If you’re looking for a breath of fresh air in your instagram feed, look no further than Jaime Huffman of Charleston Blonde!
The blogging and instagramming world can be a very lonely place, despite the appearance that a lot of us are always attending fun social events. Thankfully, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Jaime over the past year, which has been such a gift to have someone so knowledgeable to chat with about this crazy industry!
Our friendship began after Jaime invited me out to a little happy hour event at one of my favorite local wine bars, Uncork. At this point I had only briefly met her a couple of times at bigger influencer events, and I figured this happy hour event would be a similar situation. I mean, I’m pretty small potatoes in the blogging community and don’t always ‘make the cut’ for a lot of smaller events. To my pleasant surprise, she had only invited one other local instagrammer who ended up having to cancel at the last minute, so it was just the two of us.
Jaime’s such an open book, as am I, so we had a great night bonding over a lot of our similarities, and discussing some of our current struggles with the social media landscape, and life in general. We both share a love of traveling and dogs, and Jaime’s travel guides for Charleston and beyond are amazing, especially for a family trip or girls’ weekends.
I’ve shared the little story of our introduction because it’s a very typical ‘Jaime story,’ in that she’s one of the few established influencers who regularly reaches out to us newer bloggers, gets to know us, and provides us with incredible opportunities for growth. Jaime’s inclusive and generous spirit is not entirely common in this somewhat competitive field, so I truly appreciate her approach to us new gals embarking on the blogging journey. She’s definitely one of those people who’s beautiful both on the inside, and outside.
On a purely aesthetic note, Jaime’s bright and airy instagram feed and blog are just gorgeous. She has a keen eye for mixing bold patterns and uses loads of vibrant colors in her home decor, which is such a refreshing departure from the overwhelming amount of grey and neutral tones we typically see nowadays. You can check out more of her creative home decor inspo here!
We decided to try something fun for our readers by trading experiences and tips, as well as our top spots in the Holy City, so you all could get a fresh new perspective on some of the more commonly asked questions about blogging, and our favorite little city in the south!
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What was your career before blogging?
I have been in marketing since my first big internship in 2006 when I worked as a marketing intern for Denny’s World Headquarters. I have been the marketing director for a waterfront resort, law firm, and water-bound recreation destination that had everything from restaurants to a pirate ship! I still don’t really consider blogging my career. It is a tiny part of what I do. I currently have a small marketing agency and help small businesses with their social media, marketing, website development, and SEO. It’s what I love to do and am really passionate about it. I especially love working with restaurants and luxury women’s brands.
What kind of camera do you use and who is your photographer?
I have a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV that I am still learning to use. I love taking photos and had the nickname “photo girl” in high school. I use a handful of incredible local Charleston photographers and I can’t say enough good things about them. Here are a few of my favorites: Rachel Red Photography, Catherine Ann Photography, Kailee DiMeglio Photography, and Josie Derrick Fine Art Photography.
What do you use to edit your iPhone photos and schedule your Instagram posts?
I just started using Lightroom on my iPhone. I am still getting used to it, but so far I really love it! I wish I was organized enough to schedule my posts out. I schedule my clients’ posts in advance but I don’t have it together enough to schedule out mine too! I have used Hootsuite and Sprout Social and liked both platforms.
If someone wants to become a blogger, what is one piece of advice you can share?
People don’t understand how much hard work, time, and dedication it takes to have a successful blog. It is a long-term commitment. You often don’t see big results for years. In order to become successful you have to put in a lot of time and effort before you’ll see results. Also, be prepared for everyone you know to ask you to promote their companies and brands for free. That becomes really stressful and disheartening. Everybody wants free help. You have to learn to say no at the beginning otherwise you’ll get burnt out fast.
Best travel or packing hack?
Everybody needs to buy a Nomatic Travel Pack. It’s the most thoughtful and organized bag I’ve EVER seen. I’m obsessed with all the pockets and features and can’t wait to use it on my next trip.
Best day trip from CHS?
Favorite dog-friendly restaurant in CHS?
Best happy hour in CHS?
Basil Thai. They have the best cheap deals on delicious food.
Best fried chicken in CHS?
Best brunch in CHS?
Obstinate Daughter and Hall’s Gospel Brunch
Best place to get a cute outfit in CHS?
Maris Dehart, Tres Carmen, and Beckett Boutique
Where do you get your hair done?
Largo Salon. I love all of their stylists and have been going to Ralph and Ethan for years now. Best cut and color in town.
If someone is coming to Charleston for one day, what is the one thing they MUST do?
Eat, eat, and eat some more! Some of my favorite spots are Hall’s, Felix, Basil, Leon’s, and Obstinate Daughter.
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I hope you all have enjoyed this Blogger Spotlight post, and love following Jaime as much as I do!
Where is the pink chest from?