CT mom’s blog blossoms into a booming business

(WFSB) – Eyewitness News is starting a series on well-known mom influencers in Connecticut.

Many have turned these side hustles into well-run businesses.

Channel 3 spoke with the shoreline’s Lauren McBride.

Before Instagram and before influencer marketing, Lauren McBride was a nurse with a very active blog.

Thanks to a lot of hard work and one very popular tree, she has a thriving business.

What started as a budding blog blossomed into a booming business.

“I went into it not even knowing that I would make a dime, doing what I’m doing. So it was truly just a creative outlet,” said Lauren. “I’ve always been genuine authentic. Just sharing about me. "

Lauren claims more than 400,000 followers on social media and launched her own home decor line.

So how did she do it?

Let’s go back to 2008.

“Half the time working as a nurse. Half the time running my blog,” Lauren said.

She focused on interior design, fashion and family.

“I’ve gotten very personal over the years. I shared when I had miscarriages. I shared when we struggled getting pregnant. I’ve shared a lot of tough topics. I’m a big sharer of mental health and anxiety,” said Lauren.

Her following grew between nursing, creating content, and having her third child.

Something had to go.

“My income from my blog started surpassing as a nurse,” Lauren said. “I had the support of my husband. I figured what do I have to lose I could always go back if it didn’t work out, but I knew that if I didn’t try it at that point, I probably never would.”

“We just went all in, and I help out with everything. The staging, the painting, the building. I do it all,” said Patrick McBride,” Lauren’s husband.

So, this became the family’s focus.

QVC took notice, asking her to help promote this fiddle leaf fig tree in 2018.

“Fiddle leaf fig tree. That tree sold a ridiculous amount. They were blown away. My community just ate that tree up. They loved it,” Lauren said.

QVC loved it too.

She became the first influencer the network ever worked with and three years ago launched her own line called By Lauren McBride.

“It was risky. I wasn’t really sure what was going to happen, but I’m glad I took that jump,” said Lauren. “I love when I get those people in my community who come back and say thank you. You helped me so much by opening up about anxiety or you helped me so much by sharing about your miscarriage.”

Her husband Patrick is a trained electrician and he’s all in on the business now too.

If you’d like to check out Lauren McBride, you can find her blog HERE and her Instagram HERE.

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