It’s Small Business Saturday! Shopping small has always been important to me. Supporting small businesses, eating local and purchasing from small shops are a part of my daily routine. If you had told me a few years ago that I would soon OWN a small business, I probably would have laughed out loud. I would have told you that it’s too much work or way out of my comfort zone. But here I am, the owner of a small business…loving every second. The Garcia Diaries is like one of my babies. I have built this business from the ground up. From nothing, into a profitable company. I am not only proud, but I am so incredibly grateful. When I started my blog, I never imagined or expected it to take off like it did.

And I just want to thank you… yes, you. By clicking my links, buying products from my posts, reading my blog, using my discount codes, and “liking” or sharing my pictures, YOU are supporting a small business. You are supporting a dream. My dream.

Many friends and family members of mine (and probably some of my readers/followers) may look at my posts and think this is a hobby. It may have started out as that, but now it’s a JOB. In fact, it’s a job that just paid for my family to spend the week in San Diego. I want to spend these last few minutes of Small Business Saturday giving you a peek into my life and what goes on behind the scenes…

Photo by Melodee Lynn Photography

Did you know?

• The Garcia Diaries is a limited liability company in the state of Arizona.
• I have two employees that I pay on a bi-weekly basis.
• My days consist of taking photos, editing photos, writing, editing, re-writing, sharing on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter at the right time with the right caption and hashtags, boosting Facebook posts, buying Instagram ads, searching for products and their affiliate links, coding posts, pitching companies, returning 100+ emails, interacting with my followers and readers, and SO. MUCH. MORE.
• I have had to learn and teach myself an endless amount of new things, including Javascript, CSS, SEO, coding, Lightroom and Photoshop, how to use my DSLR, how to install and personalize a WordPress theme, how to create a media kit by hand… ALL WHILE parenting three children.
• I wake up at 6:30am every morning and don’t go to bed until between 1:30-2:30am. Oh, and I don’t drink coffee.
• I get paid to post on social media and on The Garcia Diaries. I also do some posts in trade of product, because a lot of small shops can’t afford to pay for promotions… (just another way I love to support small businesses).
• In addition to The Garcia Diaries, I do PR for an online magazine and run their influencer program.
• I run THREE public Instagram accounts (@thegarciadiaries, @motherhoodinstyle and @cupcakemagsocialites) and also have a private Instagram account with NO aesthetic where I post ugly pictures with horrible lighting (mostly to spite my perfect, public account).
• I have had several posts go viral on Pinterest.
• I have been featured in The Huffington Post three times, on BabyCenter six times, and in the winter issue of cupcakeMAG.
• I have several photoshoots a month with a photographer, and the rest of my photos are either taken by my husband on my DSLR or on one of our iPhones.
• I have had to deal with “copycats” and people stealing my posts, thoughts, ideas, and copying my brand. This has led to so many sleepless nights and a few phone calls with my lawyer. (I know so many small business owners/bloggers who have gone through this and it is THE WORST.)
• I have had to deal with so many mean people. Mean brands, mean followers, mean bloggers. Mean and horrible comments and emails and messages. There have been so many times that I just want to quit and walk away from it all because of the mean people. Luckily, I have great friends such as Ashlee and Casi to talk me out of it, plus my husband who is literally my rock.
• I have had photos shared by celebrities and am mutual friends with too many celebrities to count.

I LOVE my job. I am so grateful to have a job that I am passionate about. It’s incredibly hard work and takes an insane amount of diligence and motivation and I really appreciate those of you who support my dreams and believe in me. It means the WORLD to me.

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