Doing The Work You Were Born To Do w/ Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge

TL;DR

Grace Bonney, founder of Design Sponge, talks about her inspiration for starting the blog, the challenges of running a business, and the importance of finding your unique voice in the digital era.

Transcript

Hey, it’s Marie Forleo and you are watching MarieTV, the place to be to create a business and life you love. You know, one of my favorite parts of this job is the fact that I get to talk to incredible people who are doing the work that they were born to do. And today I’m gonna introduce you to a woman who is doing exactly that in this digital era a... Read More

Key Insights

• 👨‍💼 Starting a business from a place of passion yields better results than starting with just a business mindset.
• 🫠 Ad revenue is no longer the primary source of income for blogs, and diversifying revenue streams is essential.
• 💢 Finding your unique voice and connecting with people on various platforms is crucial in the digital era.
• 👾 Embracing change and constantly testing new ideas is necessary to stay relevant and successful in the online space.
• 👥 Building a supportive team and having a core group of colleagues to have honest conversations with is vital for personal and professional growth.
• 💪 Being authentic and honest, even about the difficulties, helps build a stronger connection with readers.
• ❓ Recognizing that your online presence will continuously evolve and that it's a journey with no final destination is essential for growth and success.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was the inspiration behind starting Design Sponge?

Bonney started Design Sponge because she saw a lack of representation for independent design in magazines and on TV. She wanted to write about the things she loved and was not seeing in mainstream media.

Q: When did Design Sponge start to feel like a real business?

Bonney realized that traditional magazines were not sustainable, and the blog was supporting her half-time. In 2009, she decided to invest in Design Sponge and make it a full-fledged business.

Q: How did Bonney build her team for Design Sponge?

Bonney hired people who were experts in topics she didn't know about, such as gardening or DIY. She found them through internet friendships and connections in the blogging community.

Q: How did Bonney deal with blogger burnout?

Bonney believes that burnout is inevitable and that it's important to accept it when it happens. She has downsized her team, focused on platforms she enjoys, and found a balance between quantity and quality of content.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Grace Bonney started Design Sponge because she wanted to showcase independent design that was not being represented in traditional media.

• The blog became a full-fledged business when print magazines started to decline and Bonney saw the potential for growth in the online space.

• Over the years, Design Sponge has evolved visually and monetarily, with Bonney diversifying revenue streams and embracing social media platforms.