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Natalie MacNeil is the founder of She Takes On The World, the award winning lifestyle and business blog for ambitious women around the world.

Natalie has two businesses. The first is a start-up, GarageEntrepreneurs.com, that connects young entrepreneurs to the people they need to get their business off the ground. The second is a media business where she works with companies on developing digital media projects on a contractual basis.    

We asked Natalie about her blogging journey so far:

When did you start blogging?
 I started blogging a few years ago when I was travelling the world. It was a good way to stay connected to the people I was meeting. In March 2008 I started She Takes On The World as a resource for ambitious women and it’s been growing every since.

What’s been the most challenging for you when it comes to blogging? 
I find the most challenging thing to be continually writing quality posts that can benefit my readers. Writing a blog on top of running a business, volunteering with many organizations, and having a social life is a challenge but I love it. I set aside a few hours a week in my schedule to write posts and I talk to my readers through comments, twitter, and email on a regular basis. 

What’s your best blogging tip for others?
I’ve talked to many people who think starting a blog is an easy way to make passive income. This is not a good assumption to make. Write a blog because you have a passion for the topic, want to share your knowledge with others and start a conversation with your readers. It’s important that you always respond to comments and emails you receive about your blog. I love being able to answer readers’ business and money questions and help them where I can. Ultimately you want to build a trusting relationship with your readers.

How has blogging helped your business?
Blogging has helped me make a lot of connections for my business that I otherwise would not have made. The value in blogging is not in making money from your blog (although making money is nice) but rather the exposure it brings to you and your business. I’ve been offered quite a few consulting and media projects through my blog.

What’s your own favourite/ most popular post you’ve written?
One of my favourite posts is a step-by-step guide to starting a business, The Ready, Set, Go Business Start-Up Guide:

One of my posts with the most traffic is Women of the Year 2008 that were selected by my readers.

Thanks Natalie!