For the next Q&A session, we bring it to the world of blogging. As a blogger myself, it’s fun outlet to get opinions and stories out there that others may value. For a blog like this, it’s beneficial to the community to bring more exposure and information out on what Wichita has to offer. There’s another famous blog in Wichita that many have been going to for the past year.
That is Wichita Moms Blog. (http://wichita.citymomsblog.com/)
The next person in our Q&A series is the founder and owner of Wichita Moms Blog. She is Angela Green.
Without further ado, I’d like to welcome Angela as the next guest in our Q&A Series.
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Eddy: Angela, thank you for participating in the Wichita By E.B. Q&A Series. Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?
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| Angela Green |
Angela Green: Thank you so much for having me – I love eating vicariously through you. 🙂 I’m a born and raised Wichita girl who graduated from K-State, got married right out of college, went back to school to get my masters, switched careers twice, and moved around several times before finally settling back down in the ICT. I swore I would never move back home, yet lo and behold, here I am. And I’m here to stay. Now that we’ve had a taste of raising a family in Wichita, I can’t possibly think of anywhere else I’d rather be. I’ve been a full-time work outside the home mom, a stay at home mom, and have finally found my place as a work from home mom. Believe it or not, it’s not as easy or luxurious as it sounds as I’m constantly trying to find the balance of running a business with two littles at my feet (literally). But I absolutely love the chaos. And I survive on coffee and wine.
Eddy: Chaos is fun though. That sure beats the monotony of going through the same old motions every day.
From one blogger to another, what many people may recognize you from is that you’re the founder and owner of the Wichita Moms Blog. What made you start up the blog?
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| wichita moms blog |
Angela: On the heels of having our first daughter, I very quickly realized I was desperate for resources, interaction, and connection. And I wanted all of those things from other moms. But where the heck was I supposed to find those moms? I had so many questions, and there didn’t seem to be a central resource for Wichita moms – or at least I didn’t do a very good job of finding it. So I got all of my information from my own mom and the same 2 or 3 friends I knew who had babies before me.
After that first year haze of baby survival cleared, I decided I needed to take on the task of creating a resource for Wichita moms – one where they could not only find information, but lasting relationships as well. Two weeks later, I happened to see that one one of my sorority sisters was writing for something called Kansas City Moms Blog. As I began digging deeper, I realized that KCMB was part of this larger network of moms around the country (City Moms Blog Network) who had started parenting sites for their local communities. I knew immediately I had to bring this same resource to Wichita. And so I did.
Eddy: Since you started the blog, it’s blown up very big in the city. What’s been the reaction to it from readers and followers?
Angela: Well goodness, thank you. Wichita Moms Blog is my third baby. What many people don’t know is the incredible amount of work it takes behind the scenes to run a parenting resource like WMB. We are so much more than a blog as we not only have a team of 23 local mom writers, but we are also committed to connecting moms through our engaged online community and in person through events. We have definitely received a lot of positive feedback both from readers and business partners we’ve worked with. But I have to say, what makes all the blood, sweat, and tears worth building something like this from the ground up is when we receive a comment from a fellow mom who has connected to one of our writers through a challenge they wrote about. Or when we receive random thank you’s for bringing this resource to Wichita. It makes it so worth it!
Eddy: I can definitely agree with you on that. In my particular case, I occasionally receive the negative comment or even more negative e-mail. But each time I get a comment from a reader on new restaurant or business they tried and love, it makes it all worth it.
So going back to WMB. This month marks the one year anniversary of Wichita Moms Blog. Word on the street is there is something special to mark this occasion. Care to elaborate?
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| WMB Birthday Bash! |
Angela: First of all, it is absolutely insane that it has almost been one year. But we are so excited! We are celebrating our “First Birthday” with a Moms Night Out Birthday Bash on February 25th at the Mid-America All-Indian Center. It’s going to be one big celebration! So, picture everything a mom could possibly want to do in a night out without kids – eating, drinking, shopping, pampering, snapping pics with her best friends – we’re bringing it all together in one place. We have been working so hard on this event – and there are only a few tickets left!
(And let’s just say, if WMB is my third baby, then our Birthday Bash is most definitely my fourth. Ha!)
Eddy: That is just fantastic. February also happens to mark our anniversary here too at Wichita By E.B. Big five years for the blog here. Those interested in attending our Five Year Celebration, please mark your calendars for February 27th, 2016. Our party will be held at Charles Koch Arena. We will have many special guests including Gregg Marshall along with others like Fred VanVleet, Ron Baker and Evan Wessel who will be making their last appearance in uniform that day. Tickets to this event are sold out but you can watch our celebration on ESPN or ESPN2 that day. Time still to be determined.
Now anybody interested in more information on the WMB Birthday Bash, please head to their website here.
Now WMB isn’t a blog just on your own. You have quite the staff of fellow moms that help you. At what point did you begin to include other mothers and how does the process of finding others to help work?
Angela: Oh, this immediately makes me think of a quote one of our writers posted in our Facebook chat group just last week, “Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back.” And that could not ring truer for WMB. We are a team of 23 regular moms who all have different backgrounds and parenting perspectives, but we respect one another completely and share the common thread of passion for our families and our community.
And the most amazing part? Our writers do this completely on a volunteer basis. Our platform is so unique because of the large reach and engagement we receive on a daily basis, and it is exciting to be a part of! There is something so powerful about collective wisdom, and our writers are fueled by making connections with and sharing their unique experiences and stories with other moms.
Eddy: Even with the name, “Wichita Moms Blog”, there’s content on there for people other than just mom’s. What can other demographics like fathers or non-parents find on your site that would be beneficial to them?
Angela: You wouldn’t believe how many comments we receive from dads and non-parents, and we absolutely love that! Although we do target moms, much of our content is useful for anyone living in Wichita. In addition to parenting topics, our daily content covers everything from favorite local coffee shops to what’s going on in and around Wichita this month. There really is something for everyone!
Eddy: Any advice for others looking to jump into the exciting and fantastic world of blogging?
Angela: I began blogging when my husband and I moved to the east coast as a way to keep friends and family updated on our lives (which were significantly more exciting than they are now). And I have to say, I really really miss “blogging” because I no longer have time for writing these days! But that being said, I think the most successful blogs are ones that are completely genuine. WMB strives for authenticity in all that we share – including our partnerships with businesses. So I guess my advice would be to find something you are an expert at and/or super passionate about (in our case, it’s motherhood and in your case food). It’s much easier to stay in the realm of authenticity when you write about something you love.
Eddy: I certainly do love food. Been eating the stuff for over 30 years and can’t get enough of it. So of course this being a food blog, I have to ask. Top three favorite restaurants in Wichita………..GO!
Angela:
1. Favorite Restaurant to Bring the Kids : The Anchor (their kid’s menu is fabulous)
2. Favorite Date Night Spot : The Patio of Newport Grill (and we never leave without splitting the Banana Nut Bread Pudding)
3. Favorite Go-To Patio Spot : Ziggy’s because, pizza and twinkle lights.
Eddy: Fantastic choices all around. Well Angela I certainly want to thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule to participate in our Q&A Series here at Wichita By E.B. And also congratulations on your one year anniversary. Any additional comments you wish to add to all the readers out there?
Angela: Thank you for all the support you’ve shown us over the last year. We do this for you – so we would welcome ideas and feedback always! Thanks so much for having me Eddy. That was fun!
Eddy: On behalf of Wichita By E.B., I’d like to thank Angela again. It was a joy to hear from the founder and owner of WMB.
If you know of anybody that would be great as a guest of the Wichita By E.B. Q&A Series, feel free to e-mail me at wichitabyeb@gmail.com. I’m looking for anybody who impacts Wichita in any sort of way. Thank you and Happy Dining!
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