From Passion Project to 45k+ a Month Business: How I Built a Thriving Digital Empire

As an 8th grader in 1998, access to the internet was still a fairly new concept in most homes. We had that ever-so-charming dialup sound as we connected to the web, and whenever someone called, we’d get knocked offline. It was the good old days, as many millennials will refer to them.

As I started playing around with everything that this piece of tech made possible, I discovered a love for blending design and technology through building websites. Little did I know that this passion project would one day evolve into a thriving business one day earning me more than 80k in one month alone.

The story of how FanBolt, my entertainment and geek news and media platform, grew from a hobby into a successful venture is one of perseverance, adaptability, and the power of prioritizing your passions. And since I’ve yet to share my story as the editor of Women’s Business Daily, I thought I would finally take the time – and hopefully inspire you to finally take the leap and pursue your passion as well.

The Humble Beginnings of FanBolt

In 2002, I launched my first major passion project, FanBolt, which started as a collection of blogs focused on various television shows, including Everwood, Supernatural, Roswell, and The O.C. All of these blogs were built around a message board community that grew to more than 200,000 members by 2003. What began as a personal endeavor quickly gained recognition, and by 2004, I received an unexpected email from Warner Bros., asking me to run the official blog for the hit series The O.C., which was airing on FOX at the time.

This opportunity was a game-changer for a 20-year-old living in Atlanta, Georgia. For the next three years, I worked on the official blog, honing my skills and making valuable industry connections. During this time, I even had the chance to be interviewed by People Magazine and a number of other publications for having one of the best TV series websites, showcasing the power of following your passions.

Loggins Bloggins - The OC

Navigating the Evolving Media Landscape

As the years passed, the media landscape continued to transform. The launch of Twitter in 2007 and the opening of Facebook to the public marked a new era of digital communication. Social media was still figuring out what it would become, but it was clear it wasn’t going anywhere. Despite the challenges of this rapidly changing environment, I remained dedicated to growing FanBolt while getting my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Web Design and New Media.

By 2009, FanBolt was thriving, and I was attending my set visits with Burn Notice, The Vampire Diaries, and Game of Thrones, as well as my first Comic-Con, interviewing the casts of popular shows at the time, including Lost, Supernatural, 24, Bones, Chuck, and – even the cast of the film Twilight, which at the time, was a pretty big deal for this geek girl. This was just the beginning of a remarkable journey that would see me working with the cast of The Walking Dead, Bates Motel, American Horror Story, and more – touring with them and their conventions, both in the US and internationally.

Emma Loggins Interviews the Cast of American Horror Story
Emma Loggins Interviews the Cast of American Horror Story
The Walking Dead and Emma Loggins
The Walking Dead’s Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus and Emma Loggins
Emma Loggins Interviews
Emma Loggins Interviews the cast of Bates Motel
Emma Loggins and the cast of Lost
The cast of Lost and Emma Loggins

Before I knew it, I was an ambassador for KIA with a sponsored car, Scotland was inviting me across the pond to road trip the country and covering my costs, T-Mobile brought me on as ambassador, I was featured in a documentary on geek culture, CNN asked me to write for one of their blogs, I was getting invites to NYC Fashion Week, and I was getting so many incredible opportunities – all stemming from this one passion project I had started in 2002.

Emma Loggins - 2017 - 2018 KIA Stinger Ambassador
Emma Loggins – 2017 – 2018 KIA Stinger Ambassador

Balancing Passion Projects and Profitable Businesses

While FanBolt was my passion project, I also ran a successful design agency, which specialized in web development and digital marketing. This was my primary business venture, which provided me the financial stability that allowed me to continue pursuing my personal projects – as the monthly income there could vary greatly from month to month.

However, as the years passed, I continued to do interviews, set visits, and conventions – the social anxiety, pressure to always be on, and reality of the harshness of the industry started to weigh on me. While FanBolt was still progressing, it was on the back burner in my mind as I prioritized my agency’s profitability over my passion. It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic and the reduced marketing budgets that many companies had that I turned a focus back to FanBolt – with a return to focusing on the parts of the industry I loved most – the art.

Emma Loggins
Emma Loggins filming with The CW

The Pivotal Shift: Prioritizing Passion over Profit

When the pandemic temporarily lightened my workload, I seized the opportunity to pour resources into FanBolt. Over the course of just six months, the site’s monthly revenue skyrocketed from less than $2,000 dollars a month to an astounding $80,000 per month. And yes, this was with only me working on the site and only 1 to 2 articles a day being published.

payouts

This remarkable transformation taught me a valuable lesson: when you have the time, resources, and focus to dedicate to your passion project – one singular avenue – the results can be truly incredible. By leveraging my expertise in SEO (search engine optimization), content creation, and digital marketing, I transformed FanBolt into a massively thriving, profitable business.

Emma Loggins

Balancing Multiple Businesses and Continued Growth

As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned the importance of finding balance among multiple businesses. While my design agency will always be a passion and focus of mine, I’ve learned to balance my passions in a way that truly ignites my creativity and fulfills me – and the profits continue to grow.

Through the highs and lows, Google algorithm updates, and other challenges, I have continued to evolve FanBolt, and even myself in the industry, becoming a critic for four different organizations, including the prestigious Critics Choice Association. This role has given me even more incredible opportunities to engage with the entertainment industry, interview renowned celebrities, and deepen my passion for film.

Emma Loggins, Harrison Ford, Jason Segel, and Doug Sprinkle
Emma Loggins, Harrison Ford, Jason Segel, and Doug Sprinkle at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards

Inspiring Others through Women’s Business Daily

Today, my design agency is more profitable than ever, FanBolt is still thriving, and I’ve had the time and freedom to pour my energy into another passion project: Women’s Business Daily, this site, a platform dedicated to empowering female entrepreneurs and providing them with the resources, support, and strategies to build successful businesses.

As I continue to grow FanBolt and my other ventures, I am committed to using my expertise to uplift and inspire the next generation of women leaders. By sharing my story (and the strategies I use), I hope to demonstrate the transformative power of prioritizing your passions and the resilience required to turn a side project into a thriving, profitable, freedom-based business.

Emma Loggins Filming with Vice
Emma Loggins Filming with Vice

So What’s the Secret Sauce?

So, how exactly do I do it? How did I take a geek blog to more than 500k visitors a month and generate five figures in monthly revenue? How do I find the time to run and grow three separate brands while still having a personal life that feels balanced? The key has been learning to balance multiple ventures, allocating my time and resources strategically to ensure each project reaches its full potential – and implementing proven strategies that I know work.

Running your own business, much less multiple businesses, is anything but easy. However, once you get the rhythm down, you’ll have the freedom and flexibility to live life on your own terms while geeking out over the things you love most. That’s the stage I’m at now in my journey, and I’m dedicated to empowering other women entrepreneurs to do the same.

Emma Loggins

If you’re a career-driven woman seeking to build a thriving, freedom-based business, consider joining Women’s Business Daily. Unlock access to the strategies, resources, and support network that can catapult your dreams into reality. Find out how a membership can help you achieve success here.

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Emily Sprinkle, also known as Emma Loggins, is a designer, marketer, blogger, and speaker. She is the Editor-In-Chief for Women's Business Daily where she pulls from her experience as the CEO and Director of Strategy for Excite Creative Studios, where she specializes in web development, UI/UX design, social media marketing, and overall strategy for her clients.

Emily has also written for CNN, Autotrader, The Guardian, and is also the Editor-In-Chief for the geek lifestyle site FanBolt.com