Embracing the Entrepreneurial Journey: My Leap into Full-Time Food Blogging and Videography

The journey to entrepreneurial freedom is often paved with dreams, hard work, and a significant leap of faith. Today marks a pivotal moment in my life, one that many of you, my incredible readers and friends, have heard me speak about over the past few years. It’s with immense excitement and a touch of disbelief that I announce I have officially quit my day job to pursue my passion for food blogging, photography, and videography full-time!

This decision, while years in the making, has already brought a wave of liberating changes. Imagine the freedom of setting your own schedule, pursuing creative projects, and even making personal statements like dyeing your hair a vibrant shade of purple! While my tattoo appointment is set for March, the purple hair is a fun, immediate manifestation of this newfound autonomy. It’s a deeper, richer purple than I initially envisioned – a testament to learning what works best with my dark hair – and I absolutely adore its unique, playful charm. It’s a small but significant symbol of the unconventional path I’m now carving out for myself.

For what feels like an eternity, my ultimate goal has been to transition from a traditional 9-to-5 role to a career centered around my thriving food blog and my growing expertise in food photography and videography. To finally say that this dream is a reality is truly surreal. It’s a culmination of countless late nights, early mornings, and unwavering dedication. And now, the “BAM!” moment has arrived – I am officially a full-time digital content creator.

Defining My New Career Path: A Glimpse into My Entrepreneurial Work Week

Stepping away from a conventional job often leads to questions about what exactly fills the void. Many assume my primary focus will be food photography, which, while a cherished part of my skill set, is actually a smaller component of my new full-time venture. My work week, which I anticipate will hover around 50-55 intensive hours, will be strategically structured around three core pillars, each contributing significantly to my professional growth and financial stability:

Freelance Food Videography (Approximately 50%): This will be the largest segment of my professional time, dedicated to crafting captivating recipe videos for various clients.
Nurturing My Food Blog (Approximately 30-40%): The very platform you are reading now, my blog, will receive focused attention to ensure its continued growth and success.
Freelance Writing and Photography (The Remaining Portion): This encompasses a variety of creative assignments, keeping my skills sharp and offering diverse opportunities.

Let’s delve deeper into each of these exciting areas.

Mastering the Art of Freelance Food Videography

The world of online food content is dynamic, constantly evolving, and video has undeniably become an indispensable medium for engagement and reach. My journey into food videography began roughly eight months ago, fueled by observing the remarkable success of fellow bloggers in this space. The initial spark ignited during a food blogging conference in Cancun, where Eric and Diana Johnson from Eating Richly delivered an inspiring talk on the power of video. From that moment, I knew that integrating video into my content strategy was paramount for 2016.

To truly immerse myself and elevate my videography skills, I made a crucial investment by joining the Blog Village. This platform proved to be an absolute game-changer, transforming my nascent video efforts into polished, professional productions. For anyone serious about creating high-quality recipe videos, I wholeheartedly recommend the Blog Village – it’s arguably the best investment you can make, second only to quality camera equipment itself. I diligently applied what I learned, practicing extensively by producing videos for my own blog. While my initial videos garnered mild interest, it was this particular video that unexpectedly went semi-viral, attracting over 1,000 new Facebook likes in a matter of days. This moment solidified my obsession with video content, prompting me to prioritize it by consciously reducing my weekly recipe posts to ensure at least one new recipe video was published each week.

The rapid success on my own platform led to an exciting realization: could this newfound passion project evolve into a viable side hustle? With this thought in mind, I reached out to a blogger I deeply admired, known for her substantial following and recent foray into hiring videographers. My aim was twofold: to gauge her perspective on the demand for freelance videographers among larger bloggers (who could sustain regular payments) and to humbly request any potential references. Her response was not only incredibly encouraging but also swiftly resulted in three immediate referrals. I landed these three clients and, through their networks, secured another six within a short period – all from a single, well-placed email. This experience underscored the immense power of networking and delivering exceptional work.

Fast forward to today, and I find myself in the fortunate position of having more video work inquiries than I can realistically accommodate. This has allowed me to carefully select a handful of fantastic bloggers to work with on a regular basis. The past few months have been incredibly rewarding, albeit challenging, as I juggled a full-time job with compressing all my freelance video projects into just two weekend days. The ability to now dedicate my full attention to this craft is truly invigorating.

I must extend a huge thank you to Sara from the wonderful blog Cake Over Steak for connecting me with an opportunity to work as a part-time video production manager for the super cool blog, Ambitious Kitchen. Working with Monique has been an absolute joy; our styles align beautifully, and the creative process for her videos is incredibly fun. I invite you to follow her blog HERE to see our latest video collaborations as they’re published.

Another cherished collaboration is with Jessica from JessicaGavin.com. We’re part of the same blogger mastermind group, and I’ve been consistently impressed by her blog’s phenomenal growth. For those interested in the business side of blogging, her husband, Jason, publishes highly detailed income reports that offer valuable insights into their impressive 2016 growth. I am thrilled to deepen our collaboration in the new year.

In essence, approximately 50% of my dedicated work hours each week will be spent crafting engaging and high-quality recipe videos for fellow food bloggers and, on occasion, for various brands, further solidifying my position as a professional food videographer.

Cultivating My Blog: The Heart of My Culinary Journey

Oh, hello there! You’re currently experiencing the heart of my entrepreneurial venture – my blog. For those who follow my income reports, you’ll know that 2016 was a monumental year of concerted effort to elevate this platform, transforming it into a significant and reliable source of income. It’s a testament to consistent effort and strategic growth that in December of last year, my blog alone generated over $3300 in income. This achievement underscores the viability of passion-driven online businesses and fuels my ambitious plans for the future.

With the newfound luxury of dedicated time, my goals for the blog in 2017 are both expansive and exhilarating. In a nutshell, my aspirations include:

Consistent Content Publication: Committing to publishing three high-quality posts per week will be paramount for audience engagement and search engine optimization.
Strategic Content Promotion: I plan to meticulously promote all my content, both new and evergreen, across various platforms to maximize its reach and impact.
Continued Video Production: Maintaining my commitment to producing at least one original recipe video for my blog weekly, with aspirations to sometimes deliver two, will keep my content fresh and engaging.
Ambitious Pageview Targets: I aim to reach 200,000 monthly pageviews by August 1, 2017, and an ambitious 400,000 monthly pageviews by year-end, driven by enhanced SEO and social media strategies.
Nurturing Brand Relationships: I’m eager to connect with more like-minded brands, with a long-term goal of fostering 2-3 enduring sponsorships throughout the year, ensuring authentic collaborations.
Implementing a Robust Editorial Calendar: Consistently utilizing an editorial calendar to plan all posts at least a month in advance will ensure streamlined content creation and a professional approach.
Strategic Instagram Growth: Focusing on expanding my Instagram presence will involve consistent, high-quality visual content and engaged community interaction, leveraging its power as a visual storytelling platform.

While the exact allocation may fluctuate weekly, my overarching objective is to dedicate approximately 40% of my work week to the strategic development and expansion of my blog, ensuring it continues to thrive as both a creative outlet and a successful business.

Diverse Engagements: Freelance Writing and Photography

Over the past year, I consciously scaled back my writing contributions for Thrillist Nashville and reduced my involvement in local photography projects. My initial ambition was to delve extensively into restaurant photography, but I quickly discovered that actively seeking out and securing clients in this niche proved to be a significant challenge for me; I’m simply not a natural salesperson. This realization was perfectly acceptable, leading me to focus on areas where my skills and efforts were more naturally rewarded. While I still undertake occasional shoots and regularly provide photos for a few local magazines and publications, these opportunities primarily serve as a pleasant way to break from my home office, meet new people, and broaden my creative horizons.

Despite a common misconception, I engage in very little family and wedding photography. I want to be unequivocally clear: I have absolutely no desire to be a primary wedding photographer – the role demands a level of assertiveness and directiveness that simply doesn’t align with my personality. However, I genuinely enjoy second shooting for weddings from time to time. This role involves capturing intricate detail shots of rings, attire, flowers, and guests, and providing alternative angles and viewpoints during the ceremony. It’s a wonderfully creative and less stressful position, allowing me to contribute aesthetically without the primary organizational responsibilities. While enjoyable, the financial compensation for second shooting is typically modest, making it more of a passion project than a core income stream.

One area of photography that has always captivated me is headshot photography. I possess a complete lighting setup and various backdrops, yet I haven’t quite mastered the nuances of manipulating light to perfectly highlight the subject. Now that my beloved hobby has become my full-time career, and with the hopeful expectation of more flexible time, I am eager to dedicate myself to refining these skills. My motivation stems not just from professional ambition, but from a genuine artistic desire to excel in an area I truly love.

Reclaiming Life: Pursuing New and Old Hobbies

Speaking of hobbies, one of the most exciting aspects of this career transition is the prospect of finally reclaiming my personal time and “living again.” The relentless grind of balancing a full-time job with a burgeoning side hustle often left me perpetually exhausted, with little energy for what “normal people” do – like maintaining a tidy home or spontaneously joining friends for weekend outings. I am incredibly eager to regain a sense of normalcy and rediscover the simple joys of life.

As my hobby transforms into my career, I’m thrilled to pick up both new and long-neglected hobbies, enriching my life outside of work:

Extensive Gardening: While I’ve dabbled in gardening for the past five years, this year I am committed to truly dedicating myself to it. I have ambitious plans for my 2017 spring garden, including starting a butterfly garden in an unused section of my property. My ultimate vision is for my entire home to be enveloped in a vibrant tapestry of garden roses, buzzing bees, and fluttering butterflies.
Rediscovering Guitar: I’ve owned a guitar for approximately eight years, having played it constantly during the first two and even taking introductory classes in college. I eagerly anticipate picking it up again and dedicating time this year to relearn chords and strum a few tunes.
Exploring Macramé: This is a nascent thought, but the intricate art of macramé has recently piqued my interest. It offers a creative, tactile outlet that could be wonderfully meditative.
Daily Dog Walks: My beloved dogs, and I, are in need of more regular exercise. Establishing a daily walking routine will benefit all of us physically and mentally.
Consistent Yoga Practice: With the flexibility of working from home and managing my own schedule, I will have no legitimate excuses to avoid yoga. I look forward to incorporating it more frequently for physical and mental well-being.
Cooking Purely for Pleasure: One of the immense joys of being a food blogger is the incredible network of fellow food bloggers who constantly publish inspiring new recipes. I can’t wait to try many of these simply for fun, without the pressure of testing for my blog or filming for a video. It’s about reconnecting with the pure joy of culinary exploration.

Embracing the Freedoms: Things I Can Do Now

This dramatic career shift ushers in a new era of freedom and flexibility, allowing me to engage in activities that were previously out of reach or constrained by a traditional work schedule. Here are some of the exciting things I can now freely pursue:

Get a Tattoo: A long-held desire, this personal expression will be a permanent reminder of this monumental life change.
Dye My Hair Purple!: Already accomplished, this vibrant color symbolizes my embrace of creative freedom and breaking from conventional norms.
Work from Hip Nashville Coffee Shops: Enjoying a change of scenery, soaking in the vibrant energy of local coffee shops, and finding inspiration beyond my home office.
Take Random Weekdays Off: The ultimate luxury of dictating my own time – if I need a mental health day or feel inspired to do something else, I can.
Sleep in a Little More: Prioritizing rest and waking up naturally, leading to better focus and overall well-being.
Establish More Confined Work Hours: Setting clear boundaries between my professional and personal life, allowing for more dedicated “non-work” hours.
Rediscover Weekends: Perhaps the most thrilling – reclaiming my weekends for personal pursuits, social engagements, and true relaxation. Even just one dedicated day off per week feels like an incredible luxury!

A Heartfelt Thank You

To every single person who has supported me, my blog, and my audacious dreams over the years, I extend my deepest gratitude. Your encouragement, your readership, and your belief in my vision have been the bedrock of this journey. I genuinely wouldn’t be standing at this exciting precipice without you, and your support truly means the world to me. I eagerly anticipate an incredibly exciting and fulfilling 2017, brimming with new content, creative endeavors, and a truly balanced life.