by Cynthia Agalaba
Featured in C’est Moi Magazine

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We all know the saying, “Triple Threat”. Sorry to say this does not exemplify the brain behind Fashion Bomb Daily, Claire Sulmers. The “Billion Threat” is what she is. She is a Harvard Grad, world renowned blogger, traveler, business woman, and now she has added author to her repertoire. Honestly, I am excited to know what else she will throw at us in the coming months. She is like the Beyoncé of blogging without the B-hive.

I had the opportunity to get a behind the scenes journey for her recently released book, “The Bomb Life”. If you thought you knew who Claire Sulmers was and is, you better think again. You can clearly see her journey through her words.

CA (Cynthia Agalaba): Why did you feel compelled to write The Bomb Life?

CS (Claire Sulmers): At every Cocktails with Claire or at every panel I speak on, young women and men ask me how I broke into blogging. They ask for tips on how to create their brand and fine tune their social media profiles. Instead of repeating my story over and over again, I decided to put my journey into a book. I hope that it inspires young millennials to go for their dreams regardless of whatever adversity may stand in their way.

CA: Who will be interested in reading The Bomb Life?

 CS: I’d say any young person with a dream. Anyone who wants to be creative, but doesn’t know how. Anyone who hates their job and wants to break out. Of course anyone in the fashion industry! But honestly, this book is a letter to my younger self, and thus young women who are interested in a career in fashion publishing would be the most interested in this book.

CA: You grew up in Atlanta, Georgia but you moved to Brooklyn, New York. You also were blessed with the education of going to Harvard University. Did your background and your education give you the esteem you needed to want to succeed?

 CS: I think Harvard gave me the foundation to become who I am today. I learned to be a great writer and developed a fabulous work ethic. I also gained an amazing social circle of brilliant friends who inspire me every day. The beauty of growing up down South is that you have a broader view of the world and a broader appreciation of style. A lot of times New Yorkers or bigger cities might look down their noses at a city like Atlanta, but I love and appreciate it, and think my ties to the South have definitely been a large part of my success. A lot of my biggest supporters are from Atlanta.

CA: Who or what influenced you to become an author?

CS: I’ve always loved to write. I’ve written in a journal every week since I was 9 years old. I still have all of my thoughts and musings from junior high in notebooks. So writing found me. I didn’t grow up thinking “I want to be an author,” I’ve just always loved to express myself through the written word.

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CA: How did you go about drafting your book?

 CS: I linked up with a book coach, Tony Gaskins, who helped me along the way. He helped me come up with an outline, and held me accountable. Of course I pushed myself to create. I gave myself the deadline of having the book ready to launch by December 11th (the date of Cocktails with Claire New York). When I felt like I wasn’t getting any headway, I decided to take a week off and just focus 100% on my book. My friends didn’t understand, but I had to go underground and really focus if I wanted it to be done.

CA: With your busy life, how did you find the time to write?

 CS: I write nonstop. I always have my laptop with me. I make time.

CA: I would love to know what is your favorite part of your book?

 CS: A lot of people have reacted well to the Letters to my Younger Self. It is the final chapter and it sums up all the lessons and stories I relay in the book. If anything, I’d tell everyone to just skip to the last chapter!

CA: Going through this journey-as a well-known blogger, traveler, and now an author, you mentioned in The Bomb Life, “…guess I’m not smart enough for Honor Roll. But I felt a tremendous amount of shame because I knew, deep inside, that I was.” You also mentioned how a classmate ousted you because you wore the same Guess Jeans the day before and you again felt ashamed for that experience. If you could go back to the past, what advice would you tell your younger self?

 CS: I would say to be confident and strong. To ignore the naysayers. But honestly sometimes those experiences, particularly the Honor Roll experience, was a good one for me. Not feeling ‘exceptional’ and not getting my gold certificate that one time motivated me to be a better student. I guess I wouldn’t take anything back or do anything differently because those experiences made me who I am today.

But in regards to fashion, I would tell my younger self that you are fabulous with or without the expensive clothes!

CA: Was it difficult in writing The Bomb Life due to it being so personal? What message do you want this book to portray to others because you started from very humble beginnings?

CS: It wasn’t difficult. I think there is a part of my story that readers yearn to hear about. I never talk about romance, but I discuss it in this book. I never talk about bullies, but I discuss it in this book. I wanted to allow myself to be vulnerable in order to build a stronger connection to those who have followed my journey.

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CA: Reviewing the The Bomb Life, I saw myself in you. I can honestly say it really hit home especially when it came to education, wanting to do better, and wanting to work extremely hard to be better. Your journey has gone through many ups and downs. Is there anything in your life now that you would change?

CS: I would say that having a financial advisor is key to any business. I wish I had known about all the intricacies of running a business from the outset but making mistakes has made me stronger, and now I have the proper team in place to not only survive, but thrive.

CA: What advice do you have for other aspiring bloggers and authors?

 CS: I’d say to acknowledge the fear, but go for it anyway. Most women I encounter want to work in creative fields, but let fear hold them back. If something scares you, do it anyway. You might surprise yourself by how far you go.

CA: Do you plan on writing more books in the future?

CS: I definitely want to write more books. There will be a part 2! But I honestly would always love to hear from readers what they’d like to read more about. I plan on going on a book tour, and can’t wait to chat to people and see what they’d like to read next.

CA: What’s the most important thing you want readers to take away from reading The Bomb Life?

 CS: I think with social media, a lot of people see the finished product and don’t realize how hard people have had to work to get to where they are. When I first started blogging, Instagram and Twitter didn’t exist! I want readers to be encouraged and know that I started from the bottom with basically nothing, and was able to create a media empire that will one day change the world.

CA: We will like to thank you for your time, Ms. Claire Sulmers. You are an inspiration to many, us included. We thank you for allowing us to come into your world and being a part of The Bomb Life. What do you have in store for us in the coming months?

 CS: I will be going on a Book Tour, and have already started planning for Cocktails and Conversations with Claire both domestically and abroad. I hope to see you there!

Follow me at @agalabacynthia
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Photo credits:
www.fashionbombdaily.com
Derek Blanks Photography