image source
Meeting the team from Better Homes and Gardens was a highlight of my Alt Summit experience — and not just because they gifted their Wednesday night dinner guests with fabulous goodie bags!
As a teenager, I dreamed of a career in magazines. Unfortunately, I let my journalism advisor at Boston University frightened me into believing I’d spend years as a struggling writer in New York City. She explained that editorial positions at the types of magazine where I wanted to work were just too hard to come by. Afraid of being poor and desolate after graduation, I decided to switch majors — first to advertising, then to public relations — so I’d have an easier chance at finding work.
I’ve held various public relations and publicity position over the years but always regretted turning my back on magazine journalism. I guess it makes sense that now I’m a blogger. I love to write and share information with others, and I’ve always been interested in fashion, design, and self-improvement. Since the opportunity to work my way up the editorial totem pole never presented itself, writing Bunny & Dolly and contributing to sites like Lifetime Moms lets me live out my dream of being a magazine editor. Well, a version of my dream, at least.
With Emily of peck life after the BHG dinner
Back to Alt Summit. Having wanted to be part of magazine’s editorial team for so long, I was eager to attend the Wednesday night dinner sponsored by Better Homes and Gardens. I didn’t expect they would offer me a staff position on the spot, but I was curious to learn how I could get involved with their brand as a blogger.
Admittedly, I was a bit nervous about being one of BHG’s 50 dinner guests; I’m not an interior design blogger, I don’t cook, and I have a serious brown thumb. But then Kaelin Zawilinski, the editorial manager of BHG.com, said something that resonated with me. She explained that the magazine is no longer “your mother’s Better Homes and Gardens.” If the new BHG is for my generation, my point of view as a young(ish) mother interested in organization, family-friendly design, simple recipes, and easy, sophisticated style would be relevant to their readers–other women like me.
At the dinner, Art Director Kylee Krizmanic complimented my metallic-accented pants, and we bonded over the challenges of new motherhood and living in the Midwest. (Did you know that BHG is based in Des Moines?) The next day, feeling especially motivated, I showed her an inspiration board on my iPad that I had created for a home makeover project I’m currently working on. She remarked that she could definitely see the project as an online feature, if not in the magazine. Then she said something that gave me a boost of confidence to which I clung for the rest of the conference: She thought I’d be perfect as one of their Style Spotters bloggers.
Granted, Kylee is not the social media editor, and there are probably dozens of hoops to jump through before even being considered to join the BHG blogging team, but her comment encouraged me to not give up on this opportunity like I did back in college. So maybe nothing will come of it. But at least this time, I can say I tried.
Now for the fun stuff! Here are the goodies BGH gave out at dinner (clockwise from top left): New Decorating Book
