CdM Exclusive: Simply CEO Sarah Boyd launches Simply LA in style

“It’s really just one handshake or one introduction that you need to really change your career.” -Sarah Boyd Simply founder and CEO

Photo via Instagram @sarahpboyd

Simply common sense is the best way to describe Saturday’s fashion and beauty conference held on the rooftop of the Grove shopping center in Beverly Hills. The event, powered by Nylon Magazine was full of informative panels, innovative brands and fun networking opportunities, exactly how Sarah Boyd, the Simply founder and CEO, pictured it 5 years ago when she first came up with the idea.

“I was doing PR at the time and I really saw a need for in person connection and to do it in a kind environment.” She told me of her inspiration for the company.

The event was filled with experts and digital influencers from the fashion and beauty industries as well as editors and businesswomen from traditional media such as Gabrielle Korn Nylon editor in Chief, actress Ashley Greene, blogger Becca Tilley and more. Fashion lovers and young stylish consumers were invited to experience the brands that were showcasing their products and get the latest updates on the new and exciting companies that are making waves in the industry including popular names like Planet Blue, BeGalmmed, New Beauty Magazine, BlessBox, Shoedazzle, and more. For the VIP attendees exclusive access to panels with celebrities, digital influencers, and successful entrepreneurs was the highlight of the event. Topics like the business of blogging, starting a brand, and how to kill it on social media were just a few of the insider tips that were discussed.

She told me about her idea saying, “It’s really just one handshake or one introduction that you need to really change your career because you have that one person who believes in you. So, I wanted to make that happen here in person.”

Organizing the scattered and confusing landscape of social media influencers and publishers within the fashion and beauty industries is a challenge that few people have wanted to take on, and it is often regarded as a separate business altogether.

“A lot of this stuff, I never thought it would ever happen.” She continued.

However, providing a conference for consumers who are looking to experience their favorite companies and, industry leaders in social media and digital content, to connect with up and coming digital and traditional brands (and plenty of Instagram worthy photo-ops) was the perfect way to highlight all the things they have in common.

Not one to give up, Sarah told me about getting her ideas from her vision board to a real-life conference at The Grove saying, “You just gotta hustle and persevere and never take no for an answer and it can happen.”

“I network a lot. I always tell everybody at my events you have to network.” She added.

As for her process of finding the right brands to work with at the Simply conferences she said, “It’s people that have a big heart and are kind and share their knowledge. Not a lot of people do that in the industry so I personally handpick a lot of them…I think it’s just through meeting people and if I really feel like they can bring something to our audience that’s how I choose them.”

And she still has more she’s looking to accomplish for the future of Simply.

 “I see doing more cities, more countries. Potentially retreats in the future. Just building the community.” She told me. For now, she’s just been celebrating the success of her LA conference saying, “It’s incredible…A pinch me moment.” 

CdM Fashion Careers: Amy Roiland Fashion Blogger

Amy Roiland, Successful LA fashion blogger
www.FashionTap.com

@FashionTapApp
@Afashionnerd

www.afashionnerd.com

(Amy and I at the Melange tradeshow last week!)

Where did you go to school and what did you study? Did you always know you wanted to be a fashion blogger?   
- I went to CSUN and studied fashion merchandising and marketing. I started several blogs back in 2008  and finally started my current blog A Fashion Nerd over 2 years ago. I didn’t always know I wanted to be a fashion blogger I just kind of fell into it.

Why did you start blogging?
 I started blogging to help express myself and show others how to style different outfits. My style is very quirky so it can be hard for some to relate to me but fun to watch.

What blogger platform do you use?  Blogger.com

When you first started blogging, how did you grow your followers and contacts? Did you use any paid services for managing/marketing your blog? 
I started my blog A Fashion Nerd over 2 years ago and I now have over 37k followers on Instagram and over 7 million vine views. I grew all of my followers organically. I worked with some bigger brands who started posting me on their social media outlets, this is how I grew fast. I also have some youtube celebrity friends and when they took a photo with me and posted it to their large audience I would gain a lot of attention and followers. I also did some big collaborations with some really big brands and when they would repost me I would blow up. I worked VERY hard to get my followers. Don’t ever pay for them because people will find out!

How often did you post starting out? And now? 
 I posted blog posts every single day sometimes 2 times a day. I have over 730 blog posts to this day. I worked so hard and even posted blogs when I didn’t feel so well. I always shot my own photos, I use a tri pod and a clicker to take my own shots. I would travel around alone taking my own photos and getting them up the same day. I would post them on every social media outlet as well. I was consistent and nothing could get in my way. I now post once a day on Instagram and 3 times a day on FashionTap. I post a blog maybe twice a week. I am so busy lately with my app FashionTap I don’t have much time.

How many people do you have on your team now?  Just me.

What was the biggest challenge you faced starting out as a blogger and how did you overcome it?  Growing my audience was difficult. I just kept going and going and going and I wasn’t going to stop until I was big. It’s even harder now to grow your audience on an over saturated platform like Instagram. When you #fashionblogger you see food, dogs, spam… FashionTap will allow bloggers to be found by designers and other people in our database. Not only that FashionTap will allow you bloggers to be paid way easier than anywhere else. You can easily monetize your outfits on your photos on FashionTap.

Was there a turning point when you reached success and how did you know what the catalyst was? I didn’t know the exact catalyst for my blogging success. I really feel happy lately because I am working with brands like Jeffrey Campbell, Manoush, and Free People. This is huge for me. I never thought I would get to work with such big brands. I  think staying consistent and being persistent is key.

What are you doing now? Tell us about FashionTap app? 
Right now I am focusing my main attention on my app FashionTap. FashionTap is a fashion social network where users can directly tag their beauty products and clothes onto their images and when people click on what they’ve tagged they make money up to 50% of the sale. FashionTap is also a fashion database where everyone in fashion can finally be found by location and by category. If you search Austin TX you will see bloggers, brands, designers, stylists, boutiques, pr firms, models, hair, makeup, photographers, retailers, and fashion enthusiasts.

What do you see yourself doing in the future? 
Designing my own clothing line and shoe line and working as the CEO of FashionTap as well. I also want to be a motivational speaker one day and really help everyone realize their potential! You can do whatever you want always, you just have to focus on what you want.