Blogger Joanna Goddard is no stranger to the intricacies of building a successful brand from the ground up; she got her start as an editorial intern at Cosmopolitan and went on to launch blogs for Glamour and write for New York Magazine. Since starting her lifestyle and parenting blog Cup of Jo in 2007, she's developed a loyal (and massive) following thanks to her constant candor and the highly-consumable content she shares with readers daily.
For the first Trend Watch of 2015, we could think of no better source for on-trend inspiration and business advice than the Brooklyn-based mother of two. Read on for her tips on treating yourself well, balancing personal and professional priorities and tapping into relevant trends.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
I truly love my readers. When I've (nervously) written about things like worrying too much and postpartum depression, amazing women have come forward to share their stories. And when I post about lighter things like beauty uniforms or house tours, it's great to hear people's thoughts and recommendations. Getting to have these conversations is an incredible experience, and I've been lucky enough to become friends with readers in real life, too.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Negative comments! I'll never get used to them. I still call my mom crying sometimes. But I try to remember that criticism helps you grow, as both a blogger and person, and of course I welcome honest comments from my readers.
Your family plays a prominent role on Cup of Jo. How do you find a balance between work and family life?
I worked from home for five years. But when our second baby was born, our apartment became too chaotic, and I joined a shared workspace in Brooklyn. It was so refreshing to be around other creative types during the day! I had really missed being in an office environment. Now I work from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day, spend the evening with my little guys and then work a few nights a week, as well.
Work/life balance is a topic near and dear to my heart, and I always love to hear how people structure their days and make it work for their families. Personally, I’ve found that focusing on one thing at a time — either work or family — is the key to sanity. Multitasking around babies is a ticket to madness!
Any tips for busy parents trying to balance growing a business and building a family?
As I've written before, my own mom often tells me, "Take gentle care of yourself," which I think is a surprisingly profound thing to remember. Of course, it's true for everyone, not just parents. Everybody feels overwhelmed sometimes, and it's really easy to beat yourself up or put too much pressure on yourself or assume everyone around you has a perfect life. That's not true; we should be kind to ourselves and treat ourselves like the sweet souls we are.
Years ago, a reader left a great comment on the blog. She said, "Bless you new moms. If you're trying, you're doing a great job." We don't have to be perfect; we just have to be ourselves.
What trends do you expect to be popular in spring of 2015?
I'm still seeing many of the high-level trends discussed in the recent Trend Watch with Nordstrom, including customization, wordplay and localization. Here are a few of my favorite fresh trends, and tips for incorporating them into your products and merchandising.
Trend Tip: A straightforward way to diversify your products is to use different materials; for instance, offering an organic natural fiber alternative to a slightly cheaper synthetic can attract a new audience to your shop. Check out 3 Ways to Refresh Your Product Line for more ideas.
Trend Tip: Dress up your packages with trend-relevant details like the out-of-this-world washi tape pictured above. Keeping your brand aesthetic and target audience in mind, don't be afraid to experiment with clever details likely to catch the eye of shoppers. Check out Branded Packaging Basics for inspiration.
Trend Tip: Eye-catching shapes don't just make for captivating products — they're also excellent photography props. Read How to Make Your Photos Publicity-Ready for tips on staging a powerful, clickable scene in your product photos.
Trend Tip: If your products are small and delicate, it can often be tricky to capture photographs that reflect details accurately. Check out 6 Tips for Perfecting Small-Product Photography for ideas on mastering macro-mode.
Trend Tip: Have you seen trends popping up all over your social media sites? Take the quiz in What's Your Social Media Personality Type? to determine which social sharing platform is best for promoting your product in the current trend climate.
Which trends intrigue you most for the upcoming season? Share your favorite in the comments.
Katy Svehaug is a Senior Content Strategist at Etsy.