Wow, it’s time to start wrapping up the summer of 2017, I can’t believe it. I would go on record saying this has been the most ‘unusual’ summer I’ve had yet, so I felt like it was time to touch base with you all.

For anyone new around here, “Serendipity’ posts are where I recap the latest happenings, on the blog (including sharing my most recent favorite posts) along with an update on my life. Think of it as a way for us to sit down and get the details on what’s going on in our lives. 

Anyway, let’s jump in! 

read Tips on creating your brand’s name

A lot has happened over these past three months and I feel like I’m finally running the tight ship, I’ve always wanted for the TCC Brand. This serendipity post will be focused mostly on all the changes we’ve made, behind the scenes, dedicated to running the best brand possible. 

Running a blog is like running an amusement park, you have 1,000 different things to do all at once, however, none of them are particularly hard. For example: answering emails, answering brand calls, invoicing, tracking finances, content brainstorm sessions, editing photos, shooting photos, buying props, setting up shoot locations, hiring photographers and my favorite writing content. 

Nothing from the list above is rocket science, BUT it all demands attention, kind of like a water park. You have the wave pool, the slides, the food stands, the lifeguards (employees), the clients (aka visitors) and the bottom line. It all requires attention, and sometimes it all requires attention at the exact same time; and when this happens, it’s a long day. 

Overall, I use to constantly feel behind and overwhelmed; which often added a lot of unnecessary stress to my blog and life. 

The thing with blogging is, a lot of things are last minute. That’s just the nature of the beast, whether that means a brand cancels on a collaboration going live next week (leaving me limited time to brainstorm, shoot and produce a whole new post) or if a brand emails you Tuesday expecting a full draft (edited photos, written content, social promotions) within two days, yes that has happened to me, it all can just be a tad hectic.

Summer 2017 Food Content: Samoas Cake Recipe // 5 Best Ice Cream Stands in CT

Which don’t get me wrong, I kind of love.

I love those close deadlines, it makes my job exciting and really makes me grow as a creative person and blogger; however, it also means a lot of things I had scheduled to get done, either get pushed back or don’t get done till days later; thus the always feeling behind feeling. 

So going into June, and after talking to my mentors, I decided to scale back on content. & maybe some of you have noticed. 

We use to publish Monday through Friday, but honestly, it was resulting in our crew publishing content that didn’t always speak to me, which I HATED, along with not being consistent in our publishing days (meh). 

So I took a breather and decided we’d only be publishing Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. By scaling back on two days, our team is now able to create better and more value based content, which by my analytics, I can tell you are all loving. 

So this summer, I learned QUALITY VS. QUANTITY. 

READ MY TRIP TO SAN ANTONIO

The next thing I learned was being self-aware of my strengths and weaknesses. & I think anyone can relate to this. 

As my brand and TCC crew grows; we aim to bring you the best content out there. We aim to bring you content that inspires you to embrace New England living within your own life, and that is our mission plain and simple. 

I’ve been working on being more self-aware in terms of what I’m awesome at (creating content, branding, styling, editing images, connecting with readers and showcasing New England lifestyle) along with some things, I’m not so good at (finances, budgeting, brand communication, spelling, and negotiation). 

So for those things I’m not so great at, I’ve hired on some extra assistance. 

READ ABOUT OUR THOUGHTS ON THE ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE & OUR TRIP TO GRUENE TX

We have our TCC interns helping us communicate with brands, as sometimes it’s overwhelming tackling my inbox alone, and finally, I ‘promoted’, Matt to the head of TCC Operations. 

What that means is, Matt is in charge of budgeting spending costs, creating brand invoices, negotiating with brands and editing all written sections of my post. 

By really taking the time to meditate on what I’ve been struggling with, I was able to hire the best people for those days where the amusement park is at full capacity. 

I guess I learned that at some point delegation isn’t an option but rather the only solution, to making our brand work. 

Anyway, this summer has been mostly work and no play, so I’m excited to announce an upcoming trip Matt, my family & I have! 

READ WHY SHARING A HOBBY IS ESSENTIAL

We are going to….

IRELAND! 

We leave late August for Kerry, Ireland and I can’t wait to bring you all along on the adventure. Please leave any recommendations you might have below, especially restaurants, food is my favorite activity when traveling.

Again, thank you guys, for listening to this rather rambling update. & I’m happy to report, fall is within our mists and I just can’t wait. We certainly have lots to look forward too, and by lots I mean, lots and lots of bath and body works candles. 

Anyway update me on your life below.

xx Aubrey 

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