In the ever-evolving world of digital entrepreneurship, few stories capture the essence of starting small and scaling with purpose quite like the journey behind Let’s Reach Success. What began in 2013 as a simple passion project—driven by curiosity and a desire to share personal development insights—has since grown into a globally recognized platform and thriving online business. In this candid conversation with Lidiya, we explore the mindset shifts, early uncertainties, and defining moments that transformed a “hobby blog” into a powerful brand, proving that sometimes the best way to begin is simply before you feel ready.

1. Honestly, looking back to 2013, did you ever think your "hobby blog" would turn into a global brand, or were you just trying to figure out how the internet worked at the time?

Hey and thanks for having me.

No, when I started Let’s Reach Success back in the days, I had no idea it could turn into a full-time business. 

I believe that helped. There was no pressure, and I really had time to figure out what I wanted and what was possible online. Plus, it’s always great to start something out of passion, not for the money.  

2. You’ve said you started "before you were ready". To be fair, that’s terrifying for most people. What was the specific moment you decided to stop overthinking and just hit "publish" on that first post?

I almost did it many times, but the desire in me to write about personal development and share it with others never went away. I did some search and WordPress seemed to be the right platform for that (so glad I made that choice from day 1).

I already had some articles written, so one day I just set up the site (a hosted one to begin with, meaning it was a wordpress.com domain, not a domain I owned) and published the first post. 

Then I kept going any time I had new content to share.

3. By the way, what was the very first thing you ever wrote about? Is it still live on the site, or is it hidden away in the archives now?

You can always go to the last page of the blog and see what’s there. Some posts have been updated and republished to a newer date, but the oldest one currently is ‘4 Easy Steps to Great Ideas’.

Then I was writing content about being in shape, forming good habits, discipline, inspiration, creativity, etc.

4. How did you come up with the name for your blog, and who helped you along the way? Did you use numbers (numerology) or some other kind of maths to pick the name?

The very first name was FollowMe2Success. I then switched to Let’s Reach Success, but the idea remained the same - it’s always been about achieving more in life and in business and documenting my journey and sharing what I learn along the way.

5. You’ve earned over $128,000 from blog sponsorships alone—that is a massive achievement. So, I’m curious, what was the shift in your mindset when you realised your blog wasn't just a side project anymore but a real business?

That was probably the first time I earned $100 from it, which was from a sponsored client. I then realized my site is an asset, and I should treat it like one, so I learned more about the business side of blogging.

Since then, I’ve worked with hundreds of brands, have added my blog to dozens of sponsored networks, and potential sponsors reach out via email all the time. In fact, this is how I earn 90% of my revenue, and it’s my favourite thing to teach. I cover it all in my course, The Blog Sponsorship Boss.

6. Hitting 100,000 monthly page views is a "dream milestone" for many. In your opinion, is there a specific habit you stayed consistent with that finally moved the needle for your traffic?

Here’s the thing: I reached that milestone years ago, in 2019 I think. Things in the blogging space are completely different now. Then it was thanks to organic traffic from Google + Pinterest. I had old articles that were ranking well in search engines and my Pins were doing well too.

But that’s not the case anymore. With the rise of AI, Google algorithm changes, Pinterest algorithm updates, and the importance of overall authority and branding online (being on multiple platforms, showing your expertise, etc), blogging is a bit different.

Luckily, monetizing isn’t necessarily tied to having 100K page views a month. You can have much less and still earn a full-time income.

Not from ads, though, as that’s directly related to traffic, but in the other ways – selling digital products, blog sponsorships, affiliate marketing, etc.

It’s more about what you do with the traffic you have. I now get between 12K and 20K monthly page views, but brands don’t mind and still want to work with my site due to its domain authority and how long it was existed. It’s all about the SEO juice they get from it.

Plus, traffic now is much harder to get than it was a few years ago. So focus on building your overall online presence instead (be on socials too, have a podcast or YouTube channel, write on LinkedIn and Substack, etc.). Grow your email list and build a community of raving fans. That’s what counts and what can lead to a bigger income over time.

7. You successfully transitioned from freelance writing to selling your own courses. How did that change things for you personally? Does it feel more rewarding to teach others your own system?

I’d call it transitioning from freelancing to blogging, as digital products were never my main income stream. But yes, that was a big moment. Probably the best accomplishment in my business so far.

I didn’t want to do client work; it was draining me. I only wanted to create content for my platforms. So with a lot of focused work, I got there.

Through my courses I do teach my systems, though, and I believe that’s very rewarding, and it’s the best value I can give to people who enter my world.

In The Blog Sponsorship Boss, for example, I show exactly how to make your blog sponsor-ready. Find clients; learn how to pitch them and negotiate your rates, how to create your sponsored packages and media kit, and specific strategies to scale and charge more. Sponsored networks to join, and anything else you need to know about your business model.

Read more: Michael Sakraida: Everybody needs a direction in life

8. "Lifestyle design" sounds like a dream, but it takes a lot of discipline. What does a typical day look like for you when you’re actually living that freedom-focused, location-independent life?

It’s different during each stage of my life. I just became a mom 3 months ago, so things have never looked the way they do now. I have little time for myself, but the freedom now looks like being able to stay home with my baby girl instead of sending her to daycare before I’m ready.

It’s also that I get to leave the business behind when necessary and focus on other things. But it’s always there for me when I want to get back. I always miss it when I don’t open my laptop for 2-3 days.

Freedom in previous stages of life, though, looked like leaving my home country and relocating to the Netherlands, working whenever I want, also while traveling, waking up whenever I want; and structuring my day in any way I see fit.

9. You talk a lot about "financial independence". Actually, do you think anyone can achieve this, or is there a specific "entrepreneurial spark" someone needs to have first?

I’ll be honest. I’m far from being financially independent. I don’t have a boss, I’ve been my own boss for 10 years, and I have savings and investments. But that doesn’t mean things are easy. I live in an expensive country, where it’s not actually beneficial to be a small business, so that affects me. Also, I earn in USD but convert to euro, as I live in Europe, and I lose a lot.

But I always have a big vision in mind, and in online business, anything’s possible.

10. Listen, we all have bad days. When you’re feeling uninspired or stuck, how do you get back into that "success-orientated" mindset you teach your readers?

I wrote about how I stay motivated as a blogger in this post.

11. Yahoo! Finance named you a top course creator to watch. That’s pretty huge! Did that international recognition change the way you approach your content, or did you just keep doing what you were already doing?

Actually, no. These features are cool, but they are just something to add to your bios online and display on your blog. They don’t change much, and don’t bring any traffic. 

Maybe for coaches that’s more beneficial, as they need credentials, and features can bring them leads.

12. If you and I were sitting down with a brand-new blogger today, what is the one piece of "actionable advice" you’d give them to make sure they don't quit in those tough first six months?

• Promise yourself you'll give blogging a try (actively) for at least 12 months.
• Repurpose content.

Don’t be intimidated to create content consistently, but also make sure you repurpose it. Each blog post can turn into multiple social media posts, share parts of it on LinkedIn and Substack and create Reels and TikTok videos from it, sharing just 1 thought or tip. Share it with your email list. Interlink it well.

• I created a free guide showing you how to turn 1 piece of content into 9. You can grab it here.
• Use Pinterest for short-term traffic.
• Don’t be intimated by AI. In fact, you can now optimize your content to rank in AI search, so make the most of that opportunity. 

13. Final thoughts: What is the one thing you want a reader to feel the very first time they land on Let’s Reach Success?

Hope. 

If I can do it, you can do it too.

Read more: Maria Cassano on What Helps Her Write and Edit Better