blogging – A Double Dose

Tips On Starting A Business, The Comparison Game, The Benefits Of Essential Oils : An Extra Dose Podcast

June 28, 2018

In case you missed our last episode of An Extra Dose, you can listen to that here! In case you can’t find us on apple podcasts, you may have to unsubscribe from our old podcast, and then search again for “an extra dose” and then resubscribe!

In case you miss any of our future episodes of An Extra Dose, you can listen to them under on our main page (adoubledose.com > Lifestyle > Podcasts).

A little about this episode:

On this episode of An Extra Dose Podcast, the girls share their tips for starting any kind of business, and the challenges you may face. They talk about the comparison game, and how they overcome it. Samantha and Alexis discuss the benefits of essential oils and how they use them. Their favorites include an affordable way to clean jewelry and a secret to wearing backless or strappy tops.

Items we we talked about in this post:

An Extra Dose Podcast: Tips on Blogging, Lash Extensions, Hair Extensions

April 1, 2018

An Extra Dose Podcast | adoubledose.com

In case you missed our last episode, you can listen to that here! In case you can’t find us on apple podcasts, you may have to unsubscribe from our old podcast, and then search again for “an extra dose” and then resubscribe!

In case you miss any of our future episodes of An Extra Dose, you can listen to them under on our main page (adoubledose.com > Lifestyle > Podcasts).

A little about this episode:

On this episode of An Extra Dose podcast, the girls share their tips for starting a blog. They also talk about their eyelash and hair extensions and what their go-to hair products are. They finish off with their favorites for the week.

Items we we talked about in this post:

How We Got Into Blogging + Some Tips

November 9, 2017

Before we get into our main topic of this post, we wanted to mention that we had every intention of making these pictures look cute, but the windy situation had other ideas (insert eye roll emoji). Our sweet mom stood in the wind to take these pictures of us, and we had to include the outtakes for y’all at the bottom;) Too funny not to share! By the way, this adorable balloon is from Big Ass Balloons, and if you’re having a special occasion, or just want some fun balloons, they have the cutest ones! Now, for what all of y’all really want to hear about: how we got into blogging!We are sure we have kind of talked about this in several posts already, but in case you have missed any of them, we wanted to talk about it again! Get ready for a long-ass post 😉

How We Started:

We honestly had zero plans to start a blog or post anything related to blogging. We actually used to follow blogs in college, when it became a “thing”, and before Instagram was so huge, like it is now. We actually majored in something pretty nerdy: Management Information Systems. After college, we both worked in public accounting for about a year, and eventually decided to pursue personal training full-time for about 7-8 months. Although we loved it, we eventually realized it was not our passion. We launched our blog in the fall of 2015, and at the same time, also launched a food product, Double Dose Bakery. A few of y’all may remember our grain free, paleo waffles that we sold in some stores across the US and online :).

We loved both businesses, but if you all watch Shark Tank, you know you can’t do both well. It was definitely a tough decision, especially since our food product was our baby since inception, but in the end, we decided to pursue blogging full-time. We honestly have not looked back. It has grown to more than we had ever thought it would, and we truly enjoy it. We both had always had a major love for fashion, decorating, and design, even at such a young age. It wasn’t just about buying clothes and shopping all of the time; It was more about styling something a different way, or seeing a fun print and finding a way to wear it. Our grandma, we are told, was very much like we both are. She had a very creative eye, so if we are anything like her, that is a major compliment.
To be totally honest, we always thought blogging was not that hard, or not that much work. How hard could it be to just shop and post on social media all day?! Well, boy, did we have it wrong. It is more work than we could have ever imagined. We are not joking when you are literally on 24/7. Of course, you get in what you put in, but we are type-A, and will push ourself to the maximum limit, no matter what. We choose to answer almost every comment or message we get, post as many times as we do on social media, and answer emails within 24-48 hours, but of course, that is not a requirement for everyone. At the end of the day, though, there is nothing like working for yourself and building something that is truly your own. It really is true that if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. There are definitely days where it is overwhelming, but we wouldn’t change any of it!
Our Tips:

Stay in your own lane
- This can be so hard, and we know it. The more time you spend focusing comparing yourself to others, the more time and effort you’re not allocating to things that will grow your brand. Of course, like everyone else, we want to look at social media and be up-to-date, but it does make the comparison game so much more challenging.
Figure out what your brand is going to be and stick with it
- Figure out what kind of stuff you want your brand to be about. For example, more beauty-focused, fashion, budget-friendly, decor, etc. It is important to stick to your brand, and not stray away from that too much. If you’re going to focus on beauty, don’t randomly post a picture of your pets or children all of the time.
Share clear, bright images (not blurry, and dark)
- It seems pretty self-explanatory, but Instagram is extremely visual, so it is important that your images are bright and clear. We don’t mean go airbrush and photoshop all of your images so you’re unrecognizable, just enough to make them visually applying to look at. You don’t even have to own a nice camera to accomplish this. Our favorite app to use is Lightroom, but there are a ton of others like VSCO and Snapseed.
Post consistently
- Ya’ll may have noticed we post a lot on Instagram. You, by no means, have to post that frequently, but we would recommend posting at least once a day 4-5 days out of the week. People like to see what you’re doing and staying engaged with your audience is an important aspect.
Look for inspo, but don’t copy
- With so many bloggers and Pinterest, it can be so easy to just copy someone’s creative thought or shot, but we think you should always give credit if you do like someone else’s idea, or put your own creative spin on it!
Do it because you love it, not because of the money
- Blogging is definitely a fun job that comes with a lot of perks. We always say we never did it for the money, and if we did, we probably wouldn’t like it as much, and we wouldn’t be where we are now. You have to do it because you truly enjoy it, not because of what you think you’ll get from it.
Make friends with other people in the industry
- This industry can be very lonely. The amount of time spent behind a computer screen or phone is way more than you think. There is always an email to answer, or something to post or respond to. It is so nice to have a friend or buddy that can relate to everything you experience, or just someone to go to events with (or shoot your pictures!)
Everyone starts somewhere
- It can be daunting to start at literally 0 followers, but you know what: everyone starts somewhere. You don’t reach thousands of followers overnight organically, so just be patient and don’t be too hard on yourself!

And now for the out-takes:This one is priceless:

Thank you all so much for always being so supportive! It truly means the world to us, and none of this would be possible without y’all! If you have any more questions, feel free to comment below!{ Grey Bow Sleeve Sweater | Light Wash Jeans | Suede Booties | Cashmere Beanie | Off Shoulder Sweater | Dark Jeans | Boots | Nail Color | Lip Color ” Life of The Party”| BRACELETS: David Yurman Cable Bracelets here , here, and here and Cartier Love Bracelet | NECKLACES: Initial Necklace and Diamond Dainty Necklace | RINGS: David Yurman Ring here and here | WATCH: Michele Deco Watch }

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Fashion

Viewing Yourself As A Brand

September 13, 2017

When you think about bloggers and blogging, you probably don’t think of it as a brand specifically, or at least we didn’t. We wanted to talk today more about blogging, but specifically, viewing yourself as a brand. In case you missed our podcast recently, we shared some tips for starting a blog, and we also talked about branding, and how important that is. We had a few requests to go into more detail, so we are excited to chat more about it with you all! Before we get into that, we wanted to talk about this super easy and SOOO comfy outfit, perfect for transitioning into fall.
This v-neck sweater is incredibly soft and goes with everything! We always gravitate towards grey because it goes with blacks and browns and is just a flattering color on everyone. You all will seriously not want to take this one off! These jeans are a great dark color and they have just the amount of rips in them, without being too much.
These kicks are more for athleisure, and not working out, but that means they are acceptable to pair with jeans and a tee or sweater, without looking frumpy! They also look super cute with black leggings. This bag is a great everyday bag, and it actually holds a lot in it! We love that it has the round metal handles, but it also has a long strap so if you’re not feeling carrying the bag in your hands, you can throw it over your shoulder.Okay, now for moving onto the main topic we talked about earlier! This really applies to any industry, whether you’re a blogger, you work for yourself, you work for a larger company, etc. Think about when you’re at an event, dinner with friends, meeting new people at a networking event, you will most likely be talking about your career at some point. It is so important (at least to us) to always be representing yourself and your personal brand in a professional and positive way. Of course, there are times you are going to want to vent or blow off some steam from something that has happened or bothered you, but it is also important to remember that you will leave an impression, especially if they are people you haven’t met before, or don’t know that well. People will probably remember positive things, but they will most definitely remember negative things that you say or do.You never know who is around you, or who may know someone that is potentially connected to you, so it is always good to keep these things in mind! You all may notice that we also try and respond to you all on social media and emails. We are huge on interacting and engaging with you all. Without you all, we wouldn’t be able to do this for a living, and we would feel like we are talking to a computer or phone screen, haha. While it can be difficult and time-consuming to feel like we are always glued to our phones, it is really a priority for us to answer you all at the end of the day. It is always so amazing to us that some of y’all don’t expect us to answer you because of course we would! We are not saying we are anyone special or famous, by any means, but responding and stuff like that is part of your representation as a personal brand, and also how you respond.
September can be a tricky month to shop and dress for. Nordstrom is a great spot to find affordable and super versatile pieces to transition into fall with. They offer free shipping and returns, which is a total game changer!
{ Grey V-Neck Sweater | Dark Wash Jeans | Black Bag | Black Sneakers | Sunglasses | Nail Color | Lip Color ” Life of The Party”| Cartier Love Bracelet |BRACELETS: David Yurman Cable Bracelets here , here, and here and Cartier Love Bracelet | RINGS: David Yurman Ring here and here | WATCH: Michele Deco Watch }

In partnership with Nordstrom.

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Fashion / Lifestyle

Myths About Blogging

February 27, 2017

Before we get into the topic of this post, we wanted to share how CUTE this red skirt is! It is under $40 and has the cutest bow detailing. You can dress it up or down, or even wear it with a dressier blouse for work or a dressier event! This skirt is from Chicwish, and we love that they have the cutest trendy pieces at a great price point! PS- our very sweet friend, Nicolette, made this adorable champagne bottle to toast for Sam’s 100K on Instagram!

We paired it with our favorite block heel sandals and simple black tank!

First off, we wanted to take a second to thank you ALL for following along the past year and a half. We are truly fortunate to get to work for ourselves every day, and do what we are most passionate about. You all have NO idea how much getting to interact with you, or just a short, simple message saying you like what we share our enjoyed a post, means to us! Although we do love sharing our outfits and posts with you all, we love getting to “meet” y’all, and talk to you!:) We may not get to really thank you all all of the time, but we would never have dreamed that this would be our career, but we are so grateful for it, and have you all to thank for some of it!

Now, for what you all really want to know: the myths about blogging. Nothing gets on our nerves more than what people assume “blogging” is. Okay, we will admit that while we were in college, and even after that, we often wondered, “What do these girls do all day?” HA, well now we know firsthand it is A LOT of work. More work than we could have ever imagined.

#1: YOU CAN MAKE A LOT OF MONEY

This one always sets us off. We don’t know if it is because it requires so much work to even get to the point where you make money, or what, but this is not true. Yes, you can EARN a lot of money blogging, but it isn’t that easy. Having a blog requires creating and maintaining a website, constantly coming up with creative and unique content, responding to emails (aka a TON of time behind a computer screen), posting and planning constantly, etc. You can definitely make money, but it is not a guarantee.#2 :ALL BLOGGERS DO IS TAKE PICTURES AND GO TO LUNCH

We are total hypocrites because we both definitely thought this until we did it. It can appear that all some bloggers do is take photos, shop, and go to “lunch meetings”, but we promise you, it couldn’t be further from the truth most days. On a typical day, we are running around in workout clothes from 8 AM that morning, greasy, unwashed hair, sitting behind a computer screen all day (usually on our couch). So glamorous, right? We do get ready some days and shoot, but that is probably a couple times a week. The real work happens late at night writing posts, editing photos, answering emails, planning content, etc. We honestly never even worked this much at our corporate accounting job. We are pretty much working 24/7, even on a “vacation”.
#3: HAVING X AMOUNT OF FOLLOWERS = MAKING IT

This is another one that we both thought was true. It was (and still is), “when I reach X amount of followers, I will have made it,” and, the truth is, every time we reach that number, we don’t feel any more satisfied or “more successful”. While having more of a following means you get more opportunities, it does not necessarily mean more money. You have to work for it, no matter how many followers you have.#4: BLOGGING ISN’T A “REAL JOB”

There have been so many times where people ask, “But, what is your full-time job?” Of course, we know they are not trying to be offensive or rude. It is hard to not get upset by that because we both work SO hard, and any of you that are bloggers can probably relate! Blogging, like anything else, requires a ton of time, effort, and discipline. While it can be easy to say, “I would love to have that job,” there are good and bad things, like any other job. We are definitely not complaining, but it is not all rainbows and unicorns 24/7.#5: OUR LIFE IS PERFECT

Let us preface this by saying that we are EXTREMELY grateful for everything we have gotten to experience in our lives up to this point. With that being said, we have worked hard for it and earned it. Nobody’s life is perfect, no matter how it appears. Instagram, especially, is a highlight reel. Nobody sees the days you’re crying, or the times everything seems to go wrong, or when you’re going through something rough. The show still goes on, and since it is our job, we still continue to post and work. Obviously, our friends and family know what goes on behind the scenes, but just so you all know, our life isn’t perfect, and we have crappy days, just like everyone else;) We both struggle with anxiety, which doesn’t really make any situation better, but that is a work in progress;)

SHOP more fun pieces below:

In collaboration with Chicwish.

Fashion / Lifestyle

How We Blog Full Time

August 30, 2016

This post is something we have been wanting to write about for some time, and we get so many questions on how we got started into blogging, etc.

So, to start off, I may be repeating myself because I know I have talked about this several times on here, so sorry if you’ve already read some of this;) We have always had a major love for clothes, and styling pieces together. We loved shopping at an early age, and would frequently beg our parents to take us to the mall after school, on the weekends, or when we were on vacation. We knew exactly what we wanted to buy, and I am sure we embarrassed our parents with how much we would take into the dressing room to try on, haha.

To say we have a big closet would be an understatement. We do have a ton of clothes we still wear from high school and college, and love pairing those pieces with some newer pieces, as well as higher-end pieces. We are all about affordable pieces, but also love a good investment piece every once in a while, you know? Anyways, we actually majored in Management Information Systems from The University of Texas at Austin (hook ’em!) and both took a job in Dallas about three years ago at Ernst & Young (a Big 4 Accounting firm). I was working in IT Auditing, and Sam was working in Fraud Investigation. After a year of working there, we both decided that although it was a great job, we wanted something more, and didn’t feel fulfilled. So, we took a big leap of faith at just 23 to leave our job. We had some plans of what we wanted to do, but I will say that what we started doing at that time is definitely not what we are doing now.

We actually got certified as personal trainers while we were at our corporate jobs, and then personal trained clients after work, and eventually trained clients full-time. After about 8 months of training clients, we were burned out, and wanted to do something else. If I am being honest, I was also thinking, “What the heck am I going to do now?”. It was one of those moments where I felt so confused and had no idea where my career was going to go. I told myself that things would workout and I would eventually figure out what I wanted to do. We started blogging and sharing more of our outfits on our Instagram pages. I will say in the beginning it was not easy considering we were posting just fitness and food for the most part. It was basically like starting from scratch with Instagram because the people following me didn’t necessarily want to see all the clothes I was posting, if that makes sense? There were many days where my feelings were hurt, and I just felt like why am I bothering posting this stuff if nobody cares, but I told myself it is my own page, and I should be able to post whatever I feel like.

Eventually, after sticking with it for a while, our blog took off and we found our niche. Many people want to know how you can have a career out of blogging. First off, I want to say that I would have never thought that blogging and posting your outfits would require so much effort and thinking. We probably spend 85% of our time on our laptops answering emails, writing posts, etc. I absolutely love what I do and could stay up for hours working on content for you all. When you all send us emails and snapchat messages, it really makes our day, so thank you so much for doing that! We definitely read all of your emails and messages.You all probably wonder how we make money and support ourselves with a blog like this. We try to be as open with you all as possible, so we are happy to share this kind of stuff with y’all. We use affiliate links, will work with brands for sponsored content, etc. We are extremely careful when it comes to sponsored posts and the brand fitting well with our personal brand. This is how we support ourselves and pay our bills, so although it is tempting to take on a campaign with a brand for a large amount of money, we sometimes will decline those opportunities if it doesn’t mesh well with our blog and brand.

With all that being said, we are so fortunate to get to live our passion every day, and love communicating with all of you all. Without you all, none of this would be possible, and we appreciate your support more than anything. It can be hard some days to not compare yourself and your numbers (followers, likes, comments) with other bloggers, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t sometimes compare myself. I know that with the new Instagram algorithm, a lot of you all may not be seeing my posts, which sucks! I think a lot of it has to do with how much you all engage with me on my pictures? Not sure haha. Either way, if there’s anything you all want to see on our blog or have any questions at all, please feel free to reach out or comment on our Instagram pages.

Love you all and appreciate ALL of you! Xo