The Ultimate Mom Blogger is a series of interviews with moms who stepped out of their comfort zones and into the blogging sphere turning their blogging hobby into their full-time paid job.

 

Ultimate Mom Blogger Rebecca Spooner at Homeschool On
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Meet Mom Blogger Rebecca Spooner at Homeschool On.

My name is Rebecca Spooner, I am a busy homeschool mom to 5 young children, married to a RCMP officer and living on a remote little island in Northern BC, Canada. Because my life wasn’t busy enough (a little sarcasm goes a long way in my story) I decided to start a blog, Homeschool On. and it went crazy! I began earning money and putting money in our savings account. I have helped pay off $20,000 in debt AND we now have enough for a down payment on a house. My world was opened when I learned that anyone can do this, there are SO many ways to make money online and I help people find ways that will work for THEM, with THEIR schedules, passions, interests, and gifts! You can

I began earning money and putting money in our savings account. I have helped pay off $20,000 in debt AND we now have enough for a down payment on a house. My world was opened when I learned that anyone can do this, there are SO many ways to make money online and I help people find ways that will work for THEM, with THEIR schedules, passions, interests, and gifts! You can learn more here.

Tell us about your blog, Homeschool On.

I am a homeschool mom blogger and my blog took off so quickly that I knew I had to share my secrets! I designed coaching programs and courses to help people start a blog, earn money blogging, and more! I help people who have been blogging and hit a wall where they just can’t seem to grow with my blog analysis package. I help bloggers create a media kit and pitch letter and teach them how to use affiliate programs to earn money in my “make money in 30 days” course.

Let’s talk about setting priorities and finding balance as a mom blogger:


As a busy mom blogger, how do you make sure your marriage, kids, ministry, work and home are in the right order of priority?We know that balancing home, homeschool, and home business can be tricky. What has worked well for you and what has not?

Balancing work and home and homeschooling is one of the biggest challenges I have ever faced. I have learned that I can’t be a master of everything and have to prioritize my life. I make a list of my top three in the morning and focus on those above all else otherwise it is SO EASY to get distracted. Some days I rock my work life, getting a ton accomplished and making money, but my house falls apart and I do NO school. Other days I focus on my house, deep cleaning and cooking a darn meal, and we do no school and work starts piling up. Then I spend a week getting caught up on school, and everything else falls apart. I have found peace with this because I can never do all those things well, there just isn’t enough of me to go around.

I make a list of my top three in the morning and focus on those above all else otherwise it is SO EASY to get distracted. Some days I rock my work life, getting a ton accomplished and making money, but my house falls apart and I do NO school. Other days I focus on my house, deep cleaning and cooking a darn meal, and we do no school and work starts piling up. Then I spend a week getting caught up on school, and everything else falls apart. I have found peace with this because I can never do all those things well, there just isn’t enough of me to go around.

Some days I rock my work life, getting a ton accomplished and making money, but my house falls apart and I do NO school. Other days I focus on my house, deep cleaning and cooking a darn meal, and we do no school and work starts piling up. Then I spend a week getting caught up on school, and everything else falls apart. I have found peace with this because I can never do all those things well, there just isn’t enough of me to go around.

Then I spend a week getting caught up on school, and everything else falls apart. I have found peace with this because I can never do all those things well, there just isn’t enough of me to go around.

My top three list usually includes 1 thing from each of those three categories:

  • 1 work thing that has to be done above all else.
  • 1 home thing that I have to focus on.
  • And 1 homeschooling/kid thing that has to be done.

I find this allows me some sort of balance. I also set regular hours and try to stick to that. If I can get up early in the morning I usually try to take my evenings off to just rest and enjoy some time with my hubby.

Organization and planning are a must in the life of a mom blogger, share with us your productivity secret!

Bullet journaling! Listing! Making my own planners! I am a planner cheat, I am everywhere, shamelessly using whatever works for me in that season or week or day in my life. I design my own custom planners that I sell and sometimes I will use those in a binder for lots of space and room to work out my week and thoughts. I have a beautiful Traveler’s Notebook and inserts that I will often write lists and organize the big picture of my life. The key for me is to visualize it, to see it, to work it all out, even if I don’t stick with it, it makes sure I don’t miss something that has to get done!

Ultimate Mom Blogger Rebecca Spooner at Hip Homeschooling®
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Let’s talk about blogging!


When you started blogging what did not expect to happen… what surprised you in the blogging sphere?

I expected to grow as quickly as I did, to be honest, and I think that is part of how I am where I am today. But I didn’t want to grow slowly, I was told it takes 5 years and I was like, “HECK NO!” I told my hubby I would do it in 1 year, and in 1 year I was making $3000/mo take home. The first year was hard, though. Harder than I thought. Bloggers are brutal. People are brutal. I had to grow a thick skin, I had to be stronger, I had to focus on myself for a while and stop networking because there was just so much drama bringing me down. It was hard

The first year was hard, though. Harder than I thought. Bloggers are brutal. People are brutal. I had to grow a thick skin, I had to be stronger, I had to focus on myself for a while and stop networking because there was just so much drama bringing me down. It was hard on our family as well. There is SO much that goes into that first year. You are investing so much in your design, your blog set up, building and growing and engaging with your readers. I LIVED on my blog that first year, and my husband (who was not seeing much money come in at first) saw it as more of a hobby than something sustainable. It was stressful. But once I hit that point of consistent growth and income, everything changed. He is incredibly supportive and protective of what I do because he knows it has potential, that it allows me to stay home with our kids and that I am passionate about it.

How often do you post on your blog? And what do your readers love to get from you?

I wrote every day (Monday-Friday) my first year. Only now that I have about 300 posts am I slowing down. I am currently writing a book so I am writing 1-2 times on my blog (which I don’t recommend to my clients by the way) but it is a short-term sacrifice for the long-term goals that I have. I recommend other people write as much as possible. The more you write the more traffic you will get and the faster you will grow, hands down.

What has been your most successful way to monetize?

It is a mixture of working with companies directly and affiliate companies. I stopped working with influencer companies because what they would pitch to me was stuff that my readers weren’t interested in, it was a sales pitch, it wasn’t natural, and it didn’t feel right. Today, I do LESS now but I do it BETTER. I am focused, I do intense marketing, and it converts.

Do you have a blog accountability partner or mastermind group you belong to? If so, tell us a bit about it. How is it helpful to you?

I do have a mastermind group of just 2 other bloggers that I trust. This is a relatively new thing, I didn’t really have anything my first year and it was hard. My husband got bored of hearing about the blogging world, he didn’t understand, and I really had no one in my life that I could be excited or disappointed with. Now that I am in a mastermind group, I at least have people I trust to share my Google Analytics with, to ask them what strategies I should use, to hold each other accountable and to grow and cheer each other on.

I wouldn’t be able to blog without…

My husband! He is hands down my biggest supporter. Well, that and coffee. Lots and lots and lots of coffee!

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Tell us about your first big blogging A-HA moment. What was it?

Usually, those will come in random convos with my husband. He will bring something up and I have to pull out my planner and start writing madly. The coaching idea came up in one of those sessions. I love doing courses, I love working with other bloggers and helping them not make the same mistakes that I have made, not waste the same money, and not waste time along the way.

What would you do differently if you were starting again?

I honestly wouldn’t do anything differently. I was incredibly spontaneous and I spent a lot of money on different themes, then ditched them and spent more money. Then, I tried spending money once on a custom theme design from some cheap guys in India, for like $300. That never happened and the money is gone forever in cyberspace (sh, the hubby still doesn’t know about that one).

I have made a lot of mistakes. BUT BUT BUT… every single mistake that I made I learned from. Every single intense decision that I just hopped on, even if it wasn’t completely right or successful, led me to one that was even better! I am where I am BECAUSE of my mistakes. They shaped my ideas, my creativity, and have taught me SO MUCH about marketing and writing and how to USE blogging to benefit my family and me, rather than be USED by blogging and worn out along the way.

Give us your best 3 blogging tips for beginner bloggers.

  1. Find someone you trust who has been there, who is ahead of you to ask ideas about and get tips from (like my courses or coaching, hint hint, nudge nudge). Ask them before you buy stuff, half the time they’ll tell you to save your money or buy something more expensive (more likely) but that you won’t have to rebuy again and again.
  2. Write every day. Every single day if you can. The more you write, the more you will grow.
  3. Laugh! Laugh at people who say horrible things to you and when other bloggers get offended about things that not even your child would. Take it with a grain of salt. Have FUN with blogging, find things to write about that bring you joy!
Ultimate Mom Blogger Rebecca Spooner at Hip Homeschooling®
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We would love to hear about your own products and affiliate opportunities, freebies and resources!

I have multiple different course options that I offer.

  1. Start a Blog (I will help you set up your host, your newsletter, your theme, your social media, how often you should post, etc). This is a 1-week course, self-paced with videos and free resources. (Full blog transfers are available upon request).
  2. Make money blogging in 30 days (this is for established bloggers who have an audience that just aren’t making money in comparison to their expenses). This is a full 4-week course with one on one coaching and helps tailored to you. We’ll create a marketing strategy for YOU and help you reach those goals. You’ll make a media kit, learn about popular affiliate programs and how to find them, and begin to pitch companies.
  3. Custom Blog Analysis. In this course I take a look at your blog, your social media, and if you provide it, your Google Analytics and put together a PDF package with ideas and tips on what you can do to make money, to grow your numbers. I will give you strategies to get there and how you can start blogging with purpose.
  4. Custom coaching. I also have custom coaching, have another question or just need one on one help? I’m here!

I also have affiliate programs that you can share any of my individual products, my coaching courses, and my planner circle pages. I would love for you to be a part of my affiliate group! Sign up here: http://homeschoolon.com/affiliates/

 


My takeaways from Rebecca’s interview: Rebecca is intentional! This mom blogger has her eyes on her target and doesn’t miss an opportunity to achieve her goals. I have learned A LOT from her since my Day 1 blogging because Rebecca was my first blog coach!

Your turn: What are your takeaways from Rebecca’s interview?