What's in a name? It all started one day when I was flipping through a copy of the latest Female Magazine from the newsstand. One of the features got my attention, it was called the Butterfly Project.
Now if you google Butterfly Project, you'll be looking at anti-wrist slashing campaigns but Female Magazine was about a beauty makeover for women to undergo a series of positive change. From learning to makeup, going for facials, getting your hair done, and to creating a more healthy lifestyle at the fitness centers. I loved their makeover campaign and the name stuck to my head.
So what happened next? Well, I had also been blogging for a good few years and didn't like the scene I was getting into. You know how they say don't go to the dark side? With the boom of blogging then, everything became exciting. It was the time for bloggers until you finally discovered how the dinosaurs died. I didn't like what I was seeing, I didn't like the cliche that's going on. I didn't like the B*tching and fighting and the competition. Because it was a small market at that time, the original Mean Girls were dominating the scene. Brands would only invite the same people, all over and over again. With fame and power, things got out of hand. It wasn't fun anymore.
I didn't start blogging because I wanted fame, money or power. I started blogging because I loved what I was doing at that time. I love sharing about what I do, places I go, things I buy, things I would recommend. Particular shopping for beauty products. I was doing something I love until one day, I woke up with a bad taste in my mouth and a hangover from it.
It was then that I decided, that I am going to share what I know to the rest of my sisters a.k.a bloggers who love the same things - beauty, shopping, lifestyle. I wanted the world (well little Malaysia) to know that there are hundreds if not thousands of bloggers out there who is as good as the Mean Girls. Now the Mean Girls were just there at the right time, right place. Were they good? Maybe, some but were they good people? I still remember the bullying and I was a victim myself.
After resigning from Living Social Malaysia, which was one of the top three Group Buying companies dominating the local deal scene. I started my plans into creating a community for beauty and lifestyle bloggers. A place where like-minded bloggers like myself could have fun, meaningful experiences together. It would be a fresh start, to breaking down that barrier of the Mean Girls (metaphor) and have a healthy, sharing, culture to nurture and introduce new faces to the scene and be a safe sanctuary, that's hopefully non-discriminatory of your level of "fame", "seniority" and "beauty".
Anyone who's an active beauty and lifestyle blogger could join and any brands, who needed our help could join as well. It wasn't just for the bloggers, it was also for the brands.
A place where both could connect, help and make the blogosphere better.
To create a community like this, one has to sacrifice something. One also need to be selfless. Instead of hogging all the limelight to yourself as a blogger, you start sharing it away. Brands who believe in me, believe in my dream The Butterfly Project. I know many tried to replicate what The Butterfly Project has, but they weren't ready to give up many things for it. Has anyone given up their career? Relationships? Money, and fame and popularity for people they have not met?
The Butterfly Project was made out of the tears, sweat, and time from my life.
For the sisters of the past, present, and future.
If you like my stories, let me know. Maybe I'll talk about the time I fell down the stairs because my ex-fiance who flew back from Dubai, wanted to break up with me because of Butterfly Project and how I still show up for a butterfly event, in pain, barely able to walk and with no money to buy a walking aid. My friend Candy, borrowed me her hiking stick. I used that for a year.