You know those experiences that change you deeply and immensely and yet not so much? (That’s not at all confusing, is it?)
They reinforce what you know to be true about yourself while reenergizing you, making you feel like a new person.
In my life, those moments include:
- Leaving for college
- Living with a guy who wasn’t the right guy
- Getting into an almost fatal car accident
- Meeting my husband
- Moving to NYC by myself, without knowing anyone in the city
- Quitting my day job and doing my creative work full-time
- Adopting the sweetest lab mix who we didn’t know was pregnant with seven puppies
- Getting married
- Switching to a vegan lifestyle
- Winning a scholarship to RHH Live
- Meeting Mayi in person and deciding that we had to form a business together
And, recently I experienced another one of those life-altering moments: speaking at creativeLIVE.
If you haven’t been paying close attention, you might’ve missed the eighty-six reminders I posted on my blog and social media about the three-day workshop I led, Build a Successful Creative Blog. Oh yeah, and let’s not forget the blog tour.
If you did miss all the hoopla (or couldn’t stay superglued to your computer for three days), you can get anytime access to the course right here. Just sayin’.
(If you’re new to Blacksburg Belle cause you found me via the workshop, WELCOME! I’m overjoyed that you’re here. Seriously, I’m dancing to ‘Best Day of My Life’ by American Authors cause I’m so happy. Join me.)
Since teaching the course, I’ve received a lot of “what was it like” questions, so I thought I’d pull back the curtains and give you a behind-the-scenes backstage pass to the experience and share the lessons I learned.
First, I have to say that every single person at creativeLIVE is on it. Professional, talented and inspiring. And, they absolutely love their jobs.
That in and of itself made my time working with them a delight.
With that said, here’s the story:
I left my house in tears, because I hate leaving my dogs for more than a day. They’re my sweet babies. (You dog lovers out there know what I mean. When they give you that “hey, where are you going and why can’t I come look,” it breaks your heart.)
I stopped the dramatics by the time we got to the airport.
My husband and I paid fifteen dollars each to board the plane first, so my husband could wipe down the seats, trays and seatbelts with sanitizing wipes. And, on the flight, I wore one of those surgical-type masks. I have an autoimmune disease, so I easily pick up other peoples’ colds and I wanted to avoid that as much as possible.
I’m glad I took that extra precaution cause the guy next to us kept coughing, without covering his mouth. Yuck!
(Could you imagine if I’d been coughing throughout the entire course? That would’ve been so annoying for you and me. I wanted to say, “Excuse me, sir but can you please cover your mouth when you cough? You don’t know this but I’m kind of a big deal on my blog and I’m teaching a course this week…so quit being gross.”)
When my husband and I arrived in San Francisco, we rode down the escalator to get our luggage and there was a man dressed in a suit holding a sign with ‘April Bowles’ written on it, celebrity style.
One of our suitcases didn’t make it. I had to work overtime to calm down, reminding myself that I packed all of my speaking outfits in my carryon luggage so at least I had that.
But the shoes I planned to wear were in the missing suitcase.
The woman at the U.S. Airways counter assured us that our luggage was on the next flight and would be delivered to us at our hotel the next morning. That helped. A little.
I took in the California atmosphere (first-timer!) as we drove to the hotel which was pretty swanky.
However, I had another moment of panic when the woman checking us in told us that usually when the airlines say you’ll get your luggage the next day, they really mean in two or three days.
I think she felt sorry for me and wanted to avoid a meltdown in the lobby because she upgraded us to a suite at no additional cost and I’m so grateful for it. Our room was gigantic.
Thankfully, the missing suitcase got delivered at 2am that night. Probably because the U.S. Airways people wanted us to stop bothering them. (I had my husband call every hour to check on our bag. The squeaky wheel gets the grease people!)
That first night we ate at Herbivore, and I ordered the vegan, gluten-free mac and cheese. Oh the creamy goodness! I won’t detail everywhere we ate cause that’d be pretty boring, but the food was my favorite part of being in San Francisco.
I felt incredibly spoiled. We just don’t have that kind of selection here in Blacksburg, Virginia. I’m already missing the chef’s fried rice from The Loving Hut we ordered in on our last night.
On my second day, I went to creativeLIVE to meet my content producer, Bryan, who I had been having weekly check-in calls with and who looked nothing like I thought he would. Isn’t that weird when that happens?
Anyways, Bryan was funny and kind and pretty much always smiling.
He introduced me to the team of people who’d be working with me on my workshop, including the pocket-sized line producer (I think that’s her title), Kate who would be in the studio with me at all times, giving me time signals (like 30 minutes left) as we got close to the end of each segment.
The entire time I was there, I felt like a superstar.
They arranged for a car to pick me up and take me back to the hotel each day. They had vegan, gluten-free breakfasts and lunches for me every day. They provided professional hair and makeup (which I didn’t know about until the day before. Come on, Bryan! That’s important info for a girl!). The control freak in me did my own hair on days one and two.
And, at the end of day three, they threw a wrap party that included all of us (the producers, team and studio audience) doing tequila shots. Ummmm, I can’t think of a better way to end such an amazing three days.
While speaking, it felt like being on a TV set, especially with the “flying” cameras that distracted me until I got used to them.
And, in no particular order, my absolute favorite parts (if I have to choose) would be:
1. Meeting Blacksburg Belle readers in person. I felt like I already knew Sage and Jennifer from all the thoughtful comments they leave on my blog.
2. Every gal in the studio audience made a huge difference to the workshop. (Thank you for being so brave and sharing your personal experiences with blogging. You lit up the hot seat.)
3. The interviews I did with Mayi Carles and Michelle Ward on days one and three. (You both were amazing!)
4. The chat room questions and helpful tips everyone shared. (Super huge thank you to every single person who engaged during those three days. Shout out to “Kris with a K” and Amanda Sue and everyone else who continually added to the chat.)
5. Seeing the impact the course was having on people via social media. Even though I couldn’t respond in the moment, it kept me inspired throughout the three days.
6. Kate’s outbursts during her countdowns. “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, what what 5, 4, 3, 2…”
7. My dress on day three which was a HUGE hit. Every girl likes to hear that she looks beautiful, and at least twenty people told me that I looked exceptionally great in that dress.
And, like with most BIG experiences, I learned or was reminded of some important lessons:
1. Even though I have health issues, I’m able do anything I decide to do.
Well, maybe not anything. I don’t think I could run a marathon, but I have been allowing my autoimmune disease to control me on some days—sometimes for weeks at a time—and I realized that I’m stronger than I thought, physically, emotionally and mentally.
For the month leading up to the workshop, I worked from the moment I woke up until the moment I went to bed most days, with breaks for food, showers, dog walks, and sanity.
My husband said, “I haven’t seen you work this hard and persevere like you did since you worked with Mayi in Panama.” And, it’s true. I didn’t allow my health to dictate my attitude or behavior. I showed it who’s boss. (Take that autoimmune disease!)
2. I have a gift for teaching. (She says humbly.)
I can’t remember a time growing up when I didn’t think I was going to be a teacher. While most kids were begging their parents to take them to the toy store for Cabbage Patch Kids, I was pleading with my mom to take me to the teacher supply store so I could buy worksheets and planners and gold star stickers.
In college, when student teaching, I figured out that I didn’t want to be a teacher—not in the traditional sense at least. But, while speaking at creativeLIVE, it felt as if I was put on this earth to teach.
I’ve known this all along, but I needed a reminder that I do my best work when I’m “playing” teacher.
So, I’ll be making some changes to my business model to incorporate more speaking, live classes and possibly webinars. If you’re in the Blacksburg/Christiansburg area, look out for some announcements coming soon for some local workshops.
3. I have THE BEST support system.
I already knew this, but I was reminded of how critical it is to surround yourself with people who support and love you.
My husband supported me as I worked day and night on this course and he came with me to San Francisco to see the sights, but also to be there for me, encouraging me when I needed it most.
Mayi dropped everything to chat with me on Skype when I needed a boost and pick-me-up. Her husband, David, even sent me a message on Facebook telling me what a great job I was doing.
My parents, who would never blog, tuned in a lot throughout the three days. They also made their friends who don’t have blogs and won’t ever blog watch in the evenings which I find hilarious and incredibly sweet.
My mother-in-law watched the course when she could and even sent the link to someone she knew who would benefit from it and that person ended up buying it. And, most importantly, she took very good care of our dogs, so I didn’t have to worry about them while gone.
My sister-in-law sent us a care package, including books for me to read on the flight and treats for our dogs.
I’m lucky. Following your dreams is always easier when you have people cheering you on. I wish that for YOU!
4. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone can result in incredible things.
When creativeLIVE asked me to teach for three full days, I wondered how I’d pull it off. I’ve spoken before, including at the Etsy Success Symposium, but that was two one-hour segments. For creativeLIVE, we were talking twelve ninety-minute segments.
The first thoughts that entered my mind were: 1) How am I going to remember that much information? 2) Will I lose my voice? 3) Can I create that much dynamic, engaging content in a month and a half?
This was unlike anything I’d done before, but I also knew it was a COMPLETE YES. The thought of possibly teaching in front of thousands of students watching from the comfort of their homes, giving them a free opportunity to get some of my best material made me more excited than anything in a very long time.
And, so far, the results have been more than I could’ve imagined. I reached more people than I ever could have on my own and I was able to work with lots of creatives to improve their blogs and reignite their love for blogging.
So, that’s the summary—the short one.
I could’ve written a twenty-page post about my experience, but I hope you enjoyed the sound bites and I hope this inspires you to push past your comfort zone, whatever that might be and say yes to something that makes you a little nervous.
And, I’d love to hear how things are going if you watched the course and are making changes to your blog. What have you modified? Have you seen any results yet?
Please keep me updated! I want to know what works for you and what doesn’t. I want to know what you found easy and hard. I want to know what you’d like to know more about or if there were topics that you’re still not quite sure about. I want to know it all!
Oh my gosh!!!! I got a shout out on CL, and on here? My cup is running over…now I’m gonna start dancing to “Best Day of My Life” lol!
You absolutely KILLED IT! I don’t think anyone would have known you have an autoimmune disorder, if you hadn’t have mentioned (or they were faithful readers 😉 ). And the dress WAS phenomenal, and you wore it well. 🙂
It actually made me set a goal to someday teach on CL, because the experience even on my end was so much fun…the networking was phenomenal, the hosts were hilarious, and of course I had the most amazing first CreativeLIVE workshop teacher ever!
I’ve already begun implementing things that I’ve learned…you should see my door behind my chair…it’s got my NeuYear calendar on it, and I’ve been putting my editorial calendar on there (and in CoSchedule), and I’ve already posted a blog post since then, and I’ve created a recurring blog post, tested it with my Twitter/FB followers, and got positive feedback, so it WILL be happening. WOOH!
I feel on fire now, and it’s all because of you. (And so, so sorry for the novella!)
Hahahahaha! Dance, girl!
Thank you. So very much. It took A LOT of planning and hard work to make it appear so seamless.
That’s a great goal. Teaching on creativeLIVE was one of the best experiences of my professional life. I loved it and highly recommend it to anyone who gets an invitation.
Love to hear that you’re already implementing cause learning without action doesn’t do anything. And, I super love to hear that you tested out a recurring blog post idea and got positive feedback! That’s great.
I also feel on fire after the workshop. I thought I was going to reignite other peoples’ love for blogging but the experience also inspired me! I’ve got so many ideas and they just keep coming. Plus, I’m thinking about finally hiring an assistant. I think there’s lots of good things to come for all of us. Exciting times!
If you mean an in-person assistant, I can’t help you, but if you mean a virtual assistant…I still freelance some & I would LOVE to be included in your possible list! And if I’m not what you’re looking for, but you have any questions on where to find one or anything…feel free to email me. 🙂
And yes, there are amazing things on the horizon for all of us!
I’ve done a lot of thinking about that and I’ve decided I’m going to need an in-person assistant. It would be much easier if I could hire someone virtually, but it’s not the right fit for my business. Unfortunately.
I understand. I think that’s a great idea..especially if you find someone who’s somewhat intuitive & can pick up on when you really need a little extra help that day. 🙂
I’m a big fan of providing jobs as an entrepreneur (and I look forward to having that ability myself), so I love that you’re doing this! <3
April,
You were amazing! Congrats to you! Yours is the first course I’ve purchased on Creative Live! And I am there a lot! I love how you broke everything down for us and gave us examples. I am excited about my blog now because this has shown me that blogging should really be fun. It shifted my focus back to my ideal reader. I focus on her a lot for my jewelry business but it didn’t click that I should focus on her for my blog posts too. Now, I think content will come easier because I am thinking about what she’d be interested in or how I can encourage and inspire her. I now feel like my blog is a place where I can support my jewelry…sort of like a supporting arm. Anyway, I am extremely proud of you. Lastly, can I just say how much I ADORED your dress on day?!!? Simply Stunning.
Cheers!
Nathifa
Thank you, Nathifa! That’s such a wonderful compliment.
It should be fun. If it’s not, what’s the point? Your readers can tell and if you’re bored, they’re bored. Passion is contagious.
Love that analogy…like a supporting arm. Perfect.
I can’t wait to wear my dress again. I’ve already been asking my husband to take me somewhere that I can wear it. Ha! 🙂
I watched the first video during the livestream, and immediately decided to purchase the course so I could watch it later — since I work and couldn’t stay home all day to watch the complete course. I knew from watching the first video that the course would be high-value, and fill in a lot of blanks for me.
I haven’t finished watching the course yet, but I printed off the manual and the resource guide, and I’m considering what I want to blog about.
I’ve started blogs in the past, but couldn’t really figure out all the ins and outs of it. I’m a librarian by training, but I choose not to blog about librarianship. Honestly, *working* as a librarian is a lot more fun and interesting than *writing* about librarianship.
I have a creative hobby – SoulCollage – which is a great right-brain outlet at the end of a long day of left-brain work. I’m not a certified facilitator, and I don’t have any art training, but I thought I could start a blog on art journaling for non-artists, and combine some of my other interests in spirituality, self-help, and meditation with collage.
Also, I took to heart what you said in the training about deciding who you want to serve – SoulCollagers (and other spiritual types) are warm, positive, happy people in the world; librarians tend to be snarky and grumpy people in general (not specifically at the library where I work – which is more like a community center than a library – but in the world in general, they are a dour-seeming bunch).
I’ve got as far as installing a template on my blogger blog (I’m not ready for WordPress – not by a longshot! and I’m so bogged down with second-guessing myself on my blog topic that getting additionally bogged down in WordPress tech seems counterproductive at this point). I’ve brainstormed a few blog titles, but I haven’t nailed down my “final answer” on that yet.
I’d like to become a certified SoulCollage facilitator someday, but in the meantime, I will just invent my own “system” of doing collage for meditation and spiritual growth.
Thanks for providing such a wonderful course. I’m really fired up to try blogging again.
Thank you so much! That’s so nice to hear that I was so compelling right away. 😉
Once you nail down what you want to blog ABOUT and WHO you want to blog for, things get much easier. As creatives, we often have a hard time making those decisions.
I know it took me a while to start Blacksburg Belle just because I wanted to have a semi-clear vision of what I wanted it to be. Finally, I just jumped in and began and changed things as I went.
Do what feels right. If you feel like WordPress will just keep you from moving forward, then don’t make the move. I recommend WordPress, because you’re not limited (I’ve worked with way too many creatives who’ve been limited by what Blogger offers) and it’s nice to start where you want to eventually be, but you have to do what’s right for you. Absolutely. And, sometimes that means starting where you feel more comfortable.
You’re so welcome. Thanks for your support and feedback.
I would love to hear how things go for you as you move forward and start blogging!
April! I’ve been hitting the refresh all day on your blog waiting for this post!
Your opening statement rings so true. “Experiences that reinforce what you know to be true about yourself while reenergizing you, making you feel like a new person.” That’s how I feel after sitting for three days in the audience with you. And thank you for providing that catalyst.
I’m so happy to be in the glow of your accomplishment. Nothing happens over night but I’m looking forward to seeding my blogs growth with insights from your class. (I will definitely be re-watching parts).
It was awesome hearing your additions, and the additions of your fellow studio members! And I’m looking forward to interacting with you in the group. 😀
Hahahahaha….Shasta! I spent a ton of time revising this post. It was a long one and I had to cut a lot to get it to this point. 🙂
But, thank you for being on the edge of your seat waiting for my post.
That’s such a great compliment. I love that you feel reenergized. Keep me updated! I wanna know how it all goes for you.
Ahhh! Thanks for the shout out, April! And thanks for sharing this experience from behind the curtain. This post made me so excited for you and proud too, as if I knew you when you started Blacksburg Belle and watched you work your way to where you are.
You lit a fuse under a whole lotta butts over those three days. Here’s hoping we can keep this momentum rolling; I know I’m super pumped to make things happen and share my passion (cliche, I know, but seriously!), and I can’t wait to see what you do next. *cheer cheer cheer*
Keep up the awesome!
Thanks Kris! I hope I lit a fuse under a whole lotta butts–that was my intention. And, I really hope the momentum keeps going. I’ve been in the private Facebook group that was started by wonderful people in the chat and they seem to be on a roll. I’m really excited to see what everyone does–the changes they make–and the results they get from doing the work!
So far, so good! It’s great seeing you in the group. You are really invested in our success, April. Thanks so much for your support.
OMG how to start um well I am so glad to have meeting you via creativeLive on my screen haha let’s say i had about 4 years blogging but real blogging 2 years ago when i started a blog for my business (K9 Studio Photography) and I never though that I would be doing a webinar/workshop about blogging but your catchy name course got me real hard less to say that I am one of those persons that said um it says is for beginners I am totally NOT one of them but then that creative word on your title got me well that could be a help for my pet photo blog and oh my did I was wrong I absolutely learned things that I never have thought of that like having a guest interviewed or post about other things that can benefit my business the thing and others. Anyways I printed your workbook and fill it during the 3-days workshop and you have to see me like a Speedy Gonzalez blogging about others things that are not just my clients sessions, I want to THANK YOU for all the Tips you gave us during those 3-days and also because of you I had meet so many talented creatives that I never thought I would meet …. ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU THANK YOU!
I’m so happy to meet you, too! Welcome! I wish I could hand you a glass of wine or cup of coffee…but know virtually, that’s what I’m doing. 🙂
Thank you so much for all of those compliments and kind words. I’m so glad the workshop helped you look at your blog in a new way and come up with exciting ideas.
I am so happy I got to see you live (for the most part). I bought the class and joined the FB group that got started during the chat. I have made connections with fellow students and we are cheering each other on and building relationships. I am implementing steps that follow your teaching. It has been so good for me and my confidence. Thank you.
I love that you guys started a Facebook group and are connecting and encouraging each other. That can honestly make the biggest difference. It can mean the difference between success and failure– between persevering and giving up.
April, it was an immense pleasure to be in the audience of your workshop–and it’s given my business a boost too! I love how generous you are and how you always support other bloggers and give shout outs. It means so much!
So far, 4 of my clients have purchased your workshop because I won’t stop talking about it! I have a lot of favorite bits, but pitching myself to other blogs is high on my list of things to do. I’m also very close to getting an Instagram account so I can see what all the fuss is about. 🙂
Lots of love and hugs to you! I would love to see you do more speaking and webinars. You’re amazing!!!
It was soooooooo very nice to meet you in person, Sage. And, you added so much value to the course.
Thank you so much for talking about the course to your clients! That means the world to me.
Hugs back at you!
I always struggled with blogging, especially being a photographer. I always felt I just needed to blog my sessions and that was it. I wanted to be more creative and show people more about me, my life, what other things I like to do than photography, etc but just didn’t know how to incorporate it. When I tried it, I always came of sounding stodgy. Watching your 3 days on creativelive opened up so many things to me that I didn’t even think about. I read lots of different kind of blogs but I was just reading them. Since your course I have looked at those blogs in a whole new way and I am so excited about this. I now notice the catching headlines and the engaging and descriptive wording being used. I have started charting my ideas, headlines, email newsletter (but I won’t call it that) for a whole new better and engaging blog. I also am not going to try and be perfect because that always bit me in the butt with my writing. I am going to be myself and free with my blog and I thank you for that. Thank you for putting in the time to help others who were struggling in this department and for breaking it down like you did. I’m so excited to “really” start blogging!
I love that you’re looking at the blogs you read in a different way! Noticing details like catchy headlines is going to make a huge difference to your blog. You’ll see those ideas making their way into your writing.
My favorite part about your comment is that you said that you’re EXCITED to start blogging. That’s what I wanted for each and every person watching–I wanted them to want to blog, to be excited about blogging. Yay!
I only got to see the first one and half the second but took lots of notes and was so inspired to get my blogs back to current. Your greatest inspiration to me was that you do all this while experiencing autoimmune problems. I too have two. My alopecia has taken most of my hair recently and sent me into a stagnant phase. But the video I watched got me the lift I needed to try again and from new angles. Thank you so much and will keep on watching and learning!!
I know for me that I can allow myself to fall into the “victim mentality” if I’m not careful, because I have autoimmune issues. I can make excuses (and they’re REAL excuses), but I don’t want to live that way.
I’m so glad this course gave you a lift. That in and of itself makes it worth it!
April! Thanks so much for posting my feedback on this awesome post. I meant every word of my email. I’ve been so excited and energized since I watched the workshop and the best part is I’ll be able to get re-energized again and again every time I watch.
The information you provided was invaluable and so much of it applied to business in general, not just a blog. I’ve already published my first post and I’m already planning a second. Before watching your workshop, I had such difficulty coming up with posts but for some reason, after watching, I’ve magically filled a page with ideas!
Thank you for sending me that email! It truly made my day. My husband also loved hearing that I’ve replaced your Harry Potter books for awhile. (I’m a Harry Potter fan myself.)
Love that you filled a page with ideas. That’s awesome.
I luckily got back on creative live after a long hiatus just in time to catch the rebroadcast of your class. It was AMAZING! How amazing was it? Well… 1) I bought the class (first one ever that I bought!) 2) I quite literally ‘ran’ to your website to check out your blog and sign up, and 3) I started my own blog. I caught the rebroadcast on Sunday. Made my first blog post today (I even edited! that’s VERY rare for me)! I’ve been meaning to do this for so long and always just felt like I wouldn’t do good at it. Let’s just say the first post was very well received!
1) YES! 2)YES! 3) That’s the best part. So happy for you.
Yay for editing and I’m so glad it was well received. That’s exciting.
Please keep me updated and let me know how blogging continues to go for you.
I was the one of the online participants and, yes, this is also the first course I have purchased on Creative Live. I liked it a lot and I expect to like more what I watch the parts I missed (there were holidays in Russia and my friends came to visit me, so I had to spend some time with them – I guess they are hating me coz half of time I spent watching your course :)). I am amazed with the materials you have prepared – this is so generous to share such a great booklet for free RSVP and the materials shared with the paid version are just so comprehensive like a separate e-book.
I have launched the blog recently with the brand new concept for myself (I have livejournal and scrapbooking blogs before). I am writing tips. how-tos and share secrets of my life trying to get the wide audience and… make it a source for living at the end of the day. Your course is super great for me to help me started this journey and hopefully I will review it when it becomes something bigger. After your course I have launched Facebook group and now going to conquer MailChimp and SEO. Thank you, April!
Stop it! You spent time watching my course when your friends were there? That’s such an amazing compliment. Thank you so much! 🙂
You’ve got some really pretty photos on your blog. Love your travel journal/scrapbook.
And, I’m so glad the course was helpful and that you’ve already launched a Facebook group. Great work!
Thank you, April, so much for good words about my blog! Greetings from London. I have traveled here yesterday and you know what… they have lost my luggage. The first time ever in my life! 🙂 I was thinking about your experience. 🙂 No worries, I have received it back already. :)))
Lovely class, very inspiring and surely useful!
Thank you!
Thanks Daniela!
I loved your course. I purchased my first CL course as well. I wanted to have the ability to review your material again at any time. You are truly a gifted teacher. As a result, I’m going to launch my site this month. Although I’m nervous, your encouragement to press the “publish” button has challenged me. I feel your course has taken me out of the stuck position of perfection and addressed some areas that will help me move forward. Thanks!
You can’t see me right now but I just did a little fist pump when I read “I’m going to launch my site this month.” That’s awesome! And, don’t worry about being perfect. The great thing in the beginning is that you have to build a readership so you’ve got time to improve as you go.
Your workshop was fantastic. You were so engaging the whole time and I filled endless pages in a notepad of notes since I was unable to print out the workbook at the time of the broadcast. I have now created myself a nice little folder full of all the things I have learnt, some more specific goals for my 2 blogs and a whole lot more. Thank you soooo much for the amazing experience. I’m relatively new to the blogging world, having only kept a scrapbooking blog to share my projects in the past. With your valuable course, I am hoping to really grow my new blogs to something much more.
Thanks, Holly! I love that you filled lots of pages in your notepad. And, I’m so glad that as a newer blogger you’re feeling confident that you can grow your blogs with the information from the course. I’d love for you to keep me updated and let me know how things go as you apply this stuff to your blogs.
Thank you April for sharing with us how you lived this experience. As already mentioned, I am so happy I discovered you and I must say that for the 3 days I was scotched to my computer. My husband was even wondering what happened to me, but everything you mentioned in this class was exactly what I was looking for since quite a while. You are a born speaker. You provided all this info in a natural and clear way that the only thing left is to take action.
Actually, I had a 1st blog around food, fashion, beauty and parenting and since I did not managed to create a community around it or make any money I have dropped it and started the new one around painting, my big passion. I hope this time to make it a different experience and I cannot wait for the week-end to come to go through the class notes and my notes and decide what needs to be done.
Thanks again for changing my perspective!
Thank you so very much, Mihaela! The fact that your husband was wondering what happened to you is such a great compliment. Love it!
I think a lot of bloggers get frustrated when they don’t see results and give up. That’s why there are lots of blogs that haven’t been updated in months. But, keep at your painting blog and you’ll reach your goals. Remember that blogging is a long-term game, but it pays off to be diligent. So glad you enjoyed the course.
April I was glued to your course for the entire three days, staying up til midnight {I’m in the UK} to see every last bit, and then I bought it as well! I agree with all the previous comments {and with you!} – you have a real gift as a teacher, and as a long time follower {although I don’t often comment} it was lovely to get a real sense of you as a person. You are a huge inspiration to me, I read all your posts and love getting your emails in my inbox.
I am going to work through all the videos again but I have taken one action already; I wrote a list post inspired by your 101 things post, and it proved very popular, which was really gratifying! The whole way through the class I was marvelling at how much information you had put together in such a clear and ‘I can do this too’ kind of way.
I really look forward to seeing how your work evolves as a result of doing Creative Live, and actually mine too! 🙂 Huge thank you and well done.
Wow! My brain shuts off well before midnight–thank you for staying tuned in and for purchasing! Your kind words mean the world to me.
Yay…I love that you wrote a list post and saw some immediate results. That’s great.
When I’m feeling like things are sluggish, I ask myself, “What can I do RIGHT NOW to get results?” That way I can get a little boost of gratification and stay inspired.
I’m looking forward to seeing how things evolve over the next few months, too. I have so many ideas and didn’t realize that I would be so motivated after the workshop. I thought I’d want a major break (well, for at least a week or so) but I feel as if I took a long vacation–not worked day and night on a course. 🙂
Oh April…where do I begin my comments?
There’s so much I want to say and share. So many things I want to thank you for. So much excitment for what is yet to come.
Okay, let’s start at the beginning.
I’m an insane CreativeLive junkie. I could spend my whole life sitting in front of the computer watching courses on CreativeLive and still be hungry for more. I love the team, the awesome instructors and the whole experience. That said, I still have a job and family so I have to be a lot more picking about when I’m going to plant my rear end in front of the computers for hours or days on end.
I wasn’t really sure if your course was going to be my thing because I didn’t know you at all but with the high recommendations from Amanda Sue I figured – why not, I’ll give her a try.
I’m SO glad I did. Within the first hour or two of watching and downloading the workbook I knew I needed to buy the course so I can watch it over and over again ad naseum so I don’t miss anything.
I watched as much as I could live, join the facebook group, downloaded the resources, tried to get them printed and bound but Staples messed up and wasn’t going to have it for me for a week (so I just bought extra printer ink/paper/binder/dividers and went to town printing it at home), and downloaded the videos as soon as I could. I can’t wait to work through all the videos, notes, and homework. I know you’re sending me back down the path to creating a blog I love and can build a community of amazing people around.
I’ve started making changes right away. First, up was a new post telling my readers to expect change. Next – a major sidebar cleanup! Third, Time to get the opt in form working again. Fourth, reach out to some of my wedding colleagues to get some projects coming down the pipeline to add even more value.
I can’t wait to continue working away through you cL course, learning and building as I go. I also look forward to connecting with you and getting to know you better online as I creep, I mean follow, your blog & social media.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, best moments, and takeaways from the creativeLive experience! Thank you for all the time, energy, and love you poured into the content you shared and each one of us that participated! Overall, just Thank You!
I’m so glad you tuned in. (Big thanks to Amanda Sue! Without her, we might not know each other right now.)
I love that you’ve already made some changes and you’ve planned out others you’re going to make. I can’t decide which change I’m liking most: sidebar cleanup or getting the opt-in form working. Both are super important. You’ve got your priorities set and I like it.
Yes, please keep connecting and creeping. 🙂
I want to know how things go as you make these changes.
Thank you for your feedback and support!
Thanks April! I’ll make sure to check in every so often and tag you in posts so you can see the progress.
And yes Amanda, I’m a creativeLive junkie and had seen April’s course but didn’t think I was interested until I heard your endorsement
OH! I didn’t know that I was how you found out about it! 😀 I was like whoa…how has she been a fan of April & I didn’t know about it!?!?!?! roflol
Awesome! I’m glad I pulled you into it. 😀
You get 86 gold stars! 🙂
Hi April – I just wanted to say what a wonderful job you did on CreativeLive! I watch many of the life stream workshops, but yours was the first one I have ever purchased. I learned a TON from it on the live stream and I now I can go back and watch it again at a slower pace and really absorb it all. You were incredibly thorough and shared so much information, tips, and ideas – just AWESOME!
My blog is still in baby stage, but the very next day I got an email newsletter service and put the opt-in form on my blog so I can begin growing a list. Thank you for sharing other blogs that will help us to learn how to use social media (specifically Facebook). The Done For You resource pack is incredible.
And, thank you for introducing us all to Mayi! =)
Go YOU! =) I think we are all a lot stronger and able to do so much more than we believe.
Thanks Donna! I don’t think I could get a better compliment than you watch creativeLIVE courses a lot and mine is the first you purchased. I’m honored. Truly.
Yay for getting that opt-in form up on your blog! Ten gold stars for you. 🙂
Isn’t Mayi amazing? She’s the most awesome person EVER. And, her blog is filled with so much goodness for creative entrepreneurs. I mean, it’s like paradise.
Thanks for the support!
Yay April!!! SO amazing to hear all of this!!
I’m re-watching the course a little bit each night, too many “golden nuggets” to digest in just a few short days!!
So happy for you love!
Thanks Ashlee! 🙂
April, thank you for the class!
I gotta admit that I’m not quite your ideal reader, so I’m ever the happier that I caught your announcements for the course. It was immensely useful! You were so fantastic and engaging, and it was the first podcast ever where I had to exert will over myself to tear my attention away and focus on other obligations. 🙂 Now I spy on creativeLive for rebroadcasts of your presentation.
Also a HUGE HUGE thank you for making the workbook available for free – I can envision coming back to it and using it as a brainstorming tool over and over.
So yeah – thank you so much for the work you do 🙂
Yes! Love that you had to exert willpower to tear yourself away from it. That’s such a nice compliment.
Of course. I’m all about giving away as much as possible…while still making money. I’m so glad you’ve found the workbook helpful.
Thank you so much for tuning in!
Hey April! I had such a great time watching you on CreativeLIVE from home and it really, really changed the way I think about my blogging and has set me on a mission to truly improve my blog. Thanks for that!
I’m glad you made it to SF without catching something nasty on the plane. I have an autoimmune disease as well (coupled with the fact that I’m a germaphobe!) and I know how stressful it can be when traveling. Thanks for all the great content during the program and the neat little follow up. You’ve definitely earned my readership!
~Kayla Harvey,
Founder/CEO of Roam Free Collective
Thanks Kayla! I had sooooooo much fun speaking if you couldn’t tell.
I love that it’s changed the way you think about blogging. A different mindset or way of thinking can lead to tons of ideas.
I’m so glad that I got there without getting sick. That was actually my biggest worry traveling to speak. We took lots of precautions, including the mask which I know looked a little crazy but it worked. 🙂
Welcome! So glad you’re here to stay. Woohoo!
I love Creative Live and have watched a bunch of their programs! I was able to tune in “Build a Successful Creative Blog” for day one and (most of) day two and I learned so much. You really are a great speaker April, and you have great fashion sense. 😉
The biggest take away for me is to add more images to my blog. Take the time to take, edit, and be proud of those images too. I am always looking to have cohesive branding throughout my site, and I think working on the pictures I post will help that cohesiveness happen.
Thanks Katie! Yes, images make a BIG difference and can really help to set you apart from the competition while developing your branding even more.
Would love to hear how things go when you start to add more images.
You were perfection! Creative Live was how I discovered you and now I’m obsessed with your blog LOL! I’m so glad that you wrote this behind the scenes post because it showed me that this perfect 3 day event didn’t just happen by magic. It was hard work and dedication and a love for what you do. But the end result really was magic and now because of this post inspirational in a whole new way 🙂 I can do anything if I work at it!
Wow! Thanks Cara!
It definitely did not happen by magic. Whew…a lot went into it. But, it was worth every second of preparation.
You can do anything. Absolutely.
Hi April,
Before last weekend, I must admit, I did not know who you were. I saw your course announced in my FB stream (via creativeLive), and decided to check it out. I was completely mesmerized from the first moment I started listening in, and I could barely tear myself away, despite two young kids home on a rainy weekend. I purchased the class, and it is amazing. It is, in my humble opinion, a perfect combination of information, inspiration, and actionable ideas. For quite some time, I have been considering making major changes to my online home, and you have given me the tools and the inspiration to set up a plan to do just that. Thank you so, so much!
That’s completely fine! I knew I’d get in front of a lot of new people by teaching at creativeLIVE. That’s one reason I said yes. And, now I’ve “met” people like you. Pretty awesome.
Thank you sooooooo very much. I love your humble opinion. 🙂
I’d love to hear how things go when you make those changes to your online home. Your photos are beautiful. I mean…just gorgeous!
Wow, thank you so much, April. That means a lot. I will most definitely keep you posted!
April, it was such a great experience for me learning from you and meeting you and the other wonderful ladies in the group! I have already begun to put to work the lessons you taught us. And I now have an accountability partner, the fabulous Jane Dolan of the QuoteLab.com!
Your plane story reminds me of a time my husband and I were picking up food from a taco shop and the customer after us full on sneezed without covering his mouth, I said to my husband, loudly, “Oh My God!” He sneezed again, right near the tub of to-go salsas and that was it. “Hey man, can you not sneeze everywhere please?” “Sorry, it’s my allergies” “It’s still pretty gross.” I replied. (Not in a bitchy way, but kind of chuckling, as is my style.) Then I proceeded to tell the rest of the customers not to take salsa out of the tub because they had been sneezed on.
Richelle! The hot seat hater…turned lover. 🙂
I love that you teamed up with Jane. So far, that’s my most favorite “this is what’s happened due to the course” result I’ve heard. I love when relationships are formed and strengthened through something I’ve done. It can make such a big difference to surround yourself with people who “get it.”
I love your taco story. I did say something like, “It’d be nice if people covered their mouths when coughing” really loud but the guy was kinda a jerk. I mean, I didn’t know him, but he was also on the plane with his wife and two young kids–one being a baby and he just put in his earbuds, leaving his wife to deal with both kids. You could tell the woman was overwhelmed and frustrated and she tried to get him to hold the baby a few times. He did for like a minute and gave him right back. So, he seemed like a selfish jerk.
Besides all the great stuff I learned from you, my fave part was meeting such a great group of people!
Wow, that guy sounds like a real a-hole 🙁
April, just wanted to thank you again. Because of the lessons learned from this workshop and the relationships built on your advice, I am starting to get noticed. In fact, Janine Warner used my Twitter page and Vine as examples in her recent creativeLIVE workshop. I was over the moon!!
And of course, my new friendship with the fabulous Jane Dolan has meant so much to me, creatively and on a personal level. All credit to you, Darlin’!
Hi April – I discovered you when I first saw you on the schedule for CreativeLive. I patiently waited for your class and it was everything I hoped for. You did a wonderful job and should be SO proud. I love that you shared your takeaways from the CL experience. I always enjoy hearing ‘behind the curtain’ stories as well. I’m a CL junkie and pretty much constantly have it playing while I work. Of probably 20 classes so far, yours is the first I’ve paid for. It was THAT full of great content that I know I’ll want to refer to again and again. I’ll use your guidance to spruce up my existing scrapbooking and VA blogs, and you even inspired me to start a new one altogether! So, so happy for your success. Like my DH and I like to say about certain special ones, your “good people.” You’re a blessing to all of us and I always wish you the best.
Thank you so much Erika! I’m good people…yay! 🙂
I think it’s so cool that so many of you have said that you’ve watched a lot of creativeLIVE courses but mine was the first one you’ve purchased. I’m honored and completely humbled by that. What a compliment!
I know I’ve probably said this too already but I don’t care… YOU ARE MY FAVORITE PERSON IN THE ENTIRE PLANET!!! Your workshop was above + beyond amazing!
I have an entire notebook filled with ideas + there I though I already had my blogging game together. Ohhh no no no. Little Miss April “The Boss” Soprano always has tricks up her sleeves. You’re GOOOOOOD.
I’ve never taken a course where immediately there is something I can implement, like the very next second. Right after watching the part on “features vs. benefits” I fixed my Life is Messy Bootcamp sales page. Pow! Just like that. You are f-ing GENIUR.
Oh + one last fuuny bit. I made hubby watch from my iPad + he slowly started turning down + down the volume on the TV. A couple minutes into it, he wasn’t even interested in the soccer game anymore, he was like, “April is reeeeeeally good”. I’m like, “I knooooow”. P.S.: David doesn’t even have a blog or will ever have one, but he still nodded + interrupted me quite frequently with, “Ohh yeah, I could do that too!” hahahaha.
What can I say. You NAILED IT!
So did you chica!!!! 🙂
Hey…you’re MY FAVORITE PERSON! 🙂
It’s such a BIG deal to me that you learned things from my course because you’re a blogging pro. I mean, seriously, a pro. I used you as an example over and over. So, that means a ton to me.
Thank you for…
saying yes to being interviewed
supporting me
encouraging me when I needed it most
making David watch even though he doesn’t blog
making me feel extra special always
Okay, love fest over. 🙂
April, there is so much stuff I want to tell you about my experience with you at CreativeLive and meeting you in person. But, right now, I’ll just say – WOW!
I truly want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are such an inspiration.
You did a fantastic job, and I can tell you’re a natural teacher!! Amazing!
Thanks for sharing your behind the scenes with us. I’m a panicker, too, and would have been freakin’ out just as much as you did! You handled everything brilliantly.
I’ll end with the sentence you wrote above about how I’m feeling — “As though I can do everything I decide to do!”
Oh, and I forgot to add, it was a pleasure meeting your hubby as well. He’s super cool + so happy he was such a huge support for you!
Jennifer – I was waiting for your comment, and look what I was treated to! You were awesome in the audience!
Back at ya! Thank you for sharing your business and blog with all of us. You made such a difference to the workshop.
I’m so glad that I got to meet you in person. I’m honored that you flew to San Francisco to be there.
Yes, you can absolutely do anything you decide to do. Go get ’em!
Thank you so much, April, for an excellent course! I learned so much from it. Two weeks ago, my friend and I started Intwine Paperie, a Christian greeting card business on Etsy, so it was such a blessing to have come across your course. CreativeLive is awesome! I also want to thank you particularly for your encouragement to stay strong despite health issues. I, too, have an autoimmune disease – Lupus (May is Lupus Awareness Month!), and it can be a struggle to fight the “let’s sit on the couch and watch TV” urge when I am in pain or extremely fatigued. I look forward to following your blog now! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and your talents!
You’re so welcome. Thank you for tuning in and watching.
It can be extremely hard to fight that urge, especially when in pain. Lupus is tough. People often ask me how I work when I feel “flu-ish” and I tell them that it’s either that or don’t work. I choose to work because I love what I do so very much which definitely helps. If I had a horrible job, it’d be much different.
I wish you all the best with your new business. That’s so exciting! Congrats on getting it up and going.
I humbly thank you giving us an amazing lesson on blogging. I have to say that I love how you teach with love. I have to share some amazing results. Right after 3-day workshop I am taking my time to implement everything I knew.
Results:
– Now I know what to do. I had a vision, idea or a dream… now I have tools, schedules, connections and step-by-step plan. It felt like I used to break in through the window to the house where my dream used to live. Now I feel like my dream is having warm welcome party for me.
– Traffic doubled last week.
– My sales quadrupled, compared to the last week.
– I have learnt how to create to provide value to people. Not just create whatever.
– I have a better business model. Thanks God! So I am actually making money now.
You have changed my mind to the point it is not coming back to anxious spot (not sure who called it comfort zone, there is no comfort there).
Love, Hanna
Thank you, Hanna! I got goosebumps when reading “Now I feel like my dream is having a warm welcome party for me.” Amazing.
Traffic doubled? Sales quadrupled? Virtual high five, lady.
I’m so very excited for you and the results you’re already seeing. I really appreciate you sharing it with us.
Yay April! I am so incredibly happy for you, I know you worked so hard on this course and am so glad that you had such a wonderful experience! Your “Blogging For Your Creative Business” course was so informative and gave me so many ideas for not only my blog (which I am still working on!), but also my business itself. Unfortunately I was unable to catch the live stream, but plan to purchase the course tomorrow and devote my entire weekend to soaking up the content. Thank you for continuously inspiring us and helping us on our own blogging journey!
Thanks Raven! Please please please come back and share after you watch the course. Would love to hear what you’re going to change and the results you get.
I’m such a cynic, having paid for online courses that were not that helpful. So I watched your broadcast – not quite all of it, but also tuned in after hours and took some notes. And thanks to your inspiration, I’ve blogged most days since this weekend, and (seriously) increased my traffic 10-fold (hundreds to thousands of pageviews!). Yowza!
Thanks so much.
Completely understand. You often don’t know if you’re REALLY going to get what you think when you buy anything online. But, online courses definitely fall into that “is this really going to be good” categories.
Wow! You’ve gone from hundreds to thousands of page views?!?! That’s amazing. Congrats. I really like your 101 list post about non-kid related things for project life. Good one.
Thanks, lady 😉 Now I wish I had bought the course with the special deal ;D
I was watching it Live and I must say that not only did I learn so much more about blogging than I ever did before from “books”, but I was also given the confident to blog regularly.
Thank you so much for being such a great teach, April!
Thank you! That’s such a nice compliment. 🙂
Wow! April! I think I may have enjoyed reading about your amazing adventure almost as much as I thoroughly enjoyed watching your course on CreativeLive. I loved loved loved the words of wisdom and treacle’s of treasure you packed into the course and I came away feeling totally inspired and super confident that in starting my blog in January was definitely the right thing to do! I have to admit I squealed a little when my question was read out live and you answered it so fully that I felt like I should be paying you for it! Thank you so much for sharing your course and for sharing this fabulous story. You blog posts make me feel like I can do this and I thank you so much for that 🙂
Ha! Yes (giving myself a gold star). That’s a wonderful compliment. Thank you.
Now, you’ve got me thinking, trying to remember what question you asked. I absolutely loved the chat room and the questions the hosts asked me for the viewers at home. That made such a big difference to the course.
So, thank you so much for asking questions! 🙂
April,
In the days since participating in this life changing workshop, I have been contemplating my ideal customer, and she is not who I once thought she was.
She wears whatever color she is most comfortable in, maybe it’s black, maybe it’s not. She loves to have fun and wear fun, bold jewelry that reflects her personality. And she likes to give thoughtful and meaningful gifts.
Thanks again for sharing your wisdom with us. You are a great teacher and obviously you have made quite an impact on a lot of people!
I love this. Love it.
As we get even more clear on who our ideal customer/reader is, it makes such a big difference to the words we use, the pictures we share, the content we develop, they way we write our product descriptions and sales pages, etc. And most people do the initial work and then move on. They don’t spend enough time re-thinking about their answers and delving even deeper.
And, wearing black versus wearing what she feels comfortable in is a BIG difference.
Thank you so much for coming back here and sharing that with us. Hopefully, it’ll inspire others to keep considering the things they thought they knew about their ideal customers.
There was so much content in your workshop, it is still sinking in! Thanks so much for sharing it with all of us!
I love your workshop!!! You’re very inspiring! I first saw a post from creative live about your workshop and thought maybe that’s what I needed, but was planning on just leaving it in the background while I edit photos…but ended up skipping the editing, haha! I’ve been struggling with blogging and would sometimes go a month without blogging, and sometimes even felt that I could get away with just posting photos and that’s it. I was afraid and embarrassed of my ‘voice’, and how stupid I might sound to others because I grew up on Kauai (Hawaii) where broken english was my first language. No one was going to my site and I wondered how was I going to get people to get to my website, stay there, and hire me based by the work I post. I learned so much with your workshop and purchased it right away! After Day 1 I started writing topics in evernote and making a schedule for twice a week to start. My traffic is going up and I’ve never been so excited about wanting to blog, made it my morning routine. So thank you so so much!!
Hahahaha, YES!
You don’t know how happy this makes me. The fact that you’re excited about blogging means so much to me. I feel like I’ve done my job.
I think even those of us who feel comfortable with writing wonder if people care about what we have to say and sometimes feel silly or stupid. I can’t tell you how many creatives I’ve worked with that have said something like, “I want to share my stories and blog but I don’t think people will care about what I have to say.” And, I try to smash that thought to pieces, because we each have something unique to share.
Thanks for sharing! Your photos are beautiful.
Such such such an amazing class April! Probably the best thing I’ve ever watched on CreativeLive. Ok probably the best online class I’ve ever watched ever. I was feeling so discouraged/confused/overwhelmed about blogging and how it relates to my business (I’ve always loved writing. I’ve always known I was meant to write. Blogging seems like such an easy and accessible way to do that–but connecting it to my business has been tough for me for some reason.)
And now I feel inspired, excited, ready to start. So thank you!
Also! You did just the absolute best job of including the in-studio participants. I’ve already connected with Kimberly and Shasta on instagram and I’m reading every single one of Sage’s blog posts. (And signed up for her newsletter. And signed up for Jennifer’s!)
So inspiring! Bravo! Standing Ovation!
Thank you so much Emily! You can’t imagine how amazing this makes me feel.
I’m so glad that you’re connecting to the in-studio participants. That’s really fantastic and makes me happy. They were all very open and helpful and engaging, so it made my job a lot easier.
So excited to hear you had an amazing time and that you got the rock star treatment. So many surreal moments for you. And so happy you got so much out of it. It’s amazing what a blog can do. If it’s personal or for business. I love that you share that side of it and that almost everyone on the blog hop shared the same thing. Connections with other bloggers, connection to their readers. New ideas and paths and opportunities that come out of the blue because you were brave enough to send your heart out into the world.
I love that it’s not just about numbers and likes and retweets. It’s not just about publishing. It’s about being honest and raw and encouraging and awkward and funny and most importantly, your true self. You don’t have to pretend, to put on your day job face. And that people adore you for that. For being your truest of true.
Being a part of your blog hop made me fall in love with blogging even more. Because I took a step back from the 4.30am blogging before I go to my day job. From the photos only on a Saturday when the light is best. And I saw what it gives to me after looking from the side of what I give to it for so long. For waiting for a measurable return, evidence it’s worth it. But it’s the things it gives you that you can’t measure that are the best of all. And I’ve seen that so much more clearly now.
Thanks, Coral! It was truly one of the best experiences. The creativeLIVE team is just wonderful.
It’s definitely not just about numbers and likes and retweets. That stuff usually makes us feel good and like we’re doing something that matters–that’s reaching people. But, it’s just as much about what it does for us to share our true selves. It’s incredibly liberating.
Thank you so much for sharing and being a part of the blog hop! 🙂
Hi April, I’m new here because of the Creative Live workshop. Reading your post just now made me realise what a big deal this workshop was for you, which makes me even more appreciative of how much you gave us over those three days. Your ability as a teacher obviously seems to be a natural gift.
You’re engaging, thoughtful, interesting and funny and your nuggets of wisdom just kept coming throughout the course.
Things that have changed for me since doing the course include:-
Realising that I actually want to blog, now that I understand the value of it.
Finding out who Mayi Carles is, and how watching one of her videos in the morning makes for a better day!
Understanding that I really don’t need a fancy website – so ditched my Elegant Themes subscription as there was nothing at all elegant about the way I was cursing whilst trying to build the world’s most beautiful website!
Understanding the importance of connecting with people in a real way in this virtual world.
I’m sure there’s more, but I think it’s Jennifer I have to thank for posting the link to your workshop in the B-School FB group. It’s been a real game changer for me. So this is a big heartfelt thank you for all that you do.
Lisa
It was a very big deal to me. Thank you so much for your kind words and appreciation.
I’m so excited to hear all of the things that have changed for you since doing the course. I love that you understand the value of blogging and that you WANT to blog. That’s huge! I’d feel like I’d done my job if that was all you came away with. 🙂
Isn’t Mayi the best? She’s seriously one of the best people I know. So funny and talented it’s crazy.
And, of course, thank you to Jennifer for posting the link!
I found you via the CL course and I really enjoyed it! I have been dipping my toes into blogging for awhile now, but you inspired me to work at finding my voice. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks Evangeline! And, welcome to Blacksburg Belle. I hope you stick around. 🙂
Thank you so much the tremendous amount of work you obviously did to put together this information packed course. This is one of the best creative live workshops I have ever attended, and I have walked away feeling excited about a part of my business that used to make me feel tired, drained and overwhelmed. I now feel equipped to produce exceptional content for my ideal reader on a consistent basis, and I am focused on achieving my short-term and long-term blogging goals. I can’t thank you enough!
Your feedback is exactly why I said yes to this course. And, it’s also why I worked so darn hard on it. I wanted to make sure that viewers walked away with an excitement for something that many of them find overwhelming and frustrating.
Thank you soooooo very much for your kind words!
Hi April
I bought your course so that I could watch it in my own time. I am only halfway through Day 1 and it is already more than worth the purchase price! I am working through about an hour of content a day and am just so inspired. Actually I think that is what you do best of all – inspiring people to have a go, to make mistakes, to learn and then to do it all again 🙂
I especially loved the bit about “flow”. I wrote about this on my blog some weeks ago so your comments about it really resonated with me. Over the last couple of years I have really learnt to trust that feeling. Chances are if I feel flow when I am working on a new embroidery design then others will like what I have produced. The same is true when I am teaching – flow in me generally leads to enthusiasm and engagement in my students. I love that it is catching!
Looking forward to working through the rest of your course. Congratulations on having done an absolutely fabulous job 🙂
Thanks for the support and kind words!
So happy you connected to the piece on “flow.” It’s so true that when you’re feeling flow and engaged with your work, oftentimes it resonates even more with other people. I feel the same when it comes to my writing.
When I’m feeling that flow when typing a blog post, it’s usually much more successful.
Would love for you to keep me updated with how things go!
I’m so glad to hear how well this went and that you have found your calling! I would have liked to have listened in, but life with an infant makes that a little challenging 🙂 (I will definitely consider purchasing it, I learned so much from BFYCB and I’m sure I will learn so much more from this course!) Thanks for sharing your experience, April.
Thanks Bev! I wondered if students from BFYCB would also get a lot out of my creativeLIVE course and so far the feedback has been great. Everyone who’s sent me feedback has said that it was well worth it to purchase the creativeLIVE course–that they learned a ton.
Good luck with your baby! Congrats!
I had signed up for: Lindsay Adler’s Skin 101: Lighting, Retouching… on CL. I realized the class probably wouldn’t be that relevant to my photographic life so I went to click off…and…Then…I saw the Craft & Maker lab that you did earlier in the month. Since I wasn’t signed up for your class it wasn’t streaming properly…every 20 minutes or so I had to refresh the page so there were HUGE gaps in your broadcast. BUT…every minute I did see was helpful in focusing me on making or re-making my blog relevant. I’ve been blogging off and on since 2004. There are 5 abandoned blogs with my name attached to them.
My creative life has been all over the map for over 45 years. I’ve done it all but I decided in 2014 to be totally authentic and focus on my one love, photography. I’m still not sure what I’ll be focusing on at Photo Artistry Cafe but I do know that what I’ve heard from you during this broadcast has changed my life. Thank you! Oooooo…shoot…my iPad stalled out again…this time at page 31. Off to refresh and hopefully catch more of your insightful words! ~Cat
Ugh…I think they were experiencing some technical issues this past weekend. I know they were on Friday. I’m so sorry that you had to keep refreshing the page. Technology can really frustrate me sometimes.
But, I’m so happy to hear that the parts you’ve been able to catch have made such a big impact on you.
I wish you all the best with focusing on your love of photography! That sounds really exciting.
I was only able to obtain those few portions of day 1 but they were enough to spur me into changing from a darker background to a simple white one on WordPress.com. I caught about 10 minutes of your discussion on why you like wordpress and I may change over to WordPress.org as soon as I figure out exactly what I want to do with my photography. Once I’ve narrowed my focus I know that your words will mean even more. Thanks again!!
Ahhhhh! Technology! It seriously makes me want to pull my hair out sometimes.
I wish you could’ve seen more. I’ll definitely email the Blacksburg Belle list if they decide to rebroadcast it again from beginning to end.
Thanks for your support!
Great traveling story I have seen ever! Thank you so much April! Really You’re very inspiring! I loved the words of wisdom and treacle’s of treasure you packed into the course. Thanks!