HOUMA, La. (AP) — Four years after starting her popular blog, Jessica Rebstock is using the online platform to help make a difference outside of cyberspace.
Balancing her day job at Nicholls State University as an academic advisor, Rebstock has built a audience on her blog, titled “Hello GorJess,” dishing out content on topics like home DIY projects to lifestyle and inspiration posts.
“I want to have people read my blog posts and it comes across as real and honest,” said Rebstock, “I don’t want to be a façade of a perfect picture.”
As the blog has taken off with around 6,000 followers on various social media platforms, Rebstock has been able to connect with a group of local young businesswomen in the community.
In January, she collaborated with nine other local women under 30 who run businesses, from clothing boutiques to a fitness studio, to give them an online space to support and promote one another for a blog post with photos done by Andréa Brunet Orgeron. The women have a combined following of over 30,000 people across their social media accounts.
“A lot of of the girls who participated said that they gained a lot of followers and customers,” said Rebstock. “People have reached out to them saying I read the blog post and took interest in your business.”
One of them, Linzie Cheramie, who runs Rumours, a pre-owned clothing company in Houma, said that the blog is beneficial for all of them.
Cheramie said working together shows that other people have your back.
“The blog was a way to tell our stories, and be able to talk about myself in a way I usually wouldn’t,” said Cheramie.
Saadi Francis, another small business owner running U R WHAT U WEAR, a clothing boutique, agrees. Francis and Cheramie do pop-up shops together in the Houma-Thibodaux area.
“There’s a societal expectation that women are pitted against each other,” said Francis. “But it’s encouraging to know you have a group, and it makes me more confident in myself and my business.”
Many in the group are passionate about The Haven, a local non-profit supporting victims of sexual assault and other forms of violence. Recently Saadi donated 10% of her earnings to The Haven after the Christmas pop-up.
The collaboration continues through the first week of March, when Rebstock and many of the women are planning to host a giveaway to celebrate International Women’s Day. Rebstock said she is excited to open up her platform so other women can promote themselves and what they do.
“We really just want to celebrate each other and we’ve welcomed new women into our local women business group,” said Rebstock, “we’re definitely always looking for more women to join us.”
“As I’m getting older, I realize I just have this passion for women supporting women.”
