We had the good fortune of connecting with Anna Mendelson and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Anna, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My mother was in the blogging industry and I loved watching what she did. I’ve always loved sharing my life through writing, so blogging was very appealing to me. While picking the topic of my website, I did not want to be boxed into any specific niche. I have a lot of different passions that I want to share with the world. I decided on “vibrantguide.com”. Vibrant Guide is broad, but all tied together by the idea of offering vibrant ideas to the world. I aspire to live my own life vibrantly, and my website is really a reflection of that. As the blogging industry has advanced, I also started an Instagram (vibrantguide) and transitioned to working with dozens of companies who also share my life for living vibrantly.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is a lifestyle website (vibrantguide.com) that highlights several different topics from fashion to recipes to business to college. Although it is broad, it is all tied together by the idea of helping my viewers live their life more vibrantly. I also have an instagram (@vibrantguide) where I highlight products, ideas, and places that make your life more vibrantly. I am most proud of how my business is a truly authentic representation of my life. I have made a conscious effort not to box myself into a specific niche, so I can highlight all of my passions. The only “niche” I have is living a fulfilling, positive, and vibrant life – one that I am happy to have.
It was extremely difficult getting to where I am business wise. I got into this business extremely young, when I was just in 8th grade. For years I did not take my business seriously, as I had little motivation when I wasn’t making any money. When I saw all of my friends getting paychecks from their jobs it made me very discouraged. Going into my senior year of high school, I decided that I needed to make a change. I changed the way I viewed my work. I started writing about things that I am truly passionate about and posting authentic content about the things I love. As soon as my business felt less like a chore, it got dramatically easier to work hard. And finally I started seeing results! I now have two streams of income coming from my business (selling ad-space and through sponsorships), and truly enjoy what I do.
I have learned that you need to find the balance between working hard and doing what you love. Despite what people might tell you, it is absolutely possible to find a job that you love. Entrepreneurship is full of uncertainty, but it is something that pays off immensely.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them all around my favorite spots in Chicago! We would start by going on a morning walk around the Skokie Lagoons. I love my morning walks! We would then go to the Lincoln Park Zoo seeing all of the animals! Then we’d get a delicious brunch at Summer House Santa Monica. After that, we would go check out the Evanston beaches – Lighthouse beach is my favorite. Finally we would take a scenic drive down Sheridan Road and eat at Pizza Portifino for dinner. Lastly we’d go to the House of Blues in Chicago for music and dancing!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mom! She taught me everything I know about the blogging industry. When I was very young I would help her make recipes for her own food blog (melaniecooks), and she helped me transition to having my own blog. She’s taught me WordPress, SEO, how to market yourself, and most importantly how to persevere through uncertainty.
Website: Vibrantguide.com
Instagram: Vibrantguide
Linkedin: Anna Mendelson