Amy Bellgardt Springs Into Action Through Mom Spark
If your thoughts have begun to turn to Spring, you are not alone. Amy Bellgardt and her blog, Mom Spark, are right there with you, greeting your hibernation with fresh new posts about everything from Minimizing The Bedroom Closet to making 10 Rich and Decadent Chocolate Mint Recipes.
No doubt, Amy’s jump on the season comes from her unique ability to set trends. Her cutting-edge approach to life, motherhood, and blogging is Amy’s signature. I guess, God added a bit of extra “spark” to his recipe when creating Amy. It’s what makes Mom Spark so lively and interesting.
A grounded and savvy voice in the mom blogging industry and in life, Amy Bellgardt opens the doors to every season with flare and a steadfast know-how that will help you bring your own blogs into full bloom. Enjoy getting to know the mom blogger who sparks the attention of so many eager readers through the interview below.
What is your full name?
Amy Bellgardt
Where do you live?
Edmond, OK (a suburb of OKC)
How many children do you have?
Two boys, 15 and 8.
If you were asked to describe yourself in one word, what would that word be?
Driven
What is your personal mantra?
There are two song lyrics that go through my head daily - Mumford & Sons: “Love - it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you; it will set you free,” and Moulin Rouge: “The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” In short, I believe there is importance in showing people love and care. I use this mantra in my personal and business life.
When you were a little girl, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a singer or dancer. Either one would have sufficed. I would sing all day long as a kid, as if I were on stage each time, but it drove my little brother crazy.
Tell us about you and your life now.
Today, I am a full-time blogger and business owner that works from home. My day consists of getting the kids off to school, taking conference calls, writing articles, doing laundry, picking the kids back up, making dinner, answering an email...you get the idea. It’s a busy life, but I adore it.
What do you believe is your life’s purpose?
I believe that we all serve a different purpose in life and sometimes that purpose isn’t entirely clear for most of it. Right now, I feel that my purpose is to care for my family, raise compassionate and healthy children, make meaningful connections with others, love, and share whenever I can.
How long have you been blogging for? Do you blog for any group blogs or websites beyond your own?
I have been blogging for 7 years on my own blog, Mom Spark, and have written content over the years for various outlets including Evite, Walmart, Real Simple and Better Homes & Gardens.
What is the name of your blog? When was it launched?
Mom Spark - MomSpark.com. It was launched in July 2008 when my youngest was just a few months old.
Share with us the significance of the name of your blog to you. How did you come up with it?
The “spark” in Mom Spark was selected because I wanted to spark conversations, inspiration and ideas for moms and women. I also felt like it had a tiny bit of edge and modern appeal that represented my personal style and interest.
What is the primary focus of your blog?
Mom Spark publishes articles on fashion, food, travel, decor, diy, social good, reviews and natural living. We post several times a week, so the content is always fresh and interesting (I hope!). The vibe is trendy and modern, though, our audience reflects all walks of life.
What makes your blog unique?
Our blog is unique because it combines so many niches in one place. I have new content posted consistently and there is great care taken in the images I publish. It is very important that my blog feels light and inspiring, so the images and content have to reflect that. I have extremely high standards and I hope that shows in the work and aesthetics.
Are you a Brand Ambassador and if so, for which companies?
I’m currently a brand ambassador for Alamo Rental Cars and HP for 2016. For Alamo, I am writing travel content for families on packing tips and more. As for HP, I am creating unique diy projects using HP products and printers.
Beyond your blog, do you engage in other social media outlets such as Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, etc.?
I use Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram daily and have a pretty engaged audience on each. I also have a presence on Youtube and I have most recently started using Snapchat, which is a ton of fun!
What is the one piece of advice you would give to moms who may be interested in beginning a blog?
My best piece of advice would be to start a blog around what you know best, but not so narrow that you cannot evolve and grow. Also, it’s okay for growth to be slow and gradual as you work to build up content and an audience. If you love it, stay with it and care for it and it will care for you, too.
What do you do to decompress from the pressures of work, life, and blogging?
I travel as often as I can. When I am traveling, even for business, my mind is so calm and open. Travel does wonders for my soul.
What do you say to those who view blogging and bloggers as a hyped-up past-time engaged in by wanna-be journalists or entrepreneurs?
I actually do consider myself an entrepreneur and I don’t see the negative in that, but I didn’t go into blogging thinking I would hit the jackpot. Instead, I desired an outlet and platform to share ideas with other mothers and make connections beyond my neighborhood. I never considered myself a writer, though I had been writing in paper journals and online for years. In short, there was no contrived plan at all, it just snowballed on its own.
Do you support – either formally or informally – a particular social cause? Explain.
One of the main charities I support is World Vision, who offers emergency relief to people affected by disaster or conflict (Syrian refugees, most recently) and gives support to the needs of children in impoverished countries. I sponsor a child in Armenia through World Vision, who I was also fortunate enough to visit in person last year through a travel assignment.
When all is said and done, what is the one thing you hope your loved ones and those who knew you remember about you?
When it’s all said and done, I hope people remember me as a committed friend or family member who laughed, played and worked hard. Someone who made them feel special, loved and inspired. That is all I can ask for.
As I said, Amy Bellgardt combines “wisdom” and “trendy” (and oh, yes...determination) in a very unusual way. This is the magic that has caused Mom Spark to become the breakout blog that it has and the reason Amy has been able to turn her entrepreneurial talents and writings into a SAHM’s dream. She’s a mom, blogger, and trend setter extraordinaire!