sweater (sold out) similar here + here | jeans + here | lip color | ring | bedding | nightstand
A few months ago I mentioned my team + I were meeting to plan upcoming content for both here on the blog + over on Instagram. I could not believe the insane amount of direct messages, asking who “the team” was…or saying they thought my blog was just me on my own! Since I had so many requests for details, I thought I’d give you a little behind the scenes of blogging!
I first started blogging about 10 years ago. While we were in Kentucky for Medial School, I wanted a place to share what was going on in our lives with friends + family. So I started a little blog (raise your hand if you were a fellow “blogspot” user?!) haha…and everything was super simple. When we moved to California, I was closer to family. Instagram was the new thing, so I kind of let my blog go. Fast forward a few years later. I noticed I would get asked a lot where I bought clothes for my little people…or our Disneyland tips…and wanted to have one place to keep it all, so the blog was reborn.
It honestly started as just a place to connect with people I knew. I was doing it all myself, and it was just a hobby for me. As the years went by, companies started to reach out to collaborate on products they saw I was already using. My “big break” came with my first offer from Nordstrom. I think that is when I knew I wanted this to be something bigger, and something to help provide for my family. All through the years I continued as a one woman show, but as both the blog + Instagram has grown, my family has too. It may not be the case for everyone, but I knew if I wanted to continue to spend time and be a part of my little peoples every day life, I needed help.
Cue my angel being sent from above. Haha! A little over a year ago I hired a full time assistant. She saves my sanity on a daily basis, and since hiring her, I honestly don’t know how we ever survived before! Joe and I love her because she has made it possible for family to be my number one focus again. She helps with anything and everything from emails + contracts, to scheduling our calendar + bringing me ice cream when she knows its been a rough day. We honestly consider her a part of the family!
I think as women it is really hard to ever ask for help. Knowing what I do now, it is always better to have a team that wants whats best for you by your side. A lot of people ask what I do for a job, and blogging is the answer. It is 100% a full time (+ overtime) job. It does provide a 2nd income for my family, and if it didn’t, I wouldn’t be willing to take the time away to put into it what I do.
In addition to details about “the blogging team”, I’ve also been getting a lot of questions about photography. How do I have time to get ready for pictures every day? How to I get my little people to cooperate? Let me just let you in on a little secret. If it seems too good to be true it probably is. Haha. I have a photographer. About 2-3 times a month my assistant and I put together a list of all the things that we need to shoot and I go get them all done with my photographer. That means that although it may appear that I have my crap together every single day, and always get ready (because I am in my posts), that is not always the case. I shoot multiple outfits at once and spread that content out throughout the month.
Instagram Stories is real life for me. Wearing my robe…not getting ready every day…kids in Christmas jammies..that is my real every day life. I’m not saying I’m a fraud, but lets be honest…no mom I know is that put together! Not every picture you see is professional. My iPhone does a great job too, and my bigger kids are pretty good at shooting some for me too!
As far as them being in the pictures, that is something I never force. I ask, and if they aren’t feeling it, they don’t have to be. They know we are a team. I support them in their sports + other activities, and they support me in this. Joe probably hates it the most, but is willing too cooperate for our sunday selfie!
I honestly love this community we have here. I love being able to come to you for advice + your tips just as much as I love sharing. The relationships we have here are so important to me. I always try to take the time to answer your comments, questions, and direct messages. I never want this to seem like a one sided friendship. It means so much to me that each of you are here and let me be part of your every day! I hope this helps answer some of your questions! If you have more I missed please let me know! I’d be happy to answer!
xx kails
photos: aubrey taiese
Love this post! I’ve followed your Instagram + blog for a couple of years now when I first discovered it during late night nursing/pumping sessions with my daughter! I love your style and your focus on your family!
One question I do have – as a mom how do you manage the struggle of documenting your family, and building a community of followers with wanting to keep some aspects of your private life? And do you ever get worried about sharing your kids pics? I struggle with that too with social media – how much I want to share of my kids with strangers! Any advise would be appreciated! Love following your journey and seeing your success! You seem like just the sweetest most loving family so I’m always so excited to see the image of a woman who can be successful at her career and at being a mom at the same time! xxx
Hey! I am a new blogger and I actually just made the decision to leave blogspot lol and really put all I have into it! Love all your insight and advice! I am a young mom of two kids 13 months apart and a military wife and I too just want to share our life and help other women! Would love to know how you kept going even when it seemed like it wasn’t happening as fast? I too have a friend photographer and plan out my months post and some are hits and some are not. I can’t help but get discouraged. Would love any tough skin advice.
It is so so hard and I wish I could tell you differently. My number one tip is to stay true to you. Post about what you really do love and is part of your life, and you will gain a community that feels the same way and you’ll slowly start to see that interaction grow. It is definitely one of those things you have to take a day at a time or the stress + frustrations will win.
I always love reading posts like this!! It’s fun to hear about the behind the scenes stuff! I’m always curious how bloggers find their photographers and how that process works for shooting images?
I’m glad you liked it! Its always kind of fun to see the background of different industries. I’ve actually lucked out with photographers and they have been close friends!
Kailee, you are a breath of fresh air in the blogging community. I adore your insta stories as they make my life here feel a little less isolated. Your children are beautiful and I just ‘get’ you. I wish I wasn’t so far away in Sydney, I honestly think we’d be great friends! Keep doing what you do. I love reading your blogs, seeing your gorgeously styled photos and I hope one day our paths do cross.
xoxox
Maree!! You are seriously so sweet!! You have no idea how much that means to me! If I ever make it over to Sydney I am coming to visit you!! THank you again!
Love your Instagram and blog! You are in inspiration. I am a busy mom of 3 and over the past year I started growing my Instagram and making some money posting about products we use. It grew pretty fast so this past week I started a blog. I was wondering if you could share some tips on how to make money from blogging as I am so new to the blogging world.
Ashlee! Thanks so much for your kind words! And congrats on starting to grow your brand Making money via your blog will be a lot like it is on Instagram, but you’ll do a more in depth review. I started with kind of reviewing products we were already using, or clothes we were already sharing and reaching out to different brands to collaborate. Hope that helps!
I’ve been following you for a while and I really enjoy it. So real and great tips and always positive energy. And of course a beautiful fam;)) I was curious to get more info about the two min makeup. I have rly never had skin issues till I had kids and now my skin is terrible! I’ve seen you post about the quick routine and would love to get some. I tried getting in touch on insta but I imagine you get flooded. If there’s any best way to reach you lmk;)) thanks!
Yes I’d love to help you!!! I think I am all caught up on DM’s, but will make sure I didn’t miss yours. If you don’t hear back from me there, you can email over your IG handle and I can help you, or you can just email over a makeup free pic, and I can color match you!! Email is hellokaileewright@gmail.com
I really appreciate this post. I’m a stay at home mom, trying to do my best with an infant and toddler… and sometimes I look at blogger moms on Instagram and think to myself “why am I struggling to just brush my teeth and get a shower while these ladies make life look like a breeze?” it’s wonderful that you have an assistant!
Oh nicole! I’m so glad you read it! We definitely DO NOT have it all together all of the time! At least I know I don’t! I feel like I am just like any mom out there, working through the ups and downs of one day at a time. Thank you so much for your comment and for being here!
I enjoy your updates on Instagram, especially the house photos and sources! Don’t follow the blog much though. What is your favorite computer to do your blogging from – a Mac or something else?
Loved this post and I am so glad you shared! I started blogging about 18 months ago. I’m still waiting for that BIG break but I am SO grateful for inspiring bloggers like you that keep it real and show Instagram that it’s not all about a picture-perfect life. It’s about REAL life and a real connection with followers. You are by far one of my favorite bloggers! Thanks for inviting us on this journey! From a true follower <3
Hi Jamie! Thank you so much for your kind words and feedback! I am so happy you are here and part of this community! Your big break will come, it just takes you continuing exactly what you are doing, work crazy hard and be true to you!