780: "I Decided I Was Going to Be the Driver" - Leaving a 9-to-5 for Full-Time Blogging with Cheryl Norris

Megan chats with Cheryl Norris about what the transition from corporate employee to full time blogger really looks like and how to navigate it with purpose. Cheryl Norris is the founder of the Bakes by Brown Sugar baking blog, where she specializes in baked goods for the homebaker. She combines her technical background as a mechanical engineer and self-taught baker to write detailed recipes and explain the baking science behind her recipes. She lives in Porltand, OR with her husband. She recently left her full time job and now operates her food blog full time. In addition to her business, Cheryl loves to travel. Her favorite city is Paris, but her favorite food country is Japan. She also loves to read and is always up to learning something new. Cheryl's story is raw, honest, and deeply helpful for anyone dreaming of going full time. She walks through the emotional and logistical challenges of leaving a 37 year career, the mindset shift that changed everything, and the systems that helped her step into entrepreneurship with clarity instead of chaos. This conversation is a roadmap for anyone craving freedom but unsure how to get there. Key points discussed include: Be the driver in your own transition: Learn how Cheryl reclaimed control during layoffs and turned fear into clarity. Know your numbers before you leap: She breaks down the financial reality that helped her make a confident decision. Plan your first 90 days intentionally: Hear how a transition roadmap reduces stress and brings direction. Write your own job description: Understand your role, hours, and expectations the same way you would in any company. Create an ideal week you can stick to: Build structure so your time expands your work rather than swallows it. Expect the emotional dip: Cheryl names the "pit of incompetence" and why it is a normal part of leveling up. Use systems that support your brain: Learn why tools like ClickUp or a simple planner can be the difference between drifting and momentum. Remember why you started: Returning to the love of baking helped Cheryl find joy and energy again. Connect with Cheryl Norris Website | Instagram

Natalie Battaglia teaches us simple and sustainable Instagram growth strategies that attract loyal followers without burnout. Natalie Battaglia is the founder of The Mindful Mocktail, a blog and Instagram community dedicated to helping people celebrate without alcohol. What began as a way to share simple, beautiful mocktails has grown into a global destination for wellness-inspired drinks that anyone can make at home. Through her website, social channels, and book The Mindful Mocktail, Nat inspires people to drink mindfully, explore new flavors, and find joy in the ritual of making a beautiful drink. If you are tired of shouting into the Instagram void, this conversation will feel like oxygen. Natalie breaks down the exact behaviors that helped her build a global brand, including the five minute reel that brought in more than two hundred thousand followers. She offers clear, doable strategies for retention, repurposing, analytics, and building true community so you can grow with intention instead of pressure. Key points discussed include: Create for the people already watching: Learn how to connect deeply with your audience so your content lands and keeps landing. Use compilations to attract new followers: Discover why short, punchy highlight reels are powerful growth machines. Retention drives the algorithm: You will understand exactly why watch time outweighs likes and how to optimize for it. Repurpose with intention: Save your best visuals, build quick compilations, and grow without reinventing the wheel. Analytics are your creative compass: Let your retention and skip rates tell you what to make next instead of guessing. Trending audio still matters: Use audio strategically and early to ride momentum rather than chase it. Caption writing is storytelling: Craft a strong first line that acts like a hook and earns the next tap. Quality beats quantity: Posting frequency and why two solid pieces a week can outperform daily content. Connect with Natalie Battaglia Website | Instagram

Hanelore Dumitrache explains Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and what bloggers must change now to stay visible in an AI driven search world. Hanelore is a food blogger, AI strategist, and founder of the tech startup Whimzi AI. She helps creators and businesses future-proof their work through innovative, human-centered AI solutions. Hanelore is also the creator of AEO Audits, a pioneering framework that teaches bloggers how to stay visible in AI-driven search. Her mission is to make AI approachable, practical, and genuinely exciting for everyone. Search has transformed and AI engines no longer rely on rigid keyword matching. Instead, they understand intent, context and entities in a way traditional SEO cannot cover alone. Hanelore breaks down AEO, the new optimization approach that helps search engines correctly interpret your content and surface it inside AI answers. She explains why bloggers are losing traffic, what AEO does differently, and the exact shifts you can begin making today to prepare your blog for the future of search. Key points discussed include: Search is now semantic and AI engines match meaning and intent, not keyword density. AEO complements SEO because you still need technical foundations, but now you must add clarity and entity based structure. Authority matters more than ever so your author profile, expertise and topical focus must be consistent across the web. Topic clusters build credibility and prevent AI from seeing your blog as scattered or unfocused. Clear structure fuels visibility because AI engines need concise definitions, strong headings and anchored explanations. FAQ blocks strengthen retrieval and short, direct answers boost your chances of being cited. Internal linking reinforces meaning and helps AI connect your content into a coherent knowledge graph. Early adopters win because AI models learn historically, rewarding blogs that begin optimizing now. Connect with Hanelore Dumitrache Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Lindsay Pinchuk about simplifying your marketing through her SWEEP framework so you can finally stay consistent without burning out. Lindsay is an award-winning entrepreneur, consultant, and small business mentor who's among the less than 1% of female founders to successfully lead her company through an acquisition. She built her first company, Bump Club and Beyond, from just $500 into a 7-figure brand with partnerships that included Target, Nordstrom, Huggies, and Unilever, reaching over 3 million people every month before selling the business to a large agency holding company. Today, Lindsay is the founder of Dear FoundHer..., a top 0.5% podcast and community supporting women business owners over 40. Through her podcast, newsletter, mentorship program, and her signature SWEEP framework, she helps entrepreneurs simplify their marketing, grow their businesses, and build long-term success. She built a seven figure business without an ad budget, and the strategy behind it is surprisingly simple. In this episode she breaks down SWEEP, the system she created to help entrepreneurs amplify content through social media, their website, email, events and partnerships. You will hear why repurposing is non-negotiable, why consistency beats complexity, and how food bloggers can use SWEEP to grow without feeling like they have to be everywhere at once. Key points discussed include: Consistency drives everything and most creators struggle because they overcomplicate their marketing. Repurposing is a power move and one blog post can fuel days of content across multiple platforms. Social media is free awareness so choose two platforms you can commit to and post intentionally. Email is your conversion engine and it will always outperform social media for clicks and sales. Events accelerate trust whether in person or virtual, because your audience gets direct access to you. Partnerships expand your reach by borrowing other people's audiences and creating mutual value. Publicity builds authority and podcast guesting is one of the fastest, most overlooked ways to grow. A simple process wins so map out your sweep for each blog post and repeat it every time. Connect with Lindsay Pinchuk Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Megan Flatt about how your hormone cycle affects your ability to focus and the simple shifts that let you work smarter, protect your brain and get bigger results by doing less. Megan Flatt is the founder of Let's Collective, a business strategy firm helping entrepreneurs achieve more revenue, time, and fulfillment—without the hustle. Megan is also the author of Focused: Reclaim Your Time, Ditch Overwhelm, and Do Less Better, where she blends research and practical strategies to help people do less, better. When she's not strategizing, Megan can be found with a stack of romance novels, a fresh set of office supplies and usually a latte. Learn more at letscollective.co This episode reframes productivity in a way that feels sane again. Megan explains what actually helps your brain focus, why multitasking backfires, and how to plan in cycles that match your energy and biology. She digs into the default mode network, the value of "done" definitions, and the three step planning framework she uses with CEOs. If your brain feels foggy or scattered, these tools will reset your entire approach. Key points discussed include: Tasks, projects and goals are different and clarity here prevents overwhelm. Define your container so your brain knows when work starts and ends. Default mode network time matters because your brain needs space to solve problems. Planning in 90 day cycles works and gives your ideas room to breathe. Hormones influence productivity so aligning your work with your cycle can change everything. Triggers help you focus whether it is headphones, a playlist or a specific workspace. Break tasks into small wins because dopamine drives momentum. Do less better and concentrate on the work that actually moves your business. Connect with Megan Flatt Website | Instagram

Tasheena Womack teaches us how to break free from perfectionism, reframe failure and build the kind of mindset that makes you unstoppable. Tasheena founded Simply Tasheena in 2011 as a lifestyle blog that has since partnered with major brands including Disney, Goya®, Hilton, Mazda, and Kodak. With a Master's degree in Organizational Management and Leadership, she has built multiple successful ventures and spoken at over 100 organizations throughout the tri-state area. Tasheena specializes in helping entrepreneurs develop the mindset strategies needed to transform creative passions into sustainable businesses. She strives to empower others with practical tools for entrepreneurial success and personal growth. Tasheena talks about shifting out of fear, treating mistakes as data, creating an evidence file, and taking bold action without waiting for things to be perfect. If you have felt stuck, hesitant or discouraged lately, this episode will clear that fog fast. It is the kind of mindset reset that changes how you move. Key points discussed include: Action beats perfection and waiting for ideal conditions stalls your entire business. Failure is just information and every misstep teaches you the next right move. An evidence file keeps you grounded on the days you doubt your own progress. Simple steps create momentum so do one thing and let the next unfold. Comparison becomes strategy when you use it for learning instead of judgment. Your voice builds your community so show your face, speak on camera and share your real life. Opportunities expand when you negotiate and brands often mirror your confidence. The best is always ahead and your job is simply to keep showing up. Connect with Tasheena Womack Website | Instagram

Megan chats to Kat Duncan about sustainable organic traffic and why intentional content, email strategy and high volume output matter more than chasing trends. Kat is the CEO of Honeycomb Media, a women-owned and operated marketing agency that works primarily with food bloggers. Passionate about marketing and social media from a young age, Kat has spent the past five years helping bloggers grow their online presence. Under her leadership, Honeycomb Media has become especially strong at driving organic traffic for food bloggers. She lives on the coast of South Carolina with her husband and their two kids. Kat loves that her work revolves around food and is dedicated to giving bloggers the tools and support they need to succeed in such a competitive space. She breaks down the platforms that actually move the needle right now and why food bloggers should lean into email, Pinterest, social search and consistent publishing. She shares what is working for clients across Honeycomb Media, how to approach Newsbreak and MSN, and what it really takes to stay visible in a competitive landscape. If you want long term, steady traffic instead of algorithm anxiety, this is your roadmap. Key points discussed include: Email is your easiest win and a simple popup can grow your list fast. Roundups drive reliable traffic especially when you keep them clear and helpful. Pinterest is resurging and rewards high volume, real imagery and authentic recipes. Social media is now a search engine and people want real food from real creators. Newsbreak and MSN still matter and can be lucrative for high output creators. Google is rewarding connection so write for humans and skip the keyword stuffing. Interlinking builds authority and keeps readers exploring your site. You cannot do everything alone so output eventually requires support and strategy. If You Loved This Episode… You'll love Episode 720: Mastering Pinterest in 2025 – How to Refresh Your Strategy And Stop losing Traffic (Part 1) With Laura Rike Connect with Kat Duncan Website | Instagram

Hannah Holzum teaches us about what it really feels like to start a food blog in 2025 and why courage, community and simple systems matter more than anything. Hannah is a registered dietitian and food blogger who shares healthy, balanced takes on family favorites. As a mom of three daughters, she knows firsthand how busy weeknights can be, so she focuses on creating recipes that are simple, nourishing, and kid-approved. Her goal is to help families enjoy mealtime together without the stress of cooking multiple dishes. She is only ten months into her blogging journey, but she has already built systems, invested in smart help, and navigated the overwhelm that comes with being brand new. She walks through the mindset shifts that helped her move forward quickly, the early investments that paid off, and the importance of ignoring traffic obsession in favor of serving real people. If you are starting a blog or thinking about it, you will walk away feeling braver, clearer and less alone. Key points discussed include: Overwhelm is normal and starting anyway is the only way forward. Find your people because community shortens the learning curve and keeps you grounded. Smart investments matter including tech help and early SEO audits that prevent long term setbacks. Weekly check ins keep you aligned with your purpose, not just your to do list. Shiny objects steal momentum so simplify your focus and choose one priority at a time. Supplemental income is not failure and can support your growth while your blog builds traction. Traffic is not the point so listen to your community and create what they actually want. Courage compounds and every brave step you take opens the next one. Connect with Hannah Holzum Website | Instagram

Megan chats with social media strategist Shannon McKinstrie about creating Instagram stories that actually convert, without overthinking, overproducing, or burning out. Shannon McKinstrie is a social media mentor & strategist on a mission to eliminate the neverending content-creation guesswork and overwhelm so business owners can actually enjoy promoting their business and engaging with their audience on social platforms without burning out. If Instagram stories intimidate you or feel like another box to check, this episode will change your mind. Shannon McKinstrie breaks down the art of storytelling on Instagram in a way that's approachable, human, and fun. She shares her three-story formula, engagement hacks that feel natural, and simple ways to connect with your audience beyond recipes. You'll learn how to show up consistently, grow your visibility, and build trust with your followers. No perfection required. Key points discussed include: - Start simple: Three stories a day is all you need to build traction. - The first story sets the tone: Greet, connect, and invite your audience in. - Convert in story two: Drop social proof, share an offer, or link to fresh content. - End with real life: Relatable, offbeat moments make you memorable. - Engagement = conversation: Use polls, questions, and humor to start dialogue. - Be human, not perfect: Messy stories often perform best because they're real. - Test content in stories first: Use reactions to see what should become your next reel. - Stop fearing your voice: Authenticity builds faster than flawless delivery. Connect with Shannon McKinstrie Website | Instagram

Molly Patrick teaches us about creating a values-driven business through genuine connection, radical honesty, and community that sustains itself without ads, gimmicks, or burnout. Molly is the co-founder of Clean Food Dirty Girl, a global community known for its honest, inclusive approach to plant-based living. Raised off-grid in New Mexico, Molly learned early to value simplicity, hard work, and humor - principles that still shape her work today. A lifelong vegetarian and vegan since 2010, she has been alcohol- and cigarette-free since 2015 and now lives on the island of Maui, leading a thriving movement that helps people eat more plants and live more intentionally. For over a decade, Molly has built a thriving global community around eating more plants, not through viral hacks or paid ads, but through heart, storytelling, and trust. She has turned authenticity into strategy and connection into sustainability. In this conversation, she and Megan dive deep into what makes communities stick, how to serve before you sell, and why writing to your audience like a friend will always outperform clever marketing. Key points discussed include: Build trust, not traffic: Community outlasts algorithms every time. Show up human: People connect with your truth, not your polish. Serve before you sell: Generosity creates loyalty that no ad can buy. Email is still gold: Talk to your audience like a best friend, not a brand. Hold it lightly: You can't force connection. Create space for it. Listen and evolve: Feedback is a gift, not a critique. Sustain through simplicity: When you remove the fluff, your message shines. Community over clicks: Real relationships build the most resilient businesses. Connect with Molly Patrick Website | Instagram