Ever dream of having your own personal business coach who could help answer questions about Instagram algorithms, rates and NYFW? Look no further!

Idalia is an encyclopedia of knowledge for the ins and outs of the fashion industry. Having years of experience as a manager, agent, business consultant and career expert, she acts as as a “business therapist” to a lot of celebrities and famous influencers that you all know and love. You might not personally know her, but she’s definitely behind the scenes of some of the biggest campaigns that have certainly crossed your screens.

Idalia also recently started an incredible podcast called “Realization” and since so many of you have written, e-mailed and DMed me asking about the ins and outs of blogging and what New York Fashion Week, I thought you would find *this episode* rather helpful. In this episode, Idalia gives a lot of great insight about what goes on behind the scenes and then interviews me about what advice I would give to people aspiring to go.

While we had Idalia on the phone, I also thought it’d be a great time to have her do a quick Q&A for the website to share her tips and tricks for all things blogging which you can find below.

A lot of the questions below are things many of you have written to me asking about, so I hope you find this helpful!

What are 3 things you should always do when starting a blog as a business?

1. Definitely identify what your mission statement is.

Write it down, put it up online. This is true with any business. If you don’t know what you stand for and what you want to give to the public, you really haven’t built the most vital foundation for your business.

2. Treat it like a 9-5pm job.

Every successful blogger I’ve worked with treats their blog as a full-time job. (HELLO, because it is!) Set yourself a shooting schedule, a writing schedule, a schedule for client meetings, etc etc.

3. Create genuine relationships with clients/brands.

I feel like this is where most young bloggers miss the mark. It’s not about being gifted, or what new expensive bag you just bought. In order to do blogging successfully, you need a network.

I think that a “brand” should always be evolving. Start with who you are — and express that fully and proudly. As you grow as a human, your style will grow as well.

What are 3 things that you should focus on when starting a blog?

1.  Quality v. Quantity

Focus on the quality of work you are putting out to the universe, and stop obsessing about how many people are following.

2. Authenticity

Don’t try to be something you’re not, and don’t give into social pressures. It’s okay to have small lips. It’s okay to not wear head-to-toe designer. As cheesy as it sounds, this is key to success: BE YOU.

3. Consistency

If you’re going to do this, dive right in. Be consistent when you post and how you post. Followers and readers are more likely to come back to the websites and pages when they know when something will go live.

What are the best ways to build a following?

When growing an authentic audience, I think this is where brand partnerships really is key. I always like to call this theory “cross-pollination” … meaning, you can grow by being posted on someone else’s page, and in turn, a brand can grow because you posted them on yours. Same is true with other blogger friends you may have. Support one another and enjoy each other’s growth.

How do I figure out what “my brand” is and what are your tips for keeping it consistent?

Oh man, I think that a “brand” should always be evolving. Start with who you are (are you more girly or tomboy? what are your hobbies?) and express that fully and proudly. As you grow as a human, your style will grow as well. Be happy for the evolvement and don’t try to do it too soon. I think by being conscious of oneself is the key to keeping it all consistent while still allowing room for healthy change.

Not every post has to be this outstanding moment. Viewers like real life too, and that’s something we can ALL relate to.

I’m feeling stuck with my Instagram. Do you have any recommendations on what to do?

Get the F out of your head! Enjoy life! When people come to me saying they’re “stuck” I totally get it, I’ve also been there. I always recommend two easy options: 1) Take a detox… for someone people that may mean 24 hours, for others that may be a week. Do what you have to do to keep yourself sane and inspired. 2) Step outside the box that is your “life”. Sometimes when we view things from the inside in, we feel stagnant. View yourself as another person would, and think “what can I share with my friend?”… is it a new restaurant you tried out? A new Netflix show you love? Not every post has to be this outstanding moment. Viewers like real life too, and that’s something we can ALL relate to.

When should you start reaching out to brands for potential partnerships and what is the best way to do that?

ASAP! The key here is knowing your following and/if you should charge. I’ve had people come to my jewelry line with like 500 followers asking for a rate to post about my jewelry. Ahem, WHAT?! NO NO NO. You have to start with relationships! Post organically about the brands you love, and show that to them. Be humannnnnn!

How should you determine your rates for partnership?

When you build a good following (ie: please don’t quote at 500 followers), I think there are multiple charts out there on the internet for this and they seem to be consistent. Like I said above though, alongside with following, make sure your impressions and engagement are HIGH. These are numbers the public cannot buy. More and more brands are now asking for these metrics instead of the traditional following/rate game.

Starting a blog should be about what you are GIVING to the public, not what you expect to receive. That will come later. Trust the process. Trust yourself. Trust your work.

How important is it to have representation and a management team?

Great question and I actually dedicated a podcast to this. Check out Episode 3 on www.RealizationPodcast.com {going live September 12th!}

There are so many influencers going on cool trips with brands. How important are those and how to I keep from feeling FOMO?

Ha! Sometimes I get FOMO too! The key here is knowing it’s work. You are at the mercy of a brand’s schedule every waking hour of your day. So understanding that is vital. I’ve been managing talent/models for almost a decade now and it’s still interesting to me to see what is posted about these trips (YAY FUN! Let’s take a tennis lesson in the Hamptons), and compare them to the phonecalls I get during them (Remember you have to post at 1pm PST, Remember the second post is about the skirt not the shoes, Remember the SWIPE UP to be done right after you post on Instagram), etc etc. The brands do these trips because it is part of their marketing strategy, and they expect results. So bloggers need to remember to not treat these trips like a party. Definitely have your fun, but be conscious that you are with your client whose paying you for your services. Don’t do jello shots off someone’s boobs at 4am. Clients book talent that they know can balance having fun at a party, and still know that at 8am the next morning they will be up to take a 101 course on the brand’s products. Professionalism. Professionalism. Professionalism.

What are the 3 biggest mistakes you see people doing when starting a blog?

1. Gluttony

I’ve seen girls that can barely afford to pay their rent, and they’re off buying Saint Laurent bags and Gucci belts because, ‘It’s what everyone is doing. I have to post this to keep up in fashion.’ Again, don’t give into social pressures! Be YOUUUU! And also realize what message you’re sending out.  You have to be part of the cure, not part of the disease. (ps: Don’t confuse this with saving up, or treating yourself. The message here is to not sacrifice your bank account because of social pressure. YOLO.)

2. Greed

How many times when someone knows who I am they ask me, ‘I started blogging because I want free shit. How can I get more?’

Excuse me?! Rewind. The number one rule of starting a blog is NOT to get free shit. If you start that way, you will fail and/or not make it the long run. Starting a blog should be about what you are GIVING to the public, not what you expect to receive. That will come later. Trust the process. Trust yourself. Trust your work.

3. Laziness

Blogging is real work. If you don’t think so, go on the IG Stories of your favorite top girls, including Jacey. Blogging isn’t all about taking cute pictures in Ibiza and eating spaghetti to capture the shot (although trust me, it’s fun!). If you’re not ready to roll up your sleeves, do the gritty work, you can kiss your career goodbye. Building a successful blog usually takes years.  Be patient. And remember, have fun! This is supposed to be a creative outlet, not a chore.