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. J ess 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...
Mar 10, 2025•39 min•Ep. 663
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,...
Mar 06, 2025•45 min•Ep. 662
In this episode, we're going to talk about how to use fear as a catalyst for growth in five key areas to open up new opportunities this year. Fear can be a major roadblock, but what if we started viewing it as a guide instead? This year, I decided to challenge myself by facing fears head-on, and today, I’m sharing five powerful areas where stepping outside your comfort zone can lead to personal and professional growth. Whether it’s putting yourself out there in new ways, making bold business mov...
Mar 05, 2025•22 min•Ep. 661
In episode 660, Megan chats to Lauren Less about how to quickly grow a Substack audience and harness the platform for food blogging and community engagement. Lauren Less combines her passions for food and helping others by creating a space where people can find allergy-friendly recipes, chronic illness support, non-toxic lifestyle suggestions, and health and wellness tips. She discusses everything from fitness with chronic illness to tips for traveling with food allergies and everything in betwe...
Mar 03, 2025•35 min•Ep. 660
In episode 659, Allea Grummert shares seven common email marketing mistakes and how to fix them to create happy, engaged subscribers. Allea Grummert is an email marketing strategist, conversion copywriter and tech expert who helps bloggers make a lasting first impression through automated welcome and nurture sequences. She helps her clients create strategic email sequences that engage email subscribers, build brand loyalty and optimize conversions for sales and site traffic. She is the host of H...
Feb 27, 2025•52 min•Ep. 659
In this episode, we're going to talk five simple yet powerful mindset shifts that can instantly bring more positivity into your life. Some days just feel off . No matter how much we plan or try to stay positive, life, work, and everything in between can throw us off track. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to stay stuck in that negative space. I’ve found that small, intentional shifts can turn a rough day around fast , and today, I’m sharing five simple things you can do right now to boos...
Feb 26, 2025•22 min•Ep. 658
In episode 657, Megan chats to Kara Myers about how to organize and automate your blogging business for success in 2025. Kara is the recipe developer, photographer, and voice behind Sweetly Splendid, where she shares comforting Southern and Tex-Mex recipes. She is a 6th-generation Texan and has a passion for nostalgic flavors that bring people together. Her work has been featured in outlets like Woman’s World and Food & Wine. She is a seasoned entrepreneur with multiple successful businesses, an...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 657
In episode 656, Alicia Wolf shares how to transform personal struggles into a thriving niche blog that supports others facing similar challenges, just as she has done with her own medical journey. Alicia Wolf created a food blog after being diagnosed with chronic vestibular migraine and losing her career in design. Her blog is seen as a very small niche and not widely understood by companies, but 10% of the world population lives with migraine attacks. Alicia has been able to grow a small websit...
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 656
In this episode, we're going to talk five key replacements you can make in your life and business to help you achieve entrepreneurial success. Ever feel like you’re stuck in a rut, spinning on an endless hamster wheel, or trapped in an out-of-control wash cycle? I’ve been there, and I know how hard it can be to break free. That’s why I’d like to share these five powerful replacements you can make in your life and business to help you reset, refocus, and find success. If you’re feeling stuck, ove...
Feb 19, 2025•16 min•Ep. 655
In episode 654, Megan chats with Ashley Freeman about professional food styling, including how to embrace ‘mess’ and other key elements that make food images visually appealing and unique. Ashley Strickland Freeman is the creator of the blog Little Black Skillet. Just like a "Little Black Dress," she strives to create approachable, everyday recipes her audience can trust and turn to again and again. With over 19 years of experience as a food stylist, cookbook author, recipe developer and tester,...
Feb 17, 2025•41 min•Ep. 654
In episode 653, Meggen Wilson teaches us how to create our own product line to become a profitable business without relying on ad revenue. Meggen Wilson is the founder of Pine and Palm Kitchen, a specialty food company based in Northwest Montana that creates premium, small-batch vanilla and vinegar products using organic, locally sourced ingredients like honey, apples, and spirits. A retired real estate investor and dedicated advocate for Montana’s natural habitats, Meggen combines her entrepren...
Feb 13, 2025•49 min•Ep. 653
In this episode, we're going to talk about five powerful antidotes that can help you navigate mental blocks and entrepreneurial challenges as a food blogger. I recently heard someone use the word antidote to describe how they dealt with mental blocks as an entrepreneur, and it stuck with me. I love the idea that there’s a remedy—a way to counteract the “poison” of things like overwhelm, self-doubt, and confusion that can suck the life out of us as business owners. In this episode, I’m diving int...
Feb 12, 2025•18 min•Ep. 652
In episode 650, Megan chats to Amy Roskelley about how a no-spend year changed her life and how we can implement the same strategy to reduce business costs and ultimately make more money. Amy Roskelley is the owner of the online nutrition resource, Health Beet. Health Beet is a resource for nutrition educators and families with a goal to improve their health through diet and exercise. Amy has a bachelor's degree in Community health from BYU and a Masters degree in Business from the University of...
Feb 10, 2025•51 min•Ep. 651
In episode 650, Cathy Yoder teaches us how to grow a successful YouTube channel, including why having a niche expertise is essential and how to build a loyal following. Cathy Yoder is a well-regarded figure in the air fryer community, known as "The REAL Air Fryer Queen." She transformed from a reluctant cook, seeking quick ways to feed her large family of eight, into an air fryer expert and successful entrepreneur. Her business, Empowered Cooks, offers practical cooking tips, recipes, and access...
Feb 06, 2025•40 min•Ep. 650
In this episode, we're going to talk about five steps to designing a future version of yourself that is energetic, fulfilled, and happy. What does 'Future You' look like? I love this concept of being able to implement new habits and improve the quality of my life, year by year. We probably don’t realize how much control we have over our future selves. In fact, we’re all constantly shaping our lives through our thoughts, beliefs, habits, and emotions. So what is the problem? We get complacent and...
Feb 05, 2025•20 min•Ep. 649
In episode 648, Megan chats to Jules Grasekamp about how to reframe failure as an opportunity for growth and refining your food blogging business, especially in light of Google traffic loss. Jules Grasekamp is the sweet-toothed Scot behind Bonni Bakery, a dessert blog showing you how to easily create impressive desserts at home. She uses her experience from 10 years of running her own bakery to give detailed recipes packed with expert tips for success to make showstopping desserts and grow your ...
Feb 03, 2025•36 min•Ep. 648
In episode 647, Lisa Steele teaches us how to make a drastic change to our niche and online presence like she did by going from lifestyle blogging to food content creation. Lisa Steele is an author, blogger and 5th generation chicken keeper living in Maine. She started her business more than 10 years ago and grew a successful "chicken lifestyle" blog called Fresh Eggs Daily. In 2022, Lisa got a cookbook deal with HarperCollins and that started her pivot to egg recipes and cooking. In this episod...
Jan 30, 2025•43 min•Ep. 647
In this episode, I share five practical strategies to help you start your year on the right foot and carry positivity throughout the months ahead. How’s your new year going so far? Are you still sticking to those New Year’s resolutions, or are a few starting to slip through the cracks? If they are, don’t stress—you’re definitely not alone! If overwhelm or negativity is creeping in, this episode is here to help you hit reset. I’ll share how a little intentional planning and some small, consistent...
Jan 29, 2025•18 min•Ep. 646
In episode 645, Megan chats to bloggers, Ashley Freeman and Gwen Wolken, about how to achieve success as a new blogger. This is part 2 of the New Blogger conversations. Ashley is a seasoned culinary content creator with 11 years of experience who launched her blog, Little Black Skillet , at the end of 2023. Her journey began in the publishing world as a recipe developer, food stylist, and cookbook editor before transitioning to freelance. Ashley has served as the editor of over 40 cookbooks and ...
Jan 27, 2025•41 min•Ep. 645
In episode 644, newer bloggers Kristina Cadelina, Rose Sioson and Mandy Martinez teach us how to start a successful blog in 2025. This is part 1 of the New Blogger conversations. Kristina is a food blogger who helps her readers reconnect with their wellness by offering nourishing and versatile Mediterranean inspired recipes. She is also a food photographer and helps brands and food bloggers grow their business by offering professional photography and video services. Rose is an experienced IT pro...
Jan 23, 2025•41 min•Ep. 644
In this episode, we're going to talk about five key things entrepreneurs should avoid bringing on vacation in order to truly disconnect and recharge. I get how hard it can be to fully step away from work, even when you know you need a break. From my own experiences, I’ll share some practical tips and strategies to help you protect your vacations and downtime. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a better handle on the mindset shifts and boundaries that’ll let you truly enjoy your time off. Th...
Jan 22, 2025•21 min•Ep. 643
In episode 642, Megan chats to Bjork Ostrom about how to protect your time and mental well-being as a creator and business owner, so you can continue producing your best work and building the business you desire. Bjork loves to find ways to maximize potential - of people, of technology, of life. His wife Lindsay started a food blog a few years ago and they decided to do just that - maximize its potential. They hope to share what they've learned with other food bloggers here on Food Blogger Pro. ...
Jan 20, 2025•57 min•Ep. 642
In episode 641, Laura Arnold teaches us how to set realistic goals for SEO in 2025, staying ahead of AI and algorithm changes. 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 m...
Jan 16, 2025•45 min•Ep. 641
In this episode, we're going to talk about five healthy distractions that can help you stop focusing on negative thoughts and feelings. As a business owner, wife, and mom, I totally get how easy it is to fall into cycles of stress, overwhelm, and anxiety. I've been there myself—it's tough to climb out of those dark moments. That’s why I’m excited to share some super practical tips you can try in just five minutes to reset your mindset and recharge your energy. Whether you’re feeling a little off...
Jan 15, 2025•27 min•Ep. 640
In episode 639, Megan chats to Justin Moore about how to secure, price and carry out brand deals to generate consistent income using Moore’s eight-step process - “the sponsorship wheel framework”. Justin Moore is a Sponsorship Coach, author, and the founder of @CreatorWizard, a school & community that teaches you how to find & negotiate your dream brand partnerships so that you stop leaving thousands on the table. His latest book, "Sponsor Magnet," offers a succinct distillation of his ideas and...
Jan 13, 2025•54 min•Ep. 639
In episode 638, Leslie Shreve teaches us strategies for increasing efficiency and reducing stress during our workdays. Leslie Shreve is a workload management and productivity expert, and the Founder and CEO of Productive Day®, which was established in 2003. Leslie is also the creator of Taskology® The Science of Getting Things Done, a unique, proprietary, and all-encompassing system for workload management and productivity that includes the management of tasks, time, email, information, and more...
Jan 09, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 638
In this episode, we're going to talk about five invitations that can help shift your energy and bring more positivity into your life, especially during challenging times. At the time of recording, I’ve been having one of those weeks where everything feels like it's falling apart. But I realized that in the midst of the chaos, I had forgotten to extend the simple invitations that have the power to shift my energy and bring in the good things I'm seeking. Whether it's inviting guidance from a high...
Jan 08, 2025•22 min•Ep. 637
In episode 636, Megan chats to Madeline Anderson about transitioning from a 9-to-5 job to becoming your own boss and what matters more when choosing a career - pursuing your passion or making money? Madeline is the Author of Girl Dad and Founder of Girl Dad Network. She was born and raised in Southern California and graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in Business Economics. She believes we should all leave the world a better place than we found it, which is why...
Jan 06, 2025•50 min•Ep. 636
In episode 635, Prerna Malik teaches us how to create a welcome sequence to share content from our blog as well as sell digital products, like courses and ebooks, without being salesy or icky. Co-founder of Content Bistro and a Copyhackers-certified, conversion copywriter, Prerna is the sales strategist and copywriter behind multiple million-dollar launches and 6-figure evergreen sales funnels in niches as diverse as astrology and homesteading! She has written for iconic brands such as Pat Flynn...
Jan 02, 2025•44 min•Ep. 635
In this episode, we're diving into why setting goals is key to creating the life we’ve always dreamed of—and how you can start today by planning for an amazing new year ahead. As an entrepreneur, I’ve seen just how life-changing goal setting and planning can be. Taking the time to figure out my “why,” look back on what worked (and what didn’t), and map out a solid plan for the year has helped me crush 90% of my big goals. In this episode, I’m breaking down the five steps that keep me focused, mo...
Jan 01, 2025•21 min•Ep. 634
