Who's that Gal: Alexa Johnson, Client Experience Digital Manager at Weber Shandwick and Boston Based Fashion and Lifestyle Blogger

Name: Alexa Johnson
Age: 29
Occupation: Client Experience Manager, Digital Health at Weber Shandwick
Currently living in: Boston, Ma
Hometown: Revere, Ma
Currently reading: When No One Is Watching
Favorite wellness ritual: Spin! 
I never leave home without: Chapstick :) 

Let’s start with the basics. What drew you to a career in social media strategy and content building?

It took me a LONG time to even get to this point. I graduated college and thought I would get into the advertising industry and be an account executive. That was my plan, but when I actually got a job in that field I wasn’t happy and to be honest, I was young and made a lot of mistakes. While at my first job I started my blog and met my now Fiance who encouraged me to start documenting my outfits and write about it. Over time, I realized I like being behind the scenes when it comes to social media and influencer marketing. I started my journey to eventually work in the field. My blog definitely helped with that. I believe everyone needs a side hustle to master their craft. Or at least learn on your own after hours. 

Why did you decide to take the leap of creating an affordable lifestyle and fashion blog? 

The blog was always about affordable fashion and lifestyle because that’s how I live my everyday life. I LOVE to shop by I never spend an insane amount of money on clothes. TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, H&M, I always go straight towards the sale section. It’s just who I am and people really liked that I featured affordable pieces. 

Did you have other bloggers who inspired you, and if so, who are they?

This might be weird to say but bloggers don’t “inspire me.” Of course, I’m inspired by people’s outfit photos or travel pictures but I never felt like I needed to buy something expensive because they posted it. I always did my own thing and my audience grew slowly but I stayed authentic. I think we need to inspire ourselves so we can figure out who we are. I hope that makes sense :)
One influencer that I love to keep up with every day is @signedblake. She’s very relatable and I love how open she is with her audience. 

Any advice for aspiring bloggers?

Stop comparing yourself to other people, thinking you need to be at a certain point in life without putting in hard work. I feel like social media made aspiring bloggers think you don’t need to actually work to grow your audience. When you’re a blogger you’re also a photographer, photo editor, photo stylist, accountant (when you have to do your taxes), and much more. You have to learn these things to be successful over time. And it does take time.

Your blog recipes look delicious! Do you have a favorite recipe you’ve made and why is it your favorite?

Oh I made this blueberry crumble that was insanely good. I started making recipes early on in quarantine. It was a great stress relief and I saw that my audience grew when I started featuring recipes. I was like “Wait, people like this? Good to know!” It was an easy pivot for me while also weaving in my fashion posts.

What does your typical day look like?

I work 9-5 (sometimes later), spin, catch up on my Instagram and work on a recipe to post during the week. I’m trying my best to juggle a lot of different projects and right now it’s working. 

What’s next for your blog? What’s next for you personally?

What’s next for me is that I want to grow my Instagram following and be a go-to source for quick recipes. I want baking to be fun and I’m working on building an audience that engages with my recipes and posts. It’s really fun. Also, my business, The Essentials Box is my side project. A turmeric face scrub I made for people with sensitive skin or someone that wants to try something new. I plan to expand the line in the next few years as well! 

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Heather Finn (she/her) is a clinical social worker living and working in North Carolina. You can follow Heather on Twitter @heatherlynnsw.

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