Episódios
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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.
Website | Instagram
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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.
Connect with James Baldwin
Website | Instagram
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Learn how to transform everyday experiences into powerful gifts by shifting your perspective and embracing gratitude, seeing the world through a lens of appreciation that can fundamentally change your life.
Lately, I’ve been on a journey of uncovering hidden gifts in the most unexpected places - from physical signals in my body to tough conversations and challenging moments. In this episode, I’m sharing some of those discoveries and how they’ve helped me shift my perspective. Instead of getting weighed down by difficulties, I’m learning to see the world through a lens of appreciation and possibility.
Action Plan:
1 - Receive Words as Gifts: Listen with curiosity, not defensiveness.
2 - Receive Challenges as Opportunities: See obstacles as pathways to personal growth.
3 - Receive People as Connection: Approach interactions with openness and potential.
4 - Receive Quiet Moments as Reflection: Pause and savor stillness in a busy world.
5 - Receive Your Body as a Miracle: Appreciate the constant, incredible work of your physical self.
Get in touch with Megan below.
Website | Instagram
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In episode 690, Megan chats to Danielle Madden about how generative AI uses significant environmental resources and how content creators can use the technology more ethically.
Danielle Madden founded Project Meal Plan in 2016 after spending too many lunch breaks searching for mediocre food while working her office job. Her educational background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science, and hands-on training as a Seattle Urban Nature Guide. Danielle loves being prepared (especially with food), and is usually the first one to arrive at a gathering with a homemade dish to share. At Project Meal Plan, Danielle focuses on make-ahead food and sharing tools to help others plan their own meals.
In this episode, you’ll learn how generative AI works, how to understand its environmental impact, and how to implement sustainable practices in business.
Key points discussed include:
- Generative AI Uses Significant Resources: Data centers consume substantial water and electricity through complex cooling processes.
- Water Consumption is Substantial: ChatGPT uses approximately 500 milliliters of fresh water per 20-50 questions.
- Environmental Impact Varies: Different AI platforms have varying resource consumption levels, though specifics are not transparent.
- Ethical Usage Matters: Content creators should critically evaluate when and how they use AI tools.
- Prompt Writing is Key: More specific, detailed prompts can reduce unnecessary AI usage and resource consumption.
- Fact-Checking is Essential: Always review and verify AI-generated content for accuracy.
- Small Actions Add Up: Implementing sustainable practices in business can create meaningful environmental impact.
- Transparency Helps: Consider creating a sustainability policy that acknowledges your commitment to responsible technology use.
Connect with Danielle Madden
Website | Instagram
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In episode 689, Dr. Kristen Wager teaches us how to use research to drive our content strategy, in order to predict what content will perform well instead of guessing what our audience wants.
Dr. Kristen Wager is a consumer researcher with over 15 years of experience and a Ph.D. in research. She has worked with major companies like Google, Amazon, and Meta, gaining firsthand insight into how research shapes strategy and drives growth. While these companies invest billions each year to understand their audiences, she believes creators deserve access to the same level of insight.
Most recently, Kristen led consumer research at Raptive, collaborating with some of the biggest food bloggers in the industry, including Half Baked Harvest, Tastes Better from Scratch, Just One Cookbook, Hey Grill Hey, and The Woks of Life. During this time, she developed a deep appreciation for the creator space and identified a significant gap: many creators lack access to first-party data to inform their business decisions.
When Raptive ended its research program, Kristen launched CreatorPulse to continue supporting creators—particularly in the food and lifestyle space—with real-time audience feedback. Her mission is to help creators make smarter, data-backed decisions that truly reflect what their audience wants.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to build a purposeful, proactive content strategy, how to leverage research to guide your approach, and why this can have a powerful impact on your food content business.
Key points discussed include:
- The Importance of Research: Research is crucial for understanding your audience’s needs and evolving trends, helping you predict content success rather than guessing.
- Moving Beyond Gut Feelings: While intuition has its place, relying solely on it can lead to echo chambers and content burnout; scalable growth requires data-backed decisions.
- Defining a Strategic Content Strategy: A proactive content strategy is built with purpose, intention, and your audience’s needs in mind, aligning with your business growth.
- Methods of Research: Use various research methods, from simple polls to in-depth surveys and social listening, to gather audience insights.
- Types of Research: Different types of research, like audience insights, competitor benchmarking, and brand perception, offer unique benefits for shaping your content and brand.
- Real-Time Data: Emphasize real-time data to stay ahead of trends and understand current audience needs, rather than relying solely on historical performance metrics.
- Turning Data into Action: Translate data into actionable steps by identifying content themes, creating messaging frameworks, and aligning content with business goals.
- Busting Research Myths: Overcome misconceptions about research by recognizing that it doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive, and that audience feedback is invaluable.
Connect with Dr. Kristen Wager
Website
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A practical guide to reframing negative thought patterns and inviting more joy, peace, and success into your daily life through intentional mental shifts.
Today, I want to dive into the way we talk to ourselves and the narratives we create in our minds. Our brains are naturally wired to focus on the negative—but here’s the good news: we have the power to rewrite that narrative. In this episode, I’m sharing five transformative strategies to help you reframe your thoughts and invite more joy into your everyday life.
Action Plan:
1 - Flip the “What If” Spiral: Challenge negative what-if scenarios by intentionally creating positive, empowering alternative narratives.
2 - Rewrite Your Personal Stories: Recognize that the stories you tell yourself are often assumptions, and consciously choose more compassionate interpretations.
3 - Refuse Negative Talk: Disengage from gossip and complaints, instead redirecting conversations towards positivity and inspiration.
4 - Shift “I Have To” to “I Get To”: Transform obligations into opportunities by reframing mundane tasks as privileged experiences.
5 - Replace Comparison with Inspiration: When you catch yourself comparing, pause and ask how another’s success can motivate rather than discourage you.
Get in touch with Megan below.
Website | Instagram
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In episode 687, Megan chats to Anna Dearmon Kornick about why a Weekly Planning Session is the best time management tip to start overcoming overwhelm and hitting our goals.
Anna Dearmon Kornick is a highly sought after time management coach and keynote speaker, top 1% globally ranked podcast host of It's About Time, and founder of the It’s About Time Academy. A true Louisiana firecracker who has become known for making time management fun, Anna helps busy professionals and business owners struggling with overwhelm manage their time using her personality-driven HEART Method.
In this episode, you’ll discover how to revolutionize your time management by creating a personalized weekly planning system for your food blogging business, including the best tools to use and strategies for building habits that last.
Key points discussed include:
- Weekly Planning is Critical: A consistent weekly planning session can help you anticipate challenges and create smoother transitions between tasks and responsibilities.
- Customize Your Approach: There’s no one-size-fits-all method for planning; adapt the strategy to fit your unique personality and lifestyle.
- Use High and Low-Tech Tools: Combine digital tools like Asana with a physical notebook to capture and track ideas and tasks effectively.
- Account for Transition Time: Build in buffer time between activities to reduce stress and prevent perpetual lateness.
- Start Small and Reward Yourself: Begin with a bare minimum planning session and create a reward system to build a sustainable habit.
- Embrace Flexibility: Your weekly planning can evolve and be completed in segments rather than one strict sit-down session.
- Imagination Matters: Use creativity and forward-thinking to design a time management system that works uniquely for you.
Connect with Anna Dearmon Kornick
Website | Instagram
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In episode 686, Christine Van Bloem shares how she was able to thrive in her niche and diversify her revenue after losing her cooking school in 2020, fighting against giving up on life post-50.
Christine Van Bloem is the owner and head cook in The Empty Nest Kitchen, where she teaches empty nesters how to cook for one or two, while finding the fun in cooking with a healthy-ish vibe. She is also the creator of Menopause Meal Plans, providing tasty weekly menus utilizing the Mediterranean Diet for perimenopausal, menopausal, and post-menopausal women. Christine completed her Culinary Medicine Medical Provider (CCMP) certification and also hosts popular monthly online classes through AARP and the Empty Nest Kitchen podcast.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to build a reliable income from your food business (without relying on ad revenue), why your niche plays a critical role in diversifying your business and how to rise above personal hardships.
Key points discussed include:
- Diversification is Key: Explore multiple avenues like teaching classes, memberships, and corporate team-building to future-proof your business.
- Find Your Niche: Focus on a specific audience, like empty nesters or menopausal women, to create targeted, valuable content.
- Embrace Online Opportunities: Leverage platforms like AARP, virtual classes, and online memberships to reach a wider audience.
- Be Authentic and Fearless: Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and try new things, even if they seem outside your comfort zone.
- Learn from Challenges: Personal hardships can be transformative and lead to unexpected opportunities and growth.
- Continuous Learning: Stay open to new certifications, courses, and skills that can enhance your business offerings.
- Community Connection: Build meaningful relationships with your audience through interactive and personalized content.
If You Loved This Episode…You’ll love Episode 582: Creative Ways to Earn Money as A New Food Blogger with Katharine Rosenthal
Connect with Christine Van Bloem
Website | Instagram
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Have you ever considered attending an in-person retreat with like-minded individuals? In this episode, I talk through 5 major mindset shifts I’ve experienced from attending retreats and how they have impacted my bus
I’m super excited to share with you the incredible mindset benefits I’ve discovered from hosting and attending in-person retreats. These aren’t just your typical business events - they’re life-changing experiences that can completely shift how you see yourself and your potential. If you’ve ever felt stuck or isolated in your entrepreneurial journey, this episode is going to open your eyes to the magic of stepping out of your comfort zone.
Action Plan:
1 - The power of in-person connections: Creating deep, meaningful relationships beyond virtual networking.
2 - Changing the way we talk to ourselves: Challenging and rewriting negative self-talk narrative.
3 - Identifying blind spots that are holding you back: Getting fresh perspectives from peer.
4 - The confidence boost that comes from external validation: Recognizing your unique strengths and expertise.
5 - The energy shift that comes from stepping away: Reconnecting with your core business purpose and dreams
Get in touch with Megan below.
Website | Instagram
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In episode 684, Chelsea Cole teaches us how to creatively manage our time and build a successful business—all while navigating the challenges of first-time parenting.
Chelsea Cole is a cookbook author, food blogger, and founder of The Cookbook Lab, a course that teaches self-publishing cookbooks. Her website, A Duck’s Oven, focuses on sous vide cooking. She has written two cookbooks, Everyday Sous Vide and Sous Vide Meal Prep and her third, "A Feast of Thorns and Roses," a fan cookbook inspired by the "A Court of Thorns and Roses" series, comes out April 1st. She currently lives outside of Portland, Oregon with her husband, son, and daughter on the way.
In this episode, you’ll discover strategies for balancing your blog, launching new ventures like writing a cookbook, and embracing first-time parenthood—so you can keep growing your business while showing up for your family.
Key points discussed include:
- Strategic Outsourcing: Sometimes you have to know when to ask for help. Chelsea’s smart move of delegating cookbook photography proves that you don’t have to do everything yourself.
- Flexible Work Hours: Those early morning hours are gold, especially with a newborn. Chelsea turned those 4 AM wake-ups into productive writing time.
- Content Prioritization: Focus on essential business tasks while temporarily pausing less critical activities.
- Family Support: Your support system is everything. Chelsea’s mom stepping in one day a week made all the difference in maintaining her sanity and productivity.
- Embrace Inconsistent Progress: Perfectionists, this one’s for you - progress isn’t linear when you’re a new parent. Learning to be okay with that is a superpower.
- Realistic Expectations: Set achievable daily goals and celebrate small victories to maintain motivation and avoid burnout while managing a newborn and a major work project.
- Adaptable Planning: Create flexible plans that can shift with your newborn’s unpredictable schedule.
- Ruthless Efficiency: Become a time management ninja. When you’ve got limited windows to work, every minute counts.
Connect with Chelsea Cole
Website | Instagram
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In episode 683, Chad Allen delivers a game-changing strategy that could transform the way food bloggers think about growing their email lists: the powerful and often overlooked technique of email swaps
Chad R. Allen is a writer, speaker, editor, and writing coach. A 25-year publishing professional, he has worked with such bestselling authors as Michael Hyatt, Caroline Leaf, Mark Batterson, and Phyllis Tickle. He is the creator of BookCamp, a training center and community for writers, as well as Book Proposal Academy, an online course. His passion is helping writers craft must-read books that reach large audiences, and he blogs at http://www.chadrallen.com/.
In this episode, you’ll learn about email swaps, how they can benefit you, and how to execute them effectively so you can get high-quality, valuable email subscribers.
Key points discussed include:
- Email is essential: You need an email list to build a solid business because social media is “rented property”.
- Anyone can do an email swap: It is best to start with someone you know with a list comparable in size to yours.
- Make it about them: If you’re reaching out to someone you don’t know, focus on how you can help them reach their audience.
- The freebie matters: You want to offer an irresistible freebie to the other person’s audience to encourage sign-ups.
- Provide swipe copy: Make it easy for your partner by providing an email template they can adapt.
- Email swaps yield warm leads: Email swaps can provide warmer leads than you find through paid ads.
- Welcome new subscribers: Have a welcome email sequence to introduce yourself to new subscribers and build a relationship.
- Avoid misaligned audiences: Make sure you and your partner have overlapping audiences.
Connect with Chad Allen
Website | Instagram
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Discipline and freedom go hand in hand - implementing structure in your life can unlock creativity, joy, and long-term success.
As entrepreneurs, we can have all the goals, dreams, and good intentions in the world, but without discipline, none of it matters. Lately, I’ve been reading The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin, and one section on discipline really stopped me in my tracks. It reminded me that discipline isn’t about restriction - it’s about creating the freedom to do what we truly love. Let’s dive into five ways you can build more discipline into your life!
Action Plan:
1 - Define Your Non-Negotiables: Get clear on what absolutely must happen in your business and life - treat these like brushing your teeth, no excuses.
2 - Create a System, Not Just a Goal: Goals are great, but systems are what keep you moving forward - set up routines that make discipline automatic.
3 - Time Block Like a Pro: Structure your schedule intentionally, dedicating specific time blocks to deep work, content creation, and rest.
4 - Eliminate Decision Fatigue: Simplify daily choices by meal prepping, pre-planning content, and having a structured to-do list to conserve mental energy.
5 - Use Rewards and Consequences: Give yourself incentives to stay on track, whether it’s a coffee treat for completing tasks or a consequence for missed deadlines.
Get in touch with Megan below.
Website | Instagram
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In episode 681, Megan chats to Megan Keno about key aspects of her 15-year blogging journey that have led to her success, including knowing where to spend your time and when to pivot.
Megan is creator and CEO of Homemade Home, a veteran 15 year old food blog, focused on every day elevated dishes and cast iron cooking. Megan is also a cast member of season 4 of FOX's Next Level Chef with Gordon Ramsay. Oh yeah, and he has her cookbook.
In this episode, you’ll learn about building a sustainable food blogging business while maintaining authenticity, and why saying ‘yes’ to unexpected opportunities can determine the future of your blog.
Key points discussed include:
- Authenticity is Key: Staying true to yourself creates opportunities and resonates with your audience.
- Slow and Steady Wins: Consistency and intentional content creation are more important than viral trends.
- Platform Strategy: Focus on social media platforms where you naturally enjoy consuming content, rather than spreading yourself thin.
- Rebrand with Purpose: Be willing to evolve your brand to reflect your current life and passions.
- Overcome Obstacles: Challenges like algorithm changes or traffic drops don’t define your long-term success.
- Say Yes to Opportunities: Being open to unexpected chances can lead to transformative experiences.
- Self-Reflection Matters: Take time to understand your unique strengths and goals as a content creator.
- Long-Term Perspective: Building a sustainable blog requires patience, love for your craft, and continuous learning.
Connect with Megan Keno
Website | Instagram
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In episode 680, Coley Gaffney teaches us how to deal with mental health struggles like anxiety and depression while running a food blog.
Nicole "Coley" Gaffney is a professionally trained chef and content creator behind the website Coley Cooks. She specializes in seafood and Italian cuisine, and previously had her own business as a personal chef and caterer. Coley has made numerous television appearances, including on QVC, The Rachael Ray Show, The Today Show, and most notably, was 2nd runner up on season 10 of Food Network Star. Coley lives at the southern Jersey shore with her husband and pup, and is passionate about helping people connect through food.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to recognize and address mental health issues without relying on therapy, and why understanding food blogging as a long game is essential to keep a healthy balance with your blog.
Key points discussed include:
- Mental health struggles are common: Experiencing mental health challenges is a normal part of life, and sharing experiences can provide comfort and reduce feelings of isolation.
- Acknowledge and address issues: Recognizing and addressing mental health struggles is essential because nobody is coming to rescue you.
- Journaling can be a powerful tool: Regularly journaling about thoughts and feelings can help process emotions and track personal growth.
- Make small promises: To combat work paralysis, start by making tiny promises to yourself and gradually build momentum.
- Social media can impact mental health: Taking breaks from social media can be beneficial, especially if it causes anxiety or stress.
- Blogging is a long game: Success in blogging takes time, so focus on the love of creating content rather than solely on monetary gains.
- Real people are valuable: Authentic, personal recipes and cooking advice will always be valued over AI-generated content.
If You Loved This Episode…You’ll love Episode 534: It’s OK to Ask for Help as a Food Blogger with Teri-Ann Carty.
Connect with Coley Gaffney
Website | Instagram
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Here are five practical ways to slow down and savor life, helping you create more balance, joy, and mindfulness in your personal and entrepreneurial journey.
Life moves FAST, doesn’t it? If we’re not careful, we get swept up in the hustle, always chasing the next thing, and suddenly, we realize we haven’t truly enjoyed our days. I’ve been there, pushing, striving, and forgetting to pause. But this year, I’m making a conscious effort to slow down, reflect, and soak in life’s little joys. If you’re feeling stretched thin, you are NOT alone. Let’s do this together! Here are five ways we can all slow down and savor life.
Action Plan:
1 - Prioritize What Matters Most: Do a time audit, set boundaries, and make sure your daily actions reflect what’s truly important.
2 - Be Mindful in the Present Moment: Take a deep breath, engage your senses, and stop letting distractions pull you away from what really matters.
3 - Simplify Your Day: Clear the clutter from your schedule, cut out unnecessary tasks, and create routines that bring ease instead of stress.
4 - Make Time for Joyful Activities: Schedule FUN into your week, say "yes" to spontaneous moments, and do the things that fill your cup.
5 - Practice Gratitude for the Small Things: Keep a gratitude journal, notice the little joys in each day, and share your appreciation with others.
Get in touch with Megan below.
Website | Instagram
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In episode 678, Megan Porta chats with McKenna Pulda, Emily Christensen, and Amy Coyne about how to successfully collaborate on a cookbook.
McKenna Pulda is a former choir teacher turned sourdough enthusiast, recipe developer, and mom of two. After receiving her first sourdough starter 4 years ago, her love for baking quickly turned into a passion for creating delicious, from-scratch recipes with a sourdough twist. Since starting her blog, Simplicity and a Starter, in 2023, McKenna has shared 150+ tried-and-true sourdough recipes and also co-authored a cookbook, Our Sourdough Table, featuring long-fermented and quick sourdough recipes that are perfect for the holiday season.
Emily is the creator and voice behind Country Roads Sourdough, where she shares tried-and-true sourdough bread and discard recipes, along with helpful sourdough tips and techniques. After leaving her corporate brand management career to become a stay-at-home mom, she quickly realized she needed a creative outlet and began hosting local sourdough classes. What started as a passion project quickly took off after a few viral Instagram videos—turning her love for sourdough into a full-time career.
Amy Coyne is a sourdough teacher, recipe developer, and mom to four awesome kiddos. She has grown her website over the last two years from 100K pageviews in 2022 to almost 10 million pageviews at the end of 2024. She shares tried-and-true sourdough recipes on her website and with her Instagram and social media communities.
Summary & Takeaways
In this episode, you’ll learn how to coordinate writing a collaborative cookbook, from deciding who to collaborate with to how to create a cohesive look and boost sales through social media marketing.
Key points discussed include:
- Who to collaborate with: Emily reached out to Amy and McKenna via Instagram DMs because they had similar followings and vibes.
- Deciding on a niche: The group decided to focus on holiday sourdough recipes, filling a unique niche.
- Maintaining a cohesive look: They coordinated photography styles, using neutral colors and backgrounds, even reshooting existing blog photos to align.
- Organization and book cover design: The group used Google Docs to organize recipes by category and Canva to create the cookbook layout.
- In-person retreat: The group had a working weekend at an Airbnb to photograph recipes, proofread, and plan marketing strategies.
- Choosing a self-publishing platform: They selected Lulu for its print-on-demand service, quality, payment splitting, and worldwide printing locations.
- Marketing strategies: The group conducted live bake-alongs and created weekly Instagram reels to promote the cookbook.
- Customer service: The team helped customers with order issues, but also realized the limitations of print-on-demand, since they didn’t have the actual product or shipping control.
- The power of collaboration: Working together helped them grow their followings, build lasting friendships, and create a product that they loved.
Guest Details
Connect with McKenna Pulda
Website | Instagram
Connect with Emily Christensen
Website | Instagram
Connect with Amy Coyne
Website | Instagram
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In episode 677, Debra Eckerling teaches us how to start a successful podcast or live stream by leveraging our existing food blog content and audience.
Debra Eckerling is a goal-strategist, workshop leader, and award-winning author and podcaster. The creator of The DEB Method for goal-setting simplified, Debra works with individuals, teams, and businesses on personal and professional projects, networking strategy, and book/book proposal development. She hosts GoalChatLive/GoalChat and the Taste Buds with Deb podcasts, and is the author of "Your Goal Guide" and "52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting."
In this episode, you’ll learn how to break through common barriers and launch a podcast or live show that supports your brand and expands your reach.
Key points discussed include:
- Podcasting doesn’t have to be perfect: You don’t need expensive equipment or flawless execution—just start recording and sharing your content.
- Time management is key: Look at your current schedule and find ways to eliminate tasks or adjust priorities to make room for your podcast.
- Leverage what you already have: Your food blog gives you a built-in niche, brand, and audience—use that as the foundation for your podcast.
- Networking is a major benefit: A podcast provides an opportunity to connect with experts, expand your network, and build relationships that can benefit your brand.
- Start simple and evolve: Begin with a basic concept and let your show naturally develop based on what works best for you and your audience.
- Repurpose your content: Use your podcast episodes in blog posts, social media, YouTube, and more to maximize your reach.
- Commit to consistency: Whether you publish weekly, biweekly, or monthly, sticking to a regular schedule is essential for audience growth.
- Treat your podcast like an appointment: Schedule time for your podcast work and honor it as you would any other important commitment.
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