The Food Blogger Pro Podcast

What publishers look for when they're signing an author and how you get paid as an author with Maria Ribas. ----- Welcome to episode 127 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Maria Ribas from Cooks & Books about what you could be doing today to set you up for a future book deal. How to Land a Book Deal Maria is a literary agent, which means that she represents the interest of authors in the book publishing process. She has a lot of experience working with cookbook authors, and she started a blog, Cooks & Books, to teach others what she's learned. This episode is perfect for the bloggers who are interested in publishing a cookbook. Maria and Bjork cover the whole book publishing process in detail, from understanding who your true fans are to figuring out how to pitch to a publisher. In this episode, Maria shares: What a literary agent does How to analyze your book idea What to consider when pitching your idea How long a typical cookbook publishing process will last The difference between an advance and royalties Resources: Cooks & Books Peas & Thank You If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

How to grow a sustainable, profitable, and audience-driven business with Sean McCabe. ----- Welcome to episode 126 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Sean McCabe about how to grow a sustainable, profitable, and audience-driven business. Fueling Your Passion with Your Day Job Turning your passion into your day job. That's the dream, right? Not so fast. Sometimes it's better to have a day job outside of your passions, and Sean is here to tell you why. In addition to this lesson, Sean also explains why investing in your audience is one of the most important decisions you can make when building your business. Learn how to grow your sustainable, profitable, and audience-driven business in this interview. In this episode, Sean shares: How to build an audience-driven business How to balance a passion and full-time job How he found his focus and then expanded into other areas Why it's important to document the process How he defines success How to make sure you're heard The common characteristics of your community members Why you should curate what you share Resources: Sean's About page Follow Sean on Instagram Overlap The Overlap Book Documentary 086: How to Make a Successful Career Change with Jon Acuff If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

The common characteristics of chefs, how to diversify your online income, and what it takes to make it as an entrepreneurial chef. ----- Welcome to episode 125 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Shawn Wenner and Chris Hill from Entrepreneurial Chef about the common characteristics of chefs, how to diversify your online income, and what it takes to make it as an entrepreneurial chef. Monetizing as an Entrepreneurial Chef Being an entrepreneur isn't always easy. In fact, it's often really really tough. Especially when food is involved. That's why Shawn and Chris started Entrepreneurial Chef: to provide tools and resources for food entrepreneurs so that they can grow successful brands and businesses. They've built a brand around their own skills to help others in the food space monetize, serve customers, and pursue their dreams. In this episode, Shawn and Chris share: How they got their start in food How they met and started working together The common traits of chefs How powerful trust is in a partnership Creative ways to monetize How to become a restaurateur Resources: Entrepreneurial Chef Making the Cut Podcast Process Street Making the Cut Dear Chefs 120: How to Shape Your Own Career Destiny with Dorie Clark 097: How to Create a Full-Time Income from Blogging Using The Egg Carton Method with Bjork Ostrom Tim Ma Entrepreneurial Chef Issue 11 If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How they left their full-time jobs, how they got their start blogging, and why a desire to learn is so important. ----- Welcome to episode 124.5 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Katy Keck from Palate Passion Purpose and Ben Myhre from Ramshackle Pantry. How Two Food Blogger Pro Members are Pursuing Their Passions and Following Their Dreams We're so excited about this bonus episode! Today we're featuring two of our members: Katy Keck and Ben Myhre. They're living the food blogging dream: blogging full-time, connecting with readers, and creating content every week. Hear them talk about leaving their full-time jobs, growing their blogs, and more, covering the ups and downs of blog and business ownership. Plus, they share how they've used the fundamentals learned on Food Blogger Pro on their own blogs. In this episode, Katy and Ben share: How Katy got her start in food How Katy has grown her brand What Katy's favorite parts of Food Blogger Pro are How Ben got his start blogging and cooking Why a passion to learn has been so important to Ben's growth How Ben decided it was the right time to leave his full-time job What Ben's biggest learning curve was Resources: [Join Food Blogger Pro](https://www.foodbloggerpro.com/signup/] today! Palate Passion Purpose Ramshackle Pantry on Instagram Pinch of Yum Workshops Pinch of Yum Traffic and Income Reports Gary Vaynerchuk Tasty Recipes The pet post on FBP Kate Winslet the St. Bernard! If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Why you should start gratitude journaling, the benefits of meditation, and how to cultivate awe with UJ Ramdas. ----- Welcome to episode 124 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with UJ Ramdas from Intelligent Change about why you should start gratitude journaling, the benefits of meditation, and how to cultivate awe. How to Level Up Your Life If you're interested in the self-improvement space, you've probably read about the power of having a morning routine. That's exactly why UJ helped start Intelligent Change and the Five Minute Journal. The Five Minute Journal is designed to help you make positive changes in just five minutes in the morning and five minutes at night. UJ believes that the Five Minute Journal is a simple way to focus on the good, become more mindful, and live with intention. Learn how you can apply the principles in your own life today. In this episode, UJ shares: Why he started Intelligent Change What gratitude journaling is How to use the Five Minute Journal What his morning routine looks like The benefits of meditation How to cultivate awe Why we sometimes don't reach our goals How to go through a process of self-discovery Resources: Join Food Blogger Pro today! Intelligent Change Five Minute Journal Productivity Planner Headspace Cal Newport Myers-Briggs Type Indicator 16Personalities DISC Personality Test StrengthsFinder Kolbe My Commitment If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Why you should consider your audience's needs above your wants, how to write a strong social media bio, and questions you can ask yourself about your brand with Phil Pallen. ----- Welcome to episode 123 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Phil Pallen about refining your brand, strengthening your social media presence, and considering your audience's needs. Why Every Blogger Needs to Own Their Brand While his title is Celebrity Brand Expert, Phil says that he's in the business of crafting first impressions. And that's exactly what your brand is: a reader's first impression of you and your business. Phil knows exactly how important a solid understanding of your brand is for your blog, and he has helped dozens of people and businesses refine their brand, create goals, and spruce up their social profiles. He'll give you ideas about how you can fine-tune your brand so that you're noticed and remembered. In this episode, Phil shares: What it's like behind-the-scenes of TV interviews How to write a solid social media bio Why others' needs are more important than what you want Why photography is key His tips for Bjork's personal brand Resources: Skype Zoom 118: How Discovering Your Brand Can Help You Grow with Gaby Dalkin Work with Phil: Phil Pallen Collective Learn more about Phil Pallen Academy Follow Phil on Twitter and Instagram If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

What "mobile-first" means, tips for making your website fly, and why you might choose to use a framework with Lauren Gray. ----- Welcome to episode 122 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Lauren Gray from Once Coupled about mobile-first considerations, site speed recommendations, and theme frameworks. Site Speed in a Mobile-First World Mobile-first, frameworks, photo size, https…you've probably heard these terms in the blogging space before. And the words alone are enough to make your head spin. Developer and Food Blogger Pro Expert Lauren Gray is a pro at helping you make these tech decisions for your blog. And while they might seem like small decisions, they really will have a big impact on your site's usability, search engine ranking, and workflow. This episode focuses on why you should start thinking about making these decisions for your business. In this episode, Lauren shares: How she started her company The difference between developers and designers Why she likes using a framework What "mobile-first" means and why it's different than "mobile friendliness" How site speed is measured How you should size your blog photos How to think about automating certain tasks Why it's important to start thinking about switching to https Resources: Meet the Food Blogger Pro Experts Once Coupled Genesis Framework 119: How an Accidental Entrepreneur went from $0 to $80,000 in Five Months with Brian Gardner Google's Mobile-Friendly Test WPtouch Padsquad Brunch Pro Theme GTmetrix Google PageSpeed Insights Hotjar 004: How Understanding Your Visitors Can Help You Create an Income with Dr. David Darmanin from Hotjar 020: How to Secure Your Food Blog with Andrew Wilder from Blog Tutor Pinch of Yum's source code Related Posts for WordPress If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Finding your path, starting new ventures, and solidifying your brand with Emma Chapman. ----- Welcome to episode 121 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Emma Chapman from A Beautiful Mess about starting new ventures, solidifying your brand, and finding your path. How to Overcome Your Failures and Find Success Blogging and business ownership wasn't always one of Emma's goals. In fact, right after college, she decided to move to Hollywood to start an acting career. When that career path didn't work out, she didn't give up; instead she changed her focus and worked to build a job she loves. Now as Founder & CEO of A Beautiful Mess, Emma focuses on building brands, creating apps, writing books, and producing content. Learn how she shaped her career after starting in a place of uncertainty. In this episode, Emma shares: How she decided to move to Hollywood How she learned about herself and grew after college How to change your focus What her role is at A Beautiful Mess How they decided to make their first hire How they decided to focus solely on their blog Why they're so personal on their blog How they developed different brands How they test new product ideas Why they run two different companies Resources: A Beautiful Mess Oui Fresh Weekday Weekend Cookbook A Beautiful Mess Courses A Color Story WooCommerce Pinch of Yum's Traffic and Income Reports Follow Emma, Elsie, and A Beautiful Mess on Instagram Get 30% off your first order at Oui Fresh using coupon code fbp30! Let us know who you want to hear on The Food Blogger Pro Podcast: [email protected] If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to reinvent yourself, become an authority figure, and invest in your business with Dorie Clark. ----- Welcome to episode 120 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Dorie Clark about her new book, Entrepreneurial You. How to Shape Your Own Career Destiny Becoming an entrepreneur and working on your side gig can be tough, but by understanding and applying a few different strategies, you can build the business you dream of. Dorie's new book Entrepreneurial You is a "blueprint for professional independence." In it, she talks about just how important it is to have a strong brand when you're building a business, how to become an expert and be trusted, and how that can help you sell your products and services. This podcast episode dives deep into the principles Dorie teaches in her book and shows you how you can take action on developing your business today. In this episode, Dorie shares: How to monetize because of something How her entrepreneurial story ties into her books How to reinvent yourself How to become an authority in a certain area The priorities of industry experts Why an email list is so important The tools she uses to grow her email list The best investment you can make in your business Resources: Entrepreneurial You Reinventing You Stand Out 119: How an Accidental Entrepreneur went from $0 to $80,000 in Five Months with Brian Gardner Dorie's courses 097: How to Create a Full-Time Income from Blogging Using The Egg Carton Method with Bjork Ostrom Real Men, Real Style Seth Godin I Will Teach You To Be Rich ConvertKit Constant Contact AWeber Leadpages Sumo 88 Question Self-Assessment Follow Dorie on her website If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to deal with competition, the benefits of using a framework, and how to practice minimalism with Brian Gardner. ----- Welcome to episode 119 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Brian Gardner from StudioPress about building his business, dealing with competition, and practicing minimalism. How an Accidental Entrepreneur went from $0 to $80,000 in Five Months Brian was the pioneer of premium WordPress themes, and it happened a bit by accident. He was balancing a full-time job and his WordPress theme business at the same time. But once he realized that it would be "financially irresponsible" to work both jobs, he decided to jump head-first into his WordPress business. From there Brian built StudioPress, which powers over 500,000 WordPress sites with its Genesis Framework. Learn how he dealt with competition, how he built his business, and why it's helpful to use a framework and child theme for your blog. In this episode, Brian shares: How he went from working at an architecture firm to becoming an online entrepreneur How he got started working with WordPress The mistakes he made when he built his business How he dealt with competition Why it's helpful to use a framework and child theme How he practices minimalism in his business Resources: StudioPress StudioPress FM The Business of Food Blogging: Is it Lucrative? Press75 iThemes Thesis Copyblogger Genesis StudioPress themes Yoast SEO 091: Optimizing Recipes for SEO with Joost De Valk from Yoast SEO Tasty Recipes No Sidebar Designing Your Life Follow Brian at StudioPress, No Sidebar, and Authentik If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to understand your brand, adapt for your different audiences, and develop a product line with Gaby Dalkin. ----- Welcome to episode 118 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Gaby Dalkin from What's Gaby Cooking about understanding your brand, developing a product line, and working with a team. How to Discovering Your Brand Can Help you Grow Gaby's blogging story isn't the typical blogging story. She started as a private chef for Jessica Simpson, built a team, and even worked with Williams Sonoma on a product line. Oh, and she also managed to build a hugely successful food blog, What's Gaby Cooking. But all of her success is rooted in a strong understanding of her personal and blog brand. She has an acute understanding of her audiences across all of her platforms, and that understanding influences how she interacts with those audiences. In this episode, Gaby shares: How she got interested in food How she got hired as a private chef for Jessica Simpson What it was like working with a brand consultant Her advice for doing live content How she keeps organized What it's like working with a team How she decides how personal to get on her blog and social channels How she launched a salsa line with Williams Sonoma Her advice for working with a brand manager Resources: What's Gaby Cooking TeuxDeux Gaby's salsa line with Williams Sonoma Follow Gaby on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Launching a meal planning site, learning how to adapt with a changing industry, and working with brands with Maria Lichty. ----- Welcome to episode 117 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Maria Lichty from Two Peas and Their Pod about how blogging has changed in the past 10 years. How to Sustain a Successful Blog for 10+ Years When Maria started blogging at Two Peas and Their Pod, the food blogging industry looked quite different. Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest weren't around, videos weren't as popular, and the industry as a whole was much smaller. But Maria has learned to adapt to this quick-changing world and to work to her strengths while growing her blog. She has hired a team to help her manage her social media and video work while she focuses on the work she loves like recipe testing, photography, and more. In this episode, Maria shares: How blogging has changed since she first started her blog How to work as a husband-wife team How she chooses the sponsored posts she does How she prioritizes her work What her typical day looks like How she likes to engage with her followers How she grew her Facebook following How she built a meal planning site Her advice for negotiations with brands Resources: Two Peas and Their Pod Kalyn's Kitchen Simple Pin Media 026: How Pinterest Analytics can Boost your Blog with Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media Sweet Peas Meals How Sweet It Is Check out Maria's home posts - don't miss her beautiful pantry! Follow Maria on Instagram or Facebook If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to start sponsored content, how to price your work, and how to reach out to brands with Danielle Liss and the Pinch of Yum team. ----- Welcome to episode 116 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, we're sharing the Q&A from the Sponsored Content Bootcamp. You'll hear Danielle Liss and the Pinch of Yum team talk about starting sponsored content, pricing your work, and reaching out to brands. Answering Questions about Sponsored Content Sponsored content is a great way to generate income for your blog and make connections with brands you really love. At the Sponsored Content Bootcamp on September 12, 2017, we showed attendees how to price their work, the tools you need to create sponsored content, and how the Pinch of Yum team handles their sponsored content work. We also held a Q&A at the end of the day where we answered questions from our attendees about sponsored content. We're sharing that Q&A with our podcast family today, and we couldn't be more excited. Danielle Liss from Hashtag Legal and Businessese and Lindsay and Jenna from Pinch of Yum answer some of your questions about creating awesome sponsored content. In this episode, Danielle, Lindsay, and Jenna share: How to approach brands Why you should be sharing campaign reports How to charge different rates for different work How to license your images How to deal with long-term relationships with brands How to track campaign results Resources: Get Your PRICE course CoSchedule Follow Danielle at Businessese and Hashtag Legal Follow Lindsay at Pinch of Yum or on Instagram If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Advice for future cookbook authors, how to decide when it's the right time to make your first hire, and choosing a focus for your blog with Kathryne Taylor. ----- Welcome to episode 115 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Kathryne Taylor from Cookie & Kate about how she decided her blog would have a food focus, when she chose to make her first hire, and her advice for future cookbook authors. How to Write a 5-Star Cookbook While Kathryne's blog Cookie & Kate didn't start out as a food blog, she transitioned to sharing healthy, whole food recipes. From there, Cookie & Kate became her full-time job, and she quickly learned the ins and outs of blogging, web development, and design. Just a few months ago, Kathryne released her first cookbook, Love Real Food, which has gained a ton of praise (including nearly 200 5-star reviews on Amazon). She learned a lot from the cookbook publishing process, and she has a few tips that will help aspiring cookbook authors turn their ideas to realities. In this episode, Kathryne shares: What she did before blogging Why she started her blog and transitioned to sharing recipes How she transitioned to working on her blog full-time How she learned how to handle the design and development side of blogging How she decided to hire help What her typical week looks like How she chose a publisher for her cookbook How she got paid for writing her cookbook What she learned from editing her cookbook Resources: Cookie & Kate The Faux Martha Show Me How To Do It Cupcakes & Cashmere Goop What to Eat The Omnivore's Dilemma Saveur Blog Awards Mr. Money Mustache Treehouse Lynda Codecademy Evernote Check out Kate's cookbook, the Love Real Food Cookbook Follow Kate on Instagram and Facebook If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to work with different personalities, divide responsibilities, and split your income with Polly Conner and Rachel Tiemeyer. ----- Welcome to episode 114 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Polly Conner and Rachel Tiemeyer from Thriving Home about working as a partnership on their blog. How to Run a Successful Blog as a Partnership A blog is typically started as a sole venture, but Polly and Rachel decided to start their blog, Thriving Home, as a team. While they both have different personalities, they use those differences to their advantage to divide tasks and grow their business. But even though they're running their blog as a team, anyone can take lessons away from the way they treat their blog as a business. You'll learn how they made their first $1, the most important thing that makes their partnership work, and the intentional way they invest back into their business, and more. In this episode, Polly and Rachel share: How Polly and Rachel met Why they decided to start a blog together How they work with their different personalities What they focused on when they first started blogging together How they compliment each other How they navigate difficulties in a partnership What their State of the Unions look like How they divide responsibilities How they handle constructive criticism How they decided to start working on their blog full-time How they divide their income and how they decide what to invest in Why they set up their business as an S-Corp What their typical days look like Resources: Thriving Home Dave Ramsey From Freezer to Table Cookbook - releasing September 12! Profit First ConvertKit Leadpages Shopify If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to use an Instagram strategy, get involved in blogging groups, and get advice from other bloggers with Ashley Walterhouse. ----- Welcome to episode 113 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Ashley Walterhouse about working with brands, building her following, and growing her Instagram account to over 90K followers in two years. How to Gain 90K Instagram Followers in 2 Years Yep, that says 90K. In two years! If you're anything like me, you randomly post to Instagram whenever you remember to in hopes of gaining followers and getting some click-throughs to your website. But Ashley's social media success is proof that it's helpful to have a strategy when growing your social media presence. Posting at the right times every day, engaging with comments, and sharing the right recipes all play into growing your Instagram account. Ashley has cracked the code on Instagram growth and engagement, and she's sharing how she managed to grow her two-year-old blog, Fit Mitten Kitchen, into a full-time job. In this episode, Ashley shares: Where her blog name comes from How she got advice about blogging How she keeps organized How many times she posts on Instagram per day How to she recycles recipes on social media Which big accounts she tags on her Instagram images How she landed her first sponsored post Why you should always have a contract when you work with a brand How she got involved in blogging groups What has helped her with photography Resources: Fit Mitten Kitchen Fit Foodie Finds The Healthy Maven The Feed Feed Businessese 099: Sponsored Content and Getting Paid What Your Work is Worth with Danielle Liss Nicole Culver Blissful Bites Podcast Follow Ashley on Instagram & Facebook If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to get perfect lighting and a consistent style with Taylor Mathis. ----- Welcome to episode 112 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Taylor Mathis from Photographing FOOD about lighting, consistency, and his go-to equipment. Perfecting the Art of Food Photography Photography is one of the most important aspects of food blogging. We're always told that people eat with their eyes, and that couldn't be more true when trying to gain a following as a blogger. While Taylor started his photography career as a wedding photographer, his interests quickly settled on food photography. He has devoted his career to perfecting the art of food photography, and now he's sharing what he has learned with you. His composition, lighting, and gear tips will give new insights into your photography setup and planning. In this episode, Taylor shares: How he got interested in photography How he started his photography business Why it's important to understand light as a photographer Why he suggests shooting in RAW Why he prefers to shoot with flash The equipment he recommends for beginners Why macro lenses are great for food photography How he prepares for difficult shoots His essential gear Resources: Lynda.com Creative Live Lowel Ego Lights Ikan Lights 100mm Canon Macro lens 50mm Canon lens 17–40mm Canon Wide Angle lens Photographing Food eBooks Photographing Food Follow Taylor on Instagram If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Why engagement is more important than numbers, how to run a business that doesn't require growth, and how to find your rat people with Paul Jarvis. ----- Welcome to episode 111 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Paul Jarvis about building a company of one, the most important part of his online business, and finding your "rat people." How to Build a Company of One Paul has been working for himself for nearly 20 years, and his career has taken him in a few different directions. Starting out as a web designer, he began working for himself as a freelancer for clients like Danielle LaPorte, Marie Forleo, and Mercedes-Benz, and then he started selling his own software and courses. And he wrote a vegan cookbook along the way. While he built his business, he learned what it means to own, run, and grow a "company of one." Paul's experiences and advice will inspire you to think about your own business in exciting and unconventional ways. In this episode, Paul shares: Why he releases his podcast in seasons How he successfully "batch-creates" his content Why he measures engagement over signups Why a mailing list is powerful How he spent less than $100 on creating his vegan cookbook How he transitioned his business from client work to products How he uses artificial constraints for creativity Why he focuses on the people who are already paying attention What it means to run a profitable and sustainable business that doesn't require growth How to build a "company of one" Why you should find your "rat people" Resources: Sunday Dispatches Newsletter Sunday Dispatches Podcast pjrvs.com Eat Awesome Mailchimp The super-cute picture of Paul's rats Danielle LaPorte Marie Forleo Chimp Essentials Mr. Money Mustache Psychotactics Basecamp Derek Sivers Read Paul's articles If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to work in your zone, set a morning routine, and optimize your workspace with Bjork Ostrom. ----- Welcome to episode 110 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks about 10 habits that can help your business grow long-term. 10 Simple Habits that Create BIG Growth for Your Business Forming habits can have an exponential affect on your business' growth, and Bjork has seen that first-hand as he built Food Blogger Pro. Bjork talks about 10 habits that have had a huge impact on his productivity and on Food Blogger Pro's growth. He recommends apps, systems, philosophies, and practices that you can implement today into your business to see growth long-term. In this episode, Bjork shares: What a "black book" is How to keep track of your to-dos How a morning routine can impact your business How to get to "Inbox Zero" An easier way to keep track of receipts How to save articles to read later How to optimize your workspace Why you should turn off all push notifications How do perform a time audit How to find ways to "work in your zone" Resources: Evernote Things Asana Trello Getting Things Done Clear Koalcat's Clear Five Minute Journal Headspace Mixmax Boomerang Shoeboxed Pocket Moment Rescue Time The War of Art If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to implement systems, shift your business' focus, and narrow your offerings with Greg Hickman. ----- Welcome to episode 109 of the Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks to Greg Hickman about building systems, building courses, and building a profitable business. How Systems and Courses can Build a Profitable Business Shifting the focus in your business might be a scary step. But for Greg, shifting his business focus came via a challenge, and he learned that it was a necessary step for growing his business. He went from focusing on mobile marketing to automation and marketing funnels. Now he helps other businesses narrow down their offerings and use trends to build out their systems. He talks about finding the right product to sell, tools he recommends for marketers, and how you can give your audience value. In this episode, Greg shares: How he got started helping businesses with their funnels and automation How he knew how to make a shift in his business How a challenge led him to his new business model Why he helps his clients understand their problems Why narrowing down your offerings makes running your business easier How to not be a slave to your business How to use trends to build your systems and automations How to figure out a product to sell Why you should go as premium as you can The tools he recommends for marketers Resources: System.ly Zero to Scale Podcast The Mobile Mixed Podcast Infusionsoft WP Curve Amy Porterfield Funnels That Scale 056: Working in Your Area of Brilliance with Meghan Telpner 105: How Food Bloggers Use Courses to Build their Businesses with Randle Browning ActiveCampaign Leadpages ClickFunnels Unbounce Instapage No Leads Left Behind Facebook Group How to Use Marketing Automation to Scale Your Funnel from 6 to 7 Figures Webinar If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Common mindsets for entrepreneurs, how to find success through breakthroughs, and how to grow a podcast into a success with Natalie Eckdahl. ----- Welcome to episode 108 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks to Natalie Eckdahl about growing her podcast into a six-figure success. From Struggling Podcast to Six-Figure Success "If you build it, they will come." That's what Natalie thought of her audience when she first built her podcast back in 2014. While that wasn't exactly the case, Natalie started to understand her audience and quickly grew her struggling podcast, The Biz Chix Podcast, to a six-figure business. Along the way, Natalie has coached many different types of women entrepreneurs, and she has learned about their struggles, issues, and tools for success. The lessons she has learned helps her educate, encourage and promote entrepreneurial women looking to grow their businesses. In this episode, Natalie shares: Why she decided to start her podcast How she scaled that podcast into a seven figure business Why it's important to understand your audience Why she recommends joining a mastermind group The common mindset issues she sees in her clients How to be intentional with your time Resources: BizChix The BizChix Podcast 24 Exceptional Women-Hosted Podcasts for Entrepreneurs in 2017 The 5 Best Podcasts for Women Entrepreneurs Dave Ramsey Entrepreneur on Fire Amy Porterfield Michael Stelzner Pat Flynn Flipped Lifestyle On Air Coaching Work with Natalie The Five Second Rule Will Smith on Skydiving 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More BizChix Live 2017 If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Why "going viral" early might not be best with Sarah Wu. ----- Welcome to episode 107 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks to Sarah Wu about her viral blog and why "going viral" quickly might not be the best thing for everyone. How to Go Viral, Kill Your Blog, and Start Over Going viral. It's the dream for all bloggers, right? Not exactly. Sarah Wu experienced what it's like to have a viral blog early in her blogging career. She was featured on news outlets like Good Morning America, AOL, and Yahoo, saw her page views quickly grow, and started getting more comments. However, going viral wasn't what was best for Sarah and her blog about school lunches. In this episode, Sarah shares: Why she decided to document school lunches How her blog grew Why she decided to start as an anonymous blogger How she was featured on Good Morning America, AOL, and Yahoo Why you should focus on becoming an expert Why smaller goals are important for growing your blog Why going viral early might not be the best thing for your blog Why it's important to be yourself Resources: Fed Up with Lunch Andy Bellatti Trust Me, I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator Speech is Beautiful Follow Sarah on Instagram If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to refine your brand, share your story, and help others with Carol Cox. ----- Welcome to episode 106 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks to Carol Cox about refining your brand and sharing your story. Discovering Your Unique Brand How would you define your brand? It's an interesting and important question to answer about your business. Carol, however, thinks it's even more important to gauge how your audience defines your brand. Once you understand that, you can then refine your brand and use your expertise to support your audience. Carol's advice will show you how you can help your readers by choosing the stories you share and the niche you pick. In this episode, Carol shares: What a brand actually is How to gauge the way your audience views your brand How to refine your brand Why you should excavate your story Why failures make good stories How to create a story bank Why you should process through your story before you write about it How to help someone along their "Hero's Journey" How you can find your niche How to make a "signature talk" Resources: 360°Reach Gorilla Suit and the London Marathon Hero's Journey Speaking Your Brand Calendly Grab your free PDF Follow Carol on Facebook and Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to pick a course topic, price your course, and feel confident to teach with Randle Browning. ----- Welcome to episode 105 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks to Randle Browning from Teachable about creating courses to generate income and leads. How Food Bloggers Use Courses to Build their Businesses What are you an expert at? Maybe it's cake decorating. Maybe it's vegan cooking. Or maybe it's cooking with the ever-so popular Instant Pot. Regardless, you can make a course about it. And creating that course is a great way to build your online presence and business. Randle Browning works for Teachable, a site that helps you build and sell your own online courses. She has so many tips that will help you pick the perfect course topic, create your course, and then successfully launch your course. In this episode, Randle shares: Why you should pre-sell a course How to segment your email list based on a course How to gauge interest in your course idea How to price your course How to pick a topic for your course What "expert" means and how to feel confident enough to teach a certain topic Why you don't need to be the "Ultimate Expert" Resources: The Waco Vegan Liberty Harbor RV Park Teachable 097: How to Create a Full-Time Income from Blogging Using The Egg Carton Method with Bjork Ostrom How to Create a Mini Course to Build Your Business Make Fabulous Cakes The Raw Academy The Creative Curator MailChimp ConvertKit Tim Ferris Tasty Food Photography Follow Randle on Instagram and Twitter Get 1 free month of the Pro Teachable Plan with promo code food (valid until August 15th) If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to track expenses, pay yourself, and set up bank account for your business with Cathy Derus. ----- Welcome to episode 104 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks to Cathy Derus about tax advice for bloggers. How Bloggers Should Handle Their Taxes and Accounting Photographing, cooking, connecting, writing…these are typically the aspects of blogging we all love. Cathy, on the other hand, loves spreadsheets, tracking expenses, and talking to other bloggers about taxes. Cathy started her businesses, Brightwater Financial and Brightwater Accounting, as a way to help small business owners like bloggers navigate the confusing tax side of their businesses. It's a topic that is incredibly important for all bloggers to understand, and Cathy's goal is to make the process a little easier. From setting up a bank account for your business to tracking expenses, this episode is a crash-course to understanding taxes and accounting. In this episode, Cathy shares: How her diverse knowledge helped her launch her own practice How her blog helped her explore her interests and experiences The difference between accounting and financials When you should start expensing blog purchases Why you should have a separate business bank account for your blog How to pay yourself from your business' money How to put aside money for the IRS What an EIN is and why you should get one What quarterly taxes are and why they're important for businesses Resources: 063: Personal Finance for Business Owners with Jeff Rose from Good Financial Cents Brightwater Financial Brightwater Accounting Tax Checklist for Food Bloggers The Lively Show by Jess Lively 099: Sponsored Content and Getting Paid What Your Work is Worth with Danielle Liss Quickbooks Online Shoebox Ed Profit First Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits Quickbooks Self-Employed Open for Business Follow Brightwater Financial on Facebook and Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

How to find inspiration, deliver value, and grow your engagement with the Pinch of Yum Team. ----- Welcome to episode 103 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks to Lindsay and Alana from Pinch of Yum about creating awesome recipe videos. Answering Questions about Recipe Videos Spend five minutes on Facebook or Instagram, and I bet you'll see at least one or two recipe videos in your feed. Recipe videos are the thing for food bloggers right now, and we always get questions from bloggers about how they can make viral food videos that will help deliver value, boost engagement, and grow followings on social media. That's exactly what Alana, Bjork, and Lindsay talk about today. Today we're sharing the Q&A session from our recent One-Day Recipe Video Bootcamp event. Alana, Bjork, and Lindsay answer some of your questions about gear, lighting, writing engaging captions, and their personal success with recipe videos in this Q&A. In this episode, Alana, Bjork, and Lindsay share: How video has changed Pinch of Yum's social media presence How to easily keep track of your Instagram statistics What kind of lenses and monitors you can use for food videos What kind of lighting you should use for food videos Why Lindsay doesn't include links to her recipes on her food videos on Instagram What Alana's two most important food video purchases are How the POY team decides on the recipes they turn into videos How Bjork makes his famous "Fresh Baked Cookies" ;) Resources: Get the Bootcamp Bundle! Nutrifox Edit Academy Pinch of Yum Social Blade Canon 28mm f/1.8 lens Canon 70–200mm f/2.8 lens smallHD 701 Lite Monitor VIVO Ultra HD Monitor Imorden 7" Articulating Hotshoe Mount Arm The Scran Line Bon Appetit Food and Wine Feed Feed Foodsteez Mic Shock Mount Mic Pop Filter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

How to write with focus, read with purpose, and build your community with Gabriela Pereira. ----- Welcome to episode 102 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks to Gabriela Pereira about becoming a better writer and building a community around your writing. How to Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, and Build Your Community Gabriela got her MFA in 2010, and after she graduated, she realized that a lot of people don't actually need a formal education process in order to write. If you give yourself permission to own your creativity and writing, and if you learn a few key skills along the way, you can be a writer. She started DIY MFA to teach others how they can do exactly that. By focusing on the work at hand, Gabriela has been able to practice, evaluate, and fine-tune her craft and teach others how to do the same. Gabriela's strategies about finding the right writing system, tracking productivity, staying inspired, and understanding strengths and weaknesses all play into finding one's voice and writing style. In this episode, Gabriela shares: What an MFA is Why she considers herself an instigator How she calculates and tracks her productivity How to find a writing system that works for you How she stays inspired How she writes personal posts Why it's important to get input from the right people Why you should know your strengths and weaknesses Resources: 099: Sponsored Content and Getting Paid What Your Work is Worth with Danielle Liss DIY MFA DIY MFA Book The Writer Igniter Setting the Mood for an Optimal Writing Session Gabriela's personal post James Altucher DIY MFA Radio podcast Starter Kit If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to trust your gut, why you need to build your own path, and why you should pursue the work (not the end) with Bjork Ostrom. ----- Welcome to episode 101 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks about the lessons he learned after five years of publishing Income Reports on Pinch of Yum. What I Learned After Five Years of Income Reports The Pinch of Yum Income Reports chronicle the experiment Bjork and Lindsay started as a way to find out if it was possible to create an income from a food blog. Spoiler alert: It is. After five years of publishing these income reports and sharing the process of turning Pinch of Yum into a business, Bjork has learned quite a few lessons. From learning to trust his gut to building their own path to learning how to learn, the 20 lessons Bjork discusses will help anyone in pursuit of starting their own business and becoming their own boss. In this episode, Bjork shares: How and why he started writing the Pinch of Yum Income Reports Why you need to listen to your gut How you can learn more information about your industry Why you should dedicate time to reflection Why working with the right people is important Why you need to build your own path Resources: Register for the One-Day Recipe Video Bootcamp! Pinch of Yum on Facebook and Instagram Pinch of Yum Income Reports Youth Frontiers This Week in Startups podcast The James Altucher Show Mixergy podcast Marketing School podcast MacBreak Weekly podcast How I Built This podcast This American Life The War of Art If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

Our listeners' favorite FBP podcast episodes, what they've learned, how how they've applied what they've learned to their blogs ----- Welcome to episode 100 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, we're celebrating our 100th episode with a special community episode! How FBP Listeners Have Used the Podcast to Grow their Blogs and Businesses There have been 99 Food Blogger Pro Podcast episodes before this one, and we've heard from a lot of amazing people. From full-time bloggers to SEO experts to social media pros, this podcast has seen no shortage of inspirational interviewees! We're really excited about this episode because we're hearing from you. We asked our listeners what their favorite Food Blogger Pro Podcast episode was, and we're so excited about the response. It's so exciting to hear which episodes came to you at a specific point in your blogging career and how the podcast helped you overcome obstacles, become more confident, and grow your business. We hope that this episode will help you find an episode you might have missed or remind you of an episode that you'd like to go back and listen to again. Thanks so much for a great 100 episodes! These are our listeners' favorite Food Blogger Pro Podcast episodes: 038: 7 Strategies to Build Traffic 035: How to 10x Your Facebook Following in One Year with Stephanie from Spaceships & Laser Beams 097: How to Create a Full-Time Income from Blogging Using The Egg Carton Method with Bjork Ostrom 013: An interview with Molly Yeh, the author behind Saveur's 2015 Blog of the Year 083: The 1% Infinity Improvement Plan with Marly McMillen from the Chopped Podcast 094: How to Keep Going with Bjork Ostrom 019: How to Master Pinterest for your Food Blog with Susan Wenner Jackson from Ahalogy 001: Lindsay Ostrom from Pinch of Yum on Life as a Career Blogger 089: How to Build a Plane with Alexa, Jasmine & Raquel from Food Blogger Pro 058: 5 Tips for Overcoming the Resistance 024: How to Find Balance in Blogging with Ali Ebright from Gimme Some Oven 039: 12 Ways to Overcome Online Jealousy with Lindsay Ostrom from Pinch of Yum 093: How Finding a Niche Transformed a Business with Meggan Hill from Culinary Hill 040: How to Monetize a Podcast from Day 1 with Allison & Suzy from the Food Heals Podcast 055: Generating Income through Self-Publishing a Cookbook with Jason Logsdon 028: How to Boost Your Blog's SEO with Casey Markee from Media Wyse 065: Michelle Tam from Nom Nom Paleo on Building a Brand, Launching an App and Publishing a Cookbook 092: How to Make $40K in the First Year of Blogging with Chelsea Lords from Chelsea's Messy Apron 052: How to Sell 4,000 Cookbooks Before You Even Publish with Megan Gilmore from Detoxinista 032: Buying & Selling Websites with Mark Daoust from Quiet Light Brokerage 008: Simplifying Ad Optimization with Andy Marzka from AdThrive 073: How to Publish Consistent and Quality Content with Jessica Merchant from How Sweet It Is 090: How a Legislative Assistant Created Her Own Path to Working for Herself with Brita Britnell 084: New Year's Motivation: 1% Infinity Resources: The Anthony Kitchen Balanced Bites Tiny Kitchen, Big Food Brown Sugar & Vanilla The Spiced Kitchen A Day in the Kitchen Seasoned Vegetable Will Write for Food Blogtastic Food Dash of Wisdom Roots and Radishes Hostess at Heart Stress Baking Veggies Don't Bite The Mighty Mrs. The Food Charlatan The 365 Days Podcast Johlene Orton The Bewitchin Kitchen Wander Spice The Little Plantation Craft Industry Alliance Little Bits of Real Food 40 Aprons Champagne and Paper Planes Isabel Eats Rhian's Recipes Homegrown Provisions Real Simple Good Beneficial Bento The Mediterranean Dish If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

How to price sponsored content, what type of business structure you should have for your blog, and what legal essentials your blog should have ----- Welcome to episode 99 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Danielle Liss from Hashtag Legal about how you can create solid sponsored content. Sponsored Content and Getting Paid What Your Work is Worth If you do sponsored content, you know how much work a campaign can be. From developing the recipe to aligning with the brand's goals, many considerations go into creating solid sponsored content for a brand. From understanding FTC guidelines to knowing the legal disclaimers all blogs should have on their sites, Danielle and her business partner cover it all at their practice, Hashtag Legal. While most bloggers want to focus on the creative side of their businesses, it's important to have a handle on the business and legal side of things as well. Danielle saw this as an opportunity to help get bloggers to the point where they're comfortable with pricing their work and structuring their businesses. In this episode, Danielle shares: How influencer networks work Why you should understand a brand's goal for sponsored content How to come up with your sponsored post rate and why it should be fluid Why you should be paying attention to your Cost Per Engagement Why you should be doing campaign reports Why case studies are important How to solidify a strong pitch What type of business entity you can set up for your blog Why you should have a Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimer Resources: Record a message for our 100th episode! Meet the Food Blogger Pro Experts The Price Method Businessese Pretty Link Lite Bit.ly Google Slides Canva Closing Strong Info on campaign reports and case studies Dude Perfect case studies Trademark Searches Hashtag Legal

How recipe creation is like architecture, how to improve your food photography, and how to become a full-time freelance food photographer. ----- Welcome to episode 98 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks with Ashley McLaughlin from Edible Perspective about becoming a full-time freelance food photographer. An Architect's Journey to Becoming a Full-Time Freelance Food Photographer Architecture and food…it doesn't sound like there would be many similarities between the two, right? But there are, and Ashley's background in architecture helped her understand experience, perspective, and design in a culinary setting. After staring her blog, Edible Perspective, as a way to stay creative, Ashley's love of food transformed into a love of photography. After a long learning process, she went from a complete novice with a DSLR to understanding exposure meters, shooting in manual mode, and writing a food photography series on her blog. Now she's a full-time freelance food photographer who has photographed multiple cookbooks for bloggers. In this episode, Ashley shares: How recipe creation is like architecture Why she launched her blog How she started using a DSLR Her tips for improving your food photography skills How she was able to become a full-time freelance food photographer Resources: Record a message for our 100th episode! About the Slow Food Movement Michael Pollan books Canon 5D Mark III Canon 7D Oh She Glows Every Day Peas and Thank You Simple Meatless Meals the Whole Family Will Love Canon 35mm f/1.4L Bubble Level Ashley's Photography Series Follow Edible Perspective on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected].

How to make money from blogging, why you should divide your income into eggs, and how to fill your egg carton with Bjork Ostrom. ----- Welcome to episode 97 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks about dividing income into multiple "eggs" in a carton of blogging income. How to Create a Full-Time Income from Blogging using The Egg Carton Method For a lot of us, "pro" blogging (i.e., making a full-time income from blogging) is the dream. In order to do that, however, income needs to be coming in from multiple channels. Bjork likes to think of these "channels" as eggs in an egg carton; you need to fill your egg carton with different revenue streams in order to create a sustainable income from your blog. It's really difficult to create a full-time blogging income from only one "egg," so diversifying your egg carton can help you get there even sooner. In this episode, Bjork shares: Two things that make an impact on making an income on your blog How to divide your income stream into multiple "eggs" A way to figure out how much you need to be making from each of your "eggs" 15 different ways you can make money blogging Resources: Record a message for our 100th episode! ProBlogger How to Make $40K in the First Year of Blogging with Chelsea Lords Finding Success on the Verge of Quitting with Dustin & Lacey Baier How to Connect with Brands & Find Sponsored Content with Francesca Bandicci Pinch of Yum on Instagram Generating Income through Self-Publishing a Cookbook with Jason Logsdon Food Blogger Pro waiting list FBP Affiliate Program Eventbrite

What recipe plugins are, why you should be using one, and how to create the perfect search result with Bjork Ostrom. ----- Welcome to episode 96 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork talks about recipe plugins and why you need one. How to Create the Perfect Recipe Post Regardless of where you are in your blogging journey (just starting out to full-time), chances are you've heard the words recipe plugin before. These plugins are incredibly important for food bloggers to be aware of because they not only make your recipes look beautiful, but they also help your blog communicate with search engines like Google and Pinterest. There are so many elements to consider when choosing a recipe plugin for your blog, and it's important to choose one that checks off "all of the SEO boxes." So when Bjork noticed the recipe plugin Pinch of Yum was using wasn't quite keeping up with the times, he decided it was time to build one in-house. In this episode, Bjork shares: What a recipe plugin is and why food bloggers should be using one What structured data is and why it's important How to view your recipe posts like a search engine Why recipe plugins are helpful for both search engines and your readers How to create the perfect search result in Google How you can start using Tasty Recipes today Resources: Tasty Recipes on WP Tasty 8-year-old drives to McDonald's Joost De Valk (Yoast SEO) podcast episode Info about JSON Info about Microdata Google's Structured Data Testing Tool How to search for a specific search result on Google: site:pinchofyum.com pesto asparagus noodles Yoast SEO Plugin Nutrifox

How she started Catch My Party, what problem MiloTree solved for their business, and using popups on mobile. ----- Welcome to episode 95 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork interviews Jillian Tohber Leslie from Catch My Party and MiloTree about making successful career changes by embracing the mess. As with life, business isn't always pretty. No matter how put-together someone's business looks from the outside, you can bet your bottom dollar that they've had their own fair share of messy affairs to deal with in their business. Jillian Tohber Leslie learned early in her career that the key to moving forward was embracing this messiness and using it to help propel her career and her businesses forward. She and her husband started Catch My Party, the largest party ideas site on the web, and went on to found MiloTree, a social and email growth popup that's perfect for bloggers. In this episode, Jillian shares: How she successfully changed careers a number of times Why messiness in life and business is okay What her first drafts look like Why she left Hollywood to start Catch My Party How Catch My Party's users defined their business How she solves tech problems How they monetize Catch My Party Why they built MiloTree Whether or not you can use popups on mobile Resources: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Let Me Google That For You MiloTree Catch My Party Catch My Party on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, & Twitter If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

How finding the right path for you can help you keep going with your blog. ----- Welcome to episode 94 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork talks about how to keep going when you're not sure you can continue. Whether you've been blogging for a few months or a few years, you've no doubt had the thought at some point or another: How do I keep going? Blogging can be tough. You might be fitting it in after your regular full-time job hours. You might be running your blog as a business with not enough hours in the day. You might be juggling it on the side while trying to raise a family. Whatever your situation, you've likely found out that blogging isn't easy, and on some days it's tough to imagine how you'll keep it up. Today, Bjork talks about some techniques that he and Lindsay have used in their businesses to help them get up in the morning and do The Work. In this episode, Bjork discusses: Why someone else's path might not be the one for you How to find your own path Why time is a key ingredient How The Path differs from The Resistance How temporarily stopping can help you keep going Why deadlines are important and how they have impacted Pinch of Yum and Food Blogger Pro Why gratitude moves you forward Resources: Open for Business Podcast Startup Podcast Smart Passive Income Podcast FE International Website Brokerage Quiet Light Brokerage Episode 032: Buying & Selling Websites with Mark Daoust from Quiet Light Brokerage Pinch of Yum - Afton posts If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

How finding a niche can be freeing and how proper branding skyrocketed her traffic with Meggan Hill from Culinary Hill. ----- Welcome to episode 93 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! In this episode, Bjork chats with Meggan Hill from Culinary Hill about how finding a niche transformed her business. As an internet entrepreneur, it can be tempting to try to appeal to everyone. You don't want to send potential traffic away from your website, right? However, successful bloggers have said time and again that a big contributor to success is finding a specific audience and sharing only content that fits that audience perfectly. In other words, finding a niche. Meggan Hill started her blog, Culinary Hill, with an aim of pleasing everyone. And… it didn't work out so well. Her blog did okay, but she ended up feeling discouraged and gave it up for a while. A couple years ago, though, she decided it was time to make some changes and make this blogging thing work for her. With the help of a branding agency, she was able to find a niche, free up her creativity by sticking to that niche, and nearly triple her traffic in just one year. Today, she's here to tell us all about it. In this episode, Chelsea shares: How she narrowed down her niche Why finding a niche was freeing How refining her brand increased her traffic Why she is going to culinary school What the first step is to finding a business coach How she gets her morning started What she would have changed over the last few years How she finds time for her blog Resources: CookIt Media Jadah Sellner Coaching Meggan's Geocities Angel Blog 5 Minute Journal The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod Insight Timer meditation app Headspace meditation app If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

The thing she did when starting her blog, where her first year income came from, and what she would do differently now. ----- Welcome to episode 92 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork talks with Chelsea Lords from Chelsea's Messy Apron about making $40,000 in her first year of blogging. Most bloggers start out with the long-term plan in mind: they probably won't make much money in the first year or two, but it'll pay off in the end. And while this path works for a lot of people (Bjork and Lindsay included!), other bloggers decide to do it a bit differently. Chelsea Lords from Chelsea's Messy Apron hit the ground running with her blog and ended up making $40,000 in just the first year. Today, she talks about the first steps she took on her path to success, how today is different from that first year, and what she would have done differently looking back. In this episode, Chelsea shares: What her first step was to stating her blog as a business Why she underestimated the amount of money she would make in her first year Where her first year income came from The equation she used to calculate how much to charge for her first sponsored post How she balances family & work Why it takes her 15 hours to make a blog post How she decides what posts to make videos for What her Facebook strategy looks like What she would have done differently looking back Get the resources for this episode at foodbloggerpro.com/92 If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Should you delete old content, SEO in other languages, structured data for recipes, and repurposing old content with Joost de Valk from Yoast SEO. ----- Welcome to episode 91 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork interviews Joost de Valk, the founder of Yoast SEO, about optimizing SEO for your food blog. SEO is something we bloggers hear a LOT about. It's so important! But it can also be really confusing, even with the abundance of information out there. Fortunately, there are tools such as the Yoast SEO plugin to help us navigate this often confusing landscape. Yoast SEO was founded by Joost de Valk and is one of the most popular WordPress plugins in use today. That's… kind of a big deal. Joost met with Bjork for this interview to discuss a wide range of SEO topics, including why SEO matters for your recipes and how you can optimize it. In this episode, Joost shares: How you actually pronounce his name How SEO changes with languages other than English How to structure your site for usability Whether or not you should delete older content How to repurpose old content If your recipes should show dates in search results Why you need structured data for your recipes Why your blog might not show up in search engines right away Resources: Yoast.com Yoast SEO plugin Yoast SEO course on Food Blogger Pro Google Search Console Screaming Frog scraping tool SEO for WordPress Tasty Recipes If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Making money outside of your blog, quitting your job, and finding a service in demand with Brita Britnell. ----- Welcome to episode 90 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Brita Britnell about how she stepped off the beaten blogging path and found a new way to work for herself. Most bloggers start on their blogging journey hoping to eventually work full-time for themselves on their blog. While this is definitely an admirable and achievable goal, some bloggers have found that this is not the only way. Brita started making videos for her blog about a year ago and unexpectedly found that she absolutely loved it. She knew there was demand for bloggers to create video, but she also knew that most bloggers just didn't have the time to learn a new skill. So, she started making videos for other bloggers and found the demand so great that she had to start a waitlist for clients. In just a few months she was able to leave her job and work for herself doing something that she loved. Today, she's here to share her story. In this episode, Brita shares: What motivated her to turn her blog into a business Why she recommends bloggers go to conferences What the different stages of her blog were Why videos were addicting to create How she managed a full-time job and her growing blog What made her feel comfortable with quitting her job How she found her first clients to work with What it looks like to work with clients What advice she would give to herself when she was starting out Resources: Canon 6D Canon 50mm f/1.8 Lens Canon 60D Canon 85mm f/1.8 Lens Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro Lens Adobe Premiere Premiere course on FBP Adobe After Effects Tasty Recipes bbritnell.com Video & Photography resources on B. Britnell If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Our best advice for new (or experienced) bloggers, how to manage an affiliate program, and where you can find what to blog about in the coming month. ----- Welcome to episode 89 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork interviews FBP team members Alexa, Jasmine, and Raquel about what goes on behind the scenes, and what they've learned about blogging during their time as FBP employees. ----- Alright, alright. This episode is not really about building a plane. Not a real one, at least! But "building a plane" is an analogy we use nearing the end of the episode when we talk about the most important advice we would give to new (or experienced) bloggers. This advice is so important, in my humble opinion, that I'm wiling to give you a free pass and tell you to skip right to the end if you only have 5 minutes to listen. If you've got more than 5 minutes, settle on in for a listen about how we run Food Blogger Pro behind the scenes, and how you can use the same tools, processes, and techniques as we do to take your blog to the next level. In this episode, Alexa, Jasmine, and Raquel share: Why you need to be using a recipe plugin on your website What the Happening Now videos are and why you should be watching them How Jasmine manages the affiliate programs What deals you can find as a member of Food Blogger Pro What purpose the Trending Now articles serve for food bloggers How we communicate with our customers What tool Raquel uses to optimize email Why coupon sites aren't allowed in our affiliate programs How Raquel felt giving up her career in microbiology What makes working at Food Blogger Pro really smooth for Jasmine How to build a plane! Resources: Asana Asana course on Food Blogger Pro Food Blogger Pro Blog Google Trends Ahalogy FBP Podcast Episode 019: How to Master Pinterest for your Food Blog with Susan Wenner Jackson from Ahalogy Intercom KickoffLabs Inbox by Gmail Mixmax ShareASale foodbloggerpro.com/design If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

How Pinch of Yum employs full-time workers, communicating on a remote team, finding what works with video, and tips for working remotely. ----- Welcome to episode 88 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork interviews two key Pinch of Yum employees, Alana Woolley and Jenna Arend, about what goes on behind the scenes of Pinch of Yum. If you're not a food blogger, it might seem like it's a job that would be easy to do in your free time. If you are a food blogger, you know that there's way more time that goes into it than that! Many people are surprised to hear that Pinch of Yum employs a team of people, 3 of whom work full-time, to keep the blog up and running. Alana and Jenna are two of those people - Alana is the Pinch of Yum Video Specialist, and Jenna is the Pinch of Yum Office Manager. Today, they're here to break it down for us and talk about how it all works. In this episode, Alana and Jenna share: What they do on a day-to-day basis How they communicate on a remote team What Jenna's "lifeline" is for her job What Alana's video editing procedure looks like How she manages backing up giant video files to the cloud What tool they've been using to manage sponsored content contacts How they experiment with video to find what works How Jenna got more engaged with Pinterest scheduling Their tips for working remotely Resources: Slack Asana Asana course on Food Blogger Pro Process.St Crashplan Highrise CRM foodbloggerpro.com/design If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

What it means to take permission, the ugly truth about online marketing, and how to genuinely connect with influencers with Andy Traub. ----- Welcome to episode 87 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Andy Traub, a business coach who specializes in helping you take permission in your career. The phrase "take permission" might settle a bit weird in your brain. Don't you ask for permission? That's exactly what Andy's all about. He feels that for your business to really thrive, you have to be comfortable with simply taking permission. Take permission to start. Take permission to invest. Take permission to learn. This mindset is crucial to not only finding success as an entrepreneur, but also finding out what your best, most useful skills and roles are in your business. With this mindset, you can really see your business grow. In this episode, Andy shares: What inspired him to work for himself How he got started with his business What it means to take permission The hard, ugly truth about internet marketing How to genuinely connect with influencers Why he makes short, simple courses What is more important than simply following the footsteps of successful people Resources: Take Permission 48 Days by Dan Miller Episode 064: Finding work you love with Dan Miller from 48 Days Making Money On-line; It's Not As Easy Or As Difficult As You Think Zoom Wirecast Andy's Short Courses Reach by Andy Molinsky Strengths Finder Read to Lead podcast Tribe Writers course by Jeff Goins Startups.co If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Reinvent your Mondays, transition to a new career, and start Do Overs in all areas of life with Jon Acuff. ----- Welcome to episode 86 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Jon Acuff, a New York Times bestselling author who helps you work a job you love. While many entrepreneur-motivators will promote the strategy of quitting your job first, then figuring your new career out later, Jon Acuff takes a different stance. In his most recent book, Do Over, Jon talks about preparing yourself for a new career well before you ever need to actually start one. Jon's books have helped thousands of people reinvent their Mondays, transition to a new career, and start Do Overs in all areas of life. In this episode, Jon shares: What a Do Over is and how you can track their effects Why you shouldn't quit your day job How to utilize your time without sacrificing your family What you need to have in place to be prepared for a Do Over Why hustle is a key component, even if you have everything else What a Career Savings Account is and why you need one The best way to build relationships and be remembered Resources: Jon's books including Do Over and Quitter Powerhouse by James Andrew Miller Jon on Twitter and LinkedIn Acuff.me If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Working with contributors, monetizing from day 1, and finding your support person with Leslie Means from Her View From Home ----- Welcome to episode 85 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork chats with Leslie Means, cofounder of Her View From Home, about scaling her website to over 450 contributors and 9 million visitors per month. Leslie Means started her website just like many of us did - with a passion and a dream. However, instead of the typical create-publish-promote-repeat agenda, she took a bit of a different path: she wanted to publish articles from contributors and pay those authors based on article performance. Today, Her View From Home has over 9 million monthly visitors and pulls from a pool of 450 contributors. The business is thriving, and Leslie is here to tell us all about it. In this episode, Leslie shares: How Her View from Home started, and where it is today How she monetized her website from the beginning Why writing a business plan was instrumental for her success Why her husband was so helpful in the early days When she started working with contributors and why How they afforded to pay contributors When she started taking an income from the site What she would have done differently at the start What social media platform has worked best for HVFH Resources: AdThrive The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson Her View from Home Become a contributor for Her View From Home If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Gratitude, constant growth, and keeping overwhelm at bay. ----- Welcome to episode 84 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork talks about gratitude, constant growth, and keeping blog overwhelm at bay. In this episode, Bjork discusses: How your past is relevant to your future Examples of using past skills to grow your business How you can contrast negative thoughts with grateful thoughts to stay balanced How you can simultaneously be content, yet still aiming to learn and grow What the difference is between blogs that thrive and those that get stuck Why just creating consistent content is not enough How you can apply 1%∞ today How 1%∞ can keep things from becoming overwhelming Resources: foodbloggerpro.com/afton Pinch of Yum Workshops Lynda.com If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

How Lindsay organizes her day, how to apply 1% infinity to your daily life, and where Bjork got his name. ----- Welcome to episode 83 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, we're playing an episode from the Chopped Podcast with Marly McMillen. In this episode, Marly covers a lot of ground with Bjork and Lindsay. They talk about how Lindsay organizes her days, what it means to practice 1% infinity every day, and, my personal favorite, she asks them some random questions that were really fun to hear their answers to, like where Bjork's name came from. In this episode, Bjork and Lindsay share: How they came up with the name Pinch of Yum Why Lindsay incorporates teaching into her blog How they organize their days What 1% infinity is and how they apply it every day How Bjork got his name What Lindsay's favorite phone app is Resources: Day Designer Passion Planner Chopped Conference Namely Marly If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!

Why they pushed forward after initial non-success, how she rose above negative comments, and why being vulnerable draws people in. ----- Welcome to episode 82 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, we're playing an episode from the Mixergy podcast with Andrew Warner. In this episode, Andrew chats with Lindsay about Pinch of Yum's history and where they are today. Andrew takes the time to dig deep and ask some really interesting questions that wouldn't normally get asked, and Lindsay's answers might just help you understand what's going on with your blog a bit better. In this episode, Lindsay shares: What her big motivating factor was in the early days Whether they thought about money when starting How many photos she will take for a single post Why they kept going with the monetization after not making much money initially How living in the Philippines changed the blog How she found out that she was "expert enough" to write Tasty Food Photography Why she got negative comments and why they got her down What helped her keep going despite negative people online How she gets featured on Buzzfeed so often Why being vulerable draws people in Resources: Gary Vaynerchuck Pinch of Yum Income Reports Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon Tasty Food Photography Resources for Food Bloggers page on POY Tribes by Seth Godin

The thing that can hinder you from blogging success, what keeps Pinch of Yum running, and why they create digital products instead of physical ones. ----- Welcome to episode 81 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, we're playing an episode from the Cleverism podcast with Martin Luenendonk. In this episode, Martin goes over the beginning story of Pinch of Yum with Bjork, and then they dive into some quick but targeted questions about what keeps Pinch of Yum running. My personal favorite: Bjork divulges the #1 mistake he sees bloggers make that can hinder their success. In this episode, Bjork discusses: How Pinch of Yum got started When they realized that it could be a business How they monetized POY in the early days How they monetize POY today Why they chose to create digital products instead of selling physical ones What software and services they use on POY How A/B testing has been valuable for them What mistakes many bloggers make that hinder success What they do to attract traffic from Pinterest Resources: Get the resources and transcript for this episode here: https://www.cleverism.com/cp15-podcast-bjork-ostrom-pinch-of-yum-food-blogging/

Welcome to episode 80 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast. This week, Kirsten Oliphant interview Bjork about practicing 1%∞ through the different phases of business. As you may have heard, Bjork and Lindsay recently suffered a loss, which you can read a bit more about on Pinch of Yum. While Bjork takes some time off to grieve their loss and to celebrate Afton's short life, we're bringing in a couple interviews that Bjork did with other podcasters. This week's podcaster is Kirsten Oliphant, author and podcaster at Create If Writing. She interviewed Bjork about a year and a half ago and they talked a lot about what it takes to run a business for the long haul. Bjork chalked a lot of this up to practicing 1%∞, a concept that he put a name to a long time ago and tries to practice every day. In this episode, Bjork discusses: How 1%infinity came about and what it means What the different "phases" of Pinch of Yum were How he and Lindsay applied 1% infinity to the different phases of Pinch of Yum and Food Blogger Pro Why perfecting small things can hinder progress How to determine which things deserve your 1% Why outsourcing everything isn't always the best option What the reality is for running a membership site How priorities for business investment change over time Resources: Get the resources for this podcast at createifwriting.com/061

Achieving career dreams, moving to YouTube, finding a niche, and working with multichannel networks with Lauren Toyota from Hot for Food. ----- Welcome to episode 79 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week, Bjork interviews Lauren Toyota from Hot for Food about how she grew her YouTube following. When starting (or running) a business, it can be tempting to look at what other successful people have done and try to do the same thing. If they were successful doing this, then you should be, too, right? While that scenario sometimes plays out, oftentimes you just become another fish in a sea of fish that are all doing the same thing. Lauren Toyota from Hot for Food found her success by diving into a newer niche and producing content in a way that no one else had done before. And it worked - she amassed just about 200k followers in just one year on YouTube. Today she's here to talk about how it all went down. In this episode, Lauren shares: How she was able to achieve her teenage career dream What goals she had when starting her blog What her typical day looks like How she started doing YouTube videos What inspired her popular Recipe? segment How they set up their lighting & audio How their social following helped grow their YouTube channel How an MCN helped her monetize her channel How brand partnerships work with Hot for Food Resources: Adobe Premiere Episode 010: Working with Brands on YouTube with Beth Le Manach from Entertaining with Beth Kin Community Network Hot for Food on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter Lauren in Real Life on YouTube Hot for Food on YouTube Hot for Food Blog If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to [email protected]. Be sure to review us on iTunes!