Why Daryl-Ann Denner Doesn’t Think Blogging Will Be Making A Comeback

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As one of the most authentic creators around, Daryl-Ann Denner has used her successful digital presence to create a powerhouse brand with a devoted following. The founder of nuud tells The Daily how she’s evolved, why she thinks blogging won’t be making a comeback any time soon, and shares her tips on how you can increase you social media following.

You’ve really created an incredible personal brand. How would you describe your brand these days? Thank you so much! Our life has so many different facets, and the brand has been through quite a journey over the years. While I don’t consider myself a “mom blogger,” being a mom is a huge part of who I am, and it will always be such an important part of my personal brand’s story. When we started the blog, every single piece of it was curated to perfection. It was a fashion-only blog with a focus on creating different outfits. But when I had Rhett in 2019, I found that I couldn’t continue the blog in the same way while also adjusting to life as a first-time mom. It just didn’t feel authentic anymore. I couldn’t wear, or fit in, the clothes I used to wear, and I also didn’t have the time to dress myself the way I once did. Instagram Stories launched around the same time I had Rhett, and I started sharing more in real-time rather than the curated content I was used to creating. It was the only sustainable way I could post as a mom. Ever since then, that’s how I’ve done it. Now, everything I share is in the moment— real-time, authentic. My page is being a mom and what that looks like in all facets – clothing, food, parenting, and relationships. The community that follows me is really just a group of women all going through my same stage of life together who feel like they have a friend they can relate to — someone who doesn’t have it all together either.

What were you like when you first started blogging and using social media? My husband, Daniel, and I have been together since I was in high school, so he has been here for it all! He is a huge reason why we started the blog and has always encouraged me to pursue my ideas in big ways. I began blogging in July 2015 while working full-time as a high school chemistry teacher. In any free time I had, I wrote about fashion, sharing selfie-style “Outfit of the Day” posts and curating blog entries that had outfit descriptions and shopping links. I got to a point, though, where I couldn’t sustain posting that way because it stopped feeling authentic to me as my life evolved. Because I no longer had the time to curate a perfect-looking life, I started sharing all things lifestyle and that’s when the blog opened up into the authentic platform that you see today.

Blogs aren’t as common as they were 15 years ago. Do you think they are having a comeback? Short answer is I don’t. I think people started to feel exhausted by having to “keep up.” For so long, it was all about keeping everything perfect and polished on social media. So many of us were spending hours on flat lays and photoshoots, but that’s just not reality! Social Media looks a little different these days, especially after the introduction of Instagram Stories. The other key thing is that people are consuming content in a much quicker way these days. Blogs require you to go to individual places rather than consuming content all in one place. I’m trying to meet people where they are already, which is on social media platforms.

Daryl-Ann Denner

You have 2 million authentic followers on Instagram. When did you really see a jump in followers? There wasn’t one single moment where the blog took off. I always joke that I’ve “blown up” on social media every night for the last ten years. I did see a huge increase in people craving what I was putting out there in 2019 when my life

shifted, though. As I began to show up more authentically on social media — a change that happened because my hand was forced — it happened at the exact right time. In 2020, social media as a whole saw a surge in both viewers and content engagement, which definitely contributed to the growth. But overall, there was never a singular moment, or even a few months, that stood out more than others.

Any advice for people who are having trouble building a following on social media? Be yourself, be honest, and provide value! Whatever that looks like for you. The main question I ask myself every day is, “How can I add value to someone’s life today?” Whether it’s through entertainment, brightening their day, offering them a deal they wouldn’t have found on their own, encouraging them, or simply helping them feel less alone— I aim to add value to someone’s life in some small facet every day. If someone were to bring me up in a conversation, I would generally want to make sure they feel better about themselves, not worse, after following me.

How have your followers changed over the years? I feel so thankful for the incredible community that has followed along with me and my family over these last several years! The coolest thing about this community is that we are all going through the same stage of life at the same time. When I started the blog, we were all in our early 20s, and now, we are all navigating our mid-30s. We are all going through the same things, and everyone can find experiences they can relate to on my page.

How did your brand nuuds come about and what can you tell us about it? My mom, sisters, and I were constantly talking about how there wasn’t one brand that worked for all of us. We all have completely different body types, and realized there was a gap in the market and that’s how nuuds was born. Out of a desire, and a need, to create comfortable, stylish, everyday clothing for real people’s bodies. We invest so much in making sure that the colors, materials, and fit, are all going to work for everyone! Our ultimate goal is that people feel their most confident selves when they wear nuuds. We want to give them something easy to wear, that feels good even in a changing body. Confidence is at the heart of everything we do!

What’s your day to day role at nuuds? As the creative director at nuuds, I wear many hats and am deeply involved in all creative aspects of the business. I spend a lot of time working closely with our product designers, using my understanding of the community we serve, to ensure we’re meeting their needs. I also collaborate with our marketing team to provide creative direction, ensuring every element of nuuds aligns with our mission and vision.

How do you want to see the brand grow? My mission is to make people feel confident and good in their skin. I want to give people something that they can trust to make them feel good about themselves when they put it on. So often, when we put on clothes, we feel worse about ourselves rather than better— nuuds was made to fix that so that women can feel better, and more confident in their own skin. We made clothes that were made to fit you so that you don’t have to fit into the clothes. I want more girls

to experience clothes that make them feel good about themselves. The community of women who follow me only represents a tiny snippet of women across America and the world who could feel better about themselves and the clothes they wear. My dream is to see nuuds in stores all over! I want more women, from all stages of life, to be able to encounter the brand that haven’t experienced it yet. I see awesome wholesale partners, and potentially retail, as great avenues to expand where you can find nuuds. We are also excited about, and full of ideas for other categories to expand into over the next year!

How can people find it? You can find nuuds online at www.nuuds.com and connect with us on social media @nuuds.

Why do you think brands were reluctant to include “real bodies” and do you think we’ve seen a significant enough shift or is there still a lot of work to be done for visibility? I think over the last few years, we have watched brands do a better job at including representation of more shapes and sizes in their marketing initiatives. What I haven’t seen, though, is many brands doing it from a design-first initiative in the way that nuuds has. Our process with design begins with real women’s bodies in mind, and when design moves to fittings we use real women to fit rather than fit models. That sets us apart! For us, “real bodies” is more than marketing, it’s the mission behind the entire brand.

What are your other passions? Whenever we are not working on new ideas, we love finding new adventures, going on trips with our kids, and making memories with our friends and family.

What are you still hoping to accomplish in the next 10 years? We definitely have some surprises and ideas up our sleeve with nuuds and beyond!

Who are some of the women entrepreneurs who you admire? There are so many incredible individuals who have inspired me! If I had to highlight just a few, I would definitely say Maureen Kelly, founder of Tarte Cosmetics, Shay Mitchell, founder of BÉIS, and Mallory Ervin, my dear friend and peer in the influencer space. Maureen has been a mentor to me for many years, and I truly admire her for her selflessness. She generously shares her knowledge and experience without hesitation, always willing to help others succeed. Her genuine desire to see people win, without any hint of competition, is something I deeply respect. Shay has built an outstanding brand that goes beyond her personal brand — a feat that is incredibly difficult to achieve. She’s done it with such grace and excellence, and I find that truly inspiring. Mallory effortlessly balances motherhood and running thriving businesses. She’s made being a

mom her priority, yet her work doesn’t suffer from that.

You’re married with kids and very open about your life. What does your husband think of what you do? My husband and I are a team! He loves what we do and is just as invested and excited about our ventures as I am. We have strengths that balance out well which make us amazing partners. When I asked him what he’d say, he said he loves seeing when I push to get to where I want to be with my goals. At the end of the day, he wants to see us win whatever that looks like. Of course, running a business with your husband can have its hard moments, but at the end of each day, we are better for it and more in love because of it!

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