PODCAST: How to Turn a Blog Into a Business with Jehava Brown
We were so thankful to be joined by Jehava Brown (@onlygirl4boyz) for today’s episode to learn all about how she got started as a blogger/social media influencer almost 5 years ago and how she has grown it into the super successful full-time business it is today. Blogging is not a get rich quick scheme (it took years and 60-hour work weeks for this powerhouse stay-at-home mom of 3 boys to get to where she is today), but if it's something you want to do, THIS is how you can make it happen... Listen in for all of Jehava's advice, tips and stories! Her honesty and openness throughout this entire interview will help and inspire so many women and moms, and we can't wait for you to take it all in.
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Q&A SESSION:
Tell us who you are and what you do!
Jehava Brown aka ‘Hava’ (@onlygirl4boyz) has been a blogger and social media influencer for almost 5 years and says it has been a whirlwind. Tune in that the 1 min. mark for more about her journey.
What did you do before you started blogging?
Jehava stayed at home with her boys while her husband worked, but things were super tight so she tried to do many different side jobs including babysitting and being a mystery shopper. Check out the 3 min. mark for all the deets about her mystery shopping days!
When you decided to get into blogging, what was that transition like for you and how did you have the confidence to just go for it?
Jehava read a lot of blogs when her boys were younger because she felt alone a lot of the times during the day and they kept her sane. The blogs that were super real about the ugly parts of motherhood fed her soul. Eventually, she reached out to a blogger to ask how she was doing it and found out that it was a full-time job. When Jehava found out she could make money blogging, she hit the ground running and dove deep into learning how to do it herself. She worked 40 hours a week for 6 months before she ever made a dime. Listen in at the 5 min. mark for more!
Did you have a background in writing?
Jehava doesn’t really feel like she’s a writer - it was just therapeutic for her to write about her personal experiences and what she’s going through. Check out the 6 min. mark for advice that many of us need to hear!
Was your husband supportive of you working 40 hours a week and not bringing in any money at the beginning? And did he understand the business behind what you were doing?
This is the number one question Jehava gets and the answer is - she hit the jackpot. Her husband’s outlook was if she could possibly make money from blogging then she should go for it. Listen in at the 7 min. mark for more on how he supported her and she educated him throughout the process.
You felt like black women and families were under-represented in the family blog space, was that huge at the time?
Yes! And it still is. Jehava said it had a lot to do with why she wanted to get into blogging. You’re going to want to tune in at the 14 min. mark to hear more about her own personal experiences and how they have such an impact on her content and channel.
When you do sponsored posts, how is the response from your community when you include your whole family? Your husband’s very involved in a lot of the ad campaigns!
Jehava realizes this is her business so she doesn’t want to make it overwhelming for her family by having them involved in all of her Instagram stories. But at the same time, it benefits the entire family, so everyone needs to get in the photos! Listen in at the 16 min. mark.
When you started blogging and doing sponsored posts, how did you get connected with the brands?
Jehava says she started by “pitching like a psycho” (sending out about 40 pitches per week). A small food blogger showed her the ropes of how to pitch brands by finding their media and press contacts online. Most of them are actually behind the brands’ Instagram profiles too, so you can always message them there. She would get in touch via DM and ask for the best email to send a pitch to. But she needed someone to tell her these things and this food blogger was the only one who would help her (for the most part, she got a lot of shade from influencers not wanting to help her out in the beginning). Check out the 17 min. mark for the full story and more advice!
Do you do your own deals from pitching to invoicing the brand?
Not anymore! Jehava started working with a management company 6 months ago because she was spending too many hours a day doing this type of work for her business. And for the three years before that, she had assistants help out because it became too overwhelming for her even back then. She paid everyone 15% off of all the contracts because they would do all the invoicing, negotiating, etc. (while Jehava was copied on everything). So for the first two years, Jehava did everything herself before she started delegating. And now, she still sees everything but the management company presents it to her. They only go off of the deals that come into Jehava’s inbox though, and it took about 3 years to get to that point where she doesn’t have to pitch brands. Listen in at the 19 min. mark for more.
Do you remember your first deal that came in?
Jehava doesn’t remember exactly, but she shared a funny story with us at the 20 min. mark that you need to hear!
Were there any bumps along the way? Where were the pain points?
A lot of people aren’t consistent enough and they treat blogging as a hobby, which is what Jehava thinks is the only difference between her success and all of the others who have tried to start a blog. Many people try it as a side hustle, but Jehava went into it thinking it’s going to be her job. Go to the 22 min. mark for the helpful piece of advice she was given when she started out and to find out how she actually did turn it into her full-time job (and has doubled her income every year).
Do you get negative feedback on your ads? For example, people thinking that they’re paying for your lifestyle?
Jehava says she doesn’t experience it much because she’s open about everything. She tells people exactly how it all works and always gets messages from people who say they’ve never heard anyone explain it that way. Check out the 26 min. mark to find out more about why she chooses to be open about what she earns for sponsored content and to learn more about all of the time and energy that goes into creating content.
Do you get haters?
Oh yes! Jehava says she gets haters a lot and she deals with a lot of racism through ads. When a brand promotes an ad Jehava’s created for the partnership, a lot of times the comments that come in are horrible. Head to the 31 min. mark to hear more about her experience dealing with haters and racism online.
Are your boys on social media? Do they follow you? And is it an on-going conversation you have to have with them when they see these negative comments about you and your family online?
Jehava’s two older boys are very aware of how people view them in public. They’ve had to have really hard, unfair conversations and she tells us more about these difficult discussions at the 35 min. mark. Tune in for some incredibly inspiring parenting advice.
MORE ABOUT JEHAVA BROWN:
Jehava Brown is the owner and creator of Onlygirl4boyz; a lifestyle blog. She’s also a stay-at-home mom to 3 energetic and sweet boys and wife to her best friend.
Jehava started her blog because she wanted to encourage women on their journeys in marriage, motherhood and friendships. As a stay at home mom for so many years, she has learned a lot of amazing tips on how to live on one income and save money that she wanted to share with the world as well. This includes cooking a lot of things herself, so she also shares some of her “show stopping” recipes.
Check out Jehava’s blog here.