With six children under six-years-old and degrees in Public
Speaking, Anthropology and an Ivy League MBA between the two of them, Audrey
McClelland and Colleen Padilla are a true dynamic duo. The two stay-at-home
career-moms successfully launched their personal blogs—Mom Generations and
Classy Mommy, respectively—over five years ago. Recently, they teamed up to
write a book on the experience of working for themselves and building their own
brands as working mothers. The result? The
Digital Mom Handbook: How to Blog, Vlog, Tweet, and Facebook Your Way to a Dream
Career at Home—an entrepreneurial quick-read that defies the traditional
categorization of a “how-to.” It’s part autobiography, part social
anthropology, and a whole lot of inspiration.
What inspired you to
write The Digital Mom Handbook?
Audrey McClelland:
We started blogging in 2006…and everybody kind of felt like there was a secret
to making money. We got questions from other bloggers and women who wanted to
start blogs. And no one had written a book about it. So we were like, would you
ever want to join forces and create a roadmap for moms who want to start
blogging, and how they can potentially turn it into a business?
Colleen Padilla: It
was really important to get the word out so other moms knew how to do it, and how
to define their own success, whether it be money, gaining recognition…whatever
it is that would allow them to still meet those needs but also be able to spend
time with their children… We interviewed 200 moms, and 65 moms ended up being
featured, which we both feel is just so
crucial because not everyone’s experience is going to be the same as [ours].
What is the most
challenging part of being a mommy blogger?
AM: We all went
into this for the same reason, and that is to be at home with our families. So
the most difficult thing has been seeing these blogs grow and then having to be
on the road for opportunities to fulfill this business. For me, I’m the only
one in my family who’s making an income. My husband was laid off, and so the
blog has truly become a family business.
CP: You have to
decide what’s most important to you. So I think the challenging thing for me
has been that there are a lot of really neat opportunities, but my number one
goal is to always say that I’m doing this so I can spend time with my kids and
not to work full time… But there’s mom guilt either way!
What do your husbands
and children think of what you do?
AM: It always
cracks me up when my five-year-old is like, “Mom, are you on Twitter?” So I’m
trying to teach them the best way that I can that I’m sharing my life online.
CP: They love
testing out all the new products and toys. And my husband’s really supportive.
He was the one who originally encouraged me to start a blog.
What has been your
most rewarding experience so far? 
AM: I run Mom
Generations with my mom and my sister, and Estée Lauder reached out to us to do
a breast cancer awareness ad. It was an extremely emotional opportunity because
we were doing it in honor of our cousin Cathy. For me it was a true full-circle
moment because I worked in the fashion industry in New
York for five years, and the photo was actually
picked up by Women’s Wear Daily. I
still kind of get goosebumps because it was the first thing that we’ve ever
been able to do together where we actually [made] an impact.
CP: The most rewarding
thing for me is any event where I’m able to include my kids… We’ve gotten to work
multiple times with Jennifer Garner and the Save the Children campaign. We
helped her pack 900 snack boxes for kids.
What is the best
piece of parenting advice you’ve ever received?
AM: It’s from my
mother: just enjoy the regular moments. We become so crazy in our lives as
parents, and especially being a work-at-home mom…that it’s the moments that are
regular in life that I’m trying to savor.
CP: “The days are
long, but the years are short.” I feel like I say it to myself 20 times a day
any time I make a decision… It’s like a mantra!
For more information,
visit digitalmomhandbook.com. And for more from Audrey and Colleen, visit momgenerations.com
and classymommy.com.
Five Tips On How To Get Started With Blogging
By Audrey McClelland and Colleen Padilla
1. Know your passion.
This will help you immensely from the get-go. You need to make sure you love what
you are blogging about.
2. Log on and keep posting.
Try to blog daily. This will make it a habit, improve your writing and help you
find your voice. Your audience will grow as you continue to write more and
more. Try not to take more than three days off.
3. Grab the reader.
Title your posts so they sound engaging. Think of when you read a magazine or
newspaper and how the headline captures your attention.
4. Check out other
bloggers. Leave comments on their blogs. Link to them in your own blog
posts. Start to find some blogging friends you can rely on and grow with. Be
part of the community!
5. Make it visual.
If you have a day where you have nothing to write about, photos and videos go a
LONG way on a post. Branch out and add lots of dimensions to your blog!
