This is an interview with Latasha Peterson of Arts & Budgets.
Hey, Latasha. Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.
Hi, there! I am a side hustle expert and business coach that helps beginner side hustles, and bloggers turn their content into profitable businesses. I create courses, masterclasses, and workshops to help them go to the next level with their side hustles.
What inspired you to pursue financial freedom?
In 2016, when I was pregnant with my first son, I decided with my husband to stay home and start a blog to help people find the best side hustles for them. I was inspired by my background in musical theater and the performing arts.
During my journey in the performing arts, I saw so many talented friends look for additional income streams to help them make ends meet as they pursued their dreams, so I decided to start a side hustle blog to help them find the best and most profitable side hustles to build wealth.
I have always loved side hustles. The first side hustle I ever tried was becoming a brand ambassador for radio stations in the Chicago area.
What other side hustles have you tried since then, and how did they work out for you?
Some early side hustles I have tried have been taking surveys online and becoming a virtual assistant to a storage company.
The virtual assistant side hustle was terrific, and I earned a great salary for that year, but taking surveys online didn’t yield a lot of income results. Taking surveys is good if you want to earn a little money on the go for coffee or gas.
Read also: How Kayla Sloan Makes $10K/Month as a VA
How long did it take you to earn your first money as a blogger?
In 2017 after I had been at it for a year, I started monetizing my blog, and in May, I earned my first paycheck. Soon after that, I turned Arts and Budgets into an actual business by incorporating it into an LLC that July.
How much are you currently making from the blog and what are you income streams?
I currently earn over $10k a month with my blog. My current income streams are affiliate marketing, selling digital products, display ads, working with brands on sponsorships, 1:1 and group coaching, speaking at in-person and online events.
What’s your favorite blog monetization method and why?
My favorite ways to monetize methods are display ads and affiliate marketing. Both of these income streams are passive, which means even while I am sleeping or on vacation, I can earn money every day. 🙂
How did you grow the blog traffic over the years?
Learning about SEO and Pinterest SEO helped me grow my blog traffic over the years. Currently, my top traffic sources are Google SEO and Pinterest. I also get a little traffic from social media channels such as Instagram and Facebook.
How important is your email list to your business?
My email list plays a huge part in my marketing strategy. I like to send my subscribers newsletters each week with helpful resources and tips. Also, many of my sales for my courses and masterclasses come from my subscribers from my email list.
What are your favorite ways to get new subscribers to your list?
One of my favorite ways to get new subscribers is by updating my freebie every 6 months to help serve my target audience better.
What role does Pinterest play in your marketing and how do you utilize it as a blogger?
Pinterest plays a huge role in my online business as it is one of the platforms that I use to drive traffic to my website every month.
What was the first course you launched?
One of the first course I launched was Pinterest Superhero which gave bloggers the strategies I use to grow my blog traffic with Pinterest.
From there I created & launched my signature course The Blog For Profit Academy 2022 and that course has earned more than $48k in revenue to date. In the course I teach new bloggers the methods and strategies I used to create a six-figure business with my blog.
Other digital products I have launched have been my Side Hustle To Freedom ebook with 100 side hustles to earn extra money and my Passive Income Accelerator masterclass which shows new entrepreneurs how to earn passive income every month with a blog + online business.
What are the key things you do to have a successful product launch?
One of the key things I do every launch is look over all my stats to see what worked and what didn’t work with the launch. This helps create focus and clarity for the next launch.
How long did it take you to become a 6-figure blogger?
I started my blog in 2016 and I had my first 6-figure year in 2022.
What would you say were the turning points to actually increasing your revenue?
One of the biggest turning points for me was creating digital products directly for my target audience such as my course Blog For Profit Academy.
I also focused on having a positive money mindset and spent time praying about the type of digital products and content to create.
How has your money mindset changed as your income grew?
Having a positive money mindset has been game changer for me in my business. I truly believe that if you believe in something you can achieve it with a positive money mindset, prayer, a solid stragety, determination and consistency.
What’s your take on debt now?
I would say if you can avoid it definitely do that. But if you can’t it’s a great idea to find the balance by earning from side hustles to help boost income.
I do understand that debt can be necessary in certain situations, such as buying a home or financing education, where it allows individuals to make significant investments that they might not be able to afford upfront.
However, it’s important to approach debt responsibly, considering factors like interest rates, repayment terms, and one’s ability to manage and repay the debt.
What are the biggest mistakes aspiring side hustlers make?
One common mistake is not taking action and getting started. Procrastination or analysis paralysis can prevent aspiring side hustlers from making any progress towards earning money. It’s essential to take that first step and start implementing your ideas.
What about the mistakes that prevent them from turning that into regular income and becoming financially free?
From my experience one of the biggest mistakes is not scaling their businesses and expanding their income beyond the initial stages.
They may become complacent or fail to invest time and resources into growth strategies. To achieve regular income and financial freedom, it’s crucial to focus on scalability by exploring opportunities to increase sales, reach a wider audience, and expand offerings.
Where can people find you?
You can currently find me at:
