Episodes
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In episode 711, Megan chats to Candice Ward about smart and actionable strategies for content creators looking to work with brands in the ever-evolving 2025 landscape.
Candice is a food photographer that has worked with brands like Crisco, In the Raw Sugar, Stone Wall Kitchen, Eagle Brand Milk and more. She is also a strategy and monetization coach for food bloggers and content creators that spent a decade in sales at Fortune 500 Companies, hitting massive quotas. Candice founded The Confident Pitch Program, helping hundreds of content creators monetize and scale their business strategically so they have more time to focus on being creative. She teaches a pitching method that has allowed her to make a full time income on a 10 hour work week, take 1 month off to travel with her family and have creative freedom to only say yes to clients that are in alignment with her brand. She lives in Seattle, WA with her husband and 2 boys.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to approach brands, pitch confidently, and stay relevant in a market that’s moving away from traditional influencer metrics.
Key points discussed include:
- Brands want long-term relationships: Say goodbye to one-off deals—brands are now investing in ongoing partnerships with creators.
- Small creators are thriving: You don’t need a huge following to land a brand deal; engagement and value matter more.
- Pitch with purpose: Stand out by sending customized, value-driven pitches rather than generic emails.
- Leverage your strengths: Whether it's your blog, email list, or YouTube channel, focus on where you already perform well.
- Position your offer strategically: Think beyond photos and blog posts—offer digital products, memberships, or UGC services.
- Evolve with AI in mind: Adapt your messaging and brand collaborations to reflect a world influenced by AI tools and expectations.
- Go beyond social media: Brands are hungry for access to niche audiences outside of the algorithm-heavy platforms.
- Think like a marketer: Understand what brands need, and position yourself as the creator who can deliver results.
Connect with Candice Ward
Website | Instagram
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In episode 710, Jessica Vogl shares her journey from corporate PR to full-time food blogging, including the mindset and strategies that helped her make the leap.
Jessica Vogl is the face behind This Jess Cooks, where she shares simple baking and sourdough discard recipes. She also shares tips and tricks to help get your own sourdough starter up and running, so if you're in your sourdough era (or if you want to be!), then she's your person! Jessica is based in Chicago with her husband and son, and they recently bought a house that they are renovating.
In this episode, you’ll learn what it really takes to leave a secure career and dive fully into blogging. Jessica shares actionable steps, key mindset shifts, and how to tap into your existing skills for a smooth transition.
Key points discussed include:
- Create a structured exit plan: Jessica explains how a 6-month roadmap helped her transition from corporate life to blogging.
- Leverage your existing skills: Repurpose your corporate or professional experience—like marketing, PR, or photography—into freelance or blog-related gigs.
- Explore creative side gigs: Don’t rely solely on ad revenue; Jessica found early success with freelance food photography and consulting.
- Build support and accountability: Get your partner and inner circle on board before making the leap.
- Give yourself a test window: Jessica committed to trying blogging full-time for one year with clear financial goals.
- Implement systems early: Adding structure to her days post-corporate life helped Jessica stay productive and avoid burnout.
- Embrace mindset growth: Overcoming “newbie” thinking and believing in her value was crucial to her success.
- Stay open to learning: Whether it’s a new skill or business challenge, Jessica emphasizes the importance of ongoing education.
Connect with Jessica Vogl
Website | Instagram
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Episodes manquant?
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Today we’re diving into something that has truly changed the way I operate in both business and life: boundaries. But not just any boundaries — sacred ones that help you stay aligned with your purpose and energy. Trust me, learning to honor this practice has been life-giving, and I want to share what’s worked for me.
Setting boundaries isn’t about pushing others away, it’s about respecting your values by evaluating opportunities, learning to say ‘no’ and making sure your calendar aligns with your energy.
Action Plan:
- Misalignment has a cost: Staying in the wrong situations drains your energy and purpose.
- Sacred boundaries protect what matters: They’re about honoring your truth, not pushing people away.
- Watch for warning signs: Dread, resentment, and overcommitment signal a need for - boundaries.
- Boundaries unlock magic: Saying no creates space for aligned, energizing opportunities.
- Use simple boundary tools: Pause before saying ‘yes’, check in with your body, and lean on your values.
- Choosing yourself is powerful: Boundaries aren’t selfish—they’re essential for impact.
Get in touch with Megan below.
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In episode 708, Megan chats to Hanelore Dumitrache and Mariska Ramondino about using artificial intelligence to streamline workflows, understand your audience, and create a more impactful blogging business.
Hanelore Dumitrache
Hanelore Dumitrache is a food blogger, tech entrepreneur, AI educator and author. Her work tries to bridge the gap between technology and the blogging world. As the founder of Whimzi AI, she's currently developing AI-driven tools for food bloggers and content creators. Her food blog SugarYums focuses on East Asian street food and desserts.
Mariska Ramondino
Mariska Ramondino is an international fiscal tax lawyer turned business consultant and now a food blogger with a consulting business on the side. Through her blog, she shares her passion for nutritious home-cooked meals and a more balanced lifestyle. She also offers writing and consulting services for fellow bloggers. Additionally, Mariska is a partner and co-founder of Whimzi AI, a tech-driven company providing custom AI solutions and AI-powered analytics for food bloggers.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to harness the power of AI to save time, make data-driven decisions, and deliver better user experiences on your blog. Hanelore and Mariska share their favorite strategies, tools, and mindset shifts to help you move past fear and use AI to grow a smarter, more efficient blogging business.
Key points discussed include:
- AI isn’t a threat—it’s an opportunity: Embracing AI can help food bloggers develop more well-rounded businesses and better serve their audiences.
- Start by identifying what you don’t love doing: Use AI to take over repetitive or tedious tasks like writing pin descriptions, social captions, or analyzing data.
- Analyze your data with ease: ChatGPT can interpret your Google Analytics and ad reports to surface trends, content gaps, and monetization opportunities.
- Build authority through topic clusters: Use AI to identify your strongest-performing content and build strategic clusters to boost topical authority and improve EEAT.
- Use reader questions to fuel content ideas: Input comments and questions from your blog or social media into ChatGPT to identify missing content or new recipe opportunities.
- Incorporate AI into your workflow as a virtual team: Assign AI roles like content strategist, SEO assistant, or copywriter to streamline weekly blog tasks.
- Set and stick to your goals with AI support: Use AI to map out your time, reset your mindset, and stay accountable to your personal and business goals.
Connect with Hanelore Dumitrache
Website | Instagram
Connect with Mariska Ramondino
Website | Instagram
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In episode 707, Dr. Nona Djavid teaches us how to rewire our internal blueprint — the subconscious programming and energy patterns that silently determine whether we thrive or struggle in our business.
Dr. Nona Djavid is an entrepreneur, mom, speaker, and founder of the Part Time Million Dollar Business and eLIVate Club. With a background in neuroscience and a doctorate in chiropractic, she blends mindset mastery with energetics and business strategy to help entrepreneurs create the business and life of their dreams. She is also the author of eLIVate Your Life, and currently teaches entrepreneurs how to work just one week a month while scaling to multiple six or seven figures.
In this episode, you’ll learn how redefining your vision and identity can help you achieve radical freedom, scale your business, and cultivate deeper fulfillment in every area of life.
Key points discussed include:
- Craft an “unreasonable” vision: Allow yourself to dream big—even if it feels impossible—and let that vision guide your evolution.
- Expand your identity: Success starts with becoming the version of yourself who can hold the life and business you desire.
- Embody your future self daily: It’s not just big moves—how you drink your coffee or answer emails matters when stepping into your next level.
- Take aligned, “unreasonable” action: What seems bold now will feel natural once you’ve stepped into your elevated identity.
- Prioritize your frequency: Whether it’s a walk, journaling, or a quick reset, make energy and presence a daily non-negotiable.
- Track your progress to build self-trust: Reflect often to see how far you’ve come—it builds confidence to keep moving forward.
- Create daily rituals that feel good: Sustainable mindset shifts come from practices you enjoy and can return to consistently.
If You Loved This Episode…You’ll love Episode 472: 10-Step Formula For How To Achieve Any Goal with Cliff Ravenscraft
Connect with Dr. Nona Djavid
Website | Instagram
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In this episode, I talk about the idea that we can hold two seemingly opposite truths at the same time - and how that can actually be where our real growth and success as entrepreneurs live.
I'm so glad you're here for another mindset-focused episode of Eat Blog Talk. Today, I’m diving into a topic that’s been heavy on my heart lately—duality in entrepreneurship. As entrepreneurs, we often think we have to fix our flaws before we can feel successful, but what if it’s actually about holding space for both our strengths and imperfections? I'm sharing a story from the Flavor Media Summit that beautifully illustrates how powerful it can be to embrace the “both/and” in ourselves.
Action Plan:
1 - Acknowledge duality in your journey: Notice when you’re feeling two things at once and give both feelings permission to exist.
2 - Resist the urge to fix yourself first: You don’t need to wait until you’re fearless or confident to move forward—just start.
3 - Stay present in your imperfections: True success comes from showing up, even when things feel messy or imperfect.
4 - Honor your contradictions: You can be both proud and nervous, grateful and overwhelmed—this is normal and powerful.
5 - Practice naming the dualities: Say them out loud or journal them—“I am both X and Y”—to build resilience and self-compassion.
Get in touch with Megan below.
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In episode 705, Megan chats to Yasmin Henley about how to build a sustainable, multichannel food blogging brand without losing your spark or your sanity.
Yasmin is the recipe developer and content creator behind By The Forkful, sharing delicious vegetarian recipes that are easy to put together and meals the whole family can enjoy.
In this episode, you’ll learn how Yasmin grew her blog into a full-time business by showing up consistently across platforms in a way that works for her life, energy, and values.
Key points discussed include:
- Leverage multiple platforms strategically: Yasmin shares how focusing on SEO first, then adding TikTok and Instagram, helped her create a steady traffic flow that doesn't rely on one source.
- Batching is your best friend: Creating and editing multiple recipes and videos at once maximizes productivity and helps avoid creative fatigue.
- Keep systems simple and repeatable: Yasmin walks through her exact workflow—from keyword research to publishing and promotion—that keeps her content consistent across platforms.
- You don’t need to show your face on video: If video content feels intimidating, start by focusing on food-centered footage and using voiceovers to build connection.
- Data doesn’t lie—go back and look: Yasmin emphasizes reviewing past content monthly to see what worked and reusing or updating it to boost performance.
- Social media can revive your blog: A viral TikTok video helped Yasmin bounce back from being removed from an ad network and reignited her blog traffic.
- Let your mindset fuel your momentum: Reminding herself to do things her future self will thank her for helped Yasmin push through slow early growth periods.
- Start small and grow from there: You don’t have to be on every platform right away—try one new thing at a time and build from what works.
Connect with Yasmin Henley
Website | Instagram
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In episode 704, Jackie Thesing shares how food bloggers can go beyond their blogs by pursuing sponsored posts, media appearances, and other visibility opportunities to grow their brand.
Jackie Thesing left her corporate job in 2017 to stay home full time with her daughter. Since then, she has welcomed two more children and started her dessert blog, Sweet Girl Treats! She launched the blog as a way to find something for herself outside of motherhood, and it has turned into SO much more.
In this episode, you’ll learn actionable tips for landing brand sponsorships, making media connections, and confidently putting yourself out there, even when it feels scary.
Key points discussed include:
- Start with a media kit: Create a simple one-pager to showcase your blog, offerings, and photography—it's the first step to pitching brands professionally.
- Pitch brands you genuinely use: Authenticity matters, so look in your pantry or at your favorite products to find meaningful partnership opportunities.
- Explore different types of brand collaborations: From recipe development to UGC and sponsored posts, there are many ways to work with companies.
- Be bold and follow up: Don’t be afraid to message brands on social or follow up multiple times—persistence pays off.
- Media appearances build credibility: Local TV shows are often looking for fresh content—reach out and offer to share your expertise.
- Interviews and articles expand your reach: Podcasts, online magazines, and lifestyle publications offer valuable backlinks and visibility.
- Imposter syndrome is normal—but push through: You know your stuff, and you have something valuable to offer.
- Your work has value—charge accordingly: Follower count isn’t everything; your content is worthy of fair compensation.
Guest Details
Connect with Jackie Thesing
Website | Instagram
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This episode explores why the most transformative growth happens after the end of an event (like conferences, masterminds or retreats) - and how to harness that energy intentionally.
I just got back from the Flavor Media Summit in Savannah, and wow—what a whirlwind! Today I’m sharing from the heart while everything is still fresh. It’s so easy to think the big work happens in the room—at the conference, on the Zoom call, during the retreat—but the truth is, the real transformation begins after you leave. I’ll walk you through what that means and how to take meaningful steps forward once the initial energy fades.
Action Plan:
1 - Pause and Reflect: Take intentional time to slow down and journal on what moved you the most from the experience.
2 - Choose One Anchor Action: Pick a single powerful idea and commit to it—don’t overwhelm yourself with too many goals at once.
3 - Follow Up on Relationships: Reach out to people you connected with and nurture those new or deepened relationships.
4 - Protect Your Post-Room Energy: Carve out space to stay aligned and avoid tasks that drain your soul.
5 - Reframe the Crash: If you feel depleted, it’s a sign of growth—honor that expansion instead of judging it.
Get in touch with Megan below.
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Learn how to harness the power of Reddit to increase your blog traffic and deepen audience engagement with expert insights from Robin Means.
The Vegan Dollhouse is based in northern California. Taking inspiration from cute animals, sweet lolita, and tea parties, I make cute and colorful vegan food and desserts. I’ve been making vegan food for 25 years, and I’m still as passionate as I was on day 1.
In episode 702, you’ll learn how Reddit can be a game-changing platform for food bloggers looking to drive meaningful traffic, connect with niche audiences, and spark new content ideas. Robin shares practical strategies, her personal Reddit routine, and how to avoid common missteps when getting started.
Key points discussed include:
- Reddit can drive massive traffic with less effort than other platforms: Robin gets three times more traffic from Reddit than Pinterest, while spending one-third of the time.
- Start by engaging, not posting: Build “karma” by commenting and interacting with others before sharing your own content to avoid being flagged as spammy.
- Find your niche subreddits: Subreddits are highly specific communities. Robin shares that finding the right ones with high engagement (20K+ members) is essential for success.
- Follow each subreddit’s rules: Every subreddit has unique posting guidelines. Read and respect these carefully to avoid bans or deleted posts.
- Engagement is key to visibility: Posts that receive strong engagement can hit the “hot” section, skyrocketing your visibility and clicks.
- Reddit isn’t about followers: It’s one of the only platforms where your success isn’t dependent on follower count—brand new users can go viral.
- Use Reddit to gather content ideas: Reddit is a goldmine for learning what your audience is asking for and brainstorming new recipe ideas.
- Expect honesty—and sometimes criticism: Feedback is raw and unfiltered. While it can sting, it often helps improve your content.
Connect with Robin Means
Website | Instagram
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In episode 701, Megan celebrates reaching 700 episodes by bringing her team together to answer your questions about food blogging, content creation, mindset and life.
Dan Porta is a team builder at heart, currently growing Strategic Partnerships for Eat Blog Talk and further developing in-person events. With past experience in educational travel, Dan has cultivated a passion for bringing people together and facilitating positive learning experiences where meaningful connections can flourish. It's all about other people :)
Catharina is a podcast producer, video editor and social media expert who loves working with passionate entrepreneurs, helping them make their content ideas come to life. She’s a foodie at heart and used to work in hospitality before becoming a content producer. Since collaborating with Megan on EBT’s podcast episodes, she has developed a keen interest in the food blogging space and hopes to help many more food bloggers expand their horizons into audio and video.
Taryn has been blogging at Hot Pan Kitchen since 2018 and began the Grill Like A Mother podcast in 2022. She participated in several of Megan’s masterminds and worked behind the scenes at EBT before stepping into the role of community manager. Taryn loves bringing her knowledge and connections to the EBT community to help other food bloggers reach their goals! In her downtime, she enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with her husband, twin boys, and their labradoodle, Pretzel.
In this episode, you’ll learn valuable insights about how to future-proof your blog in the age of AI, picking a successful niche and growing on Pinterest and YouTube.
Key points discussed include:
- Monetizing Beyond Ads: Diversify your income streams across multiple platforms with intention, aligning each effort with your audience’s unique needs.
-Niching Down Successfully: Choose a niche that genuinely excites you and has long-term potential to keep you engaged and your audience served.
-Future-Proofing Your Blog in the Age of AI: Consider how evolving tech like AI might reshape platforms like Google, and explore sustainable income sources beyond ad revenue.
-Pinterest Strategy Amid Volatility: Despite fluctuating traffic, staying consistent and patient on Pinterest can still yield long-term results.
-Growing Your Email List: Use a mix of tactics—like lead magnets, guest podcasting, and strategic collaborations—to steadily build your list.
-Staying Consistent with Content: Create a content plan that matches your energy and resources, so you can maintain output without burnout.
-YouTube Trends in 2025: Understand whether long-form or short-form video fits your brand, and what content styles are currently performing best.
-Business Mindset & Daily Routine: Prioritize flexibility and self-care to stay grounded, productive, and aligned with your goals.
Guest Details
Connect with Dan Porta
Website
Connect with Catharina Joubert
Instagram
Connect with Taryn Solie
Website | Instagram
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Feeling overwhelmed? In this episode, I share five powerful affirmations to help you stay calm, grounded, and resilient through even the toughest weeks.
We all hit those weeks where everything feels overwhelming, and it’s tough to find our footing. In today’s episode, I’m sharing five affirmations that have truly helped me stay grounded during chaotic, stressful times. These simple but powerful phrases can shift your mindset and give you a real sense of peace when you need it most.
Action Plan:
1 - Relax, Trust, Let Go, Surrender: Anchor yourself by releasing control and allowing things to unfold.
2 - I trust myself: Remind yourself that you are capable, intuitive, and strong enough to handle any challenge.
3 - I choose peace: In the midst of chaos, intentionally create inner calm by making peace your priority.
4 - I give myself permission to pause: Know that resting is not weakness—it's necessary for creativity and clarity.
5 - Everything is Happening in Perfect Timing: Trust that life is unfolding exactly as it should, even if you can’t see it yet.
Get in touch with Megan below.
Website | Instagram
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In episode 699, Megan chats to Reed Dunn about how discovering the Food Social platform helped him combat creator isolation and reignite his passion for food blogging.
Reed Dunn's journey in the kitchen began as a young child in small-town Kansas, where he spent hours learning how to cook by digging through cookbooks and mimicking what his mom was doing. In 2018, after a month of sharing what he was eating on Instagram, friends and co-workers encouraged him to start an account dedicated to his recipes. Pesto & Potatoes was born, and it's where he shares his passion for cooking through wholesome plant-based and pescatarian recipes inspired by the Pacific Northwest and the many regions in which he has lived.
In this episode, you’ll learn how finding a supportive creator community can completely transform your food blogging journey and how Food Social offers unique opportunities for connection, traffic, and monetization.
Key points discussed include:
- Food Social bridges the isolation gap for creators: Reed talks about feeling alone in his blogging journey and how Food Social gave him a space to connect with like-minded creators.
- The platform is free and built by creators, for creators: Food Social was designed to address real challenges food bloggers face, offering a recipe-sharing platform with monetization and analytics tools.
- It’s easy to get started and low-risk: Joining and uploading content is simple, making it a great option even for those already overwhelmed by platforms.
- Monetization opportunities are built in: Creators can earn from page views, participate in paid brand activations, and use affiliate links—all within the platform.
- The platform drives actual traffic: Food Social helps generate meaningful traffic and visibility without the algorithm stress of other platforms.
- Community-building happens both on and off the platform: Weekly Zoom happy hours, Slack channels, and real-time feature updates foster a strong sense of collaboration and connection.
- It supports authentic brand relationships: Reed appreciates how Food Social introduces him to brands he genuinely connects with, going beyond surface-level influencer marketing.
If You Loved This Episode…You’ll love Episode 665: Build an Online Business Without Relying On Social Media – Powerful Collaboration Strategies for Food Bloggers with Brett DuPree
Connect with Reed Dunn
Website | Instagram
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In episode 698, Eloise Jennes talks about how what felt like a massive failure on Instagram actually became the catalyst for clarity, growth, and deep alignment in her food blogging business.
Elo is a plant-based food blogger, meal prep expert, and founder of Cooking With Elo, where she helps stressed-out professionals, overwhelmed parents, and health-conscious students make healthy plant-based eating way more doable and way less chaotic.
With her Master's in food innovation and obsessive love for systems, checklists, and pantry organization, Elo helps you feel confident in the kitchen, even with tofu, tempeh, and beans on the menu. So if you’ve ever wished someone would just tell you what to cook, how to prep it, and when to eat it—she’s your girl.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to reframe failure as a learning opportunity to refine your niche, improve your blog and discover a clear business path rooted in passion and purpose.
Key points discussed include:
- Failure isn't failure—it’s unmet expectations: Eloise shares how she redefined her Instagram experiment as a learning opportunity, not a flop.
- Hard work can still feel fruitless—until it pays off: Posting 100 blog posts and 100 Instagram reels in 100 days didn’t go viral, but it laid a strong foundation for her business.
- Systems matter: Eloise used Google Sheets smart chips and her love of organization to manage content creation efficiently.
- Clarity comes from action: Pushing through the challenge helped Eloise realize her true niche had been there all along—plant-based meal prep.
- You gain confidence through repetition: Creating content daily improved her storytelling, video editing, voiceovers, and technical workflow.
- Burnout is real—listen to your body: She worked 14-15 hours a day, 7 days a week, and ended up with stress-induced gastritis, teaching her to build in sustainability.
- Trust the process: Eloise held onto the belief that everything was leading somewhere, and it eventually unlocked new products, programs, and media opportunities.
- Teaching is mastery: Shifting from “storyteller” to “teacher” allowed Eloise to embrace her strengths and lead her audience more effectively.
If You Loved This Episode…You’ll love Episode 668: The Growth Mindset Shift – How Failure Leads to Success with Donnie Lygonis
Connect with Eloïse Jennes
Website | Instagram
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Here's a simple 5-step method I created to help stay calm, present, and grounded when you're facing uncertainty and bracing for the unknown.
In this episode, I’m diving into a mindset strategy that helped me through a really intense week filled with anxiety and uncertainty. When life feels overwhelming and fear creeps in, it’s so important to have a simple plan to stay grounded. I’ll walk you through the exact five steps I used to calm my mind, stay present, and truly enjoy the moments that mattered most. If you ever find yourself stuck in a cycle of worry, these steps will help you find your way back to peace.
Action Plan:
1 - Acknowledge your awareness: Notice when your mind is jumping ahead to worst-case scenarios — awareness gives you back your power.
2 - Set a clear intention: Decide to stay grounded and present, even when challenges are looming.
3 - Focus on your breath: Take three deep, intentional breaths to signal to your body that it’s safe.
4 - Tune into your senses: Name three things you can see, hear, or feel to anchor yourself to the present moment.
5 - Redirect your thoughts: Practice gratitude, flip a negative "what if" into a positive one, and envision something you’re excited about.
Get in touch with Megan below.
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In episode 696, Megan chats with Barbara Curry about how she launched a wildly successful second food blog that reached 100,000 monthly pageviews within months of starting.
Barbara is the creator of Butter & Baggage and Easy Southern Desserts, where she shares her passion for approachable, home-cooked Southern recipes. She started Butter & Baggage in 2014, bringing decades of experience to help home cooks create delicious meals with confidence. In 2024, she launched Easy Southern Desserts to focus exclusively on indulgent, foolproof sweets inspired by Southern traditions. Through her blogs, she combines tested recipes with practical tips to make baking and cooking both stress-free and enjoyable.
In this episode, you’ll learn what it takes to start and grow a second blog while maintaining momentum with an existing one, including identifying a viable niche, gaining traffic and dividing your focus efficiently.
Key points discussed include:
- Identify a market gap before you begin: Barbara saw an untapped niche in Southern desserts and used her experience to fill it strategically.
- Start with intention and strategy: From day one, she planned content, SEO, and marketing to get traffic fast without cannibalizing her first blog.
- Leverage existing resources: She used her first blog’s audience and email list to kick-start traffic and grow her second blog’s email subscribers.
- Be cautious with cross-linking: Barbara used no-follow links between blogs to stay in line with Google’s link spam guidelines.
- Focus on one platform at a time: She prioritized Pinterest over other social platforms to simplify her promotional efforts and increase traffic.
- Utilize alternative traffic sources: Platforms like MSN, Flipboard, and Kit Creator Profiles brought early traffic boosts before Google rankings picked up.
- Know when to outsource: Hiring help for writing, tech setup, Pinterest, and even cupcake decorating freed her to focus on what she does best.
- Be realistic about the workload: Running two blogs is double the work—Barbara emphasizes the importance of efficiency, batching, and having a plan.
Connect with Barbara Curry
Website | Instagram
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In episode 695, Jonathan Feniak walks us through the legal essentials every food blogger needs to confidently turn a blog into a full-time business while mitigating legal risks.
Lead Attorney Jonathan Feniak is a driving force behind LLCAttorney.com with a mission to make quality legal guidance accessible to business owners and individuals across the United States. Specializing in asset protection, estate planning, and business formation, he provides practical solutions that empower clients to protect their assets and build strong legal foundations.
In this episode, you’ll learn the importance of setting up your blog as a business entity, how to protect your personal assets, and when should you get a trademark to protect your brand.
Key points discussed include:
- Why forming an LLC is smart for bloggers: Protects personal assets and establishes your blog as a legitimate business.
- You can form an LLC affordably: Many bloggers can complete the process themselves without hiring a lawyer.
- Don't mix personal and business finances: Keeping accounts separate is essential to maintain your legal protections.
- Start with the right foundation: It’s easier to build a solid business structure now than fix issues later.
- Prepare for compliance challenges: What compliance challenges should entrepreneurs expect as they grow, and how can they prepare?
- Trademarks protect your brand: Registering your blog’s name adds an extra layer of security for your identity and content.
- State-specific rules matter: Requirements for forming and maintaining an LLC vary by state—be sure to check yours.
- You don’t need to be perfect: Take small steps to gain clarity and protection; perfection isn’t required to move forward.
Connect with Jonathan Feniak
Website | Instagram
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Learn how to become more efficient and intentional by thoughtfully pairing two tasks together, without adding stress or hustle to your day.
Today’s episode is all about shifting your days with simple, intentional strategies. Instead of overwhelming yourself with frantic multitasking, I’m sharing easy ways to pair activities that naturally complement each other. These small changes have helped me be more productive, efficient, and energized without adding stress. I can’t wait for you to try them and see how they transform your workflow too!
Action Plan:
1 - Knock out admin work while walking on the treadmill: Use light movement to boost energy while getting through Slack messages, emails, or brainstorming.
2 - Connect with loved ones during outdoor walks: Reserve personal calls or voice messages for walk time to nurture relationships while getting fresh air and exercise.
3 - Learn while you do monotonous tasks: Listen to uplifting podcasts or audiobooks during chores like folding laundry or photo editing.
4 - Brainstorm creatively while cooking or cleaning: Use mindless tasks as prime time for content ideas and strategy sessions.
5 - Research trends while stretching or foam rolling: Pair body recovery time with quick social media trend research to spark new ideas.
Get in touch with Megan below.
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In episode 693, Megan chats to Morgan Peaceman about building strong systems that support both content creation and content maintenance for food bloggers.
Morgan Peaceman has been blogging for the last 6 years, but only really went all in as of 2023. Her approach to food blogging and recipe development comes from her love of quick and easy family friendly recipes, with fresh, simple ingredients that makes all her recipes accessible for the most novice of cooks.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to create sustainable systems for updating and publishing blog content while avoiding burnout and staying organized as a food blogger.
Key points discussed include:
- Build systems that support sustainability: Morgan shares how she structured her blog workflow to stay consistent without burning out, including tracking and updating older content regularly.
- Use tools that align with your needs: From KeySearch and RankIQ to the lesser-known but powerful Thruuu, Morgan walks us through her preferred keyword research and optimization tools.
- Track updates in a color-coded system: A clear Google Sheets setup using red, yellow, and green helps Morgan manage what’s been updated, what’s in progress, and what needs attention.
- Lean on your community: Morgan emphasizes how finding a group of fellow creators, even through DMs, has been a game changer for support and motivation.
- Invest intentionally in your business: Every year, Morgan makes one significant investment in her business—whether that’s a branding shoot, SEO conference, or hiring help for social media.
- Make your blog user-friendly: She reminds us how crucial it is to optimize recipe cards and surface key details at the top of posts to align with real user behavior.
- Give yourself permission to rest: True rest is essential for longevity, and Morgan stresses how ignoring rest leads to burnout and illness.
- Adapt your investments to what you need most right now: Prioritize what feels most urgent for your growth this year and allow your next steps to evolve accordingly.
If You Loved This Episode…
You’ll love Episode 259: Deliver Quality to Your Users by Updating Your Old Content with Kathy Berget
Connect with Morgan Peaceman
Website | Instagram
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In episode 692, Megan interviews James Baldwin from Raptive about strategies to increase your ad revenue, optimize your website for better performance, and tackle evolving challenges in the food blogging space—including AI content theft and third-party cookie changes.
James and his team of ad performance experts work to help creators make as much money as possible by analyzing network data, troubleshooting ad issues, and designing ad strategies for industry-leading RPMs. James lives is Fargo, North Dakota with his wife and two kids and farms on the occasional summer/fall weekend.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to boost your ad earnings, make sense of RPM fluctuations, and future-proof your content strategy in a shifting digital landscape.
Key points discussed include:
- RPM Variations: U.S.-based traffic consistently earns higher RPMs than international traffic. Understanding audience geography is key to revenue forecasting.
- Smart Ad Placement: Positioning ads in high-visibility areas of your recipe posts—especially where readers linger—can lead to significant income increases.
- Words That Hurt Revenue: Terms like “download,” “addicting,” and “irresistible” may trigger brand safety concerns and reduce monetization potential.
- Third-Party Cookie Changes: Though the future is still unfolding, Raptive is developing tools to ensure personalized ads remain effective.
- Content that Wins: Google favors clear, user-friendly content with intuitive recipe navigation. Quality and reader value matter more than ever.
- Fighting AI Content Theft: Raptive is actively identifying and combating AI-driven content theft and working with platforms like Pinterest to block monetization of stolen material.
- Building Real Engagement: Authenticity, reader interaction, and community building are key to standing out—and staying relevant.
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