How I Succeeded is a regular series on Lifehacker where we ask business leaders for the secrets and tactics behind their success. Today: Jen Bishop, founder and managing director at Interiors Addict.
Current gig: Founder and full-time blogger at Interiors Addict
Location: Sydney, Australia
Current mobile device: Samsung Galaxy S8
Current computer: A gold MacBook
One word that best describes how you work: Flexibly!
What apps/software/tools can’t you live without?
Google GSuite, the CommBank app, WhatsApp, Instagram, WordPress, MailChimp and Xero.
What social network do you find the most useful?
Instagram. As a full-time influencer, this is a big part of my job, as well as something I enjoy scrolling through.
What were the most important lessons you learned while growing your business?
You are rarely 100% ready so you just need to crack on and start doing things, and sometimes make it up as you go along! Also, you need to spend money to make money and in my case, I spend that on the people who work for me. And lastly, that work/life balance is at best, totally personal to you and at worst, a
myth. Love what you do, and then you’ll enjoy the juggle most of the time.
What has been the most surprising part of your business journey?
To be honest, that my business is still growing after five years. I wouldn’t have been alone in thinking that being a full-time blogger wasn’t going to last. And now Interiors Addict is Australia’s most popular interiors blog for the everyday person with almost 100k monthly readers. The trick is to keep innovating and making sure you’re offering your customer what they want. And really, content marketing has never been more popular, and creating unique and engaging content for brands is what I do best.
What everyday thing are you better at than anyone else?
Accessorising a room.
What’s your sleep routine like?
Currently terrible because I’m suffering from pregnancy insomnia! In general, I’m a night owl and I get up as late as my toddler allows, which isn’t late enough! Working from home suits me because I am definitely not a morning person!
What advice would you offer to other businesses on how to succeed?
Back yourself, delegate and get help, be real, genuine and honest and don’t use smoke and mirrors to pretend you’re something you’re not. I am able to work with brands like Pottery Barn, west elm, American Express, Freedom, Nespresso, Domayne, H&M and Caesarstone, while still being authentic. It’s okay to be a small and lean operation doing great work.
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