Today we’d like to introduce you to Merrick White
Merrick , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story starts a really long time ago, before social media, influencing, or anyone made money sharing blog posts on the internet. I was in college, getting my art degree, and since I was out of state, my mom asked if I would create a blog and share my artwork on it so she could see what art I was working on. Hence the name, Merrick’s Art. If you scroll back to the very, very, very beginning of my blog, it’s all paintings and drawings!
A few years later, I had graduated from college, was studying under some local professional artists, and my husband and I had our first baby. I was bored at home during naptime, and decided to dust off my sewing skills to pass the time. Since I didn’t have much money for fabric, I pulled one of my husband’s old Abercrombie polo shirts out of the closet donate pile and refashioned it into a top for me. I had been posting on my blog here and there, and Pinterest was just taking off and was the major social media platform of the time. I decided to take a before and after picture of my refashioned top to share on my blog, and within a few days it had gone absolutely viral. Everyone was posting this refashion picture and wanting to make their own. My blog was getting insane amounts of traffic, people were asking for more refashions and sewing tutorials, and I realized I’d struck a nerve.
From there, I started posting regularly, showing sewing projects and outfits, and posting them all on Pinterest after sharing them on my blog. My traffic continued to spike, and I found that I loved creating and sharing these kinds of projects online.
Fast forward fourteen years, two more children, three moves to new states, and thousands of blog posts later, I’m now a full time content creator, blogging at Merricksart.com (I never changed the name!), and creating fashion videos and tutorials at @merricksart on all my social media platforms.
Although I don’t do any sewing these days, I did create my own clothing line of wearable, comfortable, mom-friendly dresses, Merrick White Collection, and I focus my content on helping women shop better and smarter, create outfits for all occasions, and feel comfortable and confident in everything they wear.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Like all good things, it’s taken a lot of effort to get where I am today. There have definitely been struggles. It’s been a challenge to learn how to run a business, balance work/mom life, build a thicker skin as I’ve shared more on the internet, navigated new platforms and ways of sharing content, building a team, and so much more. But it’s been an adventure I wouldn’t trade — I’m doing what I love, I get to work with an incredible team of creative women, and I get to connect with women all around the world as I help them build confident and fantastic closets.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a fashion content creator, blogger, and influencer. I’m know for helping women get dressed and putting together interesting but wearable outfits. I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve done this for over sixteen years! Every time I start something new or try something hard, I am bolstered by the fact that I know I can stick with that thing because I’ve stuck with blogging all these years. I’m here for the long haul and I’m really proud of that.
I think the thing that sets me apart from others, especially other fashion influencers, is that I share the WHY behind the outfits. Rather than just sharing my outfits or what I’ve purchased, I’m an educator and teach women why it’s worth it to add something to their closet, or why an outfit works or doesn’t. I don’t see a lot of other women doing that with their fashion content.
How do you think about luck?
I think I’ve had good luck with timing, especially with the start of my growth back in those Pinterest days. It was absolute luck that I created that refashion tutorial right at the peak of the Pinterest frenzy, and that completely changed the trajectory of my life and career.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.merricksart.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/merricksart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MerricksArt
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiks_EqK-LvM5RwUf-3RuMg
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/merricksart/
