Stib Meets...Victoria Sully

Stib Meets….

Blogger Victoria Sully from Lylia Rose

This week we talk to full time blogger, Victoria Sully, the woman behind both www.lyliarose.com and www.healthyvix.com. Victoria has been blogging for over five years and was able to successfully quit her job after four years to pursue blogging full time. She’s passionate about blogging, healthy living & showing you can make money online. Here she talks to us about why it doesn’t matter if you don’t have a life plan mapped out when growing up; how she has turned her passion for writing in to a living; and the importance of being a ‘self believer’.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I honestly had no clue!  I changed my mind constantly; one minute I wanted to be a radio DJ, then a firefighter, then a school teacher.  I felt like I had to know what I wanted to be and have a plan for my life, but I never felt totally passionate about one thing when I was younger.  It’s only now I’m in my thirties that I’ve found something I love to do in writing and blogging.

What advice would you give yourself as a child?

It’s OK to not know what you want to be.  Just because everyone else has a life plan it doesn’t mean you have to.  Instead of going to university and studying something you’re not totally interested in, go traveling and see the world instead.  It’s never too late to realise what you want to do and to start studying.

What was your 'big idea' which inspired you to set up your business?

I already had my Lylia Rose business before I decided to turn my blog into a business as I had been selling items online for a few years – that’s how Lylia Rose came about originally as an online fashion boutique.  However, I had the realisation that I could turn my blog into its own business after three years of blogging when I began to read other bloggers income reports. Before this I never even knew it was possible to make money from a blog.  I began to seek collaborations and I’ve never looked back. I made a part time income for the first few months after monetising and then decided to take it seriously and go full time after I had made a full time income consistently for six months.  I realised this could be a serious business and I needed to take myself seriously. I now work full time on my blog and have even set up a second blog this year in January which I have already managed to monetise. I’ve also taken on my husband’s blog and monetised that too, so I run three money making blogs in total today.

 My first blog has changed in direction from being a business blog alongside my online store, to a fashion and beauty blog which I wasn’t so passionate about and now to a family lifestyle, making money online and healthy living blog instead.  When I decided to take my blog away from a business blog and become a ‘blogger’ I had no idea what to blog about. I had only seen fashion and beauty blogs before so I tried to fit into this niche, but never felt very enthusiastic about it. Once I decided to change the theme again and write about the things that I am passionate about including healthy living I then totally fell in love with blogging and it came so naturally.

 I’m so obsessed with healthy living and believe everyone should be, which is why I have set up a second blog this year called Healthy Vix focusing on this passion alone.  It’s all things healthy from a healthy home environment, to eco-friendly topics, to exercise and my favourite discussion of all time – eating a plant based wholefood diet, free of animal products.  I still write about all this on Lylia Rose too as well as natural beauty. I love to review eco-friendly, cruelty-free and vegan products especially from small independent companies that are ethical and care about the planet as I do.

What do you say to yourself when you need a confidence boost?

I have so many quotes that I love.  One of my favourites is ‘where there’s a will there’s a way’.  I really believe if you want something then you’ll find a way to get it, if not you’ll just find an excuse!  

What's your favourite Stib word and why?

Self Believer.  We all need to believe in ourselves a little more and then we’ll succeed.  If we don’t, then brush yourself off and try again. Never regret trying. Also, people are often quite stuck in their ways and to many self-employment is a scary option.  People may try to talk you out of it. But if you have an idea and good business plan and you’re already making good money from it as a side hustle, then believe in yourself and take that leap if you know the time is right. Sometimes you have to believe in yourself and your own abilities if others don’t.