Blogging, once thought of as a nonviable medium overpopulated by “content creators,” has now become one of the most lucrative platforms in the digital media industry.
Caitlyn Chase, of the popular Caviar & Cashmere blog, can attest to why.
“In 2011, many people were not familiar with, or confident about where blogs were going,” Chase said. “I had to convince (and educate) a lot of older, more established [people] that this was the way of the future.”
Chase launched Caviar & Cashmere in 2011, when it was one of the first luxury lifestyle blogs out there. Chase writes about fashion, lifestyle, travel and beauty, and was published in nationally acclaimed publications by the age of 18.
Chase has most recently released the Caviar & Cashmere Skincare line. The collection consists of the Clarifying Cleanser, the Regenerating Serum and the Hydraluxe Creme.
“I am committed to streamlining the skincare process, making luxury skincare more approachable and more affordable,’ Chase said. “The main goal is to save women time and money, by only having to use three products every day instead of twenty.”
Her readers have swiftly become her customers. Chase said she’s heard feedback from women who have already seen the positive benefits from using the new products.
“There is no bigger reward for me than to hear that a customer has seen dramatic improvement in her skin after using my skincare products,” Chase said.
While she has seen much success since her blog’s launch, Chase said keeping up with the work hasn’t been easy.
“In a new industry such as blogging, there is no handbook,” Chase said. “There were many times I had to go with my gut, because no one had a clear answer. When I knew I wanted to capitalize and grow my brand after years of building and following, it was a challenge convincing people that I could transition seamlessly from blog to product.”
Quick to dispel any assumptions that working in social media is “easy,” Chase said that she wished someone had told her that there is no such thing as an overnight success. She said the “time, effort, and hard work” that she has put into her brand happened over the course of many nights.
She also couldn’t do this without her mentors. Chase has sought the intelligence of Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, co-founder of Gilt Groupe, GlamSquad and Fitz, as well as Ivka Adam, the founder of the first 3D ecommerce jewelry brand.
“[Wilson] helped me make important career decisions ever since we met,” Chase said. “I am particularly fortunate to have found several women that I look up to, who were open and willing to help me along the way.”
Caviar & Cashmere has also become a platform for Chase to empower other women. Chase started her quarterly event, Beaute for Breakfast, in 2014.
“[Beaute for Breakfast] brings together 20-40 like-minded women for a morning of networking, collaboration, and friendship,” Chase said. “The connections that have been made at these events are both deep and diverse, from doctors meeting new clients, to brands connecting with influencers, to women new to the city meeting new lifelong friends.”
For women who want to follow in her footsteps, Chase’s best piece of advice is to capitalize on your own confidence.
“Find your niche, stay authentic, and add value,” Chase said. “If you really hone your brand, your voice, and your message, people will follow. Go with your gut, even when the naysayers do not.”
Chase hopes to expand the distribution of the Caviar & Cashmere line to more retailers around the country in the next year. You can purchase it now on her website or at any Blushington location.
