Topic: How To Use Your Blog To Become A Digital Influencer
Elayna Fernández, known worldwide as The Positive MOM, is an award-winning storyteller, a master digital strategist, and an avid student of pain. Elayna helps moms transform their pain story into positive growth, step into balance, and create joy and success on their own terms – in all areas of life. Elayna travels the world as an International keynote speaker and panelist in the topics of motherhood, mindset, and mompreneurship. Her guidance encourages, empowers, and equips millions of moms in 134 countries to increase their impact, income, and influence, without guilt, shame, or regrets in motherhood. As an influencer for over 13 years, Elayna has partnered with over 250 brands and has made her blog her main source of income. She loves to teach, train, and mentor others to do the same! Elayna is Certified Guerrilla Marketing Master Trainer, Certified Passion Test Facilitator, Certified DreamBuilder Coach, Certified Success Principles Trainer, a graduate of the Steve Harvey School for Business Acceleration, and a web designer for over 20 years. She has been awarded as Best Marketer, Mom Entrepreneur of the Year, Best Latina Lifestyle Blogger of both 2015 and 2016, and the 2017 Best Family and Parenting Creator at the TECLA Awards, and she has been named one of the Top Latina Influencers in the USA two consecutive years. ThePositiveMOM.com, has been ranked one of 100 Top Moms Blogs Worldwide both in 2016 and 2017. Elayna is often featured in global media including ABC, NBC, FOX, Telemundo, Univision, Latina Magazine, CNN en Español, The Huffington Post, and is a contributing writer to Thrive Global! Elayna has spoken on stages such as S.H.E. Summit, Texas Conference for Women, eWomenNetwork, BlogHer, Hispanicize, Mom 2.0 Summit, Texas Social Media Conference, Work Hacker, Rocks Digital, Boy Scouts of America, Rotary International, and more! She’s also been a member of both the BlogHer and Hispanicize advisory boards. Born and raised in a slum in the Dominican Republic and a single mom for many years, Elayna now lives in Fort Worth, Texas, with her family. Her philosophy is “BE Positive and You’ll BE Powerful!”
How did you get involved in WordPress?
I started my web developer journey about 17 years ago when I was pregnant with my first daughter. I had been working as a web marketing strategist, so I really wanted to learn to code and to understand how the web worked.
After becoming a single mom of two toddlers in late 2004, I decided to start my own business and I launched my web design company, building websites and blogs for small business owners in the WordPress platform. I also started blogging and using social networks and other digital tools to increase visibility, credibility, and profitability for myself and my clients.
When I found WordPress, I fell in love with it instantly and I was in awe at everything that was available to empower entrepreneurs and small business owners. I made the switch to WordPress and my business has skyrocketed ever since.
What do you do with WordPress?
I use WordPress to help moms transform their pain story into positive growth, step into balance, and create joy and success on their own terms – in all areas of life.
WordPress has allowed me to encourage, empower, and equip millions of moms in 134 countries to increase their impact, income, and influence, without guilt, shame, or regrets in motherhood.
I recommend WordPress to all the moms I mentor because it’s flexible, intuitive, and user-friendly enough for a beginner that wants to use it for personal reasons, plenty of freedom someone who wants to implement a complex e-commerce and membership site, and everyone in between. WordPress has made a huge difference in my life and in the lives the women I coach and write for on my blog.
What has your experience with the WordPress community been like?
The WordPress community is friendly, empowering, and supportive. WordCamps are all about community. It’s networking driven by passion and contribution. It’s so much more than a conference, yet you learn so much, because there are several different tracks for developers, designers, new users, bloggers, social media enthusiasts, and entrepreneurs alike.
WordCamp is for everyone because WordPress is about people!
WordCamp because it’s so affordable, and happens in so many locations that everyone could attend – and must! The speakers are generous, the sponsors are generous, the organizers are incredibly generous (organizing a conference is so much work – and you even get a t-shirt!), and the attendees are generous, because we all learn from each other.
Why did you want to speak at WordCamp DFW?
I have been speaking at WordCamps around the world because I love to give back and to surround myself with like-minded and like-hearted people. WordCamp DFW has my heart because everyone involved is like one big family!
I am looking forward to reconnect with old friends and colleagues, and meeting more WordPress lovers, users, and supporters in the DFW area. I love sharing what I’ve learned as a web strategist and blogger, as well as learning from other experts, networking, and collaborating.
Why did you decide to speak on your topic?
I decided to teach this hands-on workshop because I want everyone to understand exactly how they can monetize their blog and become influencers by using simple strategies and tools they already have at their disposal through WordPress. I have been an influencer for 14 years and I love what I do, and I believe we can all be influencers and impact our communities in a positive way.
What do you hope the audience gets from your talk?
I hope my audience is inspired to take action, empowered with the strategies to begin monetizing their online presence and positioning themselves as leaders and influencers in their industry without making costly mistakes or wasting their time.
Tickets are now on sale for this year’s WordCamp DFW held on Nov. 10-11. There are also plenty of opportunities to sponsor the event or help run it. We hope to see you there!