796: Feeling Stuck or Alone in Blogging? Listen to This With Reed Dunn, Kim Cauti & Taryn Solie

Megan chats with Kim Cauti and Reed Dunn about what happens inside the Eat Blog Talk Inner Circle and how it helps bloggers gain clarity, connection, and momentum. The Eat Blog Talk Inner Circle is a supportive community for food bloggers who crave more focus, accountability, and connection. Inside, you'll connect with like-minded creators, stay motivated through weekly check-ins, and gain fresh ideas through group discussions and expert insights. With a private Slack space, live calls, and collaborative opportunities, this is a flexible, encouraging environment designed to help you grow your blog with clarity, consistency, and confidence. This episode gives a behind the scenes look at the Inner Circle experience through real member voices. If you are feeling isolated, overwhelmed, or stuck in your blogging business, this conversation shows how the right community can provide clarity, accountability, and faster progress without adding pressure or complexity. Key Topics Discussed: - Blogging alone can create blind spots and make it harder to move your business forward. - Getting direct answers from experienced bloggers saves time and prevents you from relying on outdated or generic advice. - Having built in accountability through weekly goals and focus calls helps you consistently follow through on important work. - Learning from real data and real experiences gives you better direction than testing everything on your own. - Being in a supportive and safe environment allows you to make clearer decisions and act with confidence. - You do not need to be at a certain level to benefit from the Inner Circle, because everyone brings valuable insight to the group. Connect with the Inner Circle Website Guests on this episode: Reed Dunn - Pesto and Potatoes Kim Cauti - Pretty Delicious Life Taryn Solie - Hot Pan Kitchen

Megan chats with Josh Gale about using Facebook to unlock a powerful new revenue stream through consistent content, smart reposting, and platform specific strategy. Bio: Josh, creator of The Chef Out West, is a rapidly growing content creator with a booming social media presence. In just eight months, he has grown his audience to 325K on Instagram and 512K on Facebook, gaining thousands of new followers daily. He also runs a Substack community of 23K subscribers, built in only five months. With recent Facebook monetization generating over $10,000 in a single month from views alone, Josh brings valuable insight into high-performing content and audience growth. His platforms reached approximately 50 million views on Facebook, 44 million on Instagram, and 150K on Substack in the past month, making him a compelling voice on content strategy and growth. This episode breaks open a major opportunity most food bloggers are overlooking. Facebook is quietly paying creators for views, and the barrier to entry is lower than you think. If you are relying heavily on brand deals or struggling to scale revenue, this conversation gives you a clear path to diversify income using content you are already creating. Key Topics Discussed: - Facebook monetization is accessible with relatively low thresholds. - View based revenue can scale quickly with consistent posting. - Posting multiple times daily increases chances of viral reach. - Repurposing and re editing old content drives new growth. - Longer videos generate higher earnings per view. - Consistency matters more than perfection. Guest Details Connect with Josh Gale Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Chris Pieta about using AI strategically to streamline workflows, improve content quality, and grow your blog without sacrificing your voice or credibility. Chris Pieta runs the operations and AI side of Food Blog Coaching, founded by his wife Kayla Burton, where they help food bloggers turn their blogs into thriving businesses and become confident entrepreneurs. They also run the food blog Broken Oven Baking Company together. What they teach in FBC, they first test and refine on their own blog. Chris has been using and testing AI in his businesses since 2022 and has been building AI-powered workflows and tools specifically for food bloggers. Previously he ran a photo and video agency and coached creatives on business. AI is already reshaping how food bloggers create, publish, and grow. This episode cuts through the noise and shows experienced bloggers how to actually use AI in a way that saves time, improves output, and strengthens their brand instead of diluting it. If you want to stay competitive without sacrificing quality or trust, this conversation matters. Key Topics Discussed: Treat AI as an assistant that handles repetitive tasks, not a replacement for your voice. Better prompts with clear goals, context, and constraints produce dramatically better results. Context profiles are the fastest way to create personalized, high quality AI outputs. The real value of AI comes from building repeatable systems, not one off tasks. Avoid generic AI content at all costs or you will lose audience trust quickly. Strong personal branding will matter more than ever as AI content increases online. Connect with Chris Pieta Website | Instagram Resources Coaching & Community for Food Bloggers Ideal Reader Profile Generator Free Blogging Tips Newsletter

Megan chats with Martin Glover about building a sustainable food blog when time is limited and the industry feels uncertain. Martin Glover is a dad, home cook, and the main chef in his household who is passionate about proving that anyone can create great food without being overly fancy. Through Dad What Cooks, he shares approachable recipes for BBQ, bread, and pizza while keeping a close eye on the budget, showing families that delicious, satisfying meals don't have to be expensive or complicated. If you are balancing a full time job, family life, and constant industry changes, this episode will show you how to focus, simplify, and keep moving forward without burning out. Martin shares practical systems that help him grow traffic steadily while keeping blogging fun and manageable. Key Topics Discussed: -Work with the time you have, not the time you wish you had. -Focus on what is already working and double down. -Use AI as a strategist and editor, not a replacement. -Refresh and improve old posts before chasing new ones. -Stop chasing every platform and commit to a few core channels. -Publish now, refine later, and let progress beat perfection. Connect with Martin Glover Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Emily Christensen about turning strategic Instagram growth into a six figure blog in under a year. Emily Christensen is a sourdough baker, educator, and food blogger behind Country Roads Sourdough. What started as selling bread locally and teaching community classes grew into a profitable food blog after she leveraged Instagram to build trust and drive traffic. Emily monetized her blog within a year and now helps home bakers make sourdough feel simple, approachable, and realistic for everyday life. Emily went from teaching local sourdough classes and selling bread out of a tiny kitchen to qualifying for Raptive in just a few months. This episode breaks down exactly how she used Instagram to drive serious traffic, build multiple revenue streams, and treat her blog like a real business from day one. If you are an experienced food blogger wondering whether Instagram is still worth your time, this conversation gives you a clear answer and a practical roadmap. Key Topics Discussed: -Social media is a discovery engine, not the end product. -Viral content often comes from unique angles, not high search volume keywords. -Repeat the hooks and formats that already work. -Publish the blog post first, then drive traffic from Instagram. -Build systems and hire help before burnout forces you to. -Treat your blog like a real business from the start. Connect with Emily Christensen Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Laura Arnold about what is actually working in SEO right now and how to build a food brand that can withstand AI and platform shifts. Laura Arnold is the founder of Dang Good Digital, a food focused digital strategy studio specializing in recipe SEO and social media growth. With over a decade in food media and marketing, she helps creators increase visibility, traffic, and long term growth. An Emmy nominated culinary television producer with credits on The Kitchen and The Chew, and a cookbook consultant on multiple New York Times bestselling titles, Laura brings a behind the scenes perspective on how food content is created and discovered across platforms. Search is changing fast. Relying on Google alone is no longer a safe strategy. In this episode, you will learn how to think beyond individual blog posts and start building a diversified, resilient brand that drives traffic from multiple sources and keeps growing even as AI evolves. Key Topics Discussed: -Diversify or stall: Relying on SEO alone is no longer a sustainable growth strategy. -Video builds trust fast: Imperfect, consistent video creates community and drives traffic. -Keyword research still matters: Use it to guide smart content decisions, not to limit creativity. -EEAT is non negotiable: Show clear expertise in every post, not just on your About page. -Community beats algorithms: Loyal followers protect your traffic from AI disruption. -Consistency compounds: Steady publishing across your website and two core platforms wins long term. Connect with Laura Arnold Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Melodee from Pretty Focused about the Buyers Club hiring grant and why now is the time to stop doing everything yourself. Melodee is the creator and owner of Pretty Focused. She's a wife, homeschool mom and a second grade teacher turned food photographer. Melodee started working as a food photographer for food bloggers in 2016. In 2017, she started to have friends ask her to teach them how to do it too, so she did, and that's when Pretty Focused was born. Since then, she's had over 1,000 students join Pretty Focused to learn how to photograph food for food bloggers. Melodee connects them with potential clients inside their marketplace when they graduate. Over the last 3 years, 69% of our grads reported making $50,000+ working as food photographers for bloggers. If you are feeling stretched thin, navigating industry shifts, or walking through a hard season of life, this episode matters. Melodee shares a practical path to buying back your time, building real support into your business, and stepping into community instead of isolation. Key Topics Discussed: You do not have to do it all alone. Hiring support is often the move that unlocks momentum. Outsourcing buys back time. Time is the asset that allows you to grow and scale. Community creates resilience. The right ecosystem strengthens your business long term. Trained photographers matter. Working with people who understand food blogging saves frustration. The grant is based on need. Three bloggers will receive $500 to use inside Buyers Club. New seasons require new moves. Fresh strategies and support can redefine your year. The Pretty Focused Buyers Club Connect with Melodee Fiske Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Megan Flatt about building a weekly planning system that actually works and helps you finish your most important work. 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 If your weeks feel full but your biggest goals keep slipping, this episode gives you a repeatable planning process that protects your time, your energy, and your priorities even during busy or disruptive weeks. Weekly planning saves time, not wastes it: Intentional planning prevents task jumping and reactive work. Your calendar is the container, not your to-do list: You can only commit to what realistically fits. Set work hours before setting tasks: Clear boundaries reduce guilt and increase focus. Brain dumps clear mental clutter fast: Getting tasks out of your head improves decision-making. Buffer time is nonnegotiable: Planning 100 percent of your time guarantees burnout. Progress beats perfect weeks: Consistent review and adjustment is the system. Connect with Megan Flatt Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Amy Reid about self publishing a cookbook, choosing the right timing, and building a profitable income stream outside of ad revenue. Amy Reid is the voice-behind and creator-of Baking with Granny. The daughter of a professional baker, Amy grew up in a house which was filled with cakes & bakes. Once her own two children came along (and her mother became "Granny"), it was suddenly obvious that many of their family recipes would be lost in time, if not written down now. And Baking with Granny was born! Amy now takes recipes from years gone by and transforms them into easy home baking recipes that people around the world can make and enjoy. If writing a cookbook has been sitting on your someday list, this episode might be the push you need. Amy Reid from Baking With Granny shares exactly how she self published her first cookbook, why she chose that route, and what it really took to make it profitable. This is a practical, honest look at cookbook creation for food bloggers who want more control and more stability. Key Topics Discussed: - The right time is when your business can support the focus: You do not need perfect conditions, but you do need margin. - Self publishing gives you full creative and financial control: From photography to pricing, every decision stays in your hands. - Pre orders validate demand before you spend big money: Selling first reduced risk and confirmed the book was wanted. - Large scale recipe testing builds confidence and credibility: Hundreds of testers removed guesswork and strengthened the final product. - You can combine hardcover printing with print on demand: This balances profit, accessibility, and global shipping. - Cookbook sales can meaningfully diversify income: This was not a passion project. It was a profitable business move. Guest Details Connect with Amy Reid Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Maria Lucey about how she built a profitable food brand through YouTube alone and why long form video is one of the smartest growth moves food bloggers can make right now. Maria Lucey is a Registered Dietitian and content creator who launched her YouTube channel at the end of 2023 and grew it to over 44,000 subscribers in just over two years. Her channel focuses on long-form nutrition education and practical recipes that help people meet their health goals. Although she didn't have a blog when she started YouTube, Maria quickly recognized how the two platforms could complement each other and began building her blog soon after. Today, YouTube is her second-largest traffic source after Google and has helped her grow an email list of more than 6,000 subscribers, primarily through YouTube opt-ins, despite her blog still being relatively small. She monetizes through brand partnerships, YouTube and Mediavine ad revenue, and digital products. Maria is passionate about showing that anyone can start from zero - she began with no SEO or camera experience and built her platform through consistency and learning along the way. She also emphasizes how well blogging skills transfer to YouTube, and recently was flown to Los Angeles to collaborate with some of the platform's most established creators. What if you stopped chasing every platform and committed fully to one that actually builds trust, authority, and income? In this episode, Maria Lucey shares exactly how she grew a YouTube channel to nearly 50,000 subscribers in just over two years, monetized early, built a massive email list, and replaced her full time clinical job without relying on SEO or social media trends. This conversation breaks down what really works on YouTube for food creators and why consistency beats perfection every time. Key Topics Discussed: Future Consistency beats talent every time: Posting one video per week built momentum, skill, and confidence long before results showed up. YouTube rewards commitment not volume: Growth came from showing up weekly, not from posting more often or gaming the algorithm. Your first videos will be bad and that is the point: Improvement only happens through repetition and publishing before you feel ready. Monetization can happen faster than you think: Maria reached YouTube monetization within six months by focusing on watch time and value. Email lists convert extremely well from YouTube: Simple lead magnets tied directly to video topics drove consistent list growth. Packaging matters as much as content: Titles and thumbnails determine whether your video gets clicked at all. Curiosity outperforms keywords early on: Intrigue driven titles helped videos get discovered before shifting to SEO later. Connect with Maria Lucey Website | Instagram | YouTube