I Am Pleased To Announce…

124 Replies

I’m off the market.

No more freelance. No more contract work. No more consulting.

It started in 2005 when I agreed to write at a community based blog.

For free.

While I typed with one-hand and breastfed at the computer.

I grew my own blog. I grew my readers. I worked very, very hard and eventually made enough money monthly to pay my internet bill.

I was up late reading blogs, I was up late writing blogs, I was up late trying to figure out how all this online stuff gets monetized.

But I had faith. Something I don’t come by very easily.

I continued to work hard, I continued to grow my readers. And I started pitching projects and pitching panels at conferences and signing on to help start-ups, fellow bloggers, additional communities.

All with children under foot.

Usually typing one-handed and breastfeeding.

Always on my terms.

When I wanted. How I wanted.

All with nothing but faith.

It was not long before I became part of the fastest and largest growing population online and I was determined to see my friends and colleagues benefit right along with me. I hope that has been evident.

I still am very detrimined to see those benefits for my community. It’s not a job or work. It is a passion.

Which is why I am pleased to announce I’ve joined BlogHer as their Producer of Special Projects.

BlogHer CEO Lisa Stone told me years ago, her goal-BlogHer’s goal- was to empower women online. Not just in voice and reach, but also financially.

BlogHer has since met much of that goal with many of it’s members, myself just one.

I’m officially able to take care of my family, as a work-at-home mother.

That’s huge. And I hope many of you see how important that is…so I’m going to repeat it:

I’m officially able to take care of my family, as a work-at-home mother.

I can raise my children, and continue to raise some hell-online and off.

Next week I will travel with BlogHer to the Democratic National Convention and the following week to the Republican National Convention.

I will do my best to continue to make a difference for the now thousands of women I’ve gotten to know personally and those I hope to meet soon.

I’m excited about this new opportunity, and I hope you will follow my coverage from Denver, St. Paul, and beyond.

Erin Kotecki Vest

aka Queen of Spain

124 thoughts on “I Am Pleased To Announce…”

  2. PunditMom

    Congrats! That is excellent news! I try to continue to have faith that it will turn out similarly for me. If we keep putting ourselves out there, in the world and in the universe, hopefully it will all come around.

  3. Mom101

    A big ol WHOOO! for you!

    WHOOO! for working at home.

    WHOOO for Blogher (who, whatever they’re paying you, is surely getting a steal).

    And an extra big WHOOO! for faith. Well-earned Erin.

  5. Denise

    Nice acceptance speech. The next president should use some of that. 🙂

    Congratulations, girlfriend. It’s an honor to work with you (and to have the #suckit sticker permanently attached to my iPhone, darn thing won’t come off no matter what I do. It’s determined, just like you are.)

  6. kristy

    Welcome aboard! (HA! I first typed that as a-BROAD. Talk about a Freudian typo…)

    The point is, yay! We’re lucky to have you. 🙂

  12. Queen of Spain Post author

    …and thanks to Denise, our community manager, who has already pointed out and had me fix my typos. ROFL.

  13. Kris

    Erin, that’s FABULOUS! BlogHer rocks and so do you. Thanks for being such a kick ass woman and showing people that smart, hard-working women CAN make meaningful contributions to their family and to the rest of the world AT THE SAME TIME and be successful both financially and otherwise.

    Rock on!

  21. Liz Henry

    Hooray on all fronts, but especially, welcome to an incredibly awesome team and a great company to work for!

    I look forward to supporting and developing your back end, and I mean that in a totally professional way! 8-P

  33. VDog

    I got goose bumps reading this.

    Congratulations, lady. You totally deserve it and YES! you keep your ladies in the loop, too.

    You are one awesome (work-at-home) Mama!

  34. Morra Aarons

    You are going to be such a powerful force for women in politics!!! Your work on BlogHer’s election coverage is shaking up the Internet already. I expect great things.

    Morra

  40. Larry Kless

    Congratulations Erin! You’re a great role model and a success story. Stay at home moms don’t get the props that they should, but I know how hard that work is because I’m married to a wonderful stay at home mom myself. To be a full time mom and build your online brand is amazing. All the best to you and looking forward to seeing more!

  43. Mel

    You rock and you’re going to do an amazing job. It’s not only great news; it’s a great post in terms of writing. You had me completely choked up.

  45. Lisa Stone

    Well Erin, I couldn’t say it better than Liz or Kris.

    When I left college and dove into journalism, my rule was “do what you love and the money will follow.”

    What I learned 11 years ago when I left traditional newsrooms with my own one-year-old in arms and no clue how I was going to make it as a single mother in Silicon Valley is: “Do what you love well and people will move mountains to work alongside you.”

    You earned this job. Welcome aboard!

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