Today we’d like to introduce you to Michele Bellisari.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Michele. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in Canada and moved to Boca in high school when my father, with his entrepreneurial spirit, decided to be part of a business venture here in South Florida. It truly has been the best decision that he made for our family. My roots are in Boca, I have raised my daughters Kylie and Alle in Boca and I still live in Boca. PS…met and married my husband here too! I am a Gator through and through with a degree in Advertising, School of Journalism from the University of Florida.
I have had a pretty cool career track as a consumer health sales and marketing rep with some big brands like Listerine, Lubriderm, Benadryl, Zantac, and Shick as well as a few years in pharmaceutical sales focused on niche products for women. The road can be a true grind after 15 years so in 2003 I got my real estate license as I had always loved real estate and interior design. I am with RE/Max Services in Boca Raton and work throughout the Tri-County area with buyers and sellers as well as speak on social media and building niches in your business.
I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and am a lover of life. I am a firm believer that you can reinvent, revive and restart anything at any time in your life. The cup is half full never half empty in my world. I believe that age is just a number and it is not relevant to starting something new, exciting and fulfilling…like #SoooBoca!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I would say launching a new blog or business venture is never easy. Finding your WHY is always key. I tend to be out quite a bit around Boca either networking or at events and was posting and doing Facebook “Live”s before it became as popular as it is now. Sooo it made great sense to incorporate all this content I had on my iPhone, yes my iPhone, and break it down into blog posts, social media posts, vlogs and YouTube videos all about Boca Raton.
As a Realtor, there are always highs and lows in the real estate business, so I was prepared for that. I think the biggest challenges with #SoooBoca were putting a website together (let’s just say I have become a WordPress ninja). Curating content on social media channels, having relevant content that resonates with our #SoooBoca peeps and putting it out there as a business not simply as a hobby.
We love to write and vlog about resources available to people living in Boca who are thinking of moving to Boca, who are visiting Boca and the South Florida area. #SoooBoca does collaborate with companies via sponsored content such as blogs, Facebook “Lives” and social media posts and stories.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about #SoooBoca Lifestyle – what should we know?
In 2017 #SoooBoca – Lifestyle and Media Blog was created with my daughters. We have a great mother-daughter relationship, love to travel together, we are foodies, enjoy a great glass of wine, good conversation, talk about pretty much everything and mutually have a great love for Boca Raton. Sooo we vlog, blog, post and chat about local events, charities, culture, society, food, travel, businesses, home, decor, and real estate.
Kylie and Alle both collaborate with me on different aspects of the business. We do have our separate careers as well so it helps that Kylie is a travel blogger and flight attendant and Alle is a professional portraits and couples photographer. We each have different perspectives and views on the topics we showcase due to where we each are in our lives. Sooo it is a perfect blend of humor and fun!
Super proud of what we have built in 12 months and that people seem to really enjoy our brand and tell us how much they can see we love Boca Raton. That spills over pretty much to wherever the #SoooBoca squad is whether in the Florida Keys, Paris (yes we went this summer and it was amazing) or OH-IO. We bring the #SoooBoca sparkle wherever we go!
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I would say all of the above. In particular, my daughters who didn’t blow this idea off when I called from my car and said OMG I think I may have a great idea. A special group of real estate agents that I met through Snapchat…yes you read that right that I bonded with, have become friends with and met in person in Park City last year for a big mastermind.
There are certain individuals that have clearly been influential in the local blogger world here that have been amazing resources. Like the Oscars, I am sure I am missing someone but thanks to all who have inspired, encouraged and helped me along the way…you know who you are! I also believe that coaching in certain areas of your business is extremely helpful and necessary so I have done some targeted coaching programs in the last couple of years in regard to social media and blogging that helped me stay focused.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.soooboca.com
- Phone: 5619264643
- Email: soooboca@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/soooboca
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/soooboca
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/soooboca
- Other: www.youtube.com/michelebellisari
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