[quote style=”boxed”]First of all, it’s important to do something you love and stick with it. For me, the hardest part in the beginning was getting up day after day and posting when no one was reading. I could have hit “delete this blog” but I didn’t. I stuck with it and I recommend that if you have an idea or are starting something new, don’t get discouraged. Things take time to grow.[/quote]
Lisa Weber is the founder of CelebrityBabyScoop.com, one of the first blogs in the celebrity baby space. She started CelebrityBabyScoop.com back in 2006 while she was working as a labor and delivery nurse. What started out as a hobby soon became a full-time job as Celebrity Baby Scoop quickly took off. The site has grown to 1.5 million uniques monthly and features interviews with the likes of Jewel, Tori Spelling, Anne Heche, Alyson Hannigan, Queen Latifah, Vanessa Lachey, Heidi Klum, Molly Sims, and Ricki Lake. CelebrityBabyScoop.com has also garnished press from CNN, USA Today, Pregnancy & Newborn, Parent & Child Magazine, Us Weekly, FitPregnancy, Parenting, Parents and many more.
Where did the idea for CelebrityBabyScoop.com come from?
When I started the site, Suri Cruise and Shiloh Jolie Pitt were just born. I thought it was exciting, so I decided to start a blog on the topic.
What does your typical day look like?
I get up at 5:30am and I start by going through my emails and approving any comments on the blog. I get the kids up and ready for school. My work day begins around 9am, and there are always a number of things that need to get done each day, There are bills to be paid, questions from the staff, etc. I also renegotiate with photo agencies we’ve contracted with and I talk to writers about special features they’re working on. If they need my input, I will talk with my advertising company Federated Media about a potential ad campaign. It’s always busy and my work day ends around 5pm.
How do you bring ideas to life?
When I have an idea, I brainstorm with my staff and ask for their input and suggestions – then we bring the idea to life. Whether it’s a new feature or a design change on our site, it’s always a team effort.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
I love that celebrity moms are not focusing on fast weight loss, but instead they are embracing the postpartum period and their post-baby bodies.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
Being able to multi-task well. I can have a few things going on at all times and I’m able to prioritize. I think that comes from years of being a RN and managing multiple patients during a shift.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
Working at a handbag and novelty shop in my late teens stocking shelves. The boss was really mean and I was intimidated by him. I remember thinking that if I was ever a boss, I would treat people kindly and with respect.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
I wouldn’t have spent so much money on photos. I would have had better negotiating skills.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
First of all, it’s important to do something you love and stick with it. For me, the hardest part in the beginning was getting up day after day and posting when no one was reading. I could have hit “delete this blog” but I didn’t. I stuck with it and I recommend that if you have an idea or are starting something new, don’t get discouraged. Things take time to grow.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
I think producing excellent content has helped grow CelebrityBabyScoop.com and our audience. We pride ourselves on every story that we publish, and our readers get addicted and keep coming back for more.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
After spending a lot of money doing a major website renovation, our advertising income declined and I had to make a lot of cutbacks. It was scary, but we were able to make it through.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A store that sells clothing and gear seen on celebrity babies and kids.
Tell us something about you that very few people know?
I’m a huge Knicks fan and never miss watching a game.
What software and web services do you use? What do you love about them?
I use foliovison.com. They are wonderful programmers and are there for me 24/7.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
‘Unbroken‘ by Laura Hillenbrand. It’s a story about overcoming terrific odds; it’s a biography of a remarkable life lived through extraordinary circumstances. A must-read!
What people have influenced your thinking and might be of interest to others
Brené Brown – she is a writer, researcher, and educator. She studies and writes about authenticity, belonging, and shame, and how they affect the way we live, love, parent, work, and build relationships.
Connect:
Celebrity Baby Scoop on Twitter: @celeb_babyscoop
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.