I started Modern Mama in 2008 as an events company. We hosted events for Moms in Edmonton. The following years I grew our events by marketing to moms in and around Edmonton by blogging (among other things) here on the website.

I continued to blog regularly here over the past ten years, at first to market and get registrations for our events, and then to also share products and services to local moms.

However, I didn’t actually consider myself a blogger until I started to get some paid opportunities and there was a few moments, specifically in 2011, that made me actually feel like a blogger.

These are my most fond memories and tipping points for me as a blogger over the past 10 years!

 

1 | MY FIRST PRESS TRIP

In 2011, I was surprised by an invitation for an all-expense paid trip to the Johnson’s Baby headquarters in New Jersey for a few days. I didn’t realize at the time that this is fairly common for a brand to fly bloggers out to an event to promote or spread awareness of a new product or service. I felt special to be included and it was the first time I identified alongside a group of and as a blogger.

2 | MY FIRST PAID CAMPAIGN FROM A BLOGGER NETWORK

If I wanted to work with a brand, I pitched directly to the brand, for years. It didn’t occur to me to apply for influencer or blogger networks for a long time (I should have done it sooner!) but when I did, finally, I got some really great opportunities for paid work through them in addition to direct brand work. Now I regularly apply for and receive paid opportunities with brands through networks.

3 | DISNEY SOCIAL MEDIA MOMS

Disney Social Media Moms Celebration is a coveted invitation-only blogger event hosted by Disney every year. When I got the invitation in 2013, of course, I was flattered, but actually attending the event forever changed the way I viewed my business. No longer was Modern Mama only events for moms, but I was also a blogger, one of only a handful from Canada at this event.

4 | DISNEY SOCIAL MEDIA MOMS … WITH MY FAMILY

The following year I received an invitation to Disney Social Media Moms again! The most exciting part of this invite for me was that it was the first year it would be held in Disneyland instead of in Orlando, Florida at Disney World. Which meant it was reasonable enough for us to all go as a family! We experienced the Parks like never before, met cool characters, celebrities and it truly was a trip of a lifetime.

5 | SUNWING VACATIONS

I was honoured to be included on the Sunwing Vacations Kidcations panel, blogging on their website in 2016 and was later asked to go on a family trip. In the summer of 2017, my entire family of five took a vacation to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. We stayed in the most beautiful suite and spent two days of our vacation filming a promotional video for the hotel.

Check out the super fun video:

 

6 | TIME WITH MY SISTER IN TURKS & CAICOS

Not only was it special to be invited to Beaches Social Media Moms in the Turks & Caicos twice, but it was once in a lifetime for my sister to meet me there in 2015. She lives in San Diego and we hadn’t had one-on-one time in years, but having her meet me in Turks & Caicos for five days was amazing for us both. The event also includes a one-day conference, so she got to swim, suntan and relax alone while I attended. For the remainder of the days, we enjoyed tropical cocktails and sampled every restaurant in the place. We even went to two different restaurants for dinner one night and then hit the diner for cheeseburgers and ice cream at 2 am!

7 | VEHICLE PRESS TRIPS

A vehicle press trip is when a car company wants media coverage on a particular vehicle, product feature or launch and invites traditional media along with bloggers and other journalists on a trip or adventure that includes driving. I think my favourite vehicle press trip I experienced was Quebec City with GMC last year.

I have my three MOST IMPORTANT highlights from the past 10 years to share with you LIVE in the City Blogger Facebook Group, so come join me there to find out what they are!

Join us

Thursday, February 1st

 10 am Pacific

Have you been waiting and wanting to start your own blog? Would you like group coaching on how to take your blog to the next level to grab some more opportunities? Come join our Start a Blog Group, we’re opening the Modern Mama City Blogger program again NOW!