Stephanie Fatta

Stephanie Fatta is the founder of the popular beauty & lifestyle website, Beauty Brite. Her publication could be considered “A Little Bit of Everything”, as it covers beauty, fashion, family, lifestyle, health, wellness, fun recipes, innovative tech gadgets, and much more. A single mom to a teen with Autism (and doing it all on her own), Stephanie also enjoys writing about motherhood and family life at her personal blog, Mama Hearted. Stephanie is also the founder of Houseplant Addicts, which is the go-to resource for all houseplant lovers. Houseplant Addicts covers houseplants, outdoor gardening, plant humor, and much more. Stephanie lives in Sacramento, California.

Where did the idea for Beauty Brite come from?

When I started Beauty Brite, I literally had no direction. At the time I was thinking of a blog name, I wanted something simple. I also knew I wanted to write about beauty. I remembered one of my favorite toys as a child, Rainbow Brite. Beauty Brite was short, catchy, and easy to remember!

My first intention was to share homemade beauty recipes that I found and tried. I also wanted to share my own personal reviews of products that I tried on my own. I was (and still am) a mom on a budget, so I would purchase products on sale or with gift cards.

Today, Beauty Brite is a family, lifestyle, and beauty blog. We are lucky enough to have a team of women from all over the United States who write with us. We all come from different backgrounds and life experiences. Beauty Brite writes about our favorite products we are using. We share how to use products and what works best for us.

As a blogger and consumer, we can be selective about the products we choose to use with our families. There are so many brands to choose from, so why not choose the best for your family? Of course, it’s important to consider your budget, so we try to weigh the pros and cons of the products.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

My typical day starts at around 6am. I wake up early, as this gives me time to slowly wake up, prepare for the day, watch the news, and eat breakfast. Next, I tackle my morning workout, get dressed, and get ready for the day.

I like to get everything done in the morning, such as grocery shopping, laundry, and cleaning. This allows me to focus on writing, distance learning, and anything else. Once everything is done, I can focus on blogging (writing, taking photos, editing, organizing, etc.).

How do you bring ideas to life?

Our team of writers and contributors bounce ideas off each other. This gives us another perspective. We can also give each other feedback! When I discuss my ideas with my team, I feel more confident with how to start!

Our best strategy is teamwork. We collaborate, help, support, and share!

What’s one trend that excites you?

I tend to follow my own path. Sometimes, I am inspired by others. If I see my fellow blogger friends talking about a brand or product, I will definitely check it out!

A trend that excites me is being kind. I like to play peacemaker and stay neutral. I have a small tribe of blogger friends, and there are many times when they disagree with each other. I don’t like to take sides, so I just remain kind and fair to both of them. I let them vent and say their piece.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

My habit is consistency, being on time, and meeting deadlines. Whether I am going to a meeting or an appointment, I always aim to arrive early!

What advice would you give your younger self?

My advice would be to hug and kiss my grandparents harder and longer. Whenever we had to leave their house, my parents always reminded us to say goodbye to grandpa and grandma. Of course as kids, we were always in a rush to get out of there and go home. We would rush and quickly hug and kiss them! I would definitely tell my younger self to cherish all of the times I had with them as much as I could.

Business-wise, I would advise my younger self to switch to a self-hosted blog sooner. I was scared and nervous of having to learn a new platform. Looking back, I wish I had switched sooner. It was the best decision I had ever made!

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

This one is tough. No one understands the shoes I walk in, nor do I expect them to. I just hope they are willing to be flexible when needed.

I would say something that is true that “nobody” may agree with me on is dating. It’s the experience of trying to date as a single mom to a teen with Autism, combined with COVID-19, distance learning, etc. In the past, I have gone on dates while my son was at school or I brought him along. Obviously, it takes an amazing person who doesn’t mind that I bring my son! This means, I am very picky with who I go out with!

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

Be honest with your audience. Be authentic. Share your favorite products. I love sharing on social media.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Build your tribe. Find people who have similar values and goals as you. Build each other up, support, and be there for each other. Use their knowledge and share what you learn too.

As bloggers, we like to share contacts, ideas, and tools. Share what you know with those who do the same for you.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

It’s been a tough few years, but I also need to put more effort into applying for opportunities. It doesn’t help that when you constantly get passed over, you eventually stop putting yourself out there. Of course, I felt discouraged. Why keep applying for blogger opportunities when you know your chance of getting chosen is about 1%?!

With recent events going on in our society, more doors are opening up for the bloggers who were usually passed over! I am making the time to put myself out there and apply! In other words, be patient. Your time will come!

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

It would be awesome if someone could create a cellphone with a self-cleaning function! My cellphone is always getting covered in bacteria, and it would be amazing if a cellphone could clean itself so I don’t have to regularly wipe it down with cleaning products.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I plan on spending $100 on a piece of exercise equipment! I am going to buy a rowing machine that is compact and perfect for my small condo. I need to change up my workouts and I want something I can use when the weather is too hot, cold, the air is unhealthy, or when it is raining and I can’t go outside for my walks!

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

Surprisingly, I use Evernote. I have the app on my phone and access it on my laptop. When I come up with an idea or need to add to my list, I can quickly pull it up and add to it. My team of writers and contributors also utilize Google Docs when we collaborate.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

A quick and easy read is a self-help book called ‘I Hear You’ by Michael S. Sorensen. I loved that Sorensen gives real advice and shows you real-life solutions on how to listen and communicate with others.

What is your favorite quote?

I was going through a very tough time and I found the following quote from Oprah very impactful.

“You CAN have it all. You just can’t have it all at once.” – Oprah

When I read this quote, I decided I needed to take the step and make a change. I knew I wasn’t happy with the way my life was going. I won’t go into detail, but it led me to being where I am today. I am now happy. I am a full-time single mom to a teen with Autism. I am also a homeowner!

Key Learnings:

• The best strategy to bring an idea to life is teamwork—collaborate, support, and share!
• Be honest and authentic with your audience.
• Build your tribe.
• Go after your dreams!