We recently connected with Bobbi Jo Domitrovich and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Bobbi Jo thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?
My hero is my husband. He accepts me on my worst days. He makes me laugh. He is kind, non-judgmental, patient, and when we aren’t together, I miss his face. He shows me what un-conditional love feels like. He is my greatest supporter and encourages me to go after what I want. He brings maturity to any situation.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
How I got into the blogging world? We lost three dogs in a short period of time which impacted my life. It was an emotional time for me for obvious reasons. I had worked over 20 years in the corporate world, had just closed my custom jewelry making business and was looking for some sign to help me find the way. I knew I was done with the corporate world (at least for that moment) but really didn’t have a clear vision as to what I was going to do next. I was told about two Labrador puppies that were in a bad situation and needed a home. We made the decision to take both of them on the spot without even meeting them, decided their names would be Jake And Maggie, and quickly got the house ready for two puppies. We brought them home, let them down in our yard and they ran about 5 feet away from me, turned around, looked at me and I said…”I’m going to start a pet blog”. I had no other plan, no experience in blogging, but I knew I wanted to educate people on the importance of pet health and safety. I didn’t even know that you could monetize a blog/website! I went on a mission searching the blogger experts taking their free tutorials on how to blog, earn money, photography, and writing. I started following different bloggers in the fields I was interested in, as well as, establishing relationships with business owners in the pet world. I figured out what social media channels worked for me. Then I set out to grow my followers. I learned quickly that the more followers you have, the more offers you will get to make money. After a year of blogging, I hired a professional web developer who developed my logo and gave my site a rebranding. Since then I have made changes to make my website what it is today.
The world of blogging! The blogging world is a tough world. I had no idea that finding the right niche would be so difficult, creating interesting topics, building a website, building the right relationships for my brand, and keeping my followers interested would be so time consuming and isolating. One of the major factors in building a successful blogging business is finding the right blog name first that fits your brand. But my advice to anyone starting a new career whatever it might be is that “if it is your passion, you will be successful”. “Find your passion”. I had to learn that my pet blog telling everyone to be kind to animals was not enough. I had to get creative. I added an online store where I sold pet stationary. I taught myself how to make hand-poured soy candles and called the line Two Adorable Labs Candles. I chose soy wax because it is not only a clean burning wax for humans, it is also clean for our furry friends as well.
I’m most proud of the dedication and hard work I’ve put into creating a successful blog and online store. I’ve written 3 cookbooks sold via my store to help raise money for a charity called Joey’s P.A.W., a non-profit that raises money for animals in need of wheelchairs and prosthetics. The cookbooks have recipes for us humans and our furry friends along with ideas and photos on how to set the prettiest tablescape for any party. Creating tablescapes is also one of my passions along with interior design and home remodeling. This blog has been a great outlet for my creative side. If you can’t find me in the kitchen, you will find me sitting at my laptop scouring Pinterest for decor ideas for our home. I love interior design and gardening and find great satisfaction in making our home comfortable and beautiful. Because I love interior design so much, I developed a “Revive and Refresh” package available via my store where I help clients with ideas on refreshing their homes using paint color, make product suggestions for pet and non-pet homes, and give ideas on furniture placement, etc.
Through writing and developing my cookbooks, I found my love for cooking and baking which has led me to create another website and food blog which I will be launching soon called Magnolia Delights (www.magnoliadelights.com). Magnolia after my favorite flower and Delights because eating is simply delightful. I’ll also incorporate fresh ideas for tablscapes. Here I’ll share many old family recipes plus recipes that I’ve developed on my own and tweaked from others. I’m a foodie and what better way to keep the creative juices flowing is to document and share with others.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Everyone has had a “bad” boss at least once in their lives. Everyone has had that “defining moment” where they are faced with having to make a major decision. I face mine in my 30s when I worked for a man who simply did not value a woman as part of the team. I faced bullying, belittling, degrading remarks, and was made to believe my job would be taken from me at any moment if I didn’t walk the line. Waking up to the alarm every morning only to quickly realize I had to do it all over again was mentally and emotionally draining. So what did I do? I made the decision to go back to school and finish my bachelors degree in business. I worked full-time and went to school in the evenings to get my degree so that I was better qualified for another job. Education is incredibly important to me. My advice to everyone is to go to school, study hard, get good grades, and find the right job for yourself whatever it might be. No one can take that degree from you. Be proud of it. You earned it! Getting my degree helped me realize the corporate world was not for me and that I needed to make a change. Going back to school not only helped get me away from my boss, it helped me start my jewelry business, candle business, and my blogging business.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’ve pivoted many times over the years and learned many life lessons. Not everyone is your friend and not everyone wants you to succeed. Loyalty can be fleeting. But it is ok. Don’t put much stock in the ending; find light in a new beginning and relish in the lessons shown to you. Learn from each experience and move forward. Being a huge animal lover, my animals have always been a light in my life. Saving Jake And Maggie has steered me in a direction that has enhanced my creativity in blogging, content creation, design, photography, and recipe development. Pivoting to the world of blogging is a constant learning experience which I love. My blog not only allows me to showcase Jake And Maggie but places awareness on animal health and safety!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.twoadorablelabs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twoadorablelabs/
Image Credits
Photos taken by Salene Mazur Kraemer Photography