Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kayla McDowell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kayla, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?
My name is Kayla McDowell. I am a beauty blogger, author, serial entrepreneur, Youtuber, podcaster, content creator, and an international public speaker. I started my love for all things media back in 2017, when I became a podcaster. I loved podcasting! I learned how sharing your experiences with others is very influential. My friends and family began to ask me about my beauty products and suggestions about new beauty products. I created a blog as a one-stop shop for them. The blog allowed my audience to connect with me on a much deeper and more consistent basis. Eventually, I began to create more content and started a YouTube channel with makeup tutorials. That was a hit! It was a step by step tutorial and shared how I completed my makeup in real time.
I love being creative and proud of myself for that.
Dallas Black Bloggers was created to encourage a new meaning to the state of black bloggers. We help increase visibility to our bloggers’ blog sites and support them within our diverse community.
The Dallas Black Blogger platform provides incredible opportunities to create, learn, and meet other bloggers in the Dallas area. We seek to connect like minded individuals with one another in hopes of increasing positivity with our community and providing a safe haven for creatives to learn and grow their craft.
Kayla, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Dallas Black Bloggers is a platform for networking with bloggers and other local influencers in Dallas. We consider ourselves as the connector!
I am most proud of the real friendships and relationships that have formed outside of the immediate DBB community. That is a real treasure. To see bloggers collaborating, going to brunch together, or meeting up at other activities puts a smile on my face every time. I am obsessed with seeing the DBB community take their blogs and brands to the next level. For example, they decide to host an online course about how to start a blog, or they land a deal with a major brand! I love that and I am truly proud of them for advancing themselves to the next level.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Dallas Black Bloggers is a platform for networking with bloggers and other local influencers in Dallas. We consider ourselves as the connector!
I am most proud of the real friendships and relationships that have formed outside of the immediate DBB community. That is a real treasure. To see bloggers collaborating, going to brunch together, or meeting up at other activities puts a smile on my face every time. I am obsessed with seeing the DBB community take their blogs and brands to the next level. For example, they decide to host an online course about how to start a blog, or they land a deal with a major brand! I love that and I am truly proud of them for advancing themselves to the next level.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Honestly, there are a ton of stories to share about my resilience because I consider myself a serial entrepreneur so a ‘no’ only means not right now.
This year, DBB hosted the second annual Blogger Conference. For the conference, the topic of the conference was based around ways to define your influence. During the planning process of the event, I am reaching out and connecting with possible sponsors or to connect with brands who would like to host a giveaway. I reached out to a local brand via email and asked them if they would like to be a part of hosting a giveaway at the event. They never replied to the multiple emails I sent. So I called them, and didn’t get a reply. The day before the conference, I sent them an email saying that we never got a response from them, but we will continue to support them because we love their brand. I received a reply in less than 10 minutes and they gave us $300 in gift cards to host as a giveaway at the conference. I was floored!
When we talk about resilience, I was! I kept asking and was always super nice about it. But I never gave up! They went above and beyond for us and for that I am super grateful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dallasblackbloggers.com
- Instagram: dallasblackbloggers
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/dallasblackbloggers
Image Credits
Anthony Ferrell, Destin Ameeri from @ameerimage_ .