We're Not Done But....

You guys are probably like "where the hell have yall been?!"

We've been around, doing some great things.

It's been made apparent to us that something we started is becoming a movement.  When we decided to rebrand into being the only purposely branded nicheless blog, we weren't trying to persuade the masses to follow suit.  When it comes down to it, we just wanted to blog our way, that's it.  But we have been able to meet so many great bloggers and creatives, new and seasoned, who have since converted into being nicheless and we love it.

So, we are transforming our platform.  We want to focus on building a tribe and support system as the leaders of the movement, grow, and conquer the industry together.  So what does that mean?

Well...we're done blogging.  Our platform won't really be used for our infamous rants or beauty hauls anymore.  Our site will be revamped and a brand new resource hub and Facebook support group is in the works.

It's a little sad but so exciting at the same time because we know only great things are set for the future of nicheless blogging.

The one thing you can do so you don't miss what's to come is to subscribe to our email list here.  This will be the communication hub that we will be using to let everyone know when our new website and resources will be available.

But until then...it's been real!

911 Is Not Your Personal Customer Service Hotline Susan!

What is it about black people that makes white people so uncomfortable?

This is the million dollar question that no white person can seem to answer with any type of logic behind it.  Considering that white people are the "superior" race, how could us little ol' black people intimidate them?  How?

From napping in a dorm lounge, waiting in Starbucks for a business meeting, shopping in a store, BBQ-ing in the park, to simply enjoying a game of golf, apparen-fucking-ly, black people can't do anything without making white people fear for their lives and safety.

via GIPHY

White people have made it far too normal to pick up the phone and call 911 as if it is their customer service hotline number to report black people because we don't appease them....it's not right.  Black people being black is not a "customer service" issue you can call the police to have them deal with.  Black people being black is something white people need to get the fuck over.

Like, we literally cannot breathe without a white person claiming to feel uncomfortable and calling the po po's, like we did we do Susan?

I've said this before in a review I did for #LA92 and I'm going to say this again, it is not our responsibility as black people to ask white people what the problem is, we know what the hell the problem is.  White people should be asking each other what the issue is and stop treating their white privilege as a right, religion, and a cult practice.  

I think to myself, what if we turned the tables and called the police on white people just like they do with us?  I saw a Facebook status the other day saying black people should call 1-800-TOO-WITE on white people, and I love it.  Do you know what the hell black people have to deal with from white people?!  Let's put the obvious racism, prejudice, and discrimination to the side.  Black people have to deal with unseasoned chicken and nasty ass potato salad at the company picnic, being asked the most mind-blowing questions just because we're black, being mistaken for another black person because apparently, all black people look alike, awkward off beat dance moves, cultural appropriation, and what is white people's obsession with touching black people's hair?  The next time I feel uncomfortable around a white person I'm going to call 1-800-TOO-WITE, because I can guarantee it will be more times I'm going to feel uncomfortable around white people than a white person would ever feel uncomfortable around me.

Blogger Insight: Niche's Are For Scared B*tches-A Look Inside Our New Workshop!

Niche's....are for scared, conformed b*tches.

Ok I wouldn't say it like that, but forreal like get honest...why identify who you are in a small ass niche?

If you've been rocking with us from the jump then you know who we use to be, fashion bloggers.  And while fashion bloggers may rule the industry...it just wasn't for us anymore.  We didn't feel like identifying SOLELY with an over-saturated niche...that's not who we are.

niches are for scared b*tches....details....coming :)

— Just Bloggers (@justbloggers) August 30, 2016

And after thinking long and hard...we didn't feel like we needed to identify with ANY particular niche.  So, we became the only PURPOSELY branded NICHELESS blogs on the market!

We did this for 3 reasons:

ONE-we do what we damn well please...do you not know who we are?

TWO-we don't want to feel restricted with the content we choose to give

THREE-we wanted to prove to those "blogging experts" that you can very well be successful and come off as ORGANIZED without identifying a niche

And with that...comes our BRAND NEW WORKSHOP!

Masterclass-Nicheless is the New Niche is our one of a kind workshop that teaches you how to let go of those bullshit ideas on having to choose a niche, be confident that you can produce whatever you want and target to MULTIPLE audiences, and BE BRAVE enough to go against the norm and develop your own rules when it comes to blogging!

In our five part e-course we will show you everything we did in order to get to where we are now, including content creation as a nicheless blogger, social media promotion as a nicheless blogger, platform diversification as a nicheless blogger, acquiring sponsorship as a nicheless blogger, networking with other influencers as a nicheless blogger!

Ready to ditch your niche?!

Sign up for our course here, you can also check out a quick trailer below on what to expect!:

What we also want to do is open up the opportunity for any questions you may have so we can tailor this experience to your needs!  So if you have any questions regarding nicheless blogging, hit us up in the comments or email at justbloggers@outlook.com!

Fashion & Style: 15+ Quirky & Handbags Under $100!

AK here and today I want to talk about handbags, more so MY OBSESSION with quirky, unique, one of a kind handbags!

Now look, if you like the classic Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Kate Spade bag, that's great but...that just ain't me.  My obsession with one of a kind handbags is as high as my obsession with hot wings, I get a high out of buying a new one.  And what you might not know is these bags cost less than your rent, phone bill, or your food budget for the month (yes mine's is up there).  You don't believe me!?  Take a look below at some of my fav quirky bags that are well under $100!:

*AK OWNS*

Holo Cat Bum Bag- $30

Kitsch Rocket Crossbody-$78

Novelty Tape Shaped Shoulder Bag-$26

Offline Shoulder Bag-$45

*AK OWNS*

Unicorn Tears Cross Body Bag-$25

*AK OWNS THIS*

 Big Beatz Boombox Bag-$98

Secretly Smashed Cross Body Bag-$20

Watermelon Popsicle Cooler Bag-$58

Blue Jean Baby Denim Bag-$50

Ice Cream Cup Crossbody-$20

Holo Back Girl Holographic Clutch-$45

*AK OWNS THIS*

Calling All Girlfriends Phone Crossbody-$88

Cosmic Creature Teddy Backpack-$30

Calling All Betsey Gals Wristlet-$68

Don't Box Me In Cross Body-$88

Chromatic Cutie Cylinder Bag-$45

Spresiano-$60

Ghosted Grave Digger Skull Handbag-$90

Glitter Rainbow Crossbody Bag-$45

Go ahead and drop a line and show off your favorite quirky handbag!!!!!

Fashion & Style: Tacos. Tequila, & Taupe Boots!

It’s that time of year where we are transitioning seasons and spring cleaning simultaneously. What
colors to rock? What should we toss? What shoes should I wear? I’m just a foodie who wants to be
cute and comfy. I’m simple when it comes to fashion . . . a cute statement piece or a bold lip is the
perfect accessory for me. I find myself struggling in the shoe department when I’m out on the town, yet I have a favorite boot that I pair with every outfit when I’m in a casual mood. On this taco Tuesday, the weather was clear, cloudy and about 45 degrees in our nation’s capital.

I wanted to keep it cute and comfy so I picked out my favorite pair of jeans, an olive ¾ sleeve shirt and my taupe knee boots. The boots are G by Guess and are great for date night, girl chat, work or Taco Tuesday! As the snow melts don’t toss your winter shoes just yet. Mother Nature shows up and shows out sometimes – it’s cold, it’s warm. However, these boots are great to wear just like your favorite classic flats, sneakers or booties. I was in the mood for jeans and boots on this day, but you can wear your spring shirt dress – looking chic, all while keeping your bare legs warm. Yes, it’s still cold outside, but don’t get discourage to still rock your knee high boots in the spring.

Follow T-Mac on her blog, Twitter and Instagram

Jaunts & Junkets: The Jaye Spot Goes to TravelCon!

It has taken me over four years to get my life together and my mind back in focus, but I have done it. I am finally settled on what I want to do in my life and I am laying the groundwork to achieve that very attainable goal. Everybody has a dream, but not many have a plan. In the words of former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy, “a goal without a plan is a wish”, which basically means that having a goal is useless if you don’t make a plan to achieve it. Step one in my plan to achieve my goal is knowledge. I am putting a large effort into educating myself in the areas where I want to be successful. This is the first conference that I will be attending for my own personal and professional growth. I have attended conferences and workshops in the past, but they were all for jobs and companies that didn’t appreciate me or my talents. Even though I learned something in those events, most of it was only applicable to the job and not to who I was as a professional woman. This conference is different. For starters, TravelCon is the first very travel conference created by true travel bloggers. Bloggers who started their platforms because of the love of travel and not because of the financial opportunities it may have created. Money is important, but if what you do only makes you money and doesn’t make you happy, then I don’t think it should be done. The conference takes place in September, so I have a few months to really immerse myself in all things travel and solidifying my brand. There is many moving parts involved with preparing for a large, out of town event. Here’s a list of everything I’ve experienced thus far:

1.      Transportation: One of the reasons I love living near St. Louis is being close to such an amazing airport. Lambert International Airport is the largest airport in Missouri and in my opinion, one of the easiest airports to maneuver in the U.S. Another benefit of flying through Lambert, is having Southwest Airlines at your disposal. Southwest has incredible deals every day of the week, and I constantly receive email alerts when they have dirt cheap flights. Even though there were inexpensive flights available, I decided to use my miles and fly for free. I bank with U.S. Bank and I have their Flexperks Travel Rewards credit card. I earn 1 point for every dollar I spend, 2 points for every dollar spent on airfare, gas and grocery purchases, and 2 points for dollar spent on cellphone purchases. I had enough points with my credit card to pay for a one way ticket to the conference. How did I pay for my return trip? Miles of course! For four years I traveled internationally with my job. A co-worker told me about airline loyalty programs and I signed up for as many of them as I could including American Airlines. The AA loyalty program is good, but the downside is that your miles can expire. You can extend the life of your miles by signing up for the American Airlines Advantage Dining program. This program allows you to earn AA miles when you dine at certain restaurants. I had enough miles to cover the return flight to St. Louis. My total cost for transportation was taxes, fees and the cost of insurance. When done with the booking, I ended up paying $24 for a round trip ticket.

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2.      Accommodation: The conference is taking place in Austin, TX. Since I’m from a big family, I’m used to straying with relatives every time I travel. Unfortunately, the only relatives I have in Texas are 195 miles away from the conference. Luckily, the attendees are all members of the conference's Facebook page, and these guys had some great suggestions. One of the recommendations was that a few people get together to share an AirBnb. I was interested in the idea, but the houses were far away from where the conference is being held and I didn’t want to spend the money on a rental car or an expensive Uber ride. Another suggestion was a nearby hostel, and that’s where I decided to book. I will be staying in a four bed suite with three other women in a modern hostile that comes equipped with lockers, a fully functioning kitchen, free Wi-Fi and an outdoor entertainment area. Since I have a southern momma, I will be bringing my own sheets and towels of course. The HK Austin will be filled with conference attendees who all share the same interests in travel. This is the perfect place for me to lean from like-minded people in the travel industry, and at $36/per night it’s the perfect place for my wallet.

3.      Meals: Food is life. I live to eat and eat to live, but eating out for every meal can get really expensive while on the road. Fortunately, I have found ways around breaking the bank on dining. As I mentioned in the “accommodation” section above, I’m staying at a hostel. The hostel has a kitchen and I have every intention of using it as often as possible. There is a CVS near the hostel and the conference. Local drug stores such as CVS, Walgreen’s and Rite Aid have small grocery sections that provide the essential ingredients for everyday meals. I will use my CVS card to get milk, eggs and bread at a discounted price. I will pack my Quaker Quick Grits and favorite granola cereal in my carry-on luggage, which is totally allowed by the way, and cook them in the kitchen. For lunch, I will probably eat my weight in mints from the reception desk at the hotel. Dinner will be more exciting. I have enough points left over on my credit card to get a Visa gift card. I can use that at any major restaurant chain. Let everyone spend $20 on a salad at Au Bon Pain. I will be somewhere in a corner eating a peanut butter sandwich that I snuck in under my bra.

Now that the essentials are taken care of, it’s time to start working on the other aspects of traveling such as packing. I am in no way ready for this next step, and I will wait until the day before I leave to have it done. Don’t judge me, just love me.

Follow TheJayeSpot on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, & Pinterest

Blogger Insight: Don't Rush! What to Consider Before Starting Your Blog!

Over the past 5 years of our blog journey, we get asked the infamous question "How do you start a blog?".  In the past we always told people that is was easy to start a blog, and we kind of regret doing that.  Why?  Because in order to start a blog to effectively serve it's purpose it takes planning, and planning takes time.

Within the planning of a concrete blog brand, there are certain questions you need to ask yourself: Why do you want to blog?,  What do you want to blog about?, How will you blog?, & What will be the take away from your blog?

WHY DO YOU WANT TO BLOG?

This might sound like an odd question but it's an important question to ask yourself.  Asking yourself "why you want to blog" will determine your entire blog identity.  Do you want to make money?  Expand on your current/existing business?  Connect with a community of like-minded individuals or create a community?  When you can answer that question, then you have completed the first step in establishing who you will be as a blogger and influencer.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BLOG ABOUT?

Now look, we're not going to be the ones to tell you what you should blog about or that you can only blog about one or two things.  We're nicheless...so we talk about what we want.  If you want to be nicheless, hey go for it (we even have a course to help you)!  If you want to be a fashion blogger, travel blogger, entertainment blogger, or beauty blogger that's great as well!  What we will say is make sure with whatever niche you decide to choose, take the time out to brand yourself effectively, add as much of yourself in your brand as possible, and be as authentic as possible.  This way, in a sea of bloggers, people will be able to gravitate towards your brand without hesitation and confusion.

HOW WILL YOU BLOG?

Written blog or Youtube?  Blogger or Wordpress?  Pre-recorded videos or live stream segments?  These are all questions you'll ask yourself when you get to the point of establishing your platform.  We started out solely on Blogger and now we're growing our video platform, very rapidly I should mention.  You don't have to be limited to one platform but know you don't have to be on every platform, sometimes less is more and less makes a bigger statement if done correctly.

WHAT IS THE TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR BLOG?

This goes back to knowing what your brand identity is.  For us, we want our takeaway to be that you are entering our nicheless domain.  We talk about an array of topics openly, authentically, and unapologetically.  You'll laugh, and you may even say "did they really just say that" but you know it's us.  DO NOT be generic with your brand identity and it may take a while to concretely figure this out.  Don't rush the process, it'll come to you when it's time.

We know now that it's not going to be easy to answer some of these questions, and there may be more questions you find yourself asking along the way.  But know this, once you have answered any and all questions in a way that makes you feel confident about launching your blog, the rest IS easy!

Want more blog tips and tricks from your favorite nicheless duo?  Well sign up for our newsletter so we can become blogging besties!

Blogger Insight: Meet Us at The Blog Connect!

Hey guys! So you know a few months ago when we said we wanted to do more speaking events?  Well, we made that shit happen!

Yes loves, we will be hosting our nicheless segment at The Blog Connect Conference!  Being nicheless is a movement we've created knowing it needed to be done.  So many bloggers are told that they have to pick a certain niche in order to be successful and that is simply not true.  We've been nicheless for over 2 years now and have proven you can be nicheless in many facets of blogging if you're determined, work hard, and have a concrete strategy in place.

We would love for yall to come check us out along with some of the other amazing speakers so grab your tickets here!

In the meantime, make sure to spread the word so our class is packed!  You can also check out what we have planned in store for 2018 by checking out our YouTube video below!

Also sign up for our newsletter so we can become blogging besties!

Ready to Win Some Fenty & Fashion Nova?! Enter Our Blogiversary Giveaway!

Guys, can you believe it's our blogiversary?!

It's kind of emotional to be honest.  I've been blogging for 5 years now, and what started as only an intention to fill a void has grown into who we are as AK & Diamond.  We want to thank all of our followers, readers, and fans for continuing to follow on this journey with us!

2018 is going to be amazing, we finna FUCK IT UP!!!

From more fashion and beauty posts to being at the forefront of the #nicheless movement we've created, Just Bloggers: No Explanation is here to dominate.  We're going to have a few YouTube videos launching this week looking back at our nicheless journey and digging deeper into what to expect from us in 2018, but most of all we felt what better way to start this year would be...a GIVEAWAY!

Yes, a giveaway, and we know this giveaway is something our fashion and beauty babes are going to love.  You guys have a chance to win a surprise Fenty Beauty Package and a $50 gift card to Fashion Nova!!!

We're doing YouTube reviews on both of these brands but because we love them so much, we thought why not share in the goodness of what we already copped!

Our giveaway starts tomorrow at noon and will go until Jan.29 with the winner being announced this week.

Don't forget to follow us on all of our social media channels and good luck!

Just Blogger's 5 Year Blogiversary Giveaway!