Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Colello.
Stephanie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I originally started Whiskey and a Brewnette to document my adventures with Whiskey and to tell the story of the life of dog mom post college graduation. I hadn’t lived in Houston since high school so I wanted to explore what new things the city had to offer while taking Whiskey with me! My goal was to show off dog friendly places in Houston and encourage others to bring their fur babies to these places. Eventually I started incorporating some style aspects, as well as documenting other places outside of the city we have traveled to.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Definitely not! Some challenges I faced were carving time out to create content on top of working a full-time job and balancing some freelance projects. Creating this Instagram (and now blog) has been so much fun but I think it’s worth noting how much work goes on behind the scenes into creating quality content. You need to schedule time to shoot photos, edit them, create engaging captions/content to match, engage with your audience, etc. I want people to be aware of how much time goes into this. Another thing I think is worth noting is when you look at someone’s Instagram, you are most likely seeing only their highlight reel and I think it’s so important to mention that. Advice I want to give to others is to stop comparing yourself to what you see on social media. Hardly anyone actually posts when something negative has happened to them, so you’re only seeing the best of the best moments. Stop spending time comparing your life to what someone else is portraying online. You are wonderful!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Whiskeyandabrewnette – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I’ve been called the dog mom blogger, which I think is so fun and unique! I’ve also heard crazy dog mom but I take that as a compliment. I’m most proud of how acceptable bringing Whiskey everywhere has become. It’s so normal now for people to bring their fur baby along with them when they adventure! I also love getting to be real with people and I love the friends I’ve been able to make along the way! I think what sets me apart is that Whiskey and a Brewnette isn’t just about me. It’s also about Whiskey and how he’s been such an important part of my life. He’s been with me through senior year of college, grad school, and now post grad life. It makes me happy that people love seeing him as well!
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
I think the biggest barrier is not believing in yourself. It’s so easy to give up when things get tough but if you really want something, you need to keep working hard and keep on keeping on even when things get tough. Create goals for yourself and don’t stop until you get there. Then create new goals to keep growing as a person. It’s so important to keep learning and growing. You can do this!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.whiskeyandabrewnette.com/
- Instagram: @whiskeyandabrewnette
Image Credit:
The McRaes Photography, Aly Hester Photography, Jordan Ann Photography.
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
