How I Turned My Home Into My Hustle

“When I purchased my first home in 2007, I never in a million years thought it would be the catalyst for became my career,” says Erin Hiemstra, founder of Apartment34, the popular design site named for her first house in Seattle. “Blogging back then was simply a fun way to connect, get ideas, and divert restless energy while stuck at a day job I hated."

"Hunting for design inspiration was the impetus for starting Apt34, but it was the community, the readers, and camaraderie with other bloggers that kept me at it," she says. "Over the years, I've morphed from a simple style enthusiast to writer, editor, producer, creative director, manager, and marketer. You wear a lot of hats when your blog is your business."