Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Gatlin.
Vanessa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started my blog knowing I wanted to make something and build a platform for my relationship with style. My definition of style has evolved to address the different parts of my life where life and style meet. As a suburban-born city girl with a penchant for adventures, I have lived both in and out of Boston and graduated from Emmanuel College in 2011. My expertise comes from first-hand experiences and a desire to tell the story of who I am, what I love and where I’ve been through curated snapshots.
Over the years, “Vanessa in Boston” has taken many forms which have finally culminated in the content you see on my blog and social media channels. My niche can be defined as life and style, where all the components of a life well-lived are individually recognized for their role in shaping my perspective on the world.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I came into the blogging space with less direction and intention than I have now. If you had told me at 22 that I was developing a platform that would be nominated and voted for one of the top fashion blogs in Boston, I don’t know if I would have believed you. I’m very much a believer in “fake it until you make it”, especially when it comes to the creative world and I think that has served me well when it comes to surviving in a world than can be very comparison-driven and competitive. The biggest struggle has been the learning curve I’ve had to overcome with no background in marketing, media or digital strategy. Everything I’ve done, I’ve built from the ground up which, on the other hand, is a little daunting to think about given that it’s been six years of self-education and on the other hand, is pretty tremendous and is something I’m really proud of.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
For now, my brand is an online platform of curated experiences and editorial content. My social media content compliments topics that I discuss ranging from beauty and wellness to food and drink and other observations I make on travel, style and lifestyle topics I am inspired to address.
I am most proud of my brand every time I get an e-mail or direct message from someone asking me about products I use, brands I have featured or trends I have tried. I feel like my platform’s purpose is to educate people on experiences that I have had and to inspire them to experience them for themselves. While sharing them on my blog is rewarding, my favorite thing is to forge real relationships with people who enjoy my content and I think that is a quality that makes my blog unique. With my platform, I’m not aiming to have a high follower count or earn a lot of “likes” if it means sacrificing the authenticity and identity I pride myself on.
What were you like growing up?
When I was little, I was often doodling, making lists, designing clothes and writing stories. To this day, I’m still a big collector of pretty notebooks because I like the feeling of jotting down ideas as soon as they come to me. I have probably always been a little bit of an over-sharer and coming of age in the era of Livejournal probably ensured that I would ultimately be a blogger. I have also been a dancer since I was a toddler so, I’m confident in stating that I’m very much a “right brain” person.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://vanessainboston.com/
- Email: hello@vanessainboston.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessainboston/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/citygirlguide
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/vanessainboston
Image Credit:
Ali Campbell
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