Raising Whasians | What a Rebranded Blog Needs

Raising Whasians | What a Rebranded Blog Needs

Surprise!

First of all, welcome everyone to the new site and a brand new start to my journey in blogging. I’m so excited and so nervous about Raising Whasians, my rebranded blog! There’s so much to talk about, but first we should started with why I rebranded and all the things that a rebranded blog needs. Hopefully this will answer some of those pressing questions you may have about the new name and why I did this NOW. Here we go….

1. A Wake Up Call

Believe it or not, this new site has been on my mind ever since I switched from coupons to parenting back in 2013. Had I been a little bit braver and smarter, I would have taken the leap of faith then. But thinking I could rebrand with my current name, Saving Said Simply, I had built my blog into something I never thought it could be, a fun and profitable way to tell my family’s journey. I never dreamed of making a living off of doing something I truly enjoy. And it’s been amazing to walk through from earning peanuts to an actual salary. But the thorn in my side this whole time? My name.

It actually hit me this year when I went on a blog trip and you go through the motions of the normal introductions. Who are you? What’s your site? And Every. Single. Time. I had to sit there and explain why my name is what it is. “I started with couponing. I moved to family. No, I haven’t changed my name.” And to be honest, the explaining myself got to be frustrating. And that really got me thinking. Why should I be frustrated with my site and not proud of it? How many possible opportunities have I missed out on because someone popped over to my site, saw my name and said Adios?

2. A Dose of Reality

Ironically, I was starting to get more pitches too…for couponing. The ones where someone supposedly “did their homework” on me, even got the spelling of my name right.

Hi Christie!

I checked out Saving Said Simply and love what you post for your fans. The savings and coupons you provide for them must really help them in their daily lives. I’d love to partner together for this new coupon site XYZ. Let me know when it’s a good time to chat.

Have a good day,

Completely Clueless Brand

And as much as I appreciated that part of my blogging experience, it is not who I am today. It is not my blog today. I offer and want to offer so much more for my fans.

3. New Inspiration…Or In My Case Old Inspiration

The first thing I needed to do was find my new inspiration. What would the site be about? And then I realized, I’ve had my muses all along. Hence Raising Whasians. My 2 beautiful pieces of the site have been right with me, holding my hands through all of this. The gorgeous kids whom have been lovingly nicknamed “whasians” since birth are always been the inspiration behind everything I do on this site. I think of them when I cook a recipe or make a craft with them or post the latest meltdown they ensued.

And let me take the time now to emphasize the words LOVINGLY nicknamed. I don’t see “Whasian” as a derogatory slang for my children, but a beautiful representation of who they are. Children born from parents of 2 different cultures, blended beautifully into the treasures I get to call mine. I want the world to know how amazing these kids are and how much their lives are the same (and even different) from the rest of the world’s. I want my blog to be that niche for every parent, a blend of everything. Where culture, race, and our differences make parenting BEAUTIFUL. This is the explanation I want to give when I explain my name of my site. Not “I was this at some point of my life and have muddled my way to here.” That every time I open my mouth to speak about my site, I am reminded of family.

4. Goals

As with any blog rebrand, it’s kind of a big deal. The online “identity” you had, the trust and presence in the world is no longer there. So basically, it’s like I’m starting at the bottom. Waiting to be discovered by fans, by Google (let’s hope the Google thing happens soon), by the world. So to keep my expectations low, my only goal right now is to have everyone realize and celebrate the new name with me. Hopefully, you will accept the change with open arms.

5. Fear

It’s scary. And anyone who tells you rebranding your work is anything but…..is either really confident or lying. I never dreamed that I would have gone from toying with a new name to now. It’s here. The next step in the journey. I’m starting over. I’m starting new. I’m starting….something. And I definitely have fears that this will completely backfire in my face. I’m sure that I will have days where I will ask myself “why did I ever change from Saving Said Simply?” And there will probably me more mistakes made along the way…because hey, there’s no instruction manual for this. I’m winging it!

6. A Pinch of the Unknown

There’s a whole bunch of questions I have that are still unanswered. And to be completely honest, there are moments when I have absolutely no idea if the decisions I’m making are the right ones. I’ve chartered a course into the unknown. And all of the research in the world on blog rebranding will never guide me perfectly on my unique journey. I will make mistakes, tons of them. I will have to make more difficult ones. There will be tears. And I will have to rely on God more than ever as I make more faith leaps for what is right for me and my family.

7. Hope

But it’s this fear and the unknown that is now driving me. My motivation. To get from fearful to confident. And every day, I get a little closer. Today, an even stronger dose of courage. Because I finally did it. Over 3 years of making that commitment, finally here. I certainly embrace who I was as Saving Said Simply, my past and my journey. But today I look forward and upward to what Raising Whasians could be.

And it starts with this first step.

Will you celebrate with me?
Be sure to follow Raising Whasians via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube for more great recipes, kid crafts, and saving family moments!