Eat Blog Talk

What are 5 things we do that hinder our success and happiness? Megan talks through these self-sabotaging behaviors and how to cultivate a mindset conducive to greater happiness instead. You'll learn valuable strategies to stop sabotaging yourself and your business success, including being aware when you are making excuses or resorting to inaction as a way to avoid scary tasks. She covers the following key points: 1. Making Excuses: Recognize and challenge excuses that hinder progress. By fostering awareness, individuals can break free from self-imposed limitations and pursue their goals with determination. 2. Letting Fear Run Your Life: By confronting fear head-on, you can experience growth and fulfillment. Taking bold actions can yield significant rewards and propel you towards your aspirations. 3. Caring What Others Think: It's important to overcome the need for external validation and embrace who you are. 4. Not Taking Action: Inaction is detrimental to progress; embrace the power of small steps towards your objectives. By harnessing the momentum of even the smallest actions, individuals can make meaningful progress and realize their aspirations. 5. Overthinking Everything: Discover practical techniques to combat overthinking and cultivate mindfulness. By redirecting focus and practicing gratitude, individuals can alleviate mental clutter and experience greater peace and contentment. Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topic you'd like her to cover. Website | Instagram

In this bonus episode, Megan Porta and Melissa Erdelac discuss strategies for pulling yourself out of a business rut and the importance of investing in your business to accelerate your success. They cover information about identifying when your business growth is stagnant and one of the best ways to find new inspiration and valuable knowledge through in-person or virtual blogging retreats and conferences like Flavor Media Summit. This is an exclusive event run by Megan and Melissa for experienced food bloggers who have successful and income-generating businesses. Their goal is to unite accomplished food bloggers for strategic networking, empowering them to thrive, collaborate and ignite long-term growth in an exclusive and transformative gathering. Flavor Media Summit is a two-day workshop-style event taking place on May, 2nd and 3rd in Denver, Colorado. Their goal is to ensure that attendees walk away with a TON of valuable information that they started applying during the event so that they are not stuck with information overwhelm. In thie episode, you'll learn more about: - Recognizing Signs of a Business Rut: Feeling uninspired or stagnant in business growth could indicate you're in a business rut. - Reassessing Systems and Strategies: Regularly evaluating and updating your processes ensures they remain effective and aligned with your goals. - Networking and Collaboration: Engaging with other bloggers, attending conferences, and collaborating on projects can spark new ideas and reinvigorate your business. - Overcoming Fear of Investment: Investing in your business, whether financially or through time, can lead to significant growth and transformation. - Mindset Development: Investing in mindset resources and seeking accountability can shift your perspective and propel your business forward. - Practical Investments in Tools: Investing in tools, outsourcing, and plugins can streamline operations and free up time for high-impact tasks. - Outsourcing and Building a Support Team: Having a reliable team in place for tasks like web development and hosting support can save time and ensure smoother operations. - Flavor Media Summit 2024: A unique opportunity for in-person learning, networking, and collaboration, offering valuable insights, workshops, and mindset strategies tailored to bloggers' needs. *SPECIAL OFFER* - Exclusive Post-Summit Mastermind Session: A 90-minute mastermind session hosted by Megan and Melissa, aimed at applying summit learnings to attendees' businesses and fostering collaboration and strategy development. Connect with Flavor Media Summit Website | Instagram

In episode 507, Megan chats to Sally Cameron about the process of recipe development, including thorough testing, catering for your readers' needs, food safety and building trust through recipes that succeed time and time again. Sally is a professionally trained chef, recipe developer, online content creator, speaker, and certified health and nutrition coach. She created all of the recipes for Dr. Mark Hyman's NYT best seller Eat Fat Get Thin, the NYT million copy bestseller "The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life" companion cookbook, and Sony Five Essentials video series. She's been blogging at A Foodcentric Life longer than she'd like to admit. Changing her diet by going gluten-free and focusing on whole fresh foods, lots of plants, nuts, seeds, healthy fats and quality proteins helped her lose weight, get healthy, detox from heavy metals, and recover from Lyme, mold, and gut issues. With all of that, it's no surprise that special diets are her forte, because healthy is a lifestyle. Fun Fact: Sally's fun fact is they did a two week expedition to Antarctica because they like to shoot landscape photography too. It was utterly amazing. In this episode, you'll learn the different steps of developing great recipes and why this is a crucial element to a successful, revenue-generating blog. Sally provides practical tips about recipe writing and revision, including keyword consideration and making the most of flavor profiles. - Definition and Purpose: What is the purpose of the recipe? Is it for your blog or for a sponsored post or a client? - Find Inspiration: Keep notes about flavors, ingredients, beautiful photos and restaurant meals and other recipes that inspire you. - Find the Right Keyword: Before putting effort into recipe testing, research keywords and brainstorm ideas around your recipe (e.g. does your recipe fit within your niche, how is it different?). - Be Creative: Find ways to make it easier, faster and more fun for readers or ways to cater for specific dietary needs. - Recipe Testing and Revision: Test, revise, and make adjustments to your recipes to ensure your readers are able to reproduce it. - Equipment Considerations: Consider readers' kitchen equipment and provide alternative methods for those with limited tools. - Food Safety and Testing: Do a thorough test for food safety, including cooling and storage trials and check verified online resources for food safety information. - Consistency in Recipe Writing: Be consistent in recipe writing, including clear instructions, accurate measurements, and detailed notes for successful replication. Connect with Sally Cameron Website | Instagram

In episode 506, Jillian Leslie teaches us strategies for how to get our mindset in the right place for 2024 and stay positive, while navigating the ever-changing landscape of online business. Jillian Leslie loves building businesses on the internet with her husband, David. In 2009, they started Catch My Party, one of the largest party ideas sites on the web. In 2016, Jillian and David built MiloTree, a smart pop-up app to help bloggers and creators grow their social media followers and email lists. And in 2021, they built MiloTreeCart, the easiest tool for bloggers and creators to sell digital products. It's built for non-techies. For the past 4 years, Jillian has been hosting her weekly podcast called The Blogger Genius Podcast. She interviews successful bloggers, entrepreneurs, and industry experts to break down what's working now in online business. In this episode, you'll learn about the power of staying open-minded and flexible in the face of changing circumstances, the significance of surrounding yourself with positive and supportive individuals and how to leverage tools like MiloTree Cart to streamline online business endeavors and monetization efforts. - Flexibility and Adaptation – Due to the dynamic nature of business, be open to change and experimentation in business strategies. - Community Support – It's important to surround yourself with positive and supportive peers who understand the challenges and opportunities - Embrace Authenticity - Be authentic and vulnerable, even if it means being perceived as imperfect or "cringey," fostering genuine connections with audiences. - Be Proactive - Take initiative and seize opportunities for growth rather than waiting passively for success to happen. - Continuous Learning and Evolution - Embrace continuous learning, adaptation, and a willingness to pivot strategies based on feedback and changing trends. - Optimism and Resilience - Foster a mindset of optimism, resilience, and belief in your ability to overcome challenges and achieve success in the blogging and online business journey. Connect with Jillian Leslie Website | Instagram

Megan explores 5 ways to celebrate wins in our business and life so that we can cultivate happiness every day. We tend to overlook our wins while constantly striving for the next best thing or goal. This way we never truly feel happy in the present moment. Megan therefore highlights the significance of pausing to appreciate our journey and accomplishments because by reflecting on our progress and successes, we can boost our happiness and mindset. She covers the following key points: 1. Acknowledge Your Present Wins: Consider how often you appreciate your current circumstances and reflect on your journey over the past months or years. 2. Celebrate Your Achievements: Celebrating wins sends a powerful message of gratitude. Whether through quiet moments of acknowledgment or indulgent treats, celebrating reinforces the value of our accomplishments. 3. Five Wins to Celebrate Now: Track Blog Statistics, Completed Projects, Physical and Mindset Progress, Goals and Dreams realised and Financial Gains. 4. Cultivate a Habit of Celebration: Scheduled regular moments in your week/month to celebrate wins, fostering a positive outlook and reinforcing achievements. Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topic you'd like her to cover. Website | Instagram

In episode 504, Megan chats to Erin and Ben Clarke about running a business as a couple, including the importance of setting boundaries and dividing responsibilities. Erin Clarke is the creator of the tremendously popular recipe blog Well Plated and the author of the best selling Well Plated Cookbook and forthcoming book, Well Plated Every Day. She's fearlessly dedicated to making healthy cooking easy, affordable, and of course: delicious! She specializes in lightened-up comfort foods, easy weeknight meal ideas, and wholesome versions of your favorite treats. Erin lives in Milwaukee with her husband Ben and their lazy, loveable beagle mix Teddy. In this episode, you'll learn about the challenges and rewards of running a business as a couple and the importance of over-communication, mutual understanding, and adapting responsibilities to suit each partner's interests and strengths. - Over-communication is Key: Clear and frequent communication helps navigate challenges and expectations effectively. - Recognize Individual Interests: Acknowledge and leverage each partner's interests and strengths within the business to create a more fulfilling work environment. - Balance Work and Personal Life: Understand that work and personal life are interconnected, and strive to maintain a healthy balance between the two. - Be Open to Adjustments: Be willing to adjust roles and responsibilities based on individual preferences and skills to optimize productivity and happiness. - Value Shared Successes: Celebrate and share the successes and challenges of the business together, fostering a sense of teamwork and mutual support. - Embrace Fluidity: Embrace the fluidity of roles and responsibilities, understanding that flexibility is essential in adapting to the evolving needs of the business and personal life. - Find Joy in Shared Endeavors: Find joy and fulfillment in working together toward common goals, appreciating the unique contributions each partner brings to the table. Connect with Erin and Ben Clarke Website | Instagram

Jenny Meier, founder of Kitchen Skip, shares her journey from culinary school to creating a popular food blog catering to busy parents. She reveals three key strategies for building an engaged community on Substack. Topics include how Substack fosters genuine connections through newsletters, the importance of interactive discussions for community growth, and tips for monetizing blogs. Jenny emphasizes embracing new platforms for enhancing writing skills and collaboration opportunities, making it a must-listen for aspiring bloggers.

Megan discusses the importance of decluttering our life, its impact on mental health and productivity and 5 ways in which we can get started. Decluttering your life is an easy, practical way to open up space for good things to come into your life. Megan shares strategies for decluttering physical spaces, electronics, calendars, relationships, and your mind. She also provides actionable insights to help you enhance your well-being and productivity by creating space for positive change through decluttering. She covers the following key points: 1. Declutter a Physical Space: Decluttering spaces like closets, cars, desks, and pantries, can be broken up in bite-sized tasks and will affect the way you feel. 2. Declutter Electronics: Tips include organizing phone apps, deleting unnecessary files, and managing email subscriptions. 3. Declutter Your Calendar: Evaluate commitments and redistribute tasks to prevent burnout. 4. Declutter Relationships: Assess and adjust relationships for mental well-being. 5. Declutter Your Mind: Strategies include scheduling appointments, journaling, practicing mindfulness, and limiting screen time. Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topic you'd like her to cover. Website | Instagram

In episode 501, Amanda Polick teaches us how to embrace rejection so that it becomes a catalyst for personal growth and resilience. Amanda Polick is a cookbook and food memoir coach. Her work has been featured by Cooking Light, Time, Southern Living, and Food & Wine. She's a proud member of Cherry Bombe, Les Dames d'Escoffier International, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Amanda lives in Nashville, Tennessee now, but a piece of her will be in California forever. In this episode, you'll learn about handling rejection gracefully by staying true to your purpose and the value of embracing feedback, and supporting fellow creators amidst challenges and uncertainties. - Remember Your Identity: When you get rejected, remember your identity and purpose to help you maintain self-assurance and direction. - Embrace Rejection as Growth: Rejection is a catalyst for learning and personal development, essential for building resilience and determination. - Boldness and Authenticity: Uniqueness attracts attention and fosters connection so make bold choices and embrace authenticity. - Support Others: It's important to support fellow creators, whether through feedback, reviews, or messages of encouragement, fostering a sense of community. - Resilience through Feedback: Discern between constructive criticism and tactless feedback, but either way be open to critique while maintaining confidence in one's abilities. - Find Your Niche: Discover your unique voice and space within a competitive landscape, while staying true to yourself. - Acknowledge the Reality of Rejection: Rejection is inevitable in creative pursuits; perceive it as a stepping stone rather than a setback. - Cultivate Persistence: In order to succeed and find unexpected opportunities and growth, you need to be persistent and have self-belief in the face of uncertainty. Connect with Amanda Polick Website | Instagram

In episode 500, Megan chats to 3 SEO experts: Ty Kilgore, Samantha Blake and Steve Wiideman, about what SEO strategies will help food bloggers grow most in 2024. Ty Kilgore has been geeking out on SEO and Digital Marketing for over 14 years. He founded Everything Digital Marketing in order to share his passion and to clearly instruct, guide, and help influencers overcome the frustrations related to SEO and Digital Marketing. Samantha Blake began a web design and SEO business after food blogging didn't go as planned. While she still enjoys cooking and baking as a hobby, she learned she truly had a love for web design and SEO pieces when it comes to business. Sam particularly loves designing and developing websites and coming up with SEO strategies for food bloggers - it's the best of both worlds! Steve Wiideman is the Orange County, California based strategic planning specialist, founder of The Wiideman Consulting Group, and renowned as "SEO Steve" for the extraordinary breakthroughs he helped achieve for Fortune 500 companies and local small startups alike. In this episode, you'll learn what you need to do in 2024 to rank on Google and grow your blog, including which SEO strategies are outdated, how to get ahead of competitors and how to use AI to improve your SEO. - Unique Perspective is Key: It's important to offer a unique perspective in content creation to stand out in search results. With AI becoming more integrated into search engines, bloggers must focus on providing content that goes beyond generic answers and offers a distinct viewpoint. - Strategic Optimization: Analyze existing content and strategically optimize it for better SEO performance. Find a balance between creating new content and optimizing existing posts. - Don't Obsess Over Technical SEO: While technical SEO is important, bloggers should focus on creating high-quality content and trust in the main technical aspects provided by their hosting, theme, and plugins. - Adaptability in Food Blogging: You have to be flexible and responsive to changes in the food blogging realm. - Create High-Quality Content: Focus on providing comprehensive and valuable content to users. This includes detailed instructions, variations, and supplementary resources such as videos to cater to diverse preferences and enhance user experience. - Backlinks and Shareable Content: Create shareable content and acquire backlinks to improve visibility and engagement. - Use AI Tools Carefully: AI tools can enhance your content but be aware of the pitfalls of using it in a way that generates generic or inaccurate content. - Regularly Monitor Competitors' Activities: Stay informed about competitors' strategies and content gaps by frequently scanning their XML sitemaps to identify areas for improvement and new content opportunities. - Identify Primary Competitors Based on Business Goals: Determine key competitors aligned with your business objectives, focusing on top search results in Google for relevant topics to benchmark against and monitor their strategies. - Diversify Marketing Efforts Across Platforms: Expand marketing efforts beyond Google by prioritizing video content creation and distribution across various platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, enhancing brand visibility and engagement. Connect with Ty Kilgore Website Connect with Samantha Blake Website Connect with Steve Wiideman Website