Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa E. Luna.
Vanessa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Fashion has always been a part of my DNA since I was a little girl. I always made sure that everything I wore matched. I loved fashion so much that my grandmother would design my dresses. The very ones I would wear to school! At 5 years old, dresses were the ultimate form of sophistication and class to me. I loved how I felt wearing my dress with matching bow! Fast forward over 20 some years later, I now own this little space on the internet called Vanessa in Dallas. I started blogging because I had been a fashion stylist for a stylist agency for 1 year and in order to gain some credibility, I was convinced that starting a fashion blog was the only way to validate that you understand fashion and style. I dabbled with a few blog names such as Fashionista101 but really had no clue where to begin. I literally started from having zero followers and content, to now, where I am grateful for my audience (who really are like my friends).
Before I even thought about starting a blog, I was already following bloggers that I had (and still do) admire. I too wanted the opportunity to share my outfit ideas with the world. Blogging has been my escape when I want to be creative. It’s been my go-to when I felt that I didn’t have anything I could call my own. It has been more than just what people see on the outside. I value my readers, my followers who I call friends, my support system, and the brands that I adore and work with. Considering my background weighs heavily on marketing, it’s no wonder why I enjoy sharing (and in a sense promoting) labels that I use in my everyday lifestyle. With almost nearing my 3rd year of blogging, I still find myself constantly learning and growing in this industry.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
If blogging was a smooth road, more people would be doing it flawlessly! It’s not as easy as it seems. When I first started, I thought blogging meant you took a snapshot of your outfit with your cell, then upload the photo to your webpage with an outfit description, and that was it. Easy-peasy right? Little did I know that blogging takes lots of planning, time, effort, consistency, and above all dedication! It pushes you outside of your comfort zone and tests your ability to balance life, work, and the blog. For women or anyone that wants to start a blog, you just have to start. I had wanted to start a blog for a while, but it wasn’t until I joined the stylist agency that I was pushed to get it started. Blogging is one of those things where you have to just dive right in, and learn as you go. Some advice I can offer is to focus on being consistent and create good content.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Vanessa in Dallas – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I graduated with my Masters in Public Health (MPH) focusing on Health Policy and Management. I basically wanted to work within Hospital Administration setting policies and operations. Who has my career taken a turn! haha! I will say though that I have always been a humanitarian at heart, which is what lead me to gain my education in Public Health. I have always found that I excel being a part of a community. With the blog, I realize I have the ability to do some ‘good’ by reaching out to non-profit organizations (whom I’ve worked with a few) and introduce them to my friends. I believe what sets me apart is that I will not only incorporate brands that I enjoy but also highlight those causes that are near and dear to my heart.
Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
Of course! I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for the experiences I had growing up. I literally live my life with the quote “live the life you have imagined”. Part of what was on my bucket list was traveling abroad. I took the opportunity to conduct my Master’s internship in a different country. It was in Bolivia where I learned a lot about life in the states and about myself. That was my first time abroad, first time traveling alone, and being so far away from home! There is something about being in a third world country that makes you realize that you are just 1 person sharing this world with so many others. When I got back home, I knew that I made my dream of traveling abroad a reality because I had pushed myself outside my comfort zone. After a few months back home, I then decided to pursue yet another initiative, and that was to live in a different city. That is when I made the decision to move to Dallas. I really feel had I not lived in Bolivia for 2 months, I would not have had the courage to move to a bigger city. I am so grateful for that experience and everything else that has fallen into place since the move into Dallas 6 years ago. In addition to this experience, I have a supportive family and now a great husband who plays a huge impact on the occurrences in my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.vanessaindallas.com
- Email: vanessaindallas@gmail.com
- Instagram: vanessaindallas
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/vanessaindallas
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/vanessaindallas
- Other: www.pinterest.com/vanessaindallas
Image Credit:
Luisas Secret Photography
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