We recently connected with Gina Luker and have shared our conversation below.

Gina , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

I hired a biz coach a few years ago that convinced me I’d never be truly successful unless I leveled up my life in every way.

So I bought the brand new BMW… and the brand new house in an elite neighborhood… and a wardrobe full of designer purses, shoes, etc.

I hid who I am at my core and only projected what I thought was the “example of wealth” online.

It didn’t work. I was miserable – and ridiculously bored.

My growth was stagnant at best, and my income started to decline.

Then a year ago, I decided to just embrace who I am at my core and show that to the world.

I sold the BMW and bought a 50 year old VW Bug. We’re selling the brand new house and buying a 200 year old historic home.

We’re trading our new life for an old one with soul. And as a result, my social media accounts are booming – not only with growth and engagement, but also my income is rising again.

I took a risk – and showed my true self to the oftentimes harsh audience of the internet.

And what I found was the best growth tool I never knew existed: Bravery.

Now, I think I’m just getting re-started.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

In 2009, I started a digital scrapbook of reminding my childhood home, so my kids would be able to see the changes when they got older.

I had no idea it would change our lives.

I had a mom blog that no one read from 2007-2009, so I never thought people who read this one.

But they started. Then Pinterest came along and our lives changed dramatically.

I don’t really blog anymore, however I transitioned over to primarily using social media.

Instead of digital journaling, now I teach junk journaling and paper arts, as well as sharing my creative adventures of remodeling an old house, refurbishing an old car + leaving behind a new life for an old one with soul.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I’ve been on social media since the beginning – and I can tell you… growing any account is all about 3 things: getting attention, creating a reaction and consistently doing both over a long period of time.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

There are 3 books I always recommend to creative entrepreneurs:

1. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. Which is all about learning to tap into your own creative genius and put it to work.

2. The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbin’s – which is a game changer when it comes to helping folks with ADHD (like me) overcome procrastination.

3. Fail Until You Don’t by Bobby Bones. It’s a fantastic read about pivoting and the tenacity to find success.

Contact Info:

• Website: Ginalukerart.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/theshabbycreekcottage
• Facebook: Facebook.com/theshabbycreekcottage
• Youtube: YouTube.com/theshabbycreekcottage

Image Credits
Amber Black Photography for headshots