Turning Life Lessons into Lifestyle Advice

Blogger Lauren Bowling Shares Her Motivation for Helping Others Live Their Best Financial Life

As part of my Fall 2017 series on women who are entrepreneurs, freelancers and independent business owners, I spoke to Lauren Bowling, who powers a side hustle stream of revenue from her personal finance and lifestyle site, FinancialBestLife.com, which launched in 2012.

>> In today’s Q&A, Lauren shares her inspiration for what she does and her motivation for helping others learn from her own life lessons. 

What about operating your own venture appeals to you?

Lauren: I love being able to do something creative that I get to dictate the terms and the content and the branding. Having multiple streams of income is always nice because it gives you options - options to say no to project you're not passionate about, options to say yes to the things you do want to do. 

Was there anything initially that held you back from pursuing a side hustle and freelancing?

Lauren: Well I've been blogging for five years, but really only making good money for the last three or so. Initially, it was just about learning all I could and trying to find the right sites with the good information. They don't teach you how to blog in school! 

What are some of the challenges that come with operating an independent business?

Lauren: Running a side business on top of a full-time, 9-5 gig is hard. I did it for two years and it required an incredible amount of discipline...and also being okay with saying "no" to things, like evenings out, time with friends and family, etc. when I needed to work on the blog. 

Why would you recommend pursuing a side hustle or freelance venture to other women?

Lauren: I think for women especially, we're looking for that balance, both in work and in our family lives. So, I think starting a side hustle as a young woman that you can keep around if/when you want to have kids, again, gives you options. I also just love having something that's mine that's also creatively stimulating. That might not be important to other people but having fulfilling work is very important to me. 

What area of your life has improved by the fact that went out on your own?

Lauren: I'm a better public speaker now than before, thanks to the blog. Having to do so many press interviews and podcasts over the years now makes talking in public a breeze. 

What do you appreciate most about what your blog provides to its audience?

Lauren: I'd love to think that people are thinking about their finances in a different way because of my blog, but really I think it's the stories - of how I paid off $8,000 in debt in 90 days, or bought a house as a single woman at 26 that provides the real value. People see me and say, "If she can do it, I can do it." And then they get to work. 

For trendy lifestyle advice that also proves quite practical, follow Lauren on Twitter @finbestlife.

>> Have you considered pursuing your skill set or passion as a side hustle or entrepreneurial venture? Share your questions, experiences and tips for others in the comments below!