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Blogcadette Recap: Jayne Rusby, A Yoga Babe With Guts

Jayne Rusby is a yoga babe with guts.  When we met her in London at the start of the year, we were immediately taken with her chutzpah, her open mind and her strictly no bullshit take on life!

Her blog, She is the Revolution, doesn’t assault your eyeballs with a hundred bells and whistles.  It is a place of refuge for women who are learning to love themselves… And we’re in love with it, too.

Through revitalizing breath & moving our bodies to the beat, eating soulful life food & thinking outside of rigid boxes, we can inspire ourselves & others to live a life that truly rocks.

This is not about self improvement.

This is about self acceptance.

(She Is The Revolution manifesto)

Your blog has changed and evolved so much since we met you in London. What, in your mind, have been the biggest and most positive changes?

The BEST thing about Blogcademy is that it is in person. Gala, Kat & Shauna travelling all over the world showing up, being present and inspiring fellow bloggers. This made the act of being online feel more human. I’ve done so many online courses and to be honest not always finished them but The Blogcademy is different.

A great thing was realising that these ladies are the same as me, they have just put in the hard work & the hours for longer. Self belief was a big thing especially from Gala who oozes charisma, Kat is wild with a dose of profanity & Shauna has a beautiful professional grace, everything I hope to infuse into She is the Revolution.

The most positive change is that this is what I do now. She is the Revolution is what I am dedicating all my time to. I love it, I want to do it all the time. The stuff I have in the pipeline is going to explode over the coming months.

What is the overall vision for your blog?

I know this is being read on The Blogcademy blog but I actually don’t visualise my site as a blog. It’s a place, a soft landing to create a movement of young women. Women who are just starting to peep over the wall of insecurity and are ready to take responsibility for their own happiness. When I write, it’s for them. So my overall vision would be that my readers feel connected to what I write, they share it, use it as reference in different stages of life, and that they feel very much part of it.

Is it difficult for you to be so vulnerable in public? What do you gain from doing that?

I have to be vulnerable, there is a strength in vulnerability and I believe it’s how we connect. Not by being aloof, guarded or different, I’ll never help anyone that way. Yeah it can sound all woo woo but we tell ourselves the same bullshit lies, I just want to crack wide open so that I can inspire others.

When it comes to your blog, what are you most proud of?

Ha ha the fact that I actually started the bloody thing, which is a big thank you to The Blogcademy. When I signed up I didn’t have a blog at all. I paid my money and then thought, ‘Shit, I’m gonna get detention, so I better put my mouth where my money went.’ I hastily put one up, got my report card, took on board the comments and made changes. I have total respect for these three ladies, they’ve done the work.

The current version is the result of six weeks of copywriting to back up the posts that have been ongoing. I’m proud of that. I’m not a natural writer, I’m a talker, so this is a muscle I’m learning to use.

What’s the most valuable thing you took away from The Blogcademy? Would you recommend it to your best friend?

Seriously being in the same room as the girls is simply wonderful. Yes they are beautiful, talented and successful but they really make you feel like you are too. There is no difference.

Funnily enough, I actually came with one of my best friends and she has got loads out of it too. Would I recommend it to others? HELL YES! I went to the second ever Blogcademy and I know that improvements have been made which I’m slightly envious of. I think a level two in smaller groups would be awesome, although the girls might have to be cloned to do that too…

How would you like to expand or improve your blog in the next 12 months? In your wildest dreams, how would your blog look and feel next year?

In my wildest dreams, next year I will have created a movement. The SHE in She is the Revolution is not me, it’s us. I would love to see young women talking about this place as if they created it because actually they have. This blog isn’t about me, it’s about how I can serve others. I’d like to think that there will be better writing once that muscle has been flexed and video is absolutely on the horizon.

And if we’re talking WILD, I’d like to be interviewing inspirational women and bringing the blog alive by doing workshops and talks all over the world. And the best thing is that it’s all possible.

Do You Have The Post-Blogcademy Blues?!

Los Angeles babes… Photo by Caroline Winata!

Hey there, Blogcadettes!

Are you feeling the post-Blogcademy blues like us?  Symptoms may include: sadness, constant reminiscing, a general lack of turquoise, craving of 80’s tunes, putting on every single item from your goodie bag at once to try to recapture some of the magic, etc.!

If you are, here are some ways to bust through the gloom!

  • Reconnect with your fellow classmates (and students from other classes!) in our forum.  If you didn’t join it yet, email us to get an invitation!
  • Better yet, take it offline!  Meet up with your blogging posse in person.  Have regular dates with a handful of blogging babes and see what magic you can make!
  • Write yourself a blogging action plan.  What do you want to achieve in the next week, month, three months, six months, year?  Think about how you want to feel about your blog — then plan accordingly.  Put your list somewhere that you’ll see it every day, like right next to your computer, and start working through it!
  • Listen to this 80’s teen movie playlist and pretend you’re back in class!

We’ll be doing full recaps of both classes soon… And by the way, we’ll be teaching in New York and Minneapolis in June!  Want to join us?!

xo,

Gala, Shauna and Kat.

Yoohoo, Portland!

Yoohoo, Portland! We are in you!

Yep, it’s true! Kat and Gala were reunited at LAX yesterday afternoon, before hopping a quick flight to Portland. The three of us are firmly ensconced at Wolfgang Manor, Shauna’s incredible house from the 1920’s, and we’re having a pretty fabulous time!

Wolfgang Manor is almost entirely pristine white, with an enormous taxidermy bear standing guard in the corner. It strikes a balance between frightening and fabulous! (Don’t worry, I’m sure Ol’ Grizzly will be wearing a flower crown by the end of the week!)

Of course, we haven’t stopped taking photos since we first clapped eyes on one another… Some things never change!

We can’t wait for our live Q&A session this afternoon — you’re tuning in, right?! — and to make some major blogger mischief at The Blogcademy: Portland this weekend! And hey, we can certainly squeeze you in if you’ve put off buying your ticket until the last minute!

Squee!

Kisses,
Gala, Kat and Shauna.

The Blogcademy: Livestream In Portland!

Join us for this event — or get access! — by clicking on the button above. Tickets cost just $7 and you’ll can’t tune in live, don’t worry, you’ll get access to the recording forever!

Much love,
Gala, Kat and Shauna.

Go To The Head Of The Class! Bespoke Bride’s Brilliant Rebranding!

We love our graduates, and we get so excited when we see them implementing changes and giving their sites a major spruce-up!

One of our cutest students (shhh, don’t tell anyone), Jessica Turley, is one half of Bespoke Bride, a kickass blog that helps brides avoid a cliche-ridden, cookie-cutter wedding. When she came to us, Bespoke Bride was very beige and romantic-looking.  It was beautiful, it just wasn’t very Jessica! (This girl is a firecracker!)

Here’s what it looked like when we met Jessica in January… It was beautiful, but it didn’t embody or line up with what Jessica and Emily were doing.

…So you can imagine our surprise and delight when they unveiled their brand new look. We’re in LOVE with it!

First of all, look at that header! It’s so much fun, and makes us think of colourful confetti. Their slogan — Inspired by us, created by you — is perfect. It gives you a great clue to what this dynamic duo can provide!

Their colour scheme is great, so peppy and vibrant, and not the same old thing we’ve already seen done a million times online!

Jessica and Emily have also decided to branch out with their content, giving us peeks of what goes on behind the scenes, showing us what they’re wearing, sharing their travel tips and DIYs. In other words, they’re expanding their scope, which gives us a much richer insight into what these two girls are really about! After all, when it comes to a blog, people come for the information, but they stay for your personality. Jessica and Emily have this in spades, so why not show it off?!

We’re so psyched to see these changes, we think it is such a major upgrade. Head on over to Bespoke Bride to see the transformation for yourself!

Congratulations, babes. You are top of the class!

Love always,

Gala, Shauna and Kat.

So, What’s All This Livestream Business, Then?!

 

Your intrepid headmistresses will be reunited next week, so to celebrate, we’re throwing a little online party… And you’re invited!

At 1pm PST on Wednesday the 27th of March, our Blogcademy Livestream will be coming to you direct from Portland, Oregon!

This is the perfect opportunity to get the skinny on what really goes down at The Blogcademy, because we’ll be answering your questions.  Yes, you’re in charge!  What do you want to know?  We’re at your service!  This livestream will be 100% steered and directed by you.

For example…

  • Do you feel stuck with your blog, or you’re just not sure what to do next?
  • Are you wondering what your niche is?
  • Not sure how to make yourself stand out in a veritable SEA of internet personalities?
  • Are you on the fence about using your blog to make money, or don’t know how to do it?
  • Do you have blogger’s block, suffer from apathy or a crazy lack of inspiration?
  • Are you pulling your hair out because you don’t know how to manage your time?!
  • Would you like to use your blog to support your business… But don’t know how?

The recipe is simple: just buy a ticket, and then let us know your questions!  You can email them or tweet them through, whatever is easiest for you.  We’d be thrilled to answer ’em!

If you’re not sure if The Blogcademy is for you — or if you simply can’t swing the cost of a ticket right now — this livestream is a great taste of what we’re all about.  We will be giggling, telling stories, talking about our blogging experiences and showing you how easy it all can be!

Your ticket gives you access to the recording of our livestream, so if you can’t watch it while it happens, you can see it immediately afterwards… And forever after!

Oh… And I almost forgot to mention that we’re giving away one Blogcademy goodie bag to one lucky viewer!  You’ll get a damn good-looking tote (your pick of L.A. or Portland custom design!), packed to the brim with fabulous things: sparkly bunny ears, jewellery, shoe clips, accessories, and of course, a copy of our Blogcademy magazine!

It’s all pretty sassy, really.  You don’t want to miss out on this!  Click here to buy your ticket!

Can’t wait to (digitally!) see you next week!

Excitedly,

Gala, Kat and Shauna.

The Blogcademy Manifesto

A few weeks ago, I sat down at my desk and banged out a Blogcademy manifesto. It poured from my fingers fast and fluid, starting with, We believe in the power of turquoise…

Writing a manifesto is a fun exercise for anyone who likes to play with words. I wrote a radical self love manifesto for my own blog years ago, and it has served as a kind of cornerstone of the radical self love concept ever since.

See if you can make some time to sit down and write a manifesto for your business or blog this weekend. You might be surprised by what you come up with!

 

We curated a little Blogcademy-inspired treasury over on Etsy… Do you like it?!

 

Oh, and speaking of visual inspiration, we’ve also been pinning up a storm over on Pinterest! What can you expect to find? Plenty of turquoise, for one… But also oodles of tips for blogging babes. (Oh, and some cans of gin snuck in there, too! The perils of having an English headmistress!)

Only 24 days until we see you in Portland! Counting down the sleeps!

xo always,
Gala, Shauna and Kat.

Look who got a brand new forum!

Drumroll please!  We are so excited to announce the debut of our brand spanking new forum!  Only two days in and we already have 75 Blogcademy babes signed up, chatting and asking questions and getting to know one another!  It’s amazing and we’re so thrilled.

xo always,

Gala, Shauna and Kat.

Ch-Ch-Changes!

Photo by Hannah Webster.

Good things take time, or so they say, and The Blogcademy is no exception!  After three rollicking sold-out classes, we’ve decided to make some changes to the curriculum… and we couldn’t be more excited about it!

Our weekend attendees in London may have noticed the dapper and talented Richard Wakefield of FX Films creeping around Curtain Road Studios.  In addition to making a video showcasing the atmosphere (and fabulous headgear!) of The Blogcademy, he also filmed the entirety of Lisa Devlin‘s photography lecture.

The reason for this?  As much as we love (and secretly worship!) Lisa, packing her into our turquoise suitcase and toting her all over the world with us isn’t totally practical!

We’re thrilled to announce that all Blogcademy students will receive a link to this video with their ticket purchase, which is perfect for any graduates who desire a little “extra credit”! Think of it as a little way we’re giving you even more bang for your buck!

By shifting this segment to the online space, we have an extra two hours to learn and play together!  This will vary slightly from class to class, and will be tailored for our individual mix of students and their needs, but we’re going to pump up the volume in a segment on non-sleazy networking, info on savvy image use, as well as some excellent and immersive activities (to remain secret until the day!).

We know it’s going to be great, and we’re psyched about making some fabulous new changes. As always, if you have any questions, please hit us up on Twitter!

xo always,

Gala, Shauna and Kat.