The path from what you’re doing to your passion fascinates me. There’s no right way to get there. There’s no map that guarantees success. And the lightning strike that says it’s the time to make the leap may be too subtle to notice.
I love talking to people about that path, and Bess Auer is no exception. Having started and sold a couple of blogs, she now runs the Florida Blogger & Social Media Conference (AKA FLBlogCon) and is writing a new book, the Big Book of Everything I’ve Ever Learned.
A fourth generation Orlandoan, she’s about building community here. FLBlogCon is an example of that. Central Florida Top 5 is another. The Florida Swim Network is yet another. Follow her on any of her social media and you’ll see an enthusiastic central Floridian.
And if you follow her on social media, you may want to to support her on Patreon as well and part of her new book. Listen, learn, and go build a community of your own!
2:08 – Bess plays a Day Late or a Dollar Short. Because deadlines are ridiculous.
12:21 – We talk about April the Giraffe and the fundraising around her incredibly long labor process.
19:58 – Bess went from middle school English to blogging. Here’s the start of that story.
24:58 – She makes the jump to full-time online work by starting the Florida Swim Network.
31:12 – Bess gets back to her roots: Writing.
41:15 – We get into some Bad Business Ideas™. Combating the prying eyes of hackers, the CIA, etc. Also, keeping sick people out of the office.
53:39 – Digging in on why Bess writes, and choosing blogging instead of a corporate role.
1:03:03 – Always hustling. How does Bess keep it all straight?
1:11:17 – A little bit about Bess in college at the University of Florida.
