Tracy Raftl Interview – Blogging Full Time In Under A Year

By: David Aston     Topics: Interviews     More posts about: Blog Creation, Creating Content

I’ve been following Tracy’s Raftl’s website and videos for a while now. While, I’ve never had a terrible acne issue, every now and again my environment causes a blemish or two, at which point I’ll quickly seek out one of her entertaining and VERY informative videos or articles.

When I first learned about her work, something quickly struck a chord with me; aside from a very active fan-base, charming personality and stellar dreadlocks… and that was a specific notion:

Your body can heal itself. It does all the time from things like cuts or a cold. And if you treat it well, it will heal your acne problem – no matter how severe it is, or how long you’ve had it.

With what Tracy teaches online, she helps people get their life and confidence back. Acne is a very depressing condition that really cuts deep at people’s sense of self worth (which she knows from personal experience).

Thanks to The Love Vitamin, she’s able to give them the information they need to have clear skin permanently and naturally – through a cleverly executed brand.

Quick Fire Questions

Biz Book Your Currently Reading?

‘Get Rich Lucky Bitch’ by Denise Duffield-Thomas. The title sounds really pretentious, but it’s about getting rid of limiting beliefs about money! It’s a great book

Best Business Purchase?

The original program I purchased in order to learn how to set up a blogging business – Yaro Starak’s Blog Mastermind program. Unfortunately it’s not available anymore, but yes – if I hadn’t bought this, I’m positive success would have taken years longer.

Investment in education is definitely worthwhile!

Favorite Business Resource?

Google

Biggest Inspiration?

Leonie Dawson

Favorite Business Website?

I don’t really have a favourite. I like Pat Flynn’s site, and Derek Halpern’s, Leonie Dawson’s obviously, Nathalie Lussier, Henri Junttila…

How I Started

I used to suffer with terrible acne, which I got rid of with lifestyle changes – better diet, etc. When I was going through my acne episode, I used to be glued to reading all kind of blogs about acne, and buying eBooks on the subject, etc.

I got really interested in nutrition in relation to healing the skin, so I was taking a natural nutrition certification program. But then I started thinking… what am I actually going to do with this schooling? What kind of business am I going to start?

And that’s when it hit me!

Starting my own blogging business was the answer. I thought that if the people I followed online could do it, why couldn’t I? I felt it was perfectly suited to my personality. And so I began right away.

I started my online business in January 2011.

Since then, the hours a week I work varies! Sometimes it’s as little as 15, sometimes probably well over 50, even 60, depending if I’m working on a big project.

Not quite making six figures YET, but getting very close.

The Best Thing I Did For My Business

My mindset. I used to think that it was only possible for me to have a small business in which I made an extremely modest income. It was because I didn’t see myself as someone who made more than, like, 13 bucks an hour since that was all I had ever been paid prior to starting this.

So in the first two years, my actions reflected that and I didn’t try very hard to expand the business.

Almost instantaneously when I started working on that limiting belief and realized that it was possible for me to help more people and create much more abundance for myself in the process, did my business and income start growing substantially. I have Leonie Dawson to thank for this change in mindset.

How I Make Money

Making and selling my own products is the bulk of income. I would not have the income I do if I didn’t have my own products. I do a bit of affiliate stuff too, mainly the Amazon.com affiliate program. But that’s it.

My advice for others: Take all of that helpful knowledge in your head and make it into a course or ebook! Don’t wait, and don’t worry so much – you don’t have to be an expert, you just have to know more about a subject than someone else.

How I Work

I admit, I am not very structured. I hate schedules and love flexibility, so I basically do whatever I want (hang out with friends, go for walks, work out, cook food, etc), and then work in the spaces in between. This still translates to lots of time on the computer!

I suppose a problem I have is that since I don’t have a schedule, whenever I have free time at home I feel guilty about just relaxing and not working. It’s hard to know when to quit.

Oh, also – I do pretty much everything in my business myself. Something I should really change. I guess I have fears about outsourcing…

Will it take more time to explain to someone how to do things than to just do it myself?

Will I get a return on my investment?

The Day I Realized I Made It

I considered myself successful when I began making the same amount per month as I had at my previous job. This came about a year in.

I Would Have Become Successful Sooner If…

I could have released my own products sooner, but I was nervous about how they would be received by my audience and kept delaying!

What YOU Should Be Focusing On

First, work on your money blocks – your fears, what’s holding you back.

Then work on education – what actionable steps can you take that will expand the business to where you want it to be?

And then whatever you learn – TAKE ACTION. Action is always the key.

Why I’m Successful and You May Not Be

I’d say people fail because they give up too easily, plain and simple. Or they lack passion for the subject (in which case you just have to keep going until you find the subject that fuels your fire!).

Every hurdle can be overcome with education, action, and determination, but not everyone is willing or able to keep at it long enough to be successful.