I Said No to 2,000 Euros for One Post
Omg hi, it truly has been a while since I wrote a blog post. Four months, to be specific (not that anyone is counting), but for me those four months passed in a second, basically.
It’s not that I’ve forgotten about the blog. Absolutely not. It’s just been… a lot. So let’s do a little recap of what’s going on, because I miss writing here as well, and I thought it would be nice to catch up first before I publish other posts.
Did I say I’m happy you’re here?!?! Anyway…
So, what have I been up to?
Those four months that passed in a second, I have dedicated mostly to Instagram and to writing my ultimate skincare guide. Guys, I mean uuuultimate. The Skin Edit. (I mean, it ended up being 132 pages?! Whoops, I had a lot of tea to spill.)
I’ve basically been writing it anywhere and everywhere you can even think of. Yes, even on my yoga mat on the grass, lying in the sun. And if I didn’t have my laptop with me, well, I don’t go anywhere without my dear phone, so many times every day I wrote a sentence or two into my notes app about what I wanted to include. (Btw, that is my hack for not forgetting anything. Whenever I come up with an idea, I write everything down in my notes. I mean, you know I’m a fan of journaling, so that is my easy, on the go journaling method lol.)
But okay, wow. As I said, it turned out to be 132 pages, and basically everything you would ever want to ask me about skincare, you’ll find the answer there. I made sure to write it for YOU. Like for my bestie, so that it is easy to understand. I also gave a lot of my own opinions and experiences and, haha, my analogies for the different skincare steps.
I definitely did not want it to be like a clinical textbook, or something general that everyone already knows. I wanted to write it from my perspective, my knowledge and my experience. But of course a lot of it is backed up with real facts that I’ve learnt all the way from esthetician school and during the decade I’ve spent working in the beauty industry.
I will actually write a full blog post about it, so I won’t go more in depth here. But if you want to read more or grab the guide, you can do it here.
The moment I hit publish
When I hit publish, I’m not going to lie, it was nerve-wracking. I don’t have a baby, but I can only imagine the feeling is the same as when your kid starts school haha. Okay, don’t come after me for this, but you see, it had been only me and The Skin Edit (baby), and then I hit publish and suddenly it’s in someone else’s hands.
But yeah, I was nervous. And then (of course), with the very first purchase, the guide for some reason did not arrive in the buyer’s email automatically, as it should. A small thing, I know, and easy to fix, but still. (Again) I’m somewhat of a perfectionist, so it truly felt like the world was going under lol.
Anyway, I’m happy to let you know that I definitely had a glass or two of wine in the sun in Greece after I hit publish. (Probably NOT what a mom would do on her child’s first day of school, or what do I know.)
ANYWAY. The guide is not the only thing that has happened…
Instagram, and the mind game no one talks about
So I’ve been somewhat active, aka trying my best, on posting on Instagram, which is actually so much fun and I really enjoy doing it. Especially now, when I’m more confident in bringing more of my personality into it.
(Btw, did you know that when you’re a new creator, you should be posting every single day to keep Instagram and the algorithm happy?!? I can tell you that I’m stuck in the middle between keeping my boyfriend and my dog happy and keeping the Instagram algorithm happy, and I can for sure tell you I can’t keep up with them all. Unfortunately I only have 24 hours per day. Can you imagine!!)
But I want to say that it reaaaally is a mind game, friends. My god. I notice that I can easily go into this trap where I first come up with a thought of what to post (write it down in my notes, hehe), but then I scroll for a second and booom, I get the feeling that wait, mine is not good enough. Or even better (read: worse), I have already recorded and edited and I’m about to hit publish, and then it happens.
So… any guesses what happens? Yup. I end up posting… nothing. And then the mind game spirals again, like oh wait, I need to post every day.
Another thing is that I post something, it gets bad reach and not so much engagement, and that, my friends, can hit hard. It does not necessarily mean it was bad, but you know, it can truly hit hard on my confidence. Btw, here’s a little reminder for all of us: liking someone else’s post takes nothing away from you. Literally nothing.
Anyway, I’m working my way through it and I’m definitely not giving up. I guess I wanted to say that if there is even one of you who is struggling with the same or can relate, I want to let you know you’re not the only one. To be honest, I think this is so common, even with big stars, but no one really talks about it. (At least not in my feed.)
Why I say no to most brands
Let’s talk about brand collaborations. I LOVE working with brands. I mean, I have basically been working either for brands or with different brands for as long as I’ve been in the beauty industry. It’s just so much fun, and I love collaborating with them now and creating content specifically for them.
I’ve been very lucky to have received so many collaboration requests from different amazing brands that at some point I got really overwhelmed, to be honest. (What a privilege to be overwhelmed by that, btw.) But as I’ve mentioned before, and still stand behind today, I’m actually very picky when it comes to brands and collaborators. So there are actually more collaboration requests that I’ve said no to than yes to.
Basically… what makes me say yes to a brand is really simple: would I buy this with my own money? If yes, then absolutely, I want to collaborate. The same goes for brands that I’ve already worked with and love, or brands I know or have heard good things about and would love to try and get to know. Or, when it comes to skincare brands, where the ingredients are so good I can’t say no.
I know there are a lot of creators who basically market everything, a bit randomly, and maybe don’t choose so specifically. But if there’s one thing I want you to know about me, it’s this.
And I mean it. I actually said no to a brand that offered me 2,000 euros for one single post on my feed. But unfortunately, it was a brand that does not align with my values. Not at all, to be honest. And friends, as much as I truly need the yacht (you’re all invited on the girls’ trip, obviously), a collaboration that doesn’t align with my values is simply a big no. We’ll get to the yacht another way.
I’m changing my name (well, sort of)
Okay… one more thing. I’m planning to change my Instagram name (my IG handle) to: idakojo. And before you think why the h*ll?!? Let me explain.
Well, to start off with, it’s my name, lol! No, but honestly, it will make a lot of admin stuff behind the scenes easier for me. Yes, for me. And as you know, I like to have strategies and long-term plans for my growth, so I’m thinking it will be better later if my name is, well, the brand. Do you see at all what I mean?
(Oh, and I’m about to start my first company?! Until now I’ve been sending invoices through invoicing companies, but I think it’s time to grow up and start my own official company. Just wait, soon I’ll need an assistant. Would you want to be the one?!?! Think how much fun we could have?!)
Anyway, back to the name change. In my opinion, today it’s not so much about having a “niche” for your content anymore. (I mean, I’m the niche, duhh.) It’s more about having category pillars. Don’t get me wrong, it definitely does not mean I will start sharing random content. It’s more like this (hello, welcome into my strategy plan):
The brand: Ida Kojo, who happens to be an esthetician with a lot of knowledge and experience within the beauty industry, and specifically skincare. So obviously that is one of my pillars. Wellness and selfcare play a big role in my everyday life. I mean, it’s something I’m into and have a passion for (plusss, very much linked to skincare), so that is part of me too. The same goes for beauty, and for fashion to some extent.
And that is basically what I’ve been posting up until now: rotating between my selfcare and wellness rituals, skincare and beauty. I recently shared just one outfit picture, but I think you liked it (!?!). And that is what you’ll find on the blog as well, but in a different context, obviously.
So yeah, in simple terms. The brand: Ida Kojo, who is an esthetician, has a skincare and lifestyle blog called Glowhaven, and a skincare guide or ebook. (I’m not really sure which one is better to use tbh??! So don’t get confused when you see ebook and guide lol, I’m talking about the same thing, The Skin Edit.) Does this make sense?!
Okay, this was a short little update on what has been going on and where we stand now!!
The next post will be a dedicated blog post about The Skin Edit, so if you’re curious about it but for one reason or another haven’t grabbed it yet, make sure you read the next post!
xoxo
Ida
