Lauren Greutman is a star. She’s on Bridge Street often, has a very successful blog, and was highlighted in Syracuse Woman Magazine as the May cover story, was highlighted in a promo video for it, and also writes articles for them. She’s also a very nice person; the first time I met her in person, after we’d been talking on Twitter for a while, we hugged each other as if we were old friends. I hope you enjoy this interview.

LaurenG002

Lauren Greutman

I Am That Lady?

I was washing the dishes one night after teaching a coupon seminar where one lady asked me if I could start a blog. I thought to myself “I am just that crazy coupon lady” and that was where the name was born. I searched on GoDaddy to see if the domain iamthatlady.com was available and was shocked that it was!

2. I don’t remember how we first made contact, but I know I saw you on local TV, Channel 9’s Bridge Street. How did you get to do that and will you be doing it again some day, maybe on a more regular basis?

I think we started chatting on Twitter first, and then the rest is history 🙂

I actually went on Bridge Street for my first time about 2 months after my blog launched because I was teaching a coupon seminar at a local event and they wanted someone to talk about it. They sent me and I was so nervous. I really hit it off with Chris, Kaylee and the producers and they just kept on inviting me on.

They started asking me to co-host about 2 years ago and Chris and I loved working together. I was doing a weekly segment but it was just too much for me. I go on about once a month usually to co-host and try to put my own segment in there as well. I was actually applying to be the co-host after Kaylee left, but then I found out I was pregnant with my 4th child and knew I couldn’t do it all. I consider it a blessing that I got pregnant because my goals are much more focused on my brand now.

3. What prompted you and Renee Benda into starting up the local blogging group?

It is actually all Renee, I just helped her organize some of the social media elements.

4. You know a lot about the local businesses and also deals from national businesses that are in central New York. How do you get all of your information?

I get hundreds of emails per day from PR agencies, companies etc. I look through all of them and forward the ones that I know my readers will like onto my assistant who does most of the postings. It is tough work looking through them all and weeding out the good ones, but I try really hard to post only the deals that my readers like and that are valuable to the main goal of my website.

5. On another blog, I wrote that sometimes a deal isn’t a deal if you have to drive too far for it with the cost of gas these days. You live in Oswego, which means you’re probably driving far for many of them. How do you reconcile distance with savings?

I totally agree! Since I live in Oswego I do most of my shopping there. I do not shop at Wegmans unless I am up that way. I do most of my shopping at Price Chopper, Aldi, and Walmart because they are all about 5 minutes away from my house.

6. How do you believe your online business grew to the point where your husband was able to leave his job and work with you from home? I know many people would love to be able to do that.

LaurenG003_1

I think networking has been key in my success. I started going to blogging conferences and learning how the bigger blogs were doing it, I read all I could about SEO and social media. I had dedicated over 60 hrs per week for the past 3 years into my blog/business and it has paid off.

My husband has been an actuary for the past 12 years and worked in Syracuse. He worked long hours and life was getting too stressful. We prayed about him leaving his job for over a year and after our 4th child was born, we knew it was the right time. I feel incredibly blessed that I was able to get through the tough times of being a business owner and blogger while being a mom. All my hard work paid off and we now get to live a life that is a dream!

7. I think you’d mentioned that your husband was going to become more of a writer for your blog so that different types of articles could be added. Will they be included within your normal content or will you set up different channels for it all?

We will be changing some things on the blog mid year which we are VERY excited about, but for now he is blogging under his name.

8. I know you’ve been working on a local blogging conference that, unfortunately, it looks like I’ll be out of town and won’t be able to get there. Can you talk about that and how you got into working to set it up?

Dan Morris is a blogging revenue coach that I met while in Atlanta 2 years ago. He is brilliant and has helped me learn so much. When I heard that he was starting his own traveling blogging workshop series I was SO excited to bring him here to Central New York. There are so many talented bloggers here that want to dig deeper into making money at this, and I knew that they would learn so much from him. We don’t have many advanced blogging resources in this area, so I thought it would be the perfect fit.

For anyone who wants to see what the seminar is about and wishes to sign up for it they can go to Blogging Concentrated and use the coupon code iamthatlady for $50 off!

9. I love when local folks get known nationally as well. Where have you traveled, who have you met, and are any of them as intriguing as me? lol

I have met many fabulous people. Last year I met with Michael Hyatt and John Acuff. I have flown to Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles and Atlanta to meet with companies or speak at events. My blog was featured on air at Anderson Cooper’s day time show last year and I’ve appeared on the 2nd largest news program in the US in New York City. I’ve seen and met a lot of amazing people!

10. Talk about your book, why you wrote it, why people should buy it, and when it’s coming out.

We have an ebook coming out called ‘Budgeting That Works‘, which comes with 2 FREE customizable budgeting spreadsheets, a 10 day email course, a live webinar Q&A, sessions with Mark and me and much more. We’ve had to push back the launch for the book for now.

11. I’ve never done an 11th question but this is your time. What do you want people to know about you, your website, and anything else we haven’t already covered?

I want people to know that blogging is very hard work. Posting deals is the easy part and probably only about 10% of what I actually do. There is SO much that goes on behind the scenes. That being said, I am SO passionate about helping people learn how to budget and save money. I work very hard to bring only the best deals, coupons, and local products around and am very proud of what I do!

My blog is Lauren Greutman (formerly I Am That Lady), and you can also follow me on Twitter at @laurengreutman, on my YouTube Channel, and also at Facebook.