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In episode 591, Megan chats to Alexandra Shytsman about how to avoid 7 common food photography mistakes beginners make, including lighting, angle and styling mistakes.
Alexandra Shytsman is a recipe developer, food photographer, and creator of The New Baguette, a plant-based recipe site. Her mission is to inspire people to cook healthier plant-centered meals at home. She is the author of Friendsgiving, co-author of The Complete Vegan Cookbook, and contributes to sites like Simply Recipes and EatingWell. She has also been teaching in-person food photography classes (in groups and one-on-one) since 2018. Originally from Ukraine, Alex moved to New York City at a young age and has lived there ever since.
In this episode, you’ll learn more about using natural light versus artificial light, the correct angle for shooting food, which garnishes to use and which ones to avoid and how to make boring food stand out.
Key points discussed:
- Lighting is crucial: Use natural light or photography-specific equipment, rather than overhead kitchen lights, to achieve flattering and accurate food photography.
- Avoid tilted angles: Keep the camera horizon straight to create a more natural and comfortable viewing experience for the audience.
- Provide context: Zooming out to show the entire plate or scene, rather than just a close-up, helps provide context and balance to the image.
- Choose props carefully: Neutral-colored, non-distracting props are recommended to avoid drawing attention away from the food.
- Are your photos in focus? Learning to use the camera in manual mode and checking focus before finalizing the shot can help ensure crisp, in-focus images.
- Garnishes can transform boring photos: Adding thoughtful garnishes, such as herbs, spices, or seeds, can enhance the visual appeal of the food.
- Plan before you shoot: Creating a mood board and shot list beforehand can help streamline the photography process and ensure all necessary shots are captured.
- Embrace negative space: Allowing for some empty space around the food can create a more balanced and visually appealing composition.
Connect with Alexandra Shytsman
Website | Instagram
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Are you tired of feeling stuck or overwhelmed in your blogging journey? In this episode, I’m sharing some exciting news about the 2025 Eat Blog Talk Mastermind, including the new tiered packages designed for bloggers at every stage. I’ll walk you through the program’s logistics and highlight how the mastermind can fast-track your blog’s growth, no matter your budget or experience level.
But that’s not all—stay tuned for powerful transformation stories from current mastermind members! You’ll hear how they’ve overcome common blogging pain points, from stagnant traffic to unclear goals, and turned their blogs into thriving businesses with more traffic, revenue, and confidence.
Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:
- New mastermind tiers for 2025 that cater to different budgets and experience levels.
- How the mastermind can help you accelerate growth and avoid common blogging mistakes.
- Real-life transformations from current members—how they grew their traffic, increased revenue, and found clarity in their blogging strategies.
- Why community, expert guidance, and accountability are the key ingredients to lasting success.
- How the program can help you gain confidence, clarity, and focus to tackle your biggest blogging challenges.
Ready to take your blog to new heights in 2025? Tune in now to hear how you can be part of this life-changing experience or visit eatblogtalk.com/mastermind to apply.
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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In this episode, we're going to talk about 5 ways to be proactive, focus on progress and invite more good things into your business.
We all want good things to flow into our business. Sometimes, it feels like we’re making no progress or regressing. I’ve been there, multiple times. Even this year. For bloggers, this might mean losing followers, getting less pages views, trying to get into an ad network… the list goes on and on. By this same token, if you embrace a proactive, positive approach to your blog and focus on what’s going well, you will most likely invite more good things into your business. Here are some practical ways to do this.
Action Plan:
1 - Extend the invitation: Invite good things, opportunities, money, and positive energy into your business on a daily basis.
2 - Practice daily gratitude: Write down 5-10 things that are going well in your business each day and express gratitude for the progress (however small) you’ve made.
3 - Do daily decluttering: What tasks are cluttering your mind and business? Make a list and systematically work through and complete them.
4 - Engage in daily learning: Spend at least 15 minutes each day learning through podcasts, books, or discussions to stay eager and ready for good things.
5 - Invest in your business: Consider making strategic investments in coaching, masterminds, conferences, or courses to open the floodgates for positive growth.
Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topic you'd like her to cover.
Website | Instagram
Resources
Madison Wetherill's Web Design Services
Promote your food blogging services
Megan’s recommended books and resources
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In episode 588, Megan chats to Laura Arnold about why an SEO content calendar is important for diversifying your brand and how to set it up to improve your rank on Google.
Laura Arnold is a New York City-based Emmy-Nominated Culinary Television Producer, Cookbook Consultant, and award-winning Content Creator with over a decade of experience. She currently is the Supervising Culinary Producer for Food Network’s The Kitchen, and has worked previously at ABC’s The Chew, DotDash Meredith, Good Housekeeping, Food52, kitchn.com, and with many more brands.
In this episode, you’ll learn more about how to balance new posts with content updates, which keywords to choose, the significance of storytelling and expert phrasing and whether social media is important or not.
Key points discussed:
- Consistency is key: Maintain consistent SEO efforts and content creation for long-term growth and success.
- Manageable workloads: Create a content calendar that fits within your capabilities and resources for sustainable success.
- Competitor analysis: Research and understand the top-performing content in a given niche to help you develop effective SEO strategies.
- Keyword research and targeting: Identifying high-volume, low-competition keywords is a key step in creating content that resonates with the target audience.
- Interlinking and content pillars: Strategically linking related content within posts and building out content pillars can improve site navigation and user experience.
- Storytelling and expert phrasing: Balance personal narratives with authoritative language to help engage readers and establish the blogger as an expert in their field.
- Performance tracking: Regularly monitoring and analyzing SEO metrics, such as impressions and keyword rankings, can inform content optimization and strategy adjustments.
- Social media integration: Leveraging social media platforms to share and promote content can help diversify a brand's digital presence and reach a wider audience.
Connect with Laura Arnold
Website | Instagram
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In episode 587, Brenda Cadman teaches us how to organize our uploads and templates in Canva to create designs quickly and without fuss.
Brenda Cadman is a Canva Verified Expert from Prince Edward Island, Canada. After spending more than two decades supporting businesses with their website development needs, she now focuses on teaching small business owners how to use Canva more effectively and efficiently. Brenda has taught thousands of business owners through her courses, and in particular, she loves to help business owners tame their hot mess Canva accounts by creating an organizational system that ensures they can spend less time in Canva, and more time doing what they love.
In this episode, you’ll learn about creating custom folders for better categorization, template and time management and thereby streamlining the design process.
Key points discussed:
- Organize Canva uploads: Create custom folders to categorize and easily find your uploaded images, videos, and other media.
- Leverage the brand kit: Use Canva's brand kit feature to store your logo, color palette, fonts, and other brand assets for consistent branding.
- Streamline element organization: Use the "Add to Folder" option to create custom folders for frequently used icons, illustrations, and other design elements.
- Manage templates effectively: Separate future-use templates from customized brand templates to maintain organization and efficiency.
- Prioritize Canva organization: Dedicate time to organize your Canva account - this will help improve productivity and save time in the long run.
- Use brand templates to speed up workflow: Creating and saving brand templates can ensure consistency and reduce errors when customizing frequently used designs.
- Avoid wasting time in Canva: If you prioritize Canva organization, you will save time spent on the platform designing and looking for assets.
Connect with Brenda Cadman
Website | Instagram
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In this episode, we're going to talk about 5 ways to manage feelings of overwhelm in entrepreneurship.
If you are an entrepreneur long enough, you are bound to experience times when you have to evolve or you can't go on. Often, when you’re in a state of complete overwhelm, it’s a signal that something needs to change. I think most of us want to stay passionate about what we do but we don’t want to get buried by to do lists and business projects. Here are 5 ways I manage overwhelm and keep a positive outlook.
Action Plan:
1 - Time Tracking: Track everything you do for a minimum of 3 days, preferably 7 days. Comb through the data to identify where you're spending your time and make changes to reduce draining activities.
2 - Exercise and Self-Care: Commit to a daily habit of exercise, even if it's just 10 minutes and engage in self-care activities like meditation war spending time in nature, reading, or creative pursuits.
3 - Take a Break: Listen to your gut and take a break, whether it's a 30-minute break during the day or a longer, week-long or month-long break from your business. Giving yourself this time off can help reset and reduce overwhelm.
4 - Limit Tech and Social Media: Reduce the time you spend on your phone, computer, and social media platforms. The constant connectivity can contribute to feelings of anxiety and overwhelm.
5 - Laugh and Love: Surround yourself with situations and people that bring you joy, laughter, and love. Spend time with friends, family, or pets, and engage in activities that make you smile.
Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topics you'd like her to cover.
Website | Instagram
Resources
Food Photography by Ikram Ali
Promote your food blogging services
Megan’s recommended books and resources
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In episode 585, Megan chats to Carol Borchardt about the advantages of being a food blogger after you’ve retired and how to succeed regardless of your age.
Carol Borchardt is a retired personal chef with 22 years of experience cooking food people want to eat! She is also a former newspaper food columnist and mom to rescue kitty, Olive. Carol is married (almost 29 years) with two stepchildren and four grandchildren. At From A Chef's Kitchen, which Carol started ten years ago, she shares easy, step-by-step, chef-tested restaurant-quality recipes that are easy to make at home.
If You Loved This Episode…
You’ll love Episode 132 with Jen Lefforge – Starting A YouTube Channel Over 40.
In this episode, you’ll learn about what it is like being a full-time retired food blogger, why it is important to start sooner rather than later and how to overcome technical difficulties.
Key points discussed:
- Start a food blog at any age: Carol started her food blog between the ages of 40-50 - it’s never too late to pursue a creative passion.
- Overcome technical fears: Start with a good host and theme, and use resources or hire experts to handle the technical aspects of blogging.
- Embrace social media strategically: Focus on the platforms that you feel comfortable with and enjoy.
- Monetization can provide financial freedom: If your blog is monetised, your retirement income will be self-sustaining and provide flexibility.
- Blogging can be a fulfilling retirement gig: You may find immense satisfaction in the creative outlet of food blogging, keeping you active and productive in retirement.
- Build a legacy through recipes: Think of preserving family recipes and creating a lasting legacy through a food blog.
- Do it on your own terms: Pursue your passion and don’t feel pressured to conform to industry standards.
- Find your true fans: Remember why you started the blog and connect with readers who appreciate your unique voice and content.
Connect with Carol Borchardt
Website | Instagram
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In episode 584, Chris De La Rosa teaches us 6 unique monetization strategies so that we can earn a living without relying on income from ads.
Chris De La Rosa, is the founder of CaribbeanPot.com, a platform dedicated to exploring the vibrant culinary culture of the Caribbean. Although his roots trace back to Trinidad and Tobago, Chris’s goal is to showcase recipes from all the enchanting islands that contribute to the rich tapestry of Caribbean cuisine. Through his website, social media channels, and YouTube videos, Chris shares the authentic flavors, techniques, and stories that make Caribbean food so special.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to outsource finding brand deals, successful ways of selling digital products and how to leverage your culinary expertise by collaborating with restaurants and tech companies.
Key points discussed:
- Branded partnerships and sponsorships: It is essential to align brand deals with your niche and stay true to your audience. Hire out the process of contacting brands.
- Digital products and online courses: Repurpose website content into digital cookbooks and courses to generate an additional revenue stream.
- Seasonal content planning: Analyzing data, such as YouTube statistics, to help identify popular topics to create seasonal digital products.
- Physical products and merchandise: Selling branded merchandise like t-shirts and aprons with your logo can generate additional income.
- Menu consultation: Leveraging your expertise in a niche cuisine can lead to opportunities to consult with restaurants.
- Culinary tours and experiences: Offering food-focused tours and experiences can be a unique way to monetize your brand.
- Embrace the opportunities technology offer: Use your culinary expertise to collaborate with technology companies developing AI for recipes.
- Ghost kitchens: Partner with shared kitchen spaces so that you can have a space for the production and distribution of your own food products.
- Reduce food waste by offering made-to-order meals: By offering pre-ordered, made-to-order meals you can minimize waste and serve specific communities.
Connect with Chris De La Rosa
Website | Instagram
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In this episode, we're going to talk about 5 strategies you can use to accelerate business growth, especially when your business feels stagnant.
I don't know about you, but sometimes it feels like my entire business needs an overhaul, and other times, it just feels like a certain part of my business isn't growing. While our businesses can't be growing optimally all the time, there are strategies we can use to give our business a boost when it feels like we’ve hit a dead end or like we're running ourselves to the ground on the entrepreneurial hamster wheel of work, work, work. What’s more these strategies may lead to an increase in revenue and other rewards.
Action Plan:
1 - Prioritize relationships: Building and nurturing relationships with others can lead to exponential business growth that you may not be able to anticipate.
2 - Join or form a quality mastermind group: Being part of a high-quality mastermind group can provide unique perspectives, valuable connections, and accelerate the growth of your business.
3 - Hire a business and/or mindset coach: Investing in a good coach can help you identify and overcome personal and business obstacles, rewriting old stories and putting you on a trajectory for greater success.
4 - Be consistent: Committing to taking consistent action, even in small steps, towards your goals will help accelerate your business growth.
5 - Evaluate monthly what is and isn't working: Set aside time at the end of each month to reflect on your progress and use those insights to plan for the next month, ensuring you're focusing your efforts effectively.
Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topics you'd like her to cover.
Website | Instagram
Resources
Food Blog Writing at Maes Media (Chelsea Plummer)
Promote your food blogging services
Megan’s recommended books and resources
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In episode 582, Megan chats to Katharine Rosenthal about creative ways to earn money while waiting to join an ad network.
Katharine is a Dietitian and Food Blogger and she started her blog in early 2023. She focuses on healthy-ish recipes that are easy and approachable. As a Dietitian, Katharine fully believes that there is room for every food and she wants to spread that philosophy and idea to all of her readers. Katharine’s favorite saying is "nourish to flourish" and to her that means to eat nutrient-rich foods most of the time but also grab those fries and drink the milkshake when you are craving it!
In this episode, you’ll learn about how to generate income through online and local partnerships, how to use your expertise to earn extra money and time management tips for balancing multiple income streams.
Key points discussed:
- Diversify income sources through online partnerships: While waiting to get into an ad network, you can generate revenue through online partnerships - you don’t need many followers on social media to do this.
- Leverage local connections: Reaching out to local magazines, businesses, and organizations can lead to valuable partnerships and exposure.
- Provide value through expertise: Use your background to offer unique value, for example through recipe development, nutrition articles, and cooking classes.
- Prioritize time management: Even with multiple income streams, you can plan for time off and still focus on self-care by being organized and planning ahead.
- Know your value: Price your services to reflect the value you offer and reassess your pricing as your experience increases.
- Embrace boldness: If you want to succeed you need to be bold and take advantage of opportunities, even when they may seem daunting.
- Focus on long-term growth: Blogging is a long-term game, and she encourages persistence and patience in the face of challenges.
- Create dual-purpose content: When creating content for partnerships, do it so that it can be used on your own blog.
Guest Details
Connect with Katharine Rosenthal
Website | Instagram
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In episode 581, Leslie Osborne teaches us how to create high-quality recipe videos using a phone, including what settings to use while recording and how to use artificial lighting correctly.
Leslie started her food blog Bessie Bakes in 2015 after going to artisan bread and pastry school in Chicago, IL in 2012. She wanted to have a food-based business but after having her son, she realized that she needed to work from home but still share her recipes and passion for baking. After really struggling with food photography because she couldn't find affordable yet high-quality backdrops, Leslie started learning how to make her own. In 2019 she launched Bessie Bakes Backdrops and began selling her own line of lightweight, cleanable photography backdrops on her own website and Amazon. Along the way, Leslie has personally done all the photography and videography for her products and social media accounts and shares lots of tutorials and behind-the-scenes content on IG and Youtube!
In this episode, you’ll learn about video filming apps for your phone, using diffusers and bounce cards, making food look delicious and many other tips.
Key points discussed:
- Film in 4K 60fps: Filming recipe videos in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second can improve the quality and clarity of the footage.
- Use a video filming app: Using a dedicated video filming app, rather than the default camera, allows for better control over camera settings like white balance and exposure.
- Get close-up shots: Zooming in and positioning the camera close to the food can help make the recipe the star of the video.
- Use food styling techniques: Make your food look extra delicious and textured by adding extra sauce, oil, seasoning, dressing etc.
- Pay attention to lighting: Proper lighting, whether natural or artificial, is crucial for achieving vibrant colors and textures in recipe videos.
- Use diffusers and bounce cards: Using diffusers and bounce cards can help soften and balance the lighting for a more natural look.
- Tripods make filming easier: Different types of tripods, from tabletop to C-stands, offer varying levels of stability and flexibility for phone-based recipe videos.
- Embrace failure and practice: Mastering videography skills takes time and a willingness to experiment and learn from mistakes.
Guest Details
Connect with Leslie Osborne
Website | Instagram
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In this episode, we're going to talk about 5 steps to improve your meditation practice so that you can experience rewards like better sleep and less anxiety.
Meditation has changed my life. That is ever since I learned how to mediate correctly. Because, I imagine like many other people who have given up this mindfulness practice, I was approaching it all wrong. In fact, it was never a priority for me, just something I would try before work calls or meetings and then in a panicked state. This year I changed my approach and I’ll never go back to life without meditation. This year I changed my approach and I’ll never go back to life without meditation. It just makes me a better mom, wife and business owner. Here are the 5 steps I use for successful meditation.
Action Plan:
1 - Play theta waves music before you get settled into your meditation. This will help put you in a relaxing theta brain wave state.
2 - Find a quiet place to sit for 15 to 30 minutes, where you won't be disturbed. Communicate with family members so they know not to bother you during this time.
3 - Establish an anchor, such as your breathing or a mantra, to gently bring your mind back when it starts to wander. Be patient and don’t worry if your mind wonders.
4 - Just be - create space for your mind to rest and clear. Experiment with visualizations like an empty room to help quiet your thoughts.
5 - Continue mindfulness practices throughout the day, such as noticing and releasing any anxious habits like clenched fists or tight shoulders.
Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topics you'd like her to cover.
Website | Instagram
Resources
Meditation Track mentioned in Episode 580
Food Blogger Services – Mika Kinney
Promote your food blogging services
Megan’s recommended books and resources
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In episode 579, Megan chats to Sandie Markle about why we should shift our mindset about AI and instead leverage technology to create sustainable revenue growth beyond ads.
With a passion for all things food, Sandie's journey in the tech world has equipped her with a unique perspective and a refined palate. As the former Senior Director of Content Engineering at SideChef, she led strategic initiatives to optimize grocery partnerships and recipe content, amassing over 18 years of expertise in efficient processes and robust strategies. Now, as the founder of Blueberri Consulting, she's dedicated to helping businesses elevate their content and tech infrastructure to help home cooks all over the world make memorable meals.
In this episode, you’ll learn about how to stay ahead of the curve with AI and other technology advancements as well as the importance of updating your LinkedIn page as you never know how it might benefit your business.
Key points discussed:
- Embracing AI and technology: Embrace AI and new technologies to stay ahead of trends and remain competitive in the food blogging industry.
- Overcome resentment through education: Educate yourself on AI concepts and trends to help overcome the resentment towards AI-generated content.
- Collaboration with tech companies: Explore non-traditional partnerships and collaborations with tech companies to integrate recipes and leverage your food blogging expertise.
- Prompt engineering opportunities: You can leverage your domain expertise to help refine AI models and produce better quality, practical recipes.
- Strengthen LinkedIn presence: Maintaining a strong LinkedIn profile can help food bloggers connect with B2B opportunities and stay informed about industry changes.
- Bridge the gap between food and tech: There is a need to bridge the communication gap between food bloggers and tech companies to create better content experiences.
- Embrace change and innovation: Technology is constantly evolving, and you need to be adaptable and willing to embrace new opportunities.
- Importance of teamwork: The strength of the team is in the individual members, and food bloggers should focus on being strong individual contributors.
Sign up for a free 30-minute Discovery Session HERE!
Connect with Sandie Markle
Website | Instagram
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In episode 578, Kathy Berget teaches us what to do when our blog images have been used without our permission and how to get compensated for them.
Kathy is the author, photographer, recipe developer, and writer at Beyond the Chicken Coop where she creates delicious home-cooked recipes utilizing what they grow and raise. Kathy is a former elementary school principal and has three grown kids; twin boys and one girl. Kathy and her husband live in the country on their own little farm.
In this episode, you’ll learn about copyright for images, ways in which you can respond and how to use image theft protection services like Pixsy to get compensated.
Key points discussed:
- Image theft is a common issue for food bloggers: Food blog images are often stolen or used without permission by various businesses, including restaurants, markets, and online retailers.
- Copyright protection is automatic for blog images: Photographers automatically have copyright over their images, even without formal registration.
- Services like Pixsy can help track and fight image theft: Pixsy is an online service that helps photographers find and fight unauthorized use of their images.
- Responding to image theft requires a balanced approach: Do not obsess over every instance of image theft - selectively pursue cases that are worth the time and effort (especially if images are used for commercial purposes).
- Watermarking images can increase their value if stolen: Removing or altering a watermark on an image can actually increase its value if used without permission.
- Educating the public about image rights is an ongoing challenge: Many people may be unaware that using images found online without permission is considered theft.
- Persistence and documentation are key when pursuing image theft cases: It’s important to thoroughly document evidence and follow through with service providers like Pixsy.
- Maintaining a positive attitude is important when dealing with image theft: Do no let image theft issues negatively impact your overall mindset and productivity.
If You Loved This Episode…
You’ll love Episode 390 with Rob Finkelstein - Legal Issues Every Food Photographer Should ConsiderConnect with Kathy Berget
Website | Instagram
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In this episode, we're going to talk about how to respond with confidence to 5 questions food bloggers get from friends and family that can upset us.
People outside our industry may struggle to understand what we do as food bloggers. It is not as evident as being a doctor or a teacher and so we might get more questions that seem ‘stupid’ when we tell people what we do. Here are some common ones and how not to let these questions get to you, but instead learn how to respond with confidence and patience.
Action Plan:
1 - "You're a what or what exactly do you do?" - Explain in simple terms what you do, so that a 13 year old can understand.
2 - “Do you make money? How do you make money? How much money do you make?" - If you’re comfortable with the question, answer again in an easy way to understand or gently change the subject.
3 - “How is your business doing?" - Respond positively and avoid getting angry over any underlying meaning.
4 - “How is your little blog doing?" - Nobody has the vision you have for your business. Do not let questions like these upset you. The only thing that matters is that you are passionate about what you do.
5 - “What do you do all day? Can you watch my kids? You must have so much time on your hands?" - Set clear boundaries and explain that you have a full-time commitment to your blog during the day. That remains your priority.
Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topics you'd like her to cover.
Website | Instagram
Resources
Food Blog Writing by Jenny Farley
Promote your food blogging services
Megan’s recommended books and resources
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In episode 576, Megan chats to James Elliot about how to manage business obstacles, turning unexpected changes into opportunities for growth.
James is a passionate and enthusiastic presenter who genuinely cares about people, and loves to speak, teach and deliver value. He's spoken at live events, as well as virtual ones, for people all over the world. He even has his own private training institution, where he trains people who want to make an impact on their organization, and do it in a fulfilling way.
In this episode, you’ll learn why business obstacles are ideal opportunities for business growth, specifically how to use self-reflection to pivot tasks that are no longer lighting you up to something you truly want to do.
Key points discussed:
- Navigating tough transitions: You can navigate difficult industry changes and transitions by embracing them as opportunities for growth and pivoting your business.
- Don’t be afraid to be you: Embracing one's authentic self and unique qualities can lead to greater success, trust, and connection with others, despite potential fears or criticism.
- What are your limiting beliefs: Working with a great coach can help eliminate deep-seated limiting beliefs and unlock one's true potential through subconscious work.
- Resilience and perseverance: Persistence and a refusal to give up, even in the face of challenges, are key to achieving long-term success as an entrepreneur.
- Importance of self-reflection: Regularly taking time for quiet self-reflection can help uncover inner wisdom and guide the next steps for personal and professional growth.
- Find a coach that resonates with you: Investing in a quality coach who resonates with you can accelerate personal and business transformation in ways that may take years to achieve alone.
- Embracing change: View industry changes and challenges as opportunities for growth, rather than threats - can help you pivot and thrive.
- Focusing on what you want: Maintaining a strong focus on your desired outcomes and goals, rather than dwelling on fears or doubts, can help drive progress.
- Taking action: Consistent action, even in the face of limiting beliefs, is essential for turning dreams into reality and achieving success.
Book a complimentary strategy and growth call with James Elliot HERE!
Connect with James Elliot
Website
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In episode 575, Natasha teaches us how to effectively delegate tasks to our team and empower them to run our business when we’re not there.
Natasha Zo is a former journalist from Siberia today running her international PR and visibility agency. As a PR agent, she’s helped authors launch #1 bestselling books, booked national TV, and landed clients on the world’s top podcasts and magazine covers. Leading up to this she lived on 3 different continents, volunteered in Central America, managed a high-performing marketing team in Asia, and taught public speaking to refugee teenagers. She is on a mission to see less clickbait and more empowering knowledge in the media.
In this episode, you’ll learn about what to look for when hiring employees, or outsourcing tasks, and how to prepare for extended periods off in your business (like maternity leave) by delegating tasks effectively.
Key points discussed:
- Delegating and streamlining are crucial for growth and freedom: Automating and delegating tasks allows entrepreneurs to focus on innovation and creating their best work.
- Regular team check-ins and clear communication: Scheduling weekly one-on-ones and team meetings ensures a shared understanding of goals and responsibilities.
- Maternity leave can be a catalyst for streamlining a business and building a strong team: Preparing for an extended leave forces you to document processes and distribute tasks effectively.
- Tracking tasks can provide clarity on what to delegate and automate: Logging your daily activities helps identify opportunities for outsourcing and streamlining.
- You can take a break from social media as long as other visibility strategies are in place: Maintaining a referral network and offline relationships can sustain a business during a social media hiatus.
- Building a referral network and deliberate offline networking: Diversifying lead sources so that you are not dependent on source for all your clients.
- Test for self-motivation and initiative in potential team members when hiring: Incorporating specific tasks and instructions into the application process helps identify proactive and detail-oriented candidates.
- Automation and delegation allow entrepreneurs to focus on innovation: Streamlining administrative and operational tasks frees up time for strategic planning and creative pursuits.
Connect with Natasha Zolotareva
Website | Instagram
DM Natasha's Instagram "20 tips” and get a free guide “20 Practical Tips to get on 20 podcasts in 90 days”
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In this episode, we're going to talk about 5 things to let go of in our business, especially looking at how these things are holding us back and what we can do instead.
Internally, we hold on to so much unnecessary baggage, and this can impact us very negatively if we're not careful. As entrepreneurs, we can get even more bogged down, because with this territory comes a lot of daunting situations and therefore a lot of opportunity to just hold really tightly onto some things. So, here are the 5 things I’ve learned to let go of in my business.
Action Plan:
1 - Caring what others think: Stop worrying about what people will think or say about you and your business, and instead focus on operating with integrity and serving your audience.
2 - Fear of failure: Embrace failure as a necessary part of the entrepreneurial journey, as it provides opportunities for learning and growth.
3 - Lack of confidence: Replace feelings of self-doubt with courage, and take bold actions in your business despite any lack of confidence.
4 - Perfectionism: Let go of the unrealistic pursuit of perfection and instead focus on taking imperfect action and continuously improving.
5 - Making excuses - Avoid making excuses for why you can't start or complete important projects, and instead prioritize and take action.
Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topics you'd like her to cover.
Website | Instagram
Resources
Caro Jensen – Food Videography Services
Promote your food blogging services
Megan’s recommended books and resources
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In episode 573, Megan chats to Emilie Pullar about how she monetized her food blog quickly by having a strong work ethic and writing blog posts for her reader instead of focusing just on SEO.
The Burnt Butter Table is run by Emilie Pullar and is a pasta filled blog with recipes ranging from quick 10 minute pasta sauces to intricate filled pasta shapes made from scratch. Emilie's true passion for food shines through her recipes where she endeavors to explain and break down processes in an easy to understand way.
In this episode, you’ll learn about the value of believing in yourself and following your passion as well as the need for mindset shifts to maintain a sustainable entrepreneurial journey.
Key points discussed:
- Passion and hard work are key to building a successful food blog: Are you passionate about your niche because you’re going to need it to motivate you to put in the work.
- Detailed, user-focused content is more important than SEO: Create high-quality, detailed recipes that provide a great user experience and don’t only optimize for search engines.
- Overcoming burnout requires setting boundaries: Hard work might lead to burnout unless you set clear boundaries to maintain work-life balance.
- Resilience and perseverance are essential for entrepreneurs: Those who are willing to put in the hard work and don't give up at the first hurdle are the ones who ultimately succeed.
- Finding a mentor can accelerate your growth: Mentors provide valuable guidance and support that can make the difference between you giving up and pushing through.
- Building a supportive community is crucial: Try to connect with others in the industry and find a community to share experiences and seek advice.
- Setting clear goals and celebrating wins boosts motivation: Set written goals and celebrate small victories to maintain momentum and direction.
- Incorporating personal voice and face builds connection: Use your own voice and share your face on social media to help readers connect with you on a deeper level.
- Avoiding comparison and focusing on your unique journey is key: Don’y get caught up in comparing yourself to others, instead embracing your own unique path.
Guest Details
Connect with Emilie Pullar
Website | Instagram
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In episode 572, Dee Rotman teaches us how to create strong results for a new blog, getting high page views from the start by building an audience on social media first.
Deeckla (Dee) Rotman founded Dee & Sweets in December 2022, sharing baking recipes and tips with time-sensitive home bakers on social media. Having created over a hundred dessert recipes, Dee launched her blog in April 2024 and is already seeing strong growth. Dee became an entrepreneur after having been a marketing leader in the corporate world for most of her career.
In this episode, you’ll learn why Dee prioritized growing a following on Instagram before launching her blog, what she plans on prioritizing next and how she handles competition.
Key points discussed:
- Start building an audience on social media before launching a blog: This helps drive traffic to the new blog and establish an engaged following.
- Hire help strategically: Bringing on freelancers and part-time assistants can alleviate burnout and allow you to focus on growth.
- Diversify traffic sources beyond just SEO: Explore different social platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok to reach new audiences and land brand deals.
- Analyze successful creators to learn and improve: Studying what works for others can inspire ideas for your own content and strategy.
- Be comfortable with being uncomfortable: Embrace the challenges of entrepreneurship and use them as opportunities for growth.
- Refocus comparison energy into learning: Instead of feeling demotivated by others' success, use it as motivation to improve your own skills and approach.
- Prioritize mindset and self-care: Maintaining a positive, resilient mindset is crucial for sustaining a successful blogging business.
- Start small and scale gradually: Some creators grow slowly and steadily overtime - this can be just or more beneficial than a sudden, rapid growth.
- Leverage existing connections and relationships: Tapping into your professional network can lead to valuable partnerships and collaborations.
Connect with Dee Rotman
Website | Instagram
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