Eat Blog Talk

Eat Blog Talk is the one-stop podcast for food bloggers, supporting you at every stage of your food blogging journey and accelerating your blog’s growth so you can achieve your freedom. The podcast features interviews with food bloggers and other experts who deliver relevant information and valuable insights. We cover all the hot food blogging topics such as SEO, social media, Pinterest, keyword research, pitching to brands and Google web stories. We also focus on improving your mindset, as this will help improve your job performance, creativity, productivity and ultimately add value to your business. Eat Blog Talk publishes new episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

690: Environmental Impacts of Generative AI and How to Use it Ethically as Small Business Owners with Danielle Madden 05/12/2025

690: Environmental Impacts of Generative AI and How to Use it Ethically as Small Business Owners with Danielle Madden 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 | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/36353485

689: How To Predict Content Success Instead of Guessing What Your Audience Wants with Dr. Kristen Wager 05/08/2025

689: How To Predict Content Success Instead of Guessing What Your Audience Wants with Dr. Kristen Wager 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 /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/36326125

688: 5 Ways to Reframe Your Thoughts Throughout the Day for More Joy (Mindset & Self-Care) 05/07/2025

687: The Best Time Management Tip To Overcome Overwhelm And Hit Your Goals with Anna Dearmon Kornick 05/05/2025

687: The Best Time Management Tip To Overcome Overwhelm And Hit Your Goals with Anna Dearmon Kornick 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 | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/36325560

686: Thriving After 50 - How To Build a Food Business with Multiple Streams of Income with Christine Van Bloem 05/01/2025

686: Thriving After 50 - How To Build a Food Business with Multiple Streams of Income with Christine Van Bloem 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 Connect with Christine Van Bloem | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/36275760

685: 5 Mindset Shifts From Attending In-Person Retreats (Mindset & Self-Care) 04/30/2025

684: How to Grow Your Business While Being a Mom for the First Time with Chelsea Cole 04/28/2025

684: How to Grow Your Business While Being a Mom for the First Time with Chelsea Cole 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 | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/36150045

683: Why Food Bloggers Need to Know About Email Swaps (+How To Easily Add New Subscribers) with Chad Allen 04/24/2025

682: 5 Ways to Have More Discipline in Your Life (Mindset & Self-Care) 04/23/2025

681: Authenticity is The Secret to Long-Term Success (+How to Pivot as a Veteran Blogger) With Megan Keno 04/21/2025

680: Easy Strategies to Manage Mental Health Struggles As A Food Blogger with Coley Gaffney 04/17/2025

680: Easy Strategies to Manage Mental Health Struggles As A Food Blogger with Coley Gaffney 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 . Connect with Coley Gaffney | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/35975800

679: 5 Ways To Slow Down and Savor Life (Mindset & Self-Care) 04/16/2025

678: Successful Collaboration - How to Create a Cookbook with Other Bloggers With McKenna Pulda, Emily Christensen & Amy Coyne 04/14/2025

678: Successful Collaboration - How to Create a Cookbook with Other Bloggers With McKenna Pulda, Emily Christensen & Amy Coyne 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 | Connect with Emily Christensen | Connect with Amy Coyne | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/35974825

677: How to Start a Successful Food Podcast or Live Stream That Supports Your Brand with Debra Eckerling 04/10/2025

677: How to Start a Successful Food Podcast or Live Stream That Supports Your Brand with Debra Eckerling 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. Guest Details Connect with Debra Eckerling | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/35854050

676: 5 Steps to Build Consistency in Your Habits for Long-Term Success (Mindset & Self-Care) 04/09/2025

675: Pinterest Trends For Food Bloggers - How to Drive More Traffic To Your Blog with Laura Piper 04/07/2025

675: Pinterest Trends For Food Bloggers - How to Drive More Traffic To Your Blog with Laura Piper In episode 675, Megan chats to Laura Piper about how to leverage Pinterest Trends to increase your visibility and drive more traffic to your food blog. Laura Piper is a Pinterest expert who works exclusively with food bloggers. Her mission is to help them make Pinterest their #1 traffic source without feeling frustrated or overwhelmed. Using her proven Pinterest strategies, along with in-depth Pinterest trends and keyword insights, she simplifies the platform for food bloggers, allowing them to focus on what they love most—creating amazing new recipes. In this episode, we break down practical strategies for using Pinterest Trends effectively, helping you create timely content that reaches the right audience at the right moment. Key points discussed include: - Pinterest Trends is a goldmine: This free tool helps you identify what people are searching for and when to publish your content for maximum impact. - Use seasonal trends to your advantage: Find emerging trends early to ensure your content gains traction as searches increase. - Growing trends aren’t always the best choice: Instead of targeting already popular trends, focus on those about to take off. - Timing is key: Start pinning seasonal content well in advance—sometimes months ahead—to give Pinterest time to understand and distribute your content. - Optimize your pins with keywords: Include trending keywords in pin titles, descriptions, and board names to improve visibility. - Roundup posts can boost engagement: Pinterest favors roundup posts because they provide multiple options in one place, increasing saves and clicks. - Pinterest favors high-quality content: Authentic, original images and well-researched posts perform better, especially as Pinterest cracks down on AI-generated spam. - Less is more when pinning: Quality pins aligned with trends outperform high-volume, low-quality pinning strategies. Connect with Laura Piper | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/35852735

674: Smart Strategies For Growing a Food Blog as a Side Hustle (+How to Avoid Social Media Burnout) with Alicia Gonzalez Tome 04/03/2025

673: 5 Things to Stop Thinking and Saying to Improve Your Life (Mindset & Self-Care) 04/02/2025

672: How To Thrive (Not Just Survive) as A Recipe Blogger in 2025 with Dana Shrager 03/31/2025

671: From Hobby to 10 Million Page Views - The Instagram Strategy Behind My Food Blog’s Success with Amy Coyne 03/27/2025

670: 5 Ways To Stop Ruminating (Mindset & Self-Care) 03/26/2025

669: How to Build High-Quality Backlinks for Your Food Blog with Chris Panteli 03/24/2025

669: How to Build High-Quality Backlinks for Your Food Blog with Chris Panteli In episode 669, Megan chats to Chris Panteli about how food bloggers can build high-quality backlinks and boost their domain authority using digital PR strategies. Chris Panteli is the co-founder of Linkifi, a digital PR link-building agency that specializes in securing high-quality media links for clients. His entrepreneurial journey took an unexpected turn when he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 33, leading him to sell his family's fish and chip shop business. Panteli holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Economics from the University of Liverpool. In January 2022, Panteli co-founded Linkifi, which rapidly grew to generate $50,000 per month within its first year. The agency focuses on responding to PR requests from journalists on behalf of clients, helping them secure valuable online links and enhance their SEO performance. Panteli is also a podcast host, co-hosting "Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi," where he shares insights on branding, SEO, and link-building strategies. His expertise in digital PR and link building has made him a respected voice in the eCommerce and digital marketing industries. In this episode, you'll learn how to secure backlinks from top-tier media outlets, optimize your website for PR success, and track your mentions to maximize SEO benefits. Key points discussed include: - Why backlinks matter: High-quality backlinks help increase domain authority, improve SEO, and drive organic traffic. - Best platforms for PR opportunities: Websites like Source of Sources (SOS), Quoted, and Press Flow connect bloggers with journalists looking for expert sources. - How to pitch journalists successfully: Personalize your pitches, highlight your expertise, and follow up politely to increase your chances of getting featured. - Optimizing your website for PR: A clear about page, professional social presence, and credentials help journalists verify and trust your expertise. - Tracking and securing unlinked mentions: Use tools like Google Alerts and Talkwalker to monitor mentions, and reach out to request a backlink if your name appears without one. - The evolving role of AI in PR: AI can assist with research and structuring pitches, but maintaining a human, authentic tone is essential. Connect with Chris Panteli | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/35684905

668: The Growth Mindset Shift - How Failure Leads to Success with Donnie Lygonis 03/20/2025

668: The Growth Mindset Shift - How Failure Leads to Success with Donnie Lygonis In episode 668, Donnie Lygonis teaches us the power of a growth mindset and how embracing failure can set you up for long-term success. Donnie Lygonis is an Innovation Strategist and Business Coach at KTH Innovation, The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, where he has been helping researchers and students for over 14 years, turning their ideas and results into viable products and services. Donnie enjoys working hands-on with exponential technologies and collaborating with individuals who have world-changing and world-saving ideas. His latest venture is Mellanmål Inc, a U.S.-based company focused on bringing Swedish better-for-you-and-the-planet food products to America. In this episode, you'll learn how to shift your mindset to embrace challenges, develop resilience, and build meaningful connections that can drive your business forward. Key points discussed include: - Growth mindset is key to success: Your mindset determines how you approach challenges, failure, and change—embracing growth leads to resilience and adaptability. - Failure is not the end—it's a step forward: Rather than fearing failure, view it as a learning opportunity that helps refine your approach and move closer to your goals. - Success is a personal definition: Success isn’t just about money or status—it’s about fulfillment, impact, and finding meaning in your work. - Networking is a powerful tool: Building relationships and leveraging your network can help you gain new opportunities, perspectives, and support. - Small, consistent actions lead to big results: Progress is made through small, consistent steps over time—whether it's learning a skill, growing a business, or developing a new habit. - Celebrate your wins along the way: Taking moments to reflect on and appreciate what you've accomplished can fuel motivation and a positive mindset. If You Loved This Episode… You’ll love . Connect with Donnie Lygonis | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/35655940

667: 5 Strategies To Recover From A Week Turned Upside Down (Mindset & Self-Care) 03/19/2025

666: Self-Doubt is Holding You Back - How to Fix It with Dawn Ledet 03/17/2025

666: Self-Doubt is Holding You Back - How to Fix It with Dawn Ledet In episode 666, Megan chats to Dawn Ledet about how food bloggers can overcome self-doubt, procrastination and perfectionism by building unshakable self-trust. Dawn Ledet, a certified life coach, former corporate sales executive, and author of Master Your Inner Dialogue: Transform Your Self-Talk for Goal Success, is on a mission to help high-achieving entrepreneurs and leaders crush their goals with clarity, confidence, and ease. Drawing on her expertise in coaching and years of experience in high-stakes sales and leadership, Dawn empowers clients to rewrite self-sabotaging narratives, build unshakable self-trust, and turn inner dialogue into a powerful tool for lasting success. Through practical strategies and proven frameworks, she helps people achieve their dreams without the overwhelm. In this episode, you'll learn how mastering self-trust can help you make confident decisions, follow through on your goals, and ultimately achieve success in your blogging business. Key points discussed include: - Self-trust is the foundation of success: Without trust in yourself, challenges like procrastination and perfectionism can hold you back. - Three key skills for achieving any goal: Making decisions, following through, and having your own back are essential to personal and business growth. - Your inner dialogue shapes your reality: The way you talk to yourself can either propel you forward or keep you stuck in self-doubt. - Reframing procrastination and perfectionism: Instead of labeling yourself, recognize them as choices and get curious about why you're making them. - The power of asking the right questions: Instead of asking “Why can’t I do this?” try “What do I need to move forward?” to shift your mindset. - Energy matters in self-trust and productivity: Differentiate between draining energy and fulfilling energy that comes from aligned work. - Create an "I'm So Impressed" list: Keep track of your wins to build confidence and reinforce self-trust. Connect with Dawn Ledet | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/35631585

665: Build an Online Business Without Relying On Social Media - Powerful Collaboration Strategies for Food Bloggers with Brett Dupree 03/13/2025

665: Build an Online Business Without Relying On Social Media - Powerful Collaboration Strategies for Food Bloggers with Brett Dupree In episode 665, Brett Dupree teaches us how collaborating with other content creators—especially through virtual summits—can accelerate business growth and create a steady, self-sustained income Brett DuPree is a food blogger and the founder of Freaking Delish, where she helps hardworking families create simple, delicious meals that fit into their busy lives. In addition to her blog and membership platform, she hosts an annual summit, "What's for Dinner?": The Summit, that brings together content creators from across the food and lifestyle space to share practical tips, recipes, and inspiration. With a focus on collaboration and serving everyday families, Brett is passionate about making mealtime stress-free and meaningful for everyone. In this episode, you’ll discover powerful collaboration strategies and gain insight into hosting virtual summits, helping food bloggers expand their reach and grow their businesses, without relying on social media. Key points discussed include: - Why collaboration matters: Working together with other bloggers can accelerate your growth and open new opportunities. - The power of virtual summits: Hosting or participating in online summits helps expand your audience and generate revenue. - Breaking free from social media dependence: Brett shares why she built her business without relying heavily on social media. - Overcoming fears around video content: Being comfortable on camera can open doors to new collaborations and opportunities. - How to build strong relationships: Genuine connections with fellow bloggers can lead to ongoing collaborations and success. - Getting past rejection in collaborations: Many bloggers are hesitant to collaborate at first, but persistence and exposure to new ideas can change their mindset. - Balancing summit planning with content creation: Hosting a summit is a big commitment, so careful organization and time management are key to success. Connect with Brett Dupree | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/35546910

664: 5 Small Habits That Lead to Big Personal Growth (Mindset & Self-Care) 03/12/2025

663: The Truth About Traditional Cookbook Publishing (Do You Really Need a Large Social Media Following?) with Jess Smith 03/10/2025

663: The Truth About Traditional Cookbook Publishing (Do You Really Need a Large Social Media Following?) with Jess Smith In episode 663, Megan chats with Jess Smith to uncover the untold truths of traditional cookbook publishing—from crafting a winning proposal to landing a deal, and whether a large social media following really matters. Jess is a mom to three girls based in Kansas City, Missouri. While living in Thailand and working at the U.S. Embassy in 2010 she took Thai cooking classes on the weekends and shared everything she learned on her food blog InquiringChef.com. In the years that followed she pursued her dream of making a career in food and became the chief recipe developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. Inquiring Chef has grown to over 6 million page views a year and has been featured in publications like Parade, Hallmark, and HuffPost. In 2024 Jess opened a cooking school for kids in Kansas City called Inquiring Chef Academy where she spends school breaks guiding elementary-aged kids through lessons on everything from baking sourdough to chopping vegetables to setting the table. Her first cookbook, Start with a Vegetable, will be released in January 2025. In this episode, you’ll learn how to write a compelling proposal, find an agent, work with a publisher and balance the whole process with running a blog and looking after your family. Key points discussed include: - A strong proposal is essential: Jess spent 6–8 months crafting a compelling proposal, which played a crucial role in landing her book deal. - An agent can be a game-changer: Having an agent helped Jess find a publisher and negotiate a significantly better advance. - A huge social following isn't required: Jess landed a traditional publishing deal without massive social media numbers—her strong concept and blog traffic helped. - Cookbook writing requires balance: Writing a book took time away from blogging, requiring a shift in priorities. - The editing process is intense: Working with professional editors improved her writing and recipe development skills. - Promotion is an ongoing effort: The marketing push doesn’t end at launch—Jess continues to promote her book through various channels. - Photography can be a major challenge: Jess took all the photos for her book, which was rewarding but also a significant time commitment. - Investing in support is worth it: Hiring help for styling, editing, and even dishwashing made the process smoother and more manageable. Connect with Jess Smith | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/35509620

662: How to Rebuild Your Blog Traffic After Google's Helpful Content Update (HCU) with Christina Jolam and Nadia Shatila 03/06/2025

662: How to Rebuild Your Blog Traffic After Google's Helpful Content Update (HCU) with Christina Jolam and Nadia Shatila In episode 662, Christina Jolam and Nadia Shatila share how they were able to recover from devastating traffic loss following Google's Helpful Content Update (HCU). Nadia is the blogger behind Simple And Fraiche, a website dedicated to sharing wholesome recipes that utilize real foods with minimally processed ingredients. Her goal is to help people create recipes that not only fuel their bodies but also taste great. Christina Jolam helps home chefs get confident cooking seafood through her site, Weekday Pescatarian. The former communications consultant creates foolproof fish recipes that work whether you're shopping at a Portuguese fish market or your local grocery store. Cooking and writing from her adopted home in Portugal, she helps her followers master restaurant-quality seafood dishes and build a delicious, fish-forward lifestyle. In this episode, you’ll learn how to endure long periods of traffic loss and decide what action you should take to successfully regain momentum. Key points discussed include: - Accept the reality of change: Google updates aren’t personal; they aim to improve user experience. Adapting to change is key to long-term success. - Assess and improve your content: Review existing posts with a fresh perspective—focus on user experience, clarity, and overall helpfulness. - Strengthen EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness): Build credibility by showcasing expertise in your niche through an updated about page, author bios, and citations. - Optimize technical aspects: Ensure images, alt text, interlinking, and post formatting enhance usability and search visibility. - Diversify traffic sources: Relying solely on Google traffic is risky—invest in Pinterest, email lists, social media, and brand partnerships. - Update and refine posts regularly: Revisiting older content with new insights keeps your blog relevant and valuable. - Stay curious and keep learning: Instead of blaming algorithm changes, focus on learning, adapting, and finding new ways to serve your audience. If You Loved This Episode… You’ll love Connect with Christina Jolam | Connect with Nadia Shatila | /episode/index/show/eatblogtalk/id/35509545

661: 5 Fear-Facing Opportunities to Embrace This Year (Mindset & Self-Care) 03/05/2025

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