Brittany Norman is the maker and owner of Ellison Made, a home goods shop & decorating blog. She’s a Florida native, but resides in Georgia with her husband and three daughters. When she’s not on mom duty, she can be found in the workshop or fixing up her home one DIY at a time.
Her style is a mix of old and new, with hints of color sprinkled on a neutral backdrop throughout her home.
Q&A with Brittany Norman
What interests you most about taking on DIY projects?
Oh, man. Just one thing? I love the challenge that comes with creating spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and fully functional for a busy family. From sketching a design to bringing it to life, the entire process is empowering for me.
What creative areas do you prefer to focus on?
Budget-friendly DIYs and Dupes. One of my favorite HGTV shows was Design on a Dime because they used cost-saving ideas and clever design solutions to create beautiful spaces on a budget. You don’t have to spend a fortune; you just have to think outside the box & be willing to put in a little elbow grease. For example, I wanted a $200 Pottery Barn mirror for my half bath, but ended up making a similar version for just $12! Who doesn’t love saving money?
What do you consider to be your greatest business accomplishment thus far?
My greatest shop-related business accomplishment is when my canvas banners sold nationwide at Altar’d State, one of my favorite stores. And my greatest blog-related business accomplishment was getting to tour the 2020 HGTV Dream Home in Hilton Head Island thanks to Cabinets To Go. However, I’d have to say my greatest overall business accomplishment was quitting my full-time healthcare career to work from home & raise my kids.
What has been your most difficult project that you’ve tackled?
Painting my kitchen cabinets has been my most difficult project because I went against my gut instinct and followed a tutorial that recommended a few shortcuts to save time. Needless to say, I’m now doing them all over from start to finish – and don’t worry, I’ll be sure to share all about my experience on the blog to make sure nobody makes my mistake.
Do you have a brand partner that you consider to be your favorite?
Home Depot and Homes.com are two of my favorite brand partners. Both companies treat their bloggers very well, they give back to their local communities and their PR/marketing reps are just all-around good people. One of my favorite projects to date is the playhouse I flipped with Homes.com.
Which platform helps you to reach your audience the most, and how do you keep them engaged?
Pinterest provides the best reach for my blog and brand, but Instagram provides the best platform to directly connect with my audience on a more personal level. I love using all of Instagram’s features, whether it’s stories, posts, links or direct messages.
Based upon your personal experience, what’s one piece of advice that you’d give to blogger/influencers?
Don’t let numbers define you. Instead of asking how you can get more followers, ask how you can show up for the ones you have right now. Growth should be a part of your long-term strategy, but it takes time to develop a loyal following. Be authentic and consistent with your followers and you will develop an organic & engaged community – the best kind.
What’s one fun fact about you that our readers would be surprised to know?
As much as I love crafting and DIY, you may be surprised to know that I can’t sew beyond a basic stitch. You may be even more surprised to know that my husband can. If it can’t be hot glued or hem taped, it’s not happening.
What do you like most about HAVEN Conference?
Without a doubt, my favorite thing about HAVEN is the connections that are made. Can you believe that I didn’t know a soul when I attended my first HAVEN Conference 2 years ago? I drove 4 hours by myself to Charleston, South Carolina because I wanted to learn more about monetizing a blog. It was intimidating at first, but I got out of my comfort zone. If it weren’t for HAVEN, I would not have made the incredible blogger friendships and brand relationships that I have made over the last two years.
What do you want your audience to take away from your presentation at the Heart of HAVEN virtual conference?
I want my audience to know they have options when it comes to pursuing their passion and making a living. Whether your blog is uber profitable or non-existent, our course, Blogging Side Hustles, explores alternative streams of income that are a natural extension to a Home/DIY blog.
Q and A with a HAVEN 2020 Speaker Series
(This section will be updated as more articles are published)
Amber Kemp-Gerstel
Ashley Wilson
Heather Cooke
Carmen Smith
Jessica Litman
Corey Hudson
Wendy Zock
Racheal Jackson
Jessica Russell
Cara Newhart
Jess Crow
Tracy Pendergast
Jenn McMurray
KariAnne Wood
Karen Snyder
Yuni Min
Kera Jeffers
Kate Smith
Erin Marshall
Erin Ruoff
Rachel Rosenthal
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