Photo credit: Dave Gillespie
Gracie Carroll is the Toronto-based writer and editor of her eponymous lifestyle blog, GracieCarroll.com. Always ahead of the curve, Gracie is currently transitioning her site and re-branding as Edit Seven, serving fresh content seven days a week at 7am, a reflection of the site's growth and evolution as a trusted source. I’ve been following Gracie's blog for the last couple of years, so I was elated by her enthusiastic response to my request to interview her for this #WeWantToKnow feature. Right from the beginning of our email exchange, I could tell what a lovely person Gracie is, and when we eventually met up for coffee one afternoon at Sud Forno, I was met with the same loveliness and grace (talk about having the perfect name!) as the person I communicated with over email, and a persona that matched that of the voice that comes through on her blog. When I unfortunately needed to reschedule our first planned meet-up due to a household emergency I was dealing with, not only was she kind and gracious about finding a new day, but she ended up being my saviour when she came to the rescue with a helpful referral that fixed my dilemma. So, all that to say, she’s pretty awesome. Oh, and when we met, she had just come from the launch event for Sick Kids’ newest VS campaign, so she’s even more awesome because she supports causes that I am also fond of supporting. It’s my pleasure to introduce you to Gracie!
Gracie is one of the most driven and determined people I’ve had the opportunity to meet. She already knew halfway through high school which university and program she wanted to attend (Fashion Communications at Ryerson University), and took proactive steps to ensure she was accepted, from interning for university credits long before enrolling, to taking a job in fashion before even being legally allowed to work! After her third year in the program, Gracie’s determination took her to NYC, where she moved for six months to intern in the fashion department at Teen Vogue Magazine. This was a thrilling opportunity for her, because Gracie wanted to work for a magazine ever since she was little; and that was just a stepping stone to an even bigger opportunity that came along later - Gracie would end up working for Elle UK in London, England a short time after graduating, her dream job come true. Gracie’s move to London was prompted by a relationship, but her career ambition was a priority, and she completed her fashion communications program and obtained a work visa before starting her new life overseas. She put her education and experience to use by freelancing in fashion PR, and made the contacts and connections that would lead her to the chance meeting that landed her the job as assistant to the Fashion Features Director at Elle UK, all the while documenting her new life on London Snog, the blog she started in anticipation of her move.
Before moving back home to Toronto, Gracie could see that blogs were on the cusp of becoming more than simply online diaries, referencing Susie Bubble and other UK bloggers who were at this early turning point, and Gracie got to work planning her new website, GracieCarroll.com. As soon as she returned home, Gracie worked with a designer to thoughtfully plan her site and then dove in head first, writing as many as three posts per day in its early days, on topics ranging from fashion and travel, to food and other lifestyle interests. Gracie was also freelance-writing for a friend’s start-up which eventually turned into a full-time gig, but Gracie persevered, focussing almost all of her free time in the evenings and on weekends on growing her own site and brand. Gracie had always wanted to work for herself, and her hard work and determination paid off, as she was ultimately able to leave her nine-to-five job and has been supporting herself full-time from her blog for the last two years. In addition to supporting herself, Gracie recently hired an assistant, and, in my opinion, having the ability to employ another is a rewarding sign of success for the self-employed.
I love reading Gracie’s blog because she’s a great writer who produces content that offers useful, valuable information. I come away having learned something from reading her articles. I can also feel her personality shine through her writing and I really relate to it - her belief in the power of positive thinking resonates with me, and the upbeat, kind, generous voice that you read on her blog matches the lovely person that she is in real life. If you’re not already familiar with Gracie, check out her blog GracieCarroll.com.
Want more? Here’s what #WeWantToKnow, from Gracie herself:
I can't start my morning without... COFFEE! Followed by a Glowing Green Smoothie.
I have a weakness for... WINE!
Most people don't know that I...aspired to be a professional skier when I was a teenager.
Currently reading...about 20 different cookbooks.
I want...to go to Morocco one day soon.
Thank you, Gracie, for participating in #WeWantToKnow! It's been a pleasure getting to know you.