Meet Saundra Wilson of Glisten Mag in Tempe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Saundra Wilson.

Saundra, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always had a love for writing and telling stories. I’ve also always been a person who could “keep it real” and am the friend that people tell everything too. I’ve literally had strangers tell me their whole life stories.

I believe the story of Glisten Mag connects to those qualities because my love for writing and storytelling and my ability to get people to open up and get vulnerable inspired my idea for Glisten Mag. I started Glisten Mag in October of 2018 as an online magazine for millennial women that promotes self-care, self-love, and self-esteem. I believe that these things, especially for women, are so important to us growing up, stepping into our purposes, and being able to live our best lives!

The idea for Glisten Mag really came to me while I studied journalism at ASU. I found myself frustrated that so much of the news left me feeling discouraged. I started looking for other content online outside of social media and found wonderful content for women. However, I didn’t feel like it really kept it real and took things back to the root of where so much of our power comes from – in knowing ourselves as women, celebrating ourselves, loving ourselves, and believing we are worthy of everything we desire.

I decided that I could use my love for writing and my gifts to be a “big sis” online and help inspire and equip other women by being authentic about my personal journey in self-love. In the magazine, I share personal stories and tips about all kinds of things from body positivity, to budgeting and being mindful financially, to confidence, and so much more. I’m currently working on building it as I work full time in digital marketing and have been excited to have a creative outlet and build a positive platform online for a community of women.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting Glisten Mag hasn’t been easy. But, it’s been a lot of fun! We’re less than a year old, so one of my main challenges is staying consistent as a team of one. It can be difficult to write and make the progress I want to make after coming home from a long day at work. But, when the going gets tough, I remind myself that this is something I want and that I can build and that it’s worth being a little tired and moving forward anyway.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Glisten Mag – what should we know?
I’m the founder and editor-in-chief of Glisten Mag (www.glistenmag.com, an online content destination that .encourages, inspires, and equips millennial women to glow up. Our content focuses on self-love, self-esteem, and self-care and serves as a place for women to get real “big sister talk” and practical tips on how to practice self-care and thrive in all areas of their life.

Our emphasis on approaching things from a lens of self-care and self-love sets us apart from other online magazines for women. While a traditional women’s magazine may write an article about new makeup trends (which is amazing too!), we’ll take a step back and talk about applying makeup in a way that focuses on enhancing your already fabulous self and celebrating your real beauty.

What is your favorite childhood memory?
Dance, dance and dance! I’ve always loved to dance and one of my favorite memories from childhood is being about eight years old, performing in a ballet recital! I remember being so excited to dawn my royal blue leotard and leap across the stage.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.glistenmag.com
• Email: saundra@glistenmag.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/glistenmag
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/glistenmagazine

Image Credit:
Adam Robinson (image of me)

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.