This month I will be featuring interviews with some top bloggers!
Today’s interview is with Brankica Underwood from Blog Like a Star.
How did you get your start in blogging?
I started the blog as a personal blog with no real focus but after only weeks into it I started sharing my online business building experiences and it was really working great so I kept it that way.
What is your greatest accomplishment in blogging?
Making all the connections I did, getting to meet some amazing people. If I would have to answer it in “hard goods” then it would probably be expanding my list of clients.
What has been one of your greatest challenges and how did you overcome it?
My greatest challenge to this day is WordPress. I have never worked with anything so unstable that is a ticking bomb all the time. How did I overcome it? I guess I haven’t, I just keep checking all the time if something new is broke on it 
What do you do that is considered unconventional in the blogging world?
Being honest Seems people are afraid to say what is on their mind or say that they didn’t like someone’s blog or a product. No wonder it takes so much time to build trust, when people start from the notion that everyone is a dishonest person.
Who has influenced you to get where you are today?
Lisa Irby from blog.2createawebsite.com. I think I have learned everything from that girl.
What piece of advice would you like to share with other bloggers?
To stop thinking about it and just do it. I can’t remember how many times I have heard people say “I can’t do this”, “This doesn’t work” and when I ask “Well, have you tried it” they say NO! Nothing will do itself, you either have to do it or pay someone to do it for you. No other way to success
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I’m really looking forward to reading more of your interviews with other bloggers. As someone who is just beginning in the blogging world, it’s going to be so great to hear from others who were once where I am now.
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Stacy Reply:
February 7th, 2012 at 11:01 am
Hi Rob,
It’s always great to learn from those who have learned to be successful!
Stacy
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caption is very nice ” Blog like a star” very inspiring Stacy
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Stacy Reply:
February 7th, 2012 at 11:05 am
Yes, I agree it is very inspiring!
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Nicely done up interview Brankica and Stacy!
I have known Brankica for quite a while and she is truly a ‘star’ – that goes with her blog name
Her blog is indeed informative and always has something for everyone. And I like her positive die-hard spirit to keep trying out something new each time and being at it till she gets it right! No wonder her blog has reached such heights today
Great going Brankica and thanks for sharing more about her Stacy
Harleena Singh@Freelance Writer invites you to read… The Benefits of Having Dogs for Children
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Stacy Reply:
February 7th, 2012 at 11:14 am
I agree, Harleena! Though I am a relatively new follower – she has so much value to give everyone!
Stacy
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I like what she had to say. All good tips. Escpecially the last one on giving it a try. I think I will give blogging a try myself.
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Stacy Reply:
February 7th, 2012 at 11:15 am
I agree, very good tips!
Definitely give it a try!
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She seems to be such a great person! I think I’m going to check out her blog as soon as possible!
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Stacy Reply:
February 7th, 2012 at 11:16 am
You should!
Stacy
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Stacy, thank you so much! I really appreciate that you thought of me to be good enough to do the interview with. Thanks for the great comments here too and keep up the amazing work!
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Stacy Reply:
February 7th, 2012 at 11:17 am
Brankica,
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your wisdom with my readers!
I really appreciate it!
Stacy
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Brankica, I’ve told you so many times and I will keep telling it to you again! You are my blogging “guru”. With the guns and the great posts, I day I stumbled (actually stumbled not stumble upon stumble!) across your blog, I learnt so much! And I keep learning from you again and again!
Looking forward to the Q & A webinar!
Thanks for this Stacy!
Hajra invites you to read… Will they call you over for a bloggers party?
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Stacy Reply:
February 7th, 2012 at 11:20 am
Hi Hajra,
There really is much to learn from her!
Her blog is a great resource!
Stacy
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Allie | Ramblings of a WAHM Reply:
February 7th, 2012 at 9:20 pm
Hajra,
And she makes it all look like she was born knowing all the stuff she talks about. It comes so natural to her that she is a joy to read.
~Allie
Allie | Ramblings of a WAHM invites you to read… Blogging Success Starts with Failure
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I respect this woman because she is honest and modest. When I read her interview I felt like speaking to a very old friend. I lover her advice about always trying before saying it didn’t work
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Stacy Reply:
February 7th, 2012 at 11:19 am
Audrey,
I agree, it’s excellent advice!
Stacy
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Now I’m not a blogger, as such, but I do take my inspiration from bloggers in my writing style – or at least try to whenever it’s appropriate to do so. I think it’s just the way bloggers communicate with their audience which grabs me. As if they were chatting to dear friends. It’s a true skill which I admire, and am learning to develop.
Had a quick sneaky peek at Brankica’s blog. I can see I’m going to be spending some time there too!
Mena invites you to read… Striiv Pocket Pedometer
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Stacy Reply:
February 10th, 2012 at 9:47 am
Hi Mena,
She has a lot of great inspiration to offer people, I’m sure that you will enjoy your time there!
Stacy
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Hello Stacy,
Thanks for this info. I’m really looking ahead to reading more of your interviews with other bloggers, and since i am a newbie blogger, all advices are welcome of course. Keep up with good work!
EleonoraEOF invites you to read… Coffee for weight loss: Friend or Foe?
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Stacy Reply:
February 10th, 2012 at 9:48 am
I’m glad that you are enjoying the series!
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Great interview! I am trying to be open and honest on my site as well, and I hope that it works for me. Seems to be so far.
I agree that action is the key. I know from my own experience that I have more success when I take action than when I’m not doing anything at all… Usually, anyway
Grady Pruitt invites you to read… My Recent Failure — and Success
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Stacy Reply:
February 10th, 2012 at 9:51 am
I think that when we are open we mostly draw others in. In a leadership class I took in college the professor always said that “vulnerability begets vulnerability”. If we are open then that invites others to be as well and will give everyone more meaningful experiences!
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Hi Stacy,
This is a great interview! I also enjoy reading from Brankica’s blog which is a great resource.
I think the best advice form Brankica is to stop thinking and just do it. It really touches the biggest obstacle most people have.
I look forward to reading more interviews and getting more inspiration!
Thanks for the great interview Stacy!
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Stacy Reply:
February 10th, 2012 at 9:52 am
Hi Janus,
That advice really is golden!
It’s something that I need to implement more often!
Stacy
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Stacy,
Brankica totally deserves this post and interview.
I recently rediscovered her blog (I found it a while back but stopped reading it for a while) and instantly started to love it all over again. Why you ask? Brankica makes it look easy. She makes all the stuff us bloggers do online seem like it comes naturally to her. She speaks with easy and confidence.
~Allie
Allie | Ramblings of a WAHM invites you to read… Blogging Success Starts with Failure
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Stacy Reply:
February 10th, 2012 at 9:53 am
Allie,
You’re right, she makes it look so easy! She is a great inspiration!
Stacy
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Great interview. Thanks for sharing while I was reading the interview, I jump to Lisa’s blog site to learn more about her blogging. Thanks for all the tips..
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Stacy Reply:
February 10th, 2012 at 9:54 am
It’s always great to find new people to learn from!
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Thanks for sharing this interview Stacy. Love Blog Like a Star. Brankica is always full of awesome tips and insights to improve blogging. she doesn’t sugar coat things llike so many bloggers do, and she always tries to share something that people can actually take action on instead of filling her blog with fluffy content all the time.
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Stacy Reply:
February 10th, 2012 at 9:57 am
Hi James,
That’s her exactly!
It’s very refreshing isn’t it?
Stacy
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brankica is just a star blogger. I love the way she writes. I loved her post “human spammer…”. that was the best post I read on her site.
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Stacy Reply:
February 10th, 2012 at 10:06 am
Puneet,
I haven’t read that post, I’ll have to check it out! I actually have a post lined up for Monday on the same topic!
Stacy
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Hey Stacy,
Really cool that you decided to interview Brankica since she’s a good friend of mine and an awesome blogger as well.
It was interesting to see that she said “either (you) have to do it or pay someone to do it for you” in order to achieve success.
The reason I say this was interesting to read, it’s mainly because she couldn’t put herself in front of the camera (make videos) and that kept challenging her until just a few days, that she decided to take the plunge and just went all in.
I think that if you don’t do what you preach, then you don’t have any business preaching anything to anyone.
Brankica goes the extra mile and just proved herself and to others as well, she really does what she preaches and I’m pretty happy to consider her a really cool friend of mine and to have learned so much from her as well.
For anyone willing to get some help, I really put my hands on the fire for her, you just can’t go wrong with her advice.
Really cool interview Stacy, hope to see many more coming, speak soon and take care!
Sergio
Sergio Felix invites you to read… 6 Hours Self-Imposed Social Media Blackout
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Stacy Reply:
February 10th, 2012 at 10:09 am
Hi Sergio,
Thank you for sharing more about Brankica! It’s obvious from all that know her that she is a wonderful person!
I am posting interviews each Tuesday and Thursday this month! See you soon!
Stacy
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Back to the basics
. Action creates results – just do it!
There is no other way. Develop a niche for your site and go with it!
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Stacy Reply:
February 13th, 2012 at 1:39 pm
That’s it!
Thanks for stopping by, Brock!
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Stacy, this is a great interview. I thought I was the only one who felt as though WordPress is a ticking time bomb. I’m going to check out Blog Like a Star before it blows up.
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Stacy Reply:
February 15th, 2012 at 2:13 pm
I have felt that way at times about WP, though in my case most of the issues have to do with some plugin I’ve installed!
I eventually learned to install one at a time!
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Hi Stacy,
Great interview with Brankica. I have been observing her for a little while now and have appreciated her candor. She’s got a unique way of saying what’s on her mind without making it too fluffy. lol
The big takeaway here for me is what she said about just taking some action all ready.
This is huge for me because I’m one of those people who was stuck in constant “learning” mode for some time. It took me awhile to just sit at the keyboard and APPLY all the things I’d been learning. Boy did I waste some time!
Great interview!
Cat Alexandra
Cat Alexandra @ Internet Marketing Success invites you to read… How to write content like a pro and still have a life! | Blog tips: My Guest Blog Appearance
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Stacy Reply:
February 28th, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Hi Cat,
That’s a big takeaway for me too from this interview!
Stacy
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Great interview once again Stacy!
Brankica came with two big take aways: 1.build relationships like a mad..and you don’t have to be fake..if you’re paying attention you’ll find something to appreciate about every blogger..when you do just say it..when you like what they write just share and comment. Really that simple
2. just do it is a big wake up call..just wondering or thnking won’t make it show up.
Thanks Brankica and Stacy!
Best,
Radu
Radu invites you to read… Blog Content Ideas: 40 Simple Ways To Never Run Dry
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Stacy Reply:
March 7th, 2012 at 2:37 pm
Hi Radu,
Those are two excellent takeaways! I’m glad that you’re enjoying the interview series!
Stacy
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