You're probably wondering "what on earth! is this site about??"
Good question! But first I'm probably better to introduce myself.
My name is Amber Jalink. I've been working online full time, since May of 1997. (Yikes I feel old even though I'm not!)
The short version of it is, we had moved across the country for my hubby's work, I had a baby girl and a son who was ill thanks to an MMR shot. (Not getting into that now, and no, I'm not anti-vaxx "for most people". For my family - yes, but I think I have valid reasons).
ANYWHOO... I needed to bring in some extra income because a one income household with 2 kids isn't easy. I tried going out to work for 6 weeks - had 2 temp jobs, both of them offered me permanent work (at the same time, after I finished contract #2). I turned them both down, because very honestly, I really wanted to be home with my kids, rather than having to have someone else taking care of them during the day.
And let's be real: by the time I dropped my hubby off to work, drove to my work (one car family), then 9 hours later reversed the trip to pick him back up from work, then to go home, I was EXHAUSTED... so often picked up fast meals at least 2x a week, not to mention the fact that I was paying for my sitter (who was fabulous btw) for an extra 2 hours each day... well that ate up pretty much the rest of my paycheck except maybe $30.
So why on earth was I working for pretty much free? It hit me... and I realized that while our sitter was absolutely fantastic, she came into our home each day and took amazing care of my kids (even when my son had his bad days, which was often), I just couldn't justify it. (And no, he couldn't go to a daycare because of his health issues).
When the agency called and told me that both companies were competing for me to have me come to work for them full time (one was an oil and gas company who offered a really good salary) - I still realized, my family was more important than a paycheck.
So with my husband's agreement, I turned down both jobs and stayed at home.
But I knew, I still had to figure out a way to earn SOMETHING from home. This is back when the internet was just starting. My hubby had been a beta tester for Microsoft's MSN, and when we moved for his job, it was all starting to roll out to the public.
In May of 1997, I found a local internet provider, and started reading everything I possibly could about earning online... I started my first website (that's another story for another time), built my own mailing list (when we didn't HAVE mailing list providers and had to bcc everyone!), and grew from there.
SO fast forward a few years... in 2000 we moved back home due to job changes and family health, and lost our son 3 days later. It was rough - but I admit by that time my business was helping to support us, and it ended up being our sole income for a very long time. (Which was really helpful being that I practically took most of that year off, as did my hubby while we were dealing with our grief, and keeping our family together, supporting our daughter etc).
... skipping ahead to today...
I own oh, probably 100+ domains (website names, no they aren't all live), and anyone who knows me (especially some of my most faithful customers) know that my brain works in crazy ways, I ALWAYS have new ideas, and I'm always testing and trying new things.
When I started out, most of what I did was related to 'affiliate marketing' (although I didn't know it at the time), and "Solo ads" (don't worry, I don't do that anymore... not in the way it used to be, so if you subscribe to my lists, your email is safe!). I also did a LOT of selling of ads on my websites, and I created some search engines and other ad programs.
Now most of what I do is all related to what is known as "Low content publishing", as well as "PLR" products.
"Low Content Publishing" simply means, creating books like journals, planners, activity books etc., and publishing them on Amazon and other platforms.
"PLR" stands for Private Label Rights - and it simply means, if I create a product and sell it with PLR rights, it means that particular product, can have your own name on it (when licensed).
To make this simple to understand if you're still confused or unsure... When you go to the grocery store, for example in the frozen section, and you look for a bag of peas. You'll always find the "brand names" (think Green Giant). But in the same area, you will see other "lesser known" OR "no name" brands. Sometimes they're even containing the store name's brand. THAT is the same thing as private label rights. The no name or lesser known name brand usually bought the rights to have their peas with THEIR name on it.
(Disclaimer: I'm not saying Green Giant buys the same peas. I'm simply using it as an example, many of these companies often use the same food packers. They simply put their own names on them).
In some areas, it's called a "White label", where a company can put their name on the product... but they can't usually change the product.
A "PLR" product takes it a little bit further, in that the company CAN change the product, even just a little, and put their name on it.
So now that this short lesson is done... let's get back to why this site...
Oh, and I also sometimes do training courses and group coaching.... but only a few times a year, in addition to running a couple of software-as-a-service memberships, etc.
Anyway - since I've been working with these types of products, I have our corporate blog (which I don't update a whole lot, just because I'm busy and I don't outsource stuff like that). It's more focused on what we're doing as a company, than my thoughts or opinions.
The fact is, there are SO many ideas I'd love to write about - not from a corporate "professional" approach, but from my own thoughts. And if I'm going to be honest, my little "domain habit" has honestly come from various ideas on things I wanted to talk about, and planned on creating blogs about.
One of those domains recently became this one - the Curly Haired Tea Girl. At first I intended it to be a little 'secret identity' for a project I wanted to work on... then I thought about adding mugs and things, (I mean really, when I had the logo up for feedback in a private group, people who ALSO had curly hair and were tea lovers were asking what it was all about!).... so I kinda wanted to brand it more.
Then I realized, why on earth should I just keep this to a little blog about one topic, when I could really just be ME, and talk about the things I wanted to talk about??
So that's what this is all about.
A sometimes "A.D.D." type blog where my brain is all over the place, on various topics, but they all make sense in my head... and they will to you when you read them in their specific topics 🙂
Yes, I have naturally curly hair. Yes, it's long, so when it's "tame" it looks a little more wavy than curly (ok I have to admit, that's typically because I use a hair straightener/curling iron to tame it most of the time!). But when I come out of a pool, YIKES the curl and frizz is all there - and fast! And if I let it dry "naturally" (up in a clip to keep it tame till dry), then it comes out in a sort of kinky/curly/perm-like style.... which "poofs" within a day LOL.
And yes, I absolutely love tea. (Did I mention I'm a bit of a tea 'snob'? Tetley Tea's Orange Pekoe and Tazo Awake (English Breakfast) are my absolute favourites, and I drink them DAILY. (Oh... probably 6-8x?)
When someone asks "if you had to give up all comfort food except one, what would it be?" Most people say Pasta. While my mom is Italian... nope - my "must have comfort food" is Tea. Honestly I'd rather give up pasta (sorry mom!).
So there you have it. I am literally, a "curly haird tea girl", and that's why I called it that, because it's me, and these are my thoughts and opinions and knowledge shared here on this blog.
If you want to see what I post next, find our subscribe box and opt in (I never spam or bombard, heck I don't even often email every day like I'm "supposed to"), or follow me on social media (linked at the bottom). Our other sites are linked there too.
Have an awesome day, and I hope you'll find this fun and interesting. And if not - that's ok too - I'm not out to please everyone, I'm just here to be me.
Amber Jalink
PS - (My daughter - our graphics designer - created my logo, don't you just love it??)