INSIDER FEATURE: Blogger at Stream & Stone Marisa Peters

There are a TON of amazing + talented women in the INSIDERS community, who get access to a supportive community to reach their goals, daily morning motivation and an insider portal with training on building your blog, your social media following and online biz.

I love my insider gals so much which is why I share + promote these women’s amazing businesses to the world.

Our series of INSIDERS features the women in the community, what they do, and where they’re headed.

Who are ya?

I’m Marisa, a blogger at Stream & Stone. Most days you can find me with my 1 year old, building block towers, changing diapers and writing about body positivity + feminism. I’m really into a good pair of sweats, fighting misogyny and the smell of baby shampoo.

What is your blog?

Stream and Stone was birthed out of my guilty pleasure for all things unapologetically Feminist. I think something that turns people away from feminism is that the rhetoric can feel very academic. I wanted to create a place for people (like myself a few years ago) who might be on the fence about feminism, to feel like it’s not just a movement for academics, it’s for everyone.

I also write about motherhood because well, we all need a few laughs and motherhood is the comedic relief of my life. I hoped that through relating with other mothers, I could bridge that gap between who can and can’t be a feminist. That feminists can be stay at home moms who love a good pair of shoes.

I recently launched a chat on body image and beauty standards which is something I’m really proud of. Our first chat went really well. It was beautiful to see how open all of the women were when they hardly knew one another. The point of the chat is to nurture an environment where we can be open about body insecurities but also to have an awareness of unfair standards. A lot of times women will be open with one another about their insecurities but instead of encouraging a goal of acceptance, we encourage each other to start diets or become gym buddies. We’ll hold each other accountable for changing our bodies but not for loving them. I really think we can create a place where we redefine beauty and health. Where we can feel beautiful and confident without making our bodies a project.

What are the steps it took you to get to where you are now?

Honestly, it took a lot of gumption. Telling your friends and family that you’re starting a blog tends to come with a lot of eye rolling. I’m naturally a realist so the idea of blogging felt like a rabbit hole that would lead to a whole lot of wasted time but once I learned that hard work pays off, I decided to give it my all.

I started to attend every local networking event I could find. I made solid connections with other entrepreneurs and bloggers and those connections have developed into some genuine friendships. Being genuine in your networking is so important. It really pays off to build real relationships.

I invested a lot of time and money into building what I have so far. I found value in my own work by submitting it to online publications even after rejection. I persisted and dreamt big until I was finally picked up by the Huffington Post, which was a goal I had set much farther into the future of my blog. I definitely wasn’t expecting something to happen within the first 4 months. Now I’m being interviewed by a local brand’s magazine. A brand that I’ve been obsessed with for years.

It was such a shock to me that anyone was reading my blog other than my dog and my husband but valuing what you have to offer, helps others to see your value as well.

What is your YES! What kind of life do you want to live?

I want to continue to get my work published. To create a community where we all genuinely care for one another’s well being and connect regularly. I want to spark activism in others. I want to constantly find value in what I’m doing and to keep coming across new opportunities that excite me. I don’t want to settle for work I’m not interested in. I want to be driven by my passion and for others to be driven by it as well.

How can the community help you achieve that?

Just talk to me! I’d love to hear what you have to say. Follow me on social media comment on my blog and start a conversation.

What influenced you to become an insider?

You did Reese! After joining your Yes Supply Facebook group, I quickly realized how invested you were in seeing us all succeed. I loved the way you would connect with us and leave genuine comments. So, I knew if I became an insider it would be worth it!

Why do you love Good Morning Beautiful? What impact has it had on your life?

Good Morning Beautiful is the cutest. I love seeing the email in my inbox every morning. It helped me to stay focused on my goals from the time I wake up. It’s also helped me to stay connected to what’s going on with Yes Supply.