2. How did you feel winning the award knowing it was from your peers?
I honestly never thought winning an award would mean as much as it did. It is quite satisfying to be recognized by people that know how much work goes into an endeavour like creating an excellent online product day after day. When you look around the stage and see the quality of people up there with you, it’s both gratifying and challenging. I say challenging because if my peers believed that I belonged in that group – then I felt there was a positive kind of peer pressure to step up to some of the awesome things I see each year at FinCon and the Plutus Awards.
3. Where are you now? Are you still doing the same blog? How has it changed?
I am still running Young and Thrifty with my partner-in-crime Justin Bouchard. As we get older, we explore new niches within personal finance and that tends to get reflected in our writing. We have also hired some really promising young writers, and I’m always eager to feature their work as I believe they are some of the most compelling voices withing the space today.
4. What advice would you give someone looking to grow their blog today?
Get over the initial shyness that so many bloggers are afflicted with and MEET PEOPLE. Meet anyone. Meet everyone. Personal connections are really the key to this whole gig. There is just so much more than writing excellent, informative, entertaining content week after week (as if that were so easy all on it’s own). We all need help to get where we are, so do whatever you can to build connections. When I was just starting out I did a lot of freelance writing at pretty low rates simply because I was working with the leaders within my niche. It was the best move I ever made as many of those people that I worked for are my greatest mentors and now, most reliable partners.
5. Blogging can be tough. How do you keep up with motivation?
The completely honest truth to this answer is that motivation is a little easier to navigate if there are dollars coming in. I would say making big bucks is not a pre-requisite for motivation, but it certainly helps a lot. Beyond that, I think working with the best people in the field and looking at what they are doing is inspiring. Finally, interact with your readers whenever you can. For me, there isn’t too much better than opening an email that reads, “I started reading your article on _____, and before I knew it I had read 10+ articles and now know what I need to do in order to get a grasp on this whole money thing. Thank You!”
6. Where do you see yourself going from here? Any plans in the works you can share with us?
I really like the current balance I have with teaching high school business courses and doing the online entrepreneurship thing, so I don’t see altering that balance too much.
One new project I’m really excited about is the Canadian Financial Summit that we have taking place this September (before FinCon). It is the first virtual summit within the Canadian personal finance space, so I think there is huge potential.
7. What is your greatest achievement outside of blogging?
This is such a massive question! I think the thing I’m most proud of is my marriage and relationship with my wife – but on a professional level, I think my greatest achievement is bringing my two worlds of public education and personal finance in order to create a really innovative high school curriculum.
Thanks for helping us get caught up with you, Kyle!
Please leave any questions or comments for Kyle below.
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