Interview with Blogger Carly Heitlinger

The College Prepster is one of the first blogs that I started reading many years ago and I used to love popping on to see what Carly was up to and seeing what amazing finds that she was showcasing. Since then The College Prepster has graduated (along with Carly) to a more mature look and with that an evolve in content that has meant that she has kept the blog fresh and relevant.

Carly’s blog has grown into a must loved brand (even Reese Witherspoon has been spotted with one of her phone cases), and what I admire is that she has kept the tone and content of her blog true to her. You can see that she only promotes content that she loves and it has been consistent since the start. And today on Floralesque we gain a behind the scenes look at The College Prepster.

When you first started blogging – did you think that you would have it as a successful full time career now?

I had no idea. I really started it as a creative outlet and nothing more. After a couple of years, I thought it could help me land a job, but I never imagined it being my only job. Even when I quit my 9-5 job, I thought I was just taking a three-month break and that I’d get another job in January.

Blogging has changed so much in the past few years and is now more main-stream than ever. Is there anything you miss about blogging a few years ago where the pressures of ALL the social media channels weren’t there?

Sometimes I miss how simple it used to be, but I think it’s so much more fun now. Content can be tailored and shared in so many ways and I love it. (The only thing that stresses me out is when a new app comes out and everyone thinks it’s going to be the next big thing but it just fizzles.)

The College Prepster has evolved so much since I first started following many years ago. What do you think that the secret to your success has been?

Balancing being relatable and inspirational has always been important to me. I write my blog from a “big sister” perspective. I’m not claiming to be an expert, but I do like to share some of the things I’ve learned over the years through experience. Honestly, I think a lot of bloggers miss the mark here. One day they want to be #inspirational and #goals and the next day they try to come across as down to earth and relatable. I think being myself every day makes my message consistent.

Your blog covers such a fantastic array of topics. Where do you find your inspiration for your posts? Do you ever suffer the dreaded writers block?

I get writer’s block all the time. I try to follow the rule that anything I’d share with a friend, I share on the blog. My friends and I talk about everything from books to great sales so that gives me a lot of inspiration for new blog posts.

I love that I can always go onto The College Prepster and find a new post, that consistency is so inspiring as I find it difficult to get 4-5 posts up in a week. How do you remain so consistent when life can get so busy?

Well, it is my job! So that definitely makes me prioritize it. But even when I was a student-athlete and then an employee at another company, I still made time for a blog post every single day. It was important to me that my readers knew I would be consistent with posting and that there was always new content to enjoy! I think it’s really all about prioritization; if something’s important enough, you’ll make the time.

An editorial calendar is an idea that I have been toying with for the past while. Do you have an editorial calendar that you stick to or do you write as inspiration strikes? Any tips if you do keep one?

I do a mix. I mostly keep a running list of ideas and then map out about two weeks of content at a time. Any more than that I get off schedule way too quickly and it starts to feel inauthentic.

Carly also shares some great blogging tips in this post if you would like to learn more about blogging and what has worked for her.

Your blog has very much grown into its own brand and your entrepreneurial drive is clear to see. Are there any entrepreneurs that you find inspiring?

Anyone who runs their own business is inspiring to me! There’s always something to learn from anyone.

On a slight sidenote, your new home in Connecticut is just beautiful. Are you happy that you left the big city and settled down more there? I am sure that Teddy and Hamilton love it much more than the city due to the open space!

I do love it. Having a car and not feeling trapped is definitely the best part. I also go into the city at least once a week for work so I feel like I get my city fix while also enjoying a slower paced life in Connecticut.

I seen that you recently had a holiday over here to Ireland 🙂 What part did you enjoy the most? 

I loved driving through the Gap of Dunloe… it was exactly how I pictured Ireland to be, right down to the cute sheep walking across the roads!

Although I am sure hard to choose, what has been your proudest moment to date?

I’m very proud to have a dream job that I LOVE to do every day. I don’t take that for granted.

A massive thank you to Carly for the interview, it was great getting a peep into The College Prepster behind the scenes. I would highly recommend that you pop over to her new redesigned blog and Carly is also active on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook if you would like to follow her along as she continues to grow The College Prepster and inspire us along the way.