Nice treat today folks. I had the opportunity to interview a blog superstar. Her name is Brankica Underwood, and if you haven’t heard of her, you will. Her blog is live your love and that is just what she’s doing.
“I never stop in front of them.”
Rob: I wanted to start this off honestly and let you know I’m just getting over being perturbed at you. You see, I thought it would be good to subscribe to comments from a post of yours as I might learn a thing or two.
Here’s the link to the post. It is up to 366 comments and counting. I got in around 70. I hope you feel bad.
Brankica: Lol, I do feel bad cause I always subscribe to posts I comment on even when I see they will have a lot of comments, and then I can’t delete all the updates that keep coming. Sorry 🙂
Rob: No worries 🙂 I asked to interview you because you Live it LOUD! Please tell us a little about your upbringing, background and influences.
Brankica: I don’t even know how to start this one. I was born in Bosnia and due to the war we moved to Serbia where I went to school and spent most of my life in. I am Bosnian Serb so that was the logical move in those circumstances. I grew up in a loving family and I believe the biggest influences on my life were my grandfather (my mother’s side) who taught me to read when I was about 2-3 years old and my dad, who was an army officer.
Rob: If you could break bread with one person from history who would that be and why?
Brankica: This is a tough one cause I love history and there are so many people I would like to break bread with. Probably more of them there than in present time, lol.
If I had to choose one person it would have to be Emperor Dusan Nemanjic, Serbian Emperor from 14th century. Our medieval state was at the peak being an empire while he ruled it and I just think he is one of the worthy ones.
Rob: You are a history buff. You also have some interesting hobbies (besides writing epic posts!). Please tell us what they are.
Brankica: I do have interesting hobbies, like practical shooting (which is kind of my occupation too, since I am a shooting trainer), I love and ride motorcycles, I love tattoos, etc.
Rob: What are some short and long term goals?
Brankica: Short term goal is starting another niche site which I am doing now and long term goals are just continuing doing what I do, try help people live their love – doing stuff they love without slaving at their 9 to 5 jobs.
Rob: How about offline?
Brankica: I guess a short one would be finally teaching myself how to teach my puppy to be a show dog. I have a purebred champion puppy that I don’t know how to teach to be a show dog 🙂
Long term is definitely my family and having kids.
Rob: Sweet. On another note, you really are a generous person as noted by your willingness to teach. How fulfilling is it to know you’re making a difference?
Brankica: It makes me feel great when I get an e-mail saying something like “I applied that tip you posted the other day and I got double the traffic after a week”, or anything along those lines.
It just feels great to be able to help. I mean, I made so many friends in blogosphere because I am being honest and sharing my experience that I would not change it for anything.
Rob: Great outlook. Pay it forward. Okay, even you come up against obstacles. How do you overcome obstacles?
Brankica: I never stop in front of them. I love this saying by Hannibal that I even tattooed on me: “Aut viam inveniam aut faciam” which means that I will find a way or make one.
I always do everything in my power to get over the obstacle and it is usually enough.
Rob: That is a life lesson. Any others to pass on to the readers?
Brankica: Just to do everything in their power to reach the point where they can do what they like. There is nothing that can replace the feeling of “going to work” happy, be it a 9 to 5 you love or working online full time.
Rob: Lastly, can you tell us the best book you’ve read recently?
Brankica: I read all the time and often forget the names of the great books I read. So I will go with my all-time favorite that I could read at least 20 more times – The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.
Thanks so much Brankica and keep trailblazing.
There you have it folks. Feel free to ask Brankica any additional questions.
Live it LOUD!
Rob
Hey Rob, just want to say thanks for this great opportunity and believing I deserve to be interviewed 🙂
Hey Brankica,
You’re kidding right? I will be in line each time a book comes out. Your circle of influence is bigger than you realize. Thank you.
P.S. There is a reason you were the first Gal I interviewed. You could have been the first overall as I have much respect for the way you Live it LOUD!
Hey
Brankica is such an amazing blogger. Yes, subscribing to the comments on her posts do become a little tiring, they always go way beyond hundreds! She is such a great help, she told me about this neat trick to publicize my guest post and it is working like a charm, for the first time ever, my post has over 225 comments!
This is one awesome lady to watch out for! Truly a Live it LOUD example! And she is everywhere!
Loved the post 🙂
Hey Hajra,
Was going to say, it’s becoming dangerous to subscribe to your comments…now, I know why:)
Do you share secrets???
definitely! How do you think my post has got over 230 comments! Also, you didn’t end with a Live it LOUD!
With you I don’t have to…your former land lady told me you live it extra LOUD with your flip flops and laugh!!!!!
I will be after The Secret…to be continued
LOL! Brankica should do a copyright on the secret! Ask the boss!
That’s it. I’m getting the land lady on the phone.
Rob, aloha. What a fantastic interview. Brankica happens to be one of my most favorite people in the all of the blogosphere and twitterverse. She is simply the best!
Rob, because of the great questions that you asked her, I was able to learn a bit more about this incredible lady who means so much to me.
Why does she mean so much to me? Rob, as you point out, she is always helping others. We connected last year through the twitter challenge when I was new to both twitter and blogging. To say that she helped me, would be an understatement. By watching what she does, following her tweets and reading her posts, I learned so much.
Since I was already excited about the infographic she published today, Rob, I have to tell you that reading your interview of her had me to a fist pump, shout YES! and dance around the office.
Wishing you two a glorious day. Aloha. Janet
I promise you Janet, my wife and I were just (10 min ago) talking about Hawaii.
Haven’t been there but is on the agenda.
As far as Brankica, as I mentioned on Twitter, she just gets it. Just wondering if mentioning her name will get me a Triple A discount:)
I always enjoy interviews with interesting people. This was very nicely done. I was surprised by her pick for what historical figure to meet, but that is probably because like so many others I focus on the most famous.
Hey Jack,
Good point and thanks for stopping by.
I must admit that I never heard of this gentleman before the interview, but makes for some interesting reading to catch up on.
Live it LOUD!
Let’s face the music, Rob …
They broke the mold after they made Brankica!
She’s carved out her own chunk of the blogosphere (more like sculpted it with her own creative flair) and it’s easy to see why she’s become so successful.
The woman knows how to captivate and cultivate! 🙂
Thanks for an outstanding guest interview,
Melanie
Hey Melanie,
You speak the truth. Although I’m used to that as I read your posts:)
Brankica writes her own story. Nice story indeed.
Thanks for stopping by as I appreciate your input here or over there.
Live it LOUD!
Great interview Rob! I’ve made the mistake of subscribing to her comments as well:) They’re still trickling in days later!
Hey Eugene,
Is it wrong to read them all:) ??
Yours are getting a bit dangerous also, I might add.
You should quit your job more often:)
Live it LOUD! Brother
haha, thanks! I’m working on it!
And I’m REALLY hoping that once is enough 🙂
Hey Macho Man,
I’ve seen too much from you already not to know you are in for the long haul. Put your hand to the plow and don’t look back. There is only one way…FORWARD!
Live it LOUD!
Terrific interview Rob!
My favorite part? “I will find a way, or make one” – love, love, love it!
Brankica has a wonderful and helpful resource for bloggers at Live Your Love, yes, but today she proves that she is also, indeed, an inspirational “Superstar”.
Thanks for sharing guys! 🙂
Hey Tisha,
Great minds think alike! That was my favorite part also. That’s a General you’d follow into battle.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing.
Live it LOUD!
Great interview, Rob! =) I recently connected with Brankica for the first time a few weeks ago and have already learned tons from you. I loved the last two life lessons she shared, especially the Hannibal quote.
She sets a great example with all that she’s accomplished of her own willpower. And what generosity to top that perseverance. =) Thanks for a great interview — loved the questions you posed too, Rob!
Hey Sam,
I see certain similarities with a certain someone I know:)
I have heard a number of stories about the generosity of Brankica. She really is taking people with her. And, making the world a little better for it. What more can I say?
Live it LOUD!
This post was really fantastic. There’s so much to be learned from Brankica.
My favorite was this: “Just to do everything in their power to reach the point where they can do what they like.”
Wow. If everyone lived there life and dedicated ALL their power to doing something that they loved – could you imagine how much happier everyone would be? It would just be wonderful. I love getting to know people that DO live like that – and seeing how much different their lives are. It’s a real joy!
Hey Christian,
It seems as if you’re doing a good job of that! I enjoy each and everyday in some way special. It may be bird watching with my children and wife, playing some music together, physical activity. We needn’t live with the idea ‘if only this’ or ‘if only that’. Life is what we make it everyday.
Live it LOUD!