Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Fisher.

Hi Jamie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In 2016, I found myself craving purpose, a challenge, a creative outlet, and a way to be home with my son. At this point I had already tried so many other different things – all fell short of what I needed and failed.

One day I came across an article that DollarSprout had on side hustles. They were in the early stages of their own blogging journey, so I followed along. The challenges they were overcoming and their end goal captivated me. I started reading more on passive income and became addicted to the dream of the freedom it offered. I knew blogging was for me, I just didn’t know what that looked like yet.

I have always loved baking and people have often asked for my recipes, so I thought a blog about baking would be a perfect fit for me!

I had a rough start. It took me a long time to get through school because I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wasted a lot of time and money navigating through college so I was committed to not going back to school or paying for any online courses.

While it was painfully challenging in the beginning, I pushed through it. Everything I learned I found online for free! Weaved into those challenges were many failures – I had to rename by blog, I had to rebuild it TWICE, and I went through many, many different formatting updates as I learned more about SEO. Not to mention the time and practice it takes to learn food photography!

The more I learned, the harder I worked. After my son would go to bed I would stay up late and work by lamplight. I was literally working two full-time jobs for 7 years all while waiting for enough ad income to quit my ‘normal’ job. In the meantime I kept learning and putting the small amount of money I made from ads back into my blog for things like videos, branding, and re-designing.

Every small step I took toward growth didn’t feel like tangible growth at the time. I got discouraged along the way but I held on tight to my dream and promised myself, and my husband, that someday we will wake up and this dream will be a reality!

Nothing worth doing is quick and easy, like some influencers promise. Building a blog and making income passively takes hard work and dedication. It takes holding on tight to a dream that sounds crazy to everyone else but you. My readers and supporters have been so loyal! From the beginning they’ve heard me say ‘someday…’ They watched my dream become a reality and while most people are following along for the recipes, there is a sizeable amount that are there because they have a dream, too. And it seemed impossible to them until they saw mine come true!

My life goal has always been to get paid while I am at the pool and to be home with my son. I blocked out the noise, I didn’t give up, and I worked really hard! Combined with the unwavering support of my friends and family I have the perfect recipe for living my best life! But I can’t take all of the credit for my success. I have a team of support! My husband has been my biggest supporter, my Grandma bakes for the blog just as much as I do, my parents also bake for the blog and are always on the lookout for things I may need, my Aunt is my Editor, I have a paid part-time Assistant, and I have countless friends and family who have unwaveringly supported me!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was, and never will be, a smooth road. I’ve overcome many challenges along the way. The short list includes:

1. Renaming my blog – I initially gave my blog name a really long name, ‘Keep on Rolling with Jamie.’ It was a play off a rolling pin. The name was horrible, I still cringe over it today! I couldn’t create a logo I liked, it was super long to type, it didn’t tell readers what my blog was about, it was just terrible. After several months of trying to force it to work, I changed it to ‘Baking You Happier!’

2. Re-designing – I purchased a template and it didn’t serve me very well. But I didn’t know that until I started using it. I made notes along the way of what I wish I could do differently and after a few years I purchased a different template. I thought it would be everything I needed, but the limitations kept me from having the website I dreamed of. A few more years passed and I was able to afford a professionally designed website with my ad income and it’s still the design I use today!

3. SEO – I was intimated by Search Engine Optimization, so I didn’t invest the time I should have in my early years. Over time I learned you cannot have just want source of traffic, you have to diversify. So I finally dedicated the time to learning more about it, which lead me to having to go back and re-do all of my posts so it fit the requirements.

4. Photography – The pros make it seem so easy, but it’s actually very challenging! To date, learning food photography has been one of the biggest challenges I have had to overcome with the blog. I used my cell phone when I first started. Yikes, those pictures were so terrible! It’s what I had time and money for in that season of my life, so that’s what I used. Then I was finally able to afford an upgrade. I was under the illusion that the camera would do all of the work. I quickly found out that I had so much to learn! I created a studio in my basement, but the lighting was horrible. After some time and research, I moved it to a window in my basement. But the lighting wasn’t any better. I was taking pictures at night after my son when to bed, which didn’t offer enough light. After even more research and experimenting, I moved my studio upstairs and started taking pictures in the daylight. What a transformation! After years of working on improving my skills, I have had to re-take the same pictures 2-3 times to make them presentable images!

Here’s the thing – Nobody knows what they are doing when they start anything new. So many people don’t start because of that very fear! It’s a ridiculous reason not to start because those early years of making mistakes are most crucial. That is the most valuable information you will take with you!

People have asked for my advice but don’t take it because it’s not a perfect start. I recommend against investing a lot of money at the beginning and they don’t like that. I advice them to embrace hating their website or blog for a while because that is exactly what it takes for you to know what you want! By the time you really know what you want, you can confidently speak to it! Powering through the imperfections builds confidence and gives you a more solid foundation, which helps you to be an expert in your field. And experts are what people are looking for!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a food blogger, most known for baking, desserts, vegetarian recipes, easy ideas, and being a little quirky! HA!

I bake, take pictures of the food, and post the recipe online to share with others for free.

I am not just a food blogger, though. I am a cheerleader for the underdog wanting to overcome their fears and follow their dreams. I am an advocate for doing things scared, making mistakes, and unleashing your inner entrepreneur. My first ad income paycheck was $38.82 and now I am making 6-figures. I want people to know they can do anything they put their mind to – it just takes grit, patience, and support. You can’t get back time or opportunity, so don’t wait another day to take your first step to freedom!

I am most proud of not giving up, especially when things got hard or I got stuck. I am also most proud of not letting any excuses get in the way of following my dream! And I am proud that I didn’t let the embarrassment of my imperfections stop me from sharing my pictures, recipes, and thoughts!

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
It is very important to me that I connect with my readers and feel that I am able to help them. But that connection doesn’t look the same every day. Sometimes I am able to connect with readers who are looking for an easy dinner idea that their whole family will enjoy. Sometimes I connect with people who are nervous about baking and need permission to let loose and just have fun with it! Other times I connect with people on a personal level through my testimonies or my faith in God. And sometimes people are just passing through, saving recipes, and return another day when they have time. It is so important to me that my readers feel like we are community, contributing different ideas and experiences and learning from each other!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bakingyouhappier.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bakingyouhappier/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bakingyouhappier
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bakingyouhappier

Image Credits
Jamie Fisher