same thing right? This may sound strange to you, but before you go about searching for avenues to find someone, I think it would be helpful to do a mind shift. Even when I wasn’t looking for love, I would write down and verbally repeat positive affirmations in regards to my love life. Things like “I am open and accepting to inviting romance my way”, or “I am getting closer everyday to finding the love that’s meant for me”. I truly believe that requesting those things from God and the universe helped them come to fruition. Just because things have worked out in all aspects of your life except for love, doesn’t mean that you’re unsuccessful at it. Instead say, “all my relationships that haven’t worked out are preparing me for the one that will go right”. There’s nothing wrong with you working a lot, the right situation will make you want to rearrange your schedule to be available. The right man will understand your ambitions and not fault you for it. Date online, date in public, get to know men you’re interested in but don’t waste time if you feel deep down they’re not for you. There’s a perfect time for everything! Open yourself up to confirming that it is going to happen for you and it will come to you, trust me.
I’ve been struggling looking for shoes to wear to an office-casual type environment…I’ve been looking for black or nude shoes or a pair with a fun pattern, that are flat and comfortable, but still fun and not too boring.
Day to day, flats are what I live by at the office because I do so much running around. There are so many inexpensive options linked below, and all of them come in multiple colors so pick your fave!
I’m a new blogger and will be doing some fashion posts. Do you think it’s worthwhile to invest in a professional camera, or will an iPhone and some edit apps do?
When it comes to social media posts, your iPhone will do just fine. But if you’re going to be doing full-fledged blog posts about fashion, an iPhone just won’t cut it. It can’t capture the details or color the way that a professional camera can. I tried my best to do without that purchase for so long and caved, because I knew quality was crucial. I started with and still use the Canon T6i. It’s an awesome and user-friendly camera. I got mine off of Amazon for under $600, which is a steal for professional cameras these days. You won’t regret the purchase, and you can also write it off as a business expense when it’s tax time.
When you traveled to Mexico did you purchase any excursions through travel agents? I’m staying at the Airbnb you stayed at and tour guides don’t seem to do pick-ups from anything other than hotels. Any advice?
If you’re staying in Tulum, don’t worry about being picked up. However, I do suggest a rental car. We drove ourselves to the Mayan Ruins which is one of the biggest attractions, parked and walked right up to it. As far as beach excursions like boating, skiing or snorkeling, you’ll be able to purchase those the day of from any hotel on the strip. I personally don’t do many excursions when I visit Mexico because it feels like home to me, but even on the beach you’ll run into so many locals offering you excursions, which will be much cheaper than what you find in any hotel. If you want to plan ahead, walk into a hotel the day before & ask about the excursions they offer. Book what you want to do for the following day and go back to that hotel to get picked up.
I’m going on my honeymoon in Brazil this July and am struggling to find cute cover-ups! I love the kimono look but have overdone it every vacation so I’m open to other options! Any suggestions?
Honestly, on vacation I treat cover-ups like outfits LOL. Technically I’m fully dressed as long as there’s something over my bathing suit.
I tried my best to get to all the questions sent over this week, but if you don’t see yours up it will be next Friday! Thank you all for all of the questions, this is my favorite part of the blog. As always, leave any questions for next week below or send them over via email. Have a great weekend! xx
