Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Mason.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Courtney. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have always loved creative writing. Whether it was poetry, articles or even essays, I took great joy in being able to express myself through words. I finally decided to turn my passion into a blog in 2015. I was working for a company where I had a lot of time on my hands and was looking for something to fill the void. Shortly thereafter, A Woman & Her Blog was born.
Initially, I covered a range of topics from relationships, to travel recommendations to budgeting. However, less than six months later, I got burned out. I didn’t feel like my content was different from what other blogs discussed. I just didn’t know what to talk about anymore, which turned into inconsistent posting, later turning into not posing at all. I really had to sit down and think about what I was really passionate about and could talk about all day, every day. My conclusion: food and travel.
Think about it. How frustrating is it to try to find a new place to eat in Atlanta when there are literally a million restaurants? What is the best way to go about booking that dream trip of yours? I’m no expert, but I did feel like my stories and experiences could help someone. So, in 2018, I rebranded as “Freckled Chaos.”
I created a new website from scratch, bought my domain name, and got more connected with food and travel influencers across the globe. I wanted my brand to be a thorough representation of who I am as a person, and my day to day life chasing new food and travels experiences, which can be somewhat chaotic. I also wanted to point out one of my more unique physical characteristics: I have a million freckled in the center of my face. Thus, brought the name, Freckled Chaos. Over the last year, my blog has afforded a lot of different opportunities for me. Currently, I am a DiningOut Atlanta Passbook ambassador, a Zipkick Influencer, and a Best Food Feed Atlanta Contributor.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. In today’s society, it’s so easy to get caught up in comparisons and numbers. For example, “Why does he/she have more followers than me”, “Why do they get more comments?”, so on. So, one of the most important things I had to learn early on is to stay in my lane. Do what I’m passionate about and what I think is right and the following will come naturally and organically. I think my main goal is to have an impact by helping people have amazing experiences based on my recommendations. It is the best feeling when someone goes to a restaurant that I recommended or even takes a trip that I suggested and has the time of their life.
My advice for young women who are wanting to start a blog is to simply just start. Make a promise to yourself to stay consistent. Challenge yourself! Try connecting with like-minded people and don’t be afraid to ask for help! I am super inquisitive and will not hesitate to ask someone how they accomplished something or if they have any advice for me. There’s enough room for everybody, so I believe it’s important to share the wealth.
Another piece of advice is to invest in yourself. Being a blogger can be pricey, especially in the beginning. But YOU are your brand. Develop something that you would be proud to show off.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a food and travel blogger! I specialize in finding some of the best food not only in Atlanta but all over the world. I will eat anything, but my brunch is my specialty reviews. How can you not love brunch while living in Atlanta? I make it a goal to take a lot of pictures and give honest and transparent reviews on my website The Woman & Her Blog. If I go to a restaurant and don’t have a positive experience, I will surely let you know.
Also, I travel a lot for work. I use this as an opportunity to find fun food in new places, as well as explore different cities. I can make recommendations on places to see and things to do from here to London.
What sets me apart from other bloggers, is the comical tone I use in my reviews. When you’re on my website, I want you to be able to read it like you and I are sitting across from each other having a conversation! I might throw a “hey girl” in a review or refer to a restaurant as being “popping” because that’s how I talk into real life. No need to be extra proper, I pride myself on being genuine and relatable. People are drawn to things and experiences that they can relate to.
Who have you been inspired by?
To be completely honest, every woman I have ever come across has inspired me. Whether it was to be braver and speak up to myself or exercising patience is a really stressful situation. However, I think the most inspiring woman in my life would be my Mother. She was a stay at home mom for the majority of my life with four kids. With my Father working during the day, my Mother is who my siblings and I would go to first. Whether we needed a paper towel to wipe up a mess or advice. She serves as the perfect example of what it means to put people she loves before herself. Her selflessness has always been inspiring.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.FreckledChaos.com
- Phone: 404-450-9050
- Email: info@freckledchaos.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freckledchaos/
Image Credit:
Photographer: Victor Rodriguez – VMR Lifestyle Images
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
