Between where I first started in 2013 and the person I am today stands 13 years of figuring things out. I’ve never shared this story so elaborately before, so this is my first in-depth overview to prove how much can be accomplished with courage to fail and the willingness to get back up after a nasty fall.
Me creating my first ever post: my favorite cleanser, oil makeup remover (I still use this!) and a face cream that was better for teenage years than it is for your 30s:
What started as a beauty and fashion blog in high school evolved to a strong social media presence which generated enough income to support a decent living. From my first posts where I introduced my readers to glimpses of my life, such as which beauty products I used, to my daily outfits, home decor and recipes – all build blocks of my life back then.
Shortly after I started working with a photographer for my outfit blog posts. This was extremely out of my comfort zone, and posing was (and still is) very hard for me:
Maintaining an authentic and consistent presence, I believe, made it easy fo people to resonate with my content. For the first couple of years I was generating 0€ from my posts, but what I gained was more valuable than money: a lot of technical skill, trust from my readers and followers, and a strong community of people who share the same values.
Slowly I found my footing. I also started shooting more and more posts myself, loving the flatlays and home decor posts:
After a couple of years I started working with brands – that is when I became even more sure in my photography and visual communication skills, where I could confidently deliver good results for all parties involved.
Although, the transition from gifted PR packages to paid partnerships wasn’t easy, especially in Slovenia where the concept of being an influencer was completely foreign at the time. There were a handful of bloggers back in 2013-2015, and we worked hard prove that social media relationships are the ‘new thing’.
Brands in Slovenia at that time still leaned towards ‘traditional’ marketing strategies, so paying an influencer to create posts was a hard bargain. But that changed rapidly through the next years. Companies have realized what an exceptional marketing tool social media can be, and landing my first paid partnerships felt like such a big reward for all my years of hard work.
I have always believed in long-term partnerships with brands I genuinely loved. No that “I’ll take anything as long as it pays well” crap – I’ve always remained authentic, and my community (as well as brands) noticed.
There are no shortcuts, and the definition of success comes in different flavors. But one thing is clear: whatever you do, if there’s heart and soul in it, the right people will resonate with it. And in the end, that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Finding your people.
Through the years I’ve become more comfortable behind and in front of the lens:
But after 7 years of my blog and 11 years of Instagram, I decided it was time for a change, a clean slate. In the last years a big shift happened: we launched our bespoke jewelry business, and the way I was present on social media at the time slowly stopped feeling aligned with the future we were building.
After 11 years of hard work, I deleted my Instagram account (with a lot of followers). That was super scary, but it also felt necessary to make space for this new vision that grew and evolved.
In January 2025 I opened a new Instagram profile (yes, from SCRATCH). This time, no brand deals. No sponsored posts. Just me and my digital diary – which has lead me to this point, making a full circle back to where it all started: blogging.
I feel like having my own, independent space to share my thoughts, experiences and opinions is more valuable to me than a big social media following. Quality over quantity, thank you very much.
Now that I am a skilled photographer with professional equipment, and in-depth knowledge of visual communications, a refined eye for aesthetics and a strong understanding of my value, one thing has become clear: my name is not for sale. I only post things I want, without obligations to brands. In other words: I do my own thing.
Because my name stands alongside the jewelry business, Alys, my husband and I have built. It also stands for my transactional analysis counseling, and both of my business share the same foundation: integrity.
Through the years I have become abundantly clear on who I am. My values and principles allow me to move through life with complete and unapologetic authenticity.
How, you ask? Ah, yes.. I made a lot of messes only I could fix. And I did, I kept showing up as the clean-up crew, and eventually I learned to trust myself enough that I can give anything a go because I know that it will either
a) work out or
b) I’ll be able to handle the consequences.
There, that’s it. My origin story. If you managed the read it means you’re my people (your attention span is still intact, and you’re using your brain intentionally rather than on autopilot despite of the current state (and pace) of the world, cheers to that).
To conclude: authenticity = courage + accountability.
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