The Ultimate Blog Podcast - 112. Creating Sweet New Roots: Cortney Sparkman's Blogging Story

Episode Date: February 6, 2024

It’s always nice to chat with our former students. We had the pleasure of interviewing Cortney Sparkman about her significant shift from a corporate career to the world of blogging. Cortney opens up about the challenges she had, the common misconceptions surrounding the blogging industry, and stresses the importance of treating your blog like a business from day one. She shares more about the value that the bootcamp and the membership has given her. This episode was such an inspiration! If you are on the fence about starting your blogging business, we hope that today’s episode helps you move forward and follow your dreams.Thanks for listening! Let us know your thoughts on Instagram: @sparkmediaconceptsCheck out MiloTree Cart HERE!Check out the show notes (link below) for more information including links and resources mentioned in today's episode!SHOW NOTES: www.sparkmediaconcepts.com/episode112

Welcome to the Ultimate Blog Podcast with Amy Reinecke and Jennifer Draper. We're on a mission to empower women who want to start or grow their own blog. This podcast is for women who want to learn blogging basics and who crave inspiration and encouragement. Whether you're just getting started or have been a blogger for years, we're excited to welcome you into this space where we are passionate about creating community over competition. We are bloggers who want to encourage you to believe in your potential, step outside the norm, and step into a life where you create your own schedule, your own success, and your own story. Join us for weekly episodes as we navigate blogging

and work from home life, all while raising a family and having some serious fun along the way. all while raising a family and having some serious fun along the way. Well, today we are coming to you with a student of ours from the Ultimate Blog Membership. But more than that, we have really gotten to connect with Courtney Sparkman over the last several months, learn more about her story. And honestly, you guys, she just has so much to offer. It is going to be a really fun conversation, an enlightening one, an inspiring one, I believe. So Courtney was with us on episode 94. And in that episode, she talked a lot about the misconceptions of blogging. But one thing that we didn't really dive into that day was her story, what led her into blogging. And I think that that is going

to give you a really good lens for somebody who is in corporate. And so Courtney, welcome to the Ultimate Blog Podcast again, for actually the third time. We are excited to just have this really raw, vulnerable conversation with you today. Thank you so much for having me. I'm so glad to be here. It's one of my favorite things. So well, we always love the chance that we get to talk to you, especially one-on-one like this.

Courtney's been in our membership group for several months now. But before that, Courtney, you had to make a decision to leave the life that you were living and the work that you were doing and pursue something different. And I would love for you to just kind of share what that looked like with our community. Absolutely. And I also wanted to know, after that episode came out, I had several women reach out to me, actually quite a few, telling me how much my story resonated with them. And we didn't even really get into the bulk of it. We just kind of talked about making that transition from being a corporate writer to moving into blogging and those misconceptions. And so it aligns with what I experienced when I left my career. I had so many of my former colleagues, mostly younger women,

reaching out and saying, I wish I could do what you're doing. And I think about them a lot whenever I'm on this blogging journey. But my story really begins back when I was working as a journalist overseas. And then again, here in the US, and I kind of naturally, I loved storytelling. But after the recession, I was not able to make a very good living. So I moved into corporate communications. And that's important because I had a very lovely conservative upbringing where there was a path that we follow. There is a very specific path. I watched my parents and their careers and their education and kind of take one step after another. And so I was really on that path. I went from this little magazine writer to writing

for corporations and Fortune 500 companies and then Fortune 10 companies. And then I was working with executives. I was even the writer for a dean of an Ivy League university of a college there. And so I was, for all intents and purposes, on this track. And I desperately wanted to be a mother. And so I kept focusing on my career and focusing on my career and moving up and all of the things that we think are important, like those promotions and those raises and the money and all of that good stuff. And then I got married and was 37. And I got married and husband was in his forties and we immediately began trying to conceive and it was not working. And after many tests and, and doctor's appointments, we realized that it really was not going to happen for us the way that we had always envisioned. And this was

important because I had focused for so long on my career, just watching my colleagues become moms, leaving for Halloween parties or, you know, or to take their kids trick-or-treating or even being called by the, you know, their preschools and they're sick and they need you to come. And what probably felt like a really stressful situation for my colleagues was actually something that I couldn't wait for, you know, I had been waiting for so long. So I just kept telling myself, this is going to happen in God's timing and my faith is really important to me. And I remember my husband and I used to wake up and I had been pretty miserable in my job. I'm just going to put it out there. I wasn't enjoying it. I'm a creative person and it was a bit

stifling for me. And while I was very proud of everything I had accomplished, I didn't really feel like it was a good fit. Something deep down inside of me just said, you're meant for something different. And so we would sit downstairs and have coffee during the pandemic. And we were both working from home and we would just daydream about what life would be like and what to do. And he kept encouraging me to walk away from my career once I had kind of established what I wanted to do. And so I spent a lot of time thinking about that. But the day that we found out that we were not going to be having children in the way that we always envisioned changed everything. We still refer to it as the day. That was the day that life changed. And I quit my job the next day.

I had nothing lined up. I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I just knew that I had been working so hard toward my career. And if this was the way that it was going to be, I was not going to spend my time putting forth all of my effort toward a career that was no longer serving me Aside from the financials, which is also important now Do I recommend that everybody just walk away from their jobs without a lot of planning? No, but we had been discussing this for quite some time And so the timing was right and for the first time, I mean I had always been the overachiever It's like if i'm moving to a different job

I want to make sure that everything's perfect for the person coming in after me. And I want to do everything. And for the first time, I just said, I can't do this anymore. So two weeks, and that's what I can give you. And I spent the next three months healing, grieving the life that I thought I was going to have. And that's different. It's a different type of grief. I hadn't lost a child. I hadn't gone through rounds and rounds of IVF, but I was still grieving the life that I thought I was going to have. And so I spent a couple of months and then it became abundantly clear. I bought the domain name for Sweet New Roots a year before I put my job. And I sat on it for so long. I had this idea and I wanted to do it,

but I was too scared to make the move. And so I told my husband, this is what I want to do. And so I did. In November of 2022, I launched Sweet New Roots. And we talk a little more about that on episode 94. Some of the misconceptions that I had coming into this as a professional writer and moving into blogging, which obviously has been completely different, but it's been more than a year now. And I think every year around the new year, we start to think about what we want to do differently. Right. And so there's been a lot of that. But as as we go into 2024 and this new year, I think, you know, I've been very reflective on this idea that we have to be able to pivot. Right. And there's a way to do it gracefully. And for me, blogging has been my,

basically, that's become my thing. I am a blogger now. And so pivoting from a corporate career into blogging, being so surprised that blogging could be the thing that could eventually help me support my family on my terms, right? And then also the pivots that come with being a new blogger, like you learn so much about yourself, you discover things about yourself, you think you have one idea of how blogging is going to be, and then you start doing it. And you're like, okay, maybe this isn't going to work, or maybe I'm better suited to do this. And so it's that whole idea of just learning when to let go, and to move forward in life and in your blogging journey. I imagine that when you decided to quit your job, you probably struggled a little bit with other people's opinions and reactions.

Because you can imagine that from the outside looking in, you had this career that was so successful, and you were following a traditional path to success. So I'm sure people were like, why would she give all of this up? She has this perfect, you know, perfect life. And now she's giving all that up for what? And so I think the other piece of that might be that you also have to struggle with that identity change. Because as somebody who has a career, you kind of identify with that career that becomes part of who you are. So can you talk a little bit about how you dealt with other people's reactions and then your own feelings of this change in your identity? Because I think that would be one of the biggest barriers or obstacles that people who are looking to make a big change like this might struggle with.

Absolutely. It has been a struggle. You know, for so long, I identified as a writer, and I will say people don't understand what corporate writers do. So there's that. Even previously in my career, it's a very misunderstood industry. And so, you know, essentially, anytime this important person has something to say, whether it's a speech or an email to their employees, or, you know, a public statement, or social media, there's a writer there that's doing that for them and serving as their voice. And so beyond that, blogging is completely different. And we've talked a little bit about that. But identifying as a, you know, going from a writer to a blogger,

to a, you know, photographer, even has been interesting. I was a writer, a professional writer for 17 years total. And so I think our careers become our identity in a lot of ways. And so I think our careers become our identity in a lot of ways. I think what was easy for me, though, was to realize how unhappy I had been in my career despite all of the successes and understanding that that was not meant for me and coming to terms with that, that suddenly that title and that identity, it didn't matter so much. I will say I have had a very difficult time explaining to people what I do since I've become a blogger. And again, I keep referring to episode 94. Go listen to it if you haven't. But people don't understand blogging. They don't

understand what it entails. It's hard. All they know is that they're going to this website that this person is writing and they're really enjoying what either the recipes or the guidance or the health information, but what actually goes into it. And so I have had to learn to not only talk to people about being a blogger and what that means, but kind of wrestling with like how I explain what I do as well. And so in that way, it's not all that different because I felt like I was doing that when I was a writer too. And so in that way, it's not all that different because I felt like I was doing that when I was a writer too. But to be honest, I've had an easier time shedding that former title. But I think it's because of my experience toward the end of my corporate career.

Does that make sense? Yeah, definitely. It's been easy, but yet it's been a real challenge too. I can relate to that myself, to be honest. I think when people ask you, what do you do? I'm a blogger. They're like, oh, that's fun. Yes. Even Jennifer. If we rewind back to 2016, when I started working for Jennifer, at that point, I was just like, how in the world is she making money? How did she leave her job as an accountant? Yeah. It wasn't judgmental. I was honestly extremely curious. What is she doing over there? We were next door neighbors. So I was like, what is she doing over there? How is she

making money over there? How is she able to quit her job? I was just so interested. And I think that a lot of people are. I mean, I have good friends in my life still who are like, but is it still really relevant? Can you still actually make money doing it? You can. And I think that that's the misconception is a lot of us, the financial piece is the most important piece, most likely. Because that's what we're used to in any other career is how much money do you make? Do you get to have the life that you want to live? That's, I think, where the question comes from is, well, how are you actually helping provide for your family? How are you actually doing this? What are you actually

doing all day? And I think that question comes from such a place of misunderstanding in a world of influencers that you're sharing codes and links and everything all the time. And that actually doesn't have to be part of blogging. You don't have to show up in that way. You can just show up on your website. And so I just think that the way that it is so versatile, because we all do it differently. When you're a banker, most bankers do things the same way. When you're a writer, most writers do things the same way. When you're a banker, most bankers do things the same way. When you're a writer, most writers do things the same way. When you're a teacher, when you're in finance, that job description is clear. It's something that we all are familiar with. But blogging is not.

My parents still, I don't think, understand what I do in any way. They always talk about how the other day something was said and they're like, yeah, well, I know't think, understand what I do in any way. They always talk about how the other day, something was said and they're like, yeah, well, I know that you make a little bit of money for your family. And I was like, dear God. I mean, they just think that I just sit in my office all day and I don't know what they think I do. But it's not like... It's just thought differently. You know what I mean? It's just... It's this very different idea that I think that all three of us here and people who are listening to our bloggers can very much relate to and I, I want to reiterate, I don't think it's coming from a place of judgment as much as it's a place of misunderstanding.

Exactly, exactly. And my parents have come from it. They've come from a place of curiosity, they want to better understand. My mother-in-law was here for Thanksgiving and she asked me, you know, I worked on Monday and Tuesday because my husband was working during that week. And so I was in my office with the door closed and she was like, so what do you do? Like, what are you doing when you're in there? And, you know, it was a really curious question. And I don't know that I answered her efficiently, because I'm just thinking in my mind, let me count all the things that I'm doing in the day. But it's hard to explain unless you are behind the scenes and you really see everything that goes on. And so I think that is something that we will forever, hopefully, well, maybe not forever,

for a really long time be trying to explain to people like, how do you make money? And that it is a long game. And so it's not this idea of quitting your job and going to do something that is fun and makes you feel good. Right? Like it can be perceived as that. No, it's about contributing to your family's finances, but also being present and not being, you know, tied down with clients and not having a lifestyle where, you know, you're both in your office working on Valentine's Day and you don't even know, you know, it's Valentine's Day. So like, that was a real situation that happened one year. And it's about doing things on your terms. And so, yes, there is a lot of misunderstanding. And yes, it takes time. It's not going to happen overnight.

Those people that tell you it will don't pay for their programs because it's not real. But it is something that is absolutely sustainable and very lucrative. Now, have I had to do some things on the side until I get to that point? Absolutely. I've picked up family photography, which we can talk about that in a minute. But that's just another part of the journey where you start doing things and you don't even know that you have what you have to do. And I think it's so important that you are doing it in a way that provides for your family or contributes to your family's finances, but also in a way that you are gaining enjoyment or whatever it is that's important to you. For me, it was quality of life. For a lot of women that I know, it's being able to stay at home with your kids. And so whatever that thing is for you, that's really what will drive your success and success is absolutely possible.

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digital products into the hands of those you created them for, all while generating more revenue for your blogging business. Click the link in our show notes today to sign up for My Low-Tree Cart and start earning more from your digital products in 2024. And let's talk a little bit about this mindset that you've developed in order to make this happen. How long has it been now since you've left your job? It will be two. Well, so it's been almost two years. Yeah. It's been almost two years. I cannot believe it. That's amazing. So I think a lot of people might make this jump and think, okay,

now I'm waiting. I'm waiting for it to happen. But you have to adopt more of a long-term mindset. waiting for it to happen. But you have to adopt more of a long term mindset. And there's going to be days when you probably feel like giving up. So you really created a lot of balance in your life to make this happen. Because you've talked about, you do what you have to do. You've taken on some side jobs to be able to make some money to pay the bills. But you also have really made a priority the fact that you want some balance in your life. You want to be able to be off work on holidays. But blogging is a lot of work. So you have to balance all of that out. And I think that the thing that you have to be aware of is the mindset of this long-term plan to make this happen because you have to be willing to put in the work.

So how do you, I guess, stay motivated and stay present and stay focused on what you're doing when those hard days come along and you just feel like this is never gonna work? Do you ever feel that way? Oh, absolutely, I do. And let me just tell you, there have been days when I've stepped away.

And I've just said, you know, I can't today. I can't do it. I'm not feeling good. I'm not good emotionally. Like, I need to step aside and just kind of reevaluate. And usually on those days, I end up cleaning my house or, you know, pulling weeds outside or, you know, something. But yeah, so for me, I have never not worked. So it's important to me. My dad filled up my car when I was 16 years old. I think gas at that point wasn't even like a dollar per gallon. I'm aging myself. And he said, okay, this is the gas in your car. Now I want you to go find a job. And I did. I found a job. I grew up in the cutest little town of Waxahachie, Texas. We had an adorable downtown. And I went and got a job at

a restaurant. And then after that, I got a job at an antique shop. And so then I went away to college and I was working at the school newspaper. And when I would come home for the holidays, I was working and then I started waiting tables. And so then I had an unpaid internship. And I think at one point in college, I had four jobs, two of which were unpaid because I was trying to get that journalism experience under my belt. So I come from a place of hustle. It is built. I don't know. So that was very difficult. That was one of the most difficult things about leaving my career behind was like, I have never not worked. I worked a full-time job and put myself through grad school to get my MBA.

So if that makes any sense. And so you have to look at this as like, so I started this blog. I left my career and I started this blog. And it has to work because I have to work and I can't go back. So that's my motivation is like, I can't go back to that. I want to make this work for me and my family. And so that's my driver. Sure. I could go get any job that I wanted. Like I could go work at Starbucks or I could go work at a university or I could go, you know, go work at a corporation in Atlanta where we live now. But I don't want to do that. I want to make this work. And so that's what pushes me and motivates me, even on the really hard days. But guess what? Even on the really hard days,

I get the flexibility because I work for myself that I can step away if I need to, like, and I don't feel bad about it, you know? So that's been really nice. But it is a long game. And for a long time, yes, I was doing freelance writing and I'm doing photography. But for a long time, it felt like I was working a full-time job and making no money. And my husband would tell me, no, you're building something. You are working. Just because you're not bringing in an income right now does not mean that you're not working. You are. And so that mindset has really been a lifesaver for me and my personality of like, I can't not work.

I would just feel completely, I don't even know what, especially because we don't have kids. So it's like, what else am I going to do right now? We've got our social group and we've got our church and we're involved in things. But working when you're able-bodied and you have a passion for something and you have a skill for something is so important. So allow that to drive you forward. Yeah. And you've really taken yourself seriously from the start. I think that's what's important is you've had support from your husband, which is fantastic. I think there's people that maybe don't have that.

But either way, I think taking yourself seriously and investing in yourself and understanding that it's going to take time to build and that's okay. I think that is really important to remember. Yeah, absolutely. I treated it like a business from day one. So even though it was a challenge sometimes to explain to people what I did, I treated it like a business from day one. So even though it was a challenge sometimes to explain to people what I did, I treated it like a business. And so if this is going to be successful, because so many small businesses fail within the first couple of years. And so in order to be successful, you have to have that mindset. Something else I just wrote down,

because I think it's important to just make sure that we highlight this, Something else I just wrote down, because I think it's important to just make sure that we highlight this, was that your husband encouraged you by saying, just because you're not making an income right now doesn't mean that you're not working. And if you're listening to this, and you don't have somebody who is saying that, I hope that you take this as the motivation and the encouragement today, that that is a very true statement and that you are building something. And Courtney, you've done that by taking yourself seriously by, you know, by scheduling work time. I mean,

we could easily as bloggers kind of fly by the seat of our pants and not take ourselves seriously and just say, Oh, yeah, I'll get around to that. But you really have like, you have designated work times, you always show up on our calls and the membership. So you take yourself seriously, you take the education seriously. And I think that that's something else to really consider in regards to blogging is that while we are alone, technically at home in our offices, working by ourselves, there's opportunities for community in order to learn from. And blogging is one of those careers that you don't just learn something one time and then the education stops. It really is something that continues to build upon itself time after time, month after month. It can change very quickly. You've used the word pivot a lot

in this podcast. And before we hit record, you were saying that too about pivoting. And that is just part of this career is knowing when to pivot, knowing when to look at something a different way. And I think that being part of a blogging community is one of those ways to see what else is out there for me. Because what we might not see in ourselves, somebody else might have a different lens coming and saying, Hey, I think you're really good at this. And I think you could really be good at this. Or somebody might have an idea in a community that you're a part of that you would have never thought of before. And so I'd love for you just to briefly talk a little bit about that piece of it about deciding to join the Ultimate Blog Membership. Because I think that

that could be an important piece for people, whether or not they join our membership, or whether they join some other community or create their own community for that matter. What has the community impact been on you as you are building your blog? Yeah, absolutely. So as wonderful as my husband is and his support has been so amazing and important, he doesn't live this life. He's got his own career that he's involved in. And while he's interested, unless you are in the day-to-day like you are in this, it is something that's really difficult to understand. And so the community has been important for me. This sounds crazy. But the other day, I was thinking about the membership. But the other day, I was thinking about the membership. And I wanted to write a little thank you to the group. I ended up not doing it. But in so many ways, it's almost like a lifeline

in the blogging world. That sounds strange, right? But it's not because you have resources and education. When you have questions, someone has probably already asked that question and if you go and search in the forums you can probably find other people's experiences and if you can't you can ask and the two of you will either respond or other people in the group you also get an opportunity to connect with others and that connection is so important even for people who are introverts or who love working from home or don't enjoy, you know, working with teams as much as they enjoy working for themselves. Like that community, that sense of like, I'm not alone. And so, you know, I can express how I'm feeling or what I'm going through.

And someone else is probably going through the same thing. That is so important. through the same thing. That is so important. And I'll be honest, since I joined, there have been months where I've been far more active than other months where I really haven't been as active. And that's just the ebb and flow of work. But to say, well, I didn't use the membership as much in this month, so maybe I don't need it is absolutely like that's never crossed my mind because it is a lifeline for community and for resources and education. And it's there when you need it. And I think that goes back to what Jennifer said earlier on is that you've been willing to invest in yourself and your business. And I just want to say that is really hard for a lot

of us to do. That is hard to say, okay, I might not be making much money right now. But I'm going to invest in this because I believe in this. I believe in where I believe it could go and what I think I am meant to do. And so I just commend you for investing in yourself. And honestly, thank you for trusting us to support you on your journey because it does mean a lot to us to be able to walk alongside so many of you on this path because we know that it is not an easy one. I think that we have to normalize that. We have to normalize that we could all go get a nine to five job that we could clock in, clock out and come home and not bring our work home with us. And it could quote unquote be a little simpler. We've chosen a different path for a different reason, for a different calling. And to recognize that that support is needed, I think, in this industry,

that knowing that there are other people out there going through similar things that you're going through, and just knowing that together we're stronger. Together is how we grow this industry and help other people receive the gifts and benefits of being a blogger. Absolutely. And I think a couple of things that I took away from my career that have served me well here and within the community is the willingness to be vulnerable when I was not willing to do so in my former career and understanding that that was to my detriment. And so being honest and being vulnerable around people who are supportive and who are experiencing the same things. And then also, you know, feeling like, you know, despite all of the perceived,

you know, things that I accomplished, I still was very insecure and always felt like, oh, I could do better. I'm not doing enough, or maybe I'm not the right person for this. And that was something that I tried really hard to let go of before I entered the blogging world. Because why not me? Right? Like, who else? Everybody doesn't have it figured out. Everybody's trying to do this together. And so being a part of a community, which I didn't have when I first started, I was going it alone for a long time. And that's not a place where you don't want to be doing that. And so absolutely, I completely agree with everything that you said. Yeah. And I think it's also this willingness to continue to learn and continue to grow.

Like you said, be vulnerable and be willing to ask for help. And it's kind of just like taking it step by step and figuring it out as we go a little bit and be willing to carve out that path for ourselves. And I think one of the things that would be willing to carve out that path for ourselves. And I think one of the things that would be interesting to talk about is when you came to the membership, you had a website, you had somebody create this website for you. And then one of the things that you were struggling with was the fact that you didn't necessarily know how the back end of that website was supposed to function. You had some frustrations along the way, like, what do I do with this? What do I do with that? And you got to that point where you're like,

I don't know, but I want to know. And so even taking that step, you ended up going back and taking our bootcamp and creating a whole new website for yourself, just so that you felt confident and that you knew how to run your website. Can you talk a little bit about, I guess, maybe even taking that a little bit scary leap of faith and investing that in yourself to learn such a big new thing? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I have never been so proud of myself in adulthood, I don't think. I was so intimidated by the technology side of things when I decided to start a blog. It was so overwhelming to me. And so I did hire someone to do it for me. And it started to get to the point where even the most minor tweaks were taking a lot of time.

I would come to our meetings and I would hear you all talk about things and I would say, our meetings and I would hear you all talk about things and I would say, well, that hasn't been done for me. And so I felt like, okay, I need to be in control of this if I'm going to do my best. And so I did. I took the bootcamp and oh my goodness, I wish I had done it from day one. However, I'm very grateful for the opportunity to have done it later. I was actually talking to someone in the bootcamp and they were saying, well, I had someone, you know, design something for it. And I was like, just save your money. Like, let me just tell you now, let me tell you what happened to me. And so I think doing that from day one and doing it from the beginning, I mean, you all have done the groundwork for us and you make it so easy, easy to the point that I created a second website.

us. And you make it so easy, easy to the point that I created a second website. Love it. Totally different topic. But yeah, it was instrumental being able to have that control. And in fact, over maybe two weeks ago, I got an email from someone saying like, I really wanted to see this recipe, but it looks like the content and the recipe are mixed up and there was a glitch. And so I immediately went in and found out what the problem was. It took about 2 minutes and I fixed it. And I emailed her back. Something like that would have taken me a week for this person that was managing my website to do. And so being able to have that control and then why it was so intimidating, I have no idea. But the idea of building a blog blew my mind. I couldn't wrap my mind around it. And then going to the boot camp, I'm like,

what in the world? What am I so afraid of? It's so silly. And we learn. And so, yeah, this idea of pivoting, it's like, yep, I had to pivot. I had to learn that I've got to do things myself. As a business owner, that's important to me. You know, I tried a couple of different things with the blog and quickly realized what worked and what didn't. And so this idea of pivot has been like, remember when people used to choose words? Like, this year, my word is like, you know, whatever pivot is, is my word for this phase in life of like, just not being afraid to do it and just going out there and, and doing things and, and learning. And you're right. Like, I don't know another industry where things can change as rapidly, except perhaps for those who are like social media managers, like no social media is changing all of the time. But we're in such an interesting place in terms of like AI and its impact and just the everything like keeping up with Google. And it can be overwhelming. But, you know, when you have a community, and you have people who have got your back,

like you don't have to worry about it. You know, you get through it together and maybe we'll all struggle and maybe we won't, you know, but just having people to talk to and to work through things is really invaluable, I would say as a business owner. Like it's probably one of the single most important things that you can invest in because blogging is an investment. There is a little bit of an investment that's involved.

Yeah, there's an investment in the business and in yourself, I think. Right. And Courtney, I think today you've done such a beautiful job of just showing that when we have this tug essentially on our heart that we were made for something different and that pivot is on the horizon there

to spend time considering what that might look like, but not being afraid to take that next step. And knowing that you might not have all the answers when you do it, just like you didn't. And knowing that even in the midst of the change, there still might be things that if you could go back, you would do it differently. But embracing the journey is what I've heard. Embracing this journey, it might look different than what you think it did, just like it has for you in a number of different ways. But you've embraced it. And you've shown up with what you've been given. And I think you just keep taking that next best step. And I think that's really inspiring.

And I know that people have been inspired listening to you today. I know I have. I always am. Anytime that we speak to you, I want you to know that just as your coach and as a friend, I just think that you have given the world a gift by showing up in this space. And thanks for being brave and doing that. Because I do really believe that it inspires so many people along the way and it might look different than what you thought it was going to do, but you're definitely making an impact on those who are connected to you

and who are part of your community. Oh man, thank you. Goodness, you're gonna make me tear up here. Thank you so much. Yeah. I appreciate it. Courtney, if you could please tell people how they can connect with you. Absolutely. So SweetenYourRoots.com is my new website, which I love, love, love. I hope you do too. And I'm on all the socials at SweetenYourRoots. I will

say I am not that active on social right now. And I'm okay with that. I'm focused on my website and my email marketing. But I would love to connect with anyone who's willing to reach out. And I just want to say you did a fantastic job on your website. I absolutely love it. Thank you. I thank you. Do you hear the squealing? Like, I'm so good.

I love it so much. It was so funny. I was telling you, I was like, can you see the difference? And they were like, yeah, we thought it was okay before. And I'm like, no, it so much. It was so funny. I was telling people, I was like, can you see the difference? And they were like, yeah, we thought it was okay before. And I'm like, no, it's fabulous. Like, it's so good. It's very good. You did an amazing job.

Thank you. You did an amazing job. Well, thanks for guiding me through it. Yeah. Thanks, Courtney. Thanks so much for tuning in today. If you'd like to continue the conversation about blogging with us, please find us on Instagram at spark media concepts.

You can also sign up for our weekly newsletter where we share blogging tips and inspiration. You can sign up by finding the link in the show notes. For those of you who are ready for the next step and want to start your own blog, join the waitlist for the ultimate blog bootcamp. The link to join the waitlist is also in the show notes. Go out and make today a great day.