The Food Blogger Pro Podcast

Opening a business bank account, learning from profit and losses, and what the new US tax law means for you with Ben Sutton. ----- Welcome to episode 161 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork chats with Ben Sutton from Mazuma about bookkeeping and taxes for bloggers. Blog Business 101: Understanding Your Accounting I know. Accounting, bookkeeping, and taxes aren’t the most exciting topics. That said, they’re necessary to understand if you’re running your own business. And Ben is here to make it all way more approachable. By tracking your expenses, profits, and losses, you can understand more about what’s working for your business and alleviate stress come tax season. You’ll learn why having a separate bank account for your business is helpful, how to start separating your expenses, and more! In this episode, Ben shares: Why he started his business When you should think about opening a separate bank account for your blog How specific should you be when categorizing your expenses How you should start tracking your expenses How you can use your profit and losses to help you understand your business How to start separating your expenses When you should start looking into forming an S-Corp What the new tax law means for you Resources: Mixmax Boomerang Mazuma Quickbooks If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Alicia from Daily Ration! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review. We’d like to thank our sponsors, WP Tasty! Check out wptasty.com to learn more about their handcrafted WordPress plugins specifically made for food bloggers.

Monetization strategies, thriving on social media, and ignoring comparison with Bjork Ostrom. ----- Welcome to episode 160 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, we’re sharing a recording from our most recent Live Q&A on Food Blogger Pro. A Sneak Peek into an FBP Live Q&A You are getting a sneak peek into one of our favorite perks that comes with a Food Blogger Pro membership: Live Q&As! We hold a Live Q&A for our members every month, and they’re a chance for our members to get answers to their toughest blogging questions…live. Our Q&As are the perfect opportunity to invite our experts to chat about a specific topic, but they’re also great for picking Bjork and Lindsay’s brains. This month’s Q&A was an “Ask Bjork Anything,” and Bjork answered our members’ questions about email lists, photography, monetization strategies, and more. Enjoy this sneak peek into Food Blogger Pro Live Q&As! In this episode, you’ll learn: How Bjork and Lindsay monetized Pinch of Yum in the early days The difference between profit and revenue Strategies for new bloggers who want to reach out to brands How to handle new social media platforms like IGTV The ideal Pinterest image size How Lindsay stores her photography props The best ways to grow your email list How Pinch of Yum started to build a team How to not get discouraged while you’re growing your blog How to promote products on your blog What you should do with old content How we set up our bootcamps Resources: Apply for our Member Success Agent position! Pinch of Yum income reports 149: How to Get Your Content to Stand Out on Pinterest with Yuka Ohishi 10 Mistakes that Bloggers Make and How to Fix Them 7 Essential Tools You Need to Shoot Your Own Recipe Videos Wayback Machine Zoom If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Madison from A Joyfully Mad Kitchen! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review. We’d like to thank our sponsors, WP Tasty! Check out wptasty.com to learn more about their handcrafted WordPress plugins specifically made for food bloggers.

Ways to pursue business growth and differentiating your income with Mark Daoust. ----- Welcome to episode 159 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork chats with Mark Daoust from Quiet Light Brokerage about testing new income streams and spending money to make money. Different Ways to Create an Income Online As an influencer, you have access to a ton of different ways to monetize your blog. And possibly some ways you haven’t even considered. Mark is here to chat about those ways and to give you a better understanding of how online businesses can differentiate themselves. Between understanding how valuable your company truly is to figuring out the right ways to sell your products to finding out what your readers are craving, Mark’s tips will help you create an established, sustainable business online. In this episode, Mark shares: What it was like starting his own podcast How to understand how much your business is worth What SaaS businesses are What ecommerce sites are and how to monetize them Ways you can spend money to make money What FBA stands for How to add an additional income stream to your business Resources: 1Password LastPass The Quiet Light Podcast 032: Buying & Selling Websites with Mark Daoust from Quiet Light Brokerage Nutrifox Etsy Shopify How Micro-Goals Built a Food Blogging Empire Neil Patel More about Neil Patel’s $100k challenge Quiet Light Brokerage (get a free valuation here!) Sites for sale If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Sara from Real Balanced! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review. We’d like to thank our sponsors, WP Tasty! Check out wptasty.com to learn more about their handcrafted WordPress plugins specifically made for food bloggers.

How to batch-create Instagram posts, improve your photography, and build a following with Lise Ode. ----- Welcome to episode 158 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork chats with Lise Ode from Mom Loves Baking about growing her Instagram following. How to Grow Your Instagram Following to 100k Growing your social media following sometimes feels like an impossible goal, but Lise has figured out the trick to quickly and authentically grow her Instagram following. Her Instagram account, @momlovesbaking, now has 100K followers. And that’s after having just a few thousand followers a few months ago. Lise will talk about the course that helped skyrocket her Instagram following, how she improved her photography skills, and the story behind her first post to ever go viral. If you’re looking for ways to increase engagement and growth on your Instagram account, you’ll learn a lot from this episode! In this episode, Lise shares: How her husband helped her start her blog How her business has transitioned How she improved her photography The most important photography tips she learned Why she focused on intentionally growing her Instagram account How she grew her Instagram following and engagement How she batch-creates her Instagram posts How she works with influencer companies Resources: Pixsy Mom Loves Baking Pillsbury Bake-Off Lise’s Chocolate Turtle Poke Cake Instagram Growth Formula Collective Bias Lise’s post about vision boards Follow Lise on Instagram If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Kate from Tasty Seasons! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review. We’d like to thank our sponsors, WP Tasty! Check out wptasty.com to learn more about their handcrafted WordPress plugins specifically made for food bloggers.

Thinking about your person, treating Pinterest as a unique platform, and evaluating Pin success with Kate Ahl. ----- Welcome to episode 157 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork chats with Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media about treating Pinterest as a long-term game and generating conversions. More Clicks, Subscribers, and Sales with Pinterest Sharing your content on Pinterest is almost like being in a relationship. You have to show your commitment by giving it attention every single day. You need to completely understand your audience and give it what it needs. You need to face your challenges head-on in the hopes of creating a thriving, flourishing, and active connection. If it sounds like a lot, it is. But Kate is here help. She’s chatting about prioritizing your Pinterest efforts for maximum clicks, subscribers, and sales. You can grow your blog and business with Pinterest, and this episode will teach you how. In this episode, Kate shares: The challenges you should keep in mind when dealing with Pinterest Why Pinterest is a long-term game Why you need to treat Pinterest as a unique social platform Why you need to think about “your person” on Pinterest What’s most important on Pinterest How large your “long pins” should be How hashtags work on Pinterest How she gains clients How to evaluate your pin success How to leverage your other social channels for Pinterest success Resources: 026: How Pinterest Analytics can Boost your Blog with Kate Ahl from Simple Pin Media Simple Pin Media Simple Pin Podcast Bjork’s episode on the Simple Pin Podcast Everything Food Conference Tasty Pins Tailwind Simple Pin Media services If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Katie from 24 Carrot Life! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review. We’d like to thank our sponsors, WP Tasty! Check out wptasty.com to learn more about their handcrafted WordPress plugins specifically made for food bloggers.

Prioritizing your work, choosing a focus, and leading a healthy life with Liz Della Croce. ----- Welcome to episode 156 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork chats with Liz Della Croce about balance, health, and focus. Building a Healthy Blog and a Healthy Life Running your blog as a business takes a lot of balance. Especially if you have a well-rounded approach to health in mind. Between her journey through weight loss to growing her blog into a profitable business, Liz has figured out how to keep a healthy balance in both her personal and professional lives. You’ll learn about her work processes, her approach to balance, and how she prioritizes her work in this interview. Enjoy! In this episode, Liz shares: How she started her blog Her advice for exercise How to maintain a healthy lifestyle Why she focuses on one task at a time How she prioritizes her work Resources: 147: GDPR for Influencers with Danielle Liss Built With Similar Tech My Food Diary Getting Things Done Remember When The Lemon Bowl Follow Liz on Instagram and Facebook If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Bet from Bet on Dinner! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

Keeping a long-term mindset, "What I don't do" lists, and connecting with others with Bjork Ostrom. ----- Welcome to episode 155 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork talks about important ways to overcome blogger burnout. Keeping it Fresh and Avoiding Burnout Burnout happens to everyone, so it’s helpful to have a few tips and tricks in your back pocket for when that feeling strikes. That’s why Bjork’s here today. He’s talking about the seven burnout-fighting tips he implements in his own life. Between an efficient way to take a weekend trip to finding the perfect coffee shop when you want to switch up your work environment, this episode will equip you tools to knock out your blogger burnout. In this episode, Bjork shares: Why he has a long-term mindset Why you should view everything as an experiment Why you should unplug once in a while Why it’s helpful to switch up your work atmosphere How to make “what I do” and “what I don’t do” lists Ways to meet up with others Why it’s important to switch it up Resources: Gmail app If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Katie from Healthy Seasonal Recipes! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

The subtleties of still life photography, the importance of textures, and how to layer with Rachel Korinek. ----- Welcome to episode 154 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork chat with Rachel Korinek from Two Loves Studio about improving your food photography with five powerful tips. 5 Tips to Improve Your Food Photography Spend five seconds on Rachel’s photography site, Two Loves Studio, and you’ll know that she knows photography. Rachel understands the important role food photography plays in the growth of any kind of food-based business. The saying, “Eat with your eyes” is much more true when your colors look real-to-life, your composition is authentic, and your prop choices make sense. From lighting to editing to color theory, Rachel explains these principles in detail on her blog, and she’s here today to share five important tips that can improve your food photography. In this episode, Rachel shares: Why still life photography is difficult What a food stylist does Why it’s helpful to work with a team Why textured backgrounds are helpful How to capture shadows What negative fill is and how to work with diffused light Why layering is important in still life photography What color theory is The tools she recommends to have on hand Resources: Rachel’s free photography course @bealubas @foodstylingbackgrounds Erickson Surfaces Nikon 85mm f/1.8G lens Rachel’s masterclasses Two Loves Studio Follow Rachel on Instagram If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Julie from Julie’s Eats and Treats! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

Evaluating your current reality, examining your past work, and becoming an effective leader with Kevin Waldron. ----- Welcome to episode 153 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork chat with Kevin Waldron about being an effective business owner and achieving the life you want. Playing the Game of Business Kevin isn’t just a business coach, he’s Bjork’s business coach! He’s in the business of helping people evaluate their current business situation and giving them actionable ways to get to where they want to be. In this episode, Kevin talks about how you can play the game of business to get what you want. You’ll learn how to evaluate what you should be doing more of and, more importantly, what you shouldn’t be doing as you grow into an effective leader and business owner. Let’s dive in! In this episode, Kevin shares: How he knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur The moment he became an entrepreneur How he approaches selling a business Why you might want to infuse your personality into your business What it’s like to no longer own your business How he found his sweet spot How he describes what he does to other people The most common things he addresses as a business coach Resources: The E Myth 032: Buying & Selling Websites with Mark Daoust from Quiet Light Brokerage Waldron Leadership Subscribe for Kevin’s Ready for Monday email series If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Oriana from Mommy’s Home Cooking! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.

Dealing with burnout, making the tough decisions, and generating income your way with Carrie Forrest. ----- Welcome to episode 152 of the Food Blogger Pro podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork chat with Food Blogger Pro member, Carrie Forrest, about 6 big mistakes that she made over her 9 years of blogging. 6 Blogging Mistakes Made By a Veteran Food Blogger Today’s podcast is extra special because we’re featuring a Food Blogger Pro member, Carrie from Clean Eating Kitchen! Carrie has been blogging for nine years, and as you can imagine, she has learned a lot about her readers, the blogging industry, and herself in that time. And that’s why she’s here today. Between learning the hard truth about what happens when you change your URLs to alienating her audience, she’s sharing the top 6 mistakes she made and how you can avoid making them yourself. In this episode, Carrie shares: What it was like blogging 9 years ago What burnout was like and why it made her want to quit blogging How she made the tough decisions about her blog What she learned from alienating her audience How she fixed her broken links How she refined her photography style Resources: Food Blogger Pro enrollment closes May 31! Enroll today! Clean Eating Kitchen Stitch Fix Redirection plugin Pretty Links Google Search Console Tasty Food Photography Backlinko 097: How to Create a Full-Time Income from Blogging Using The Egg Carton Method with Bjork Ostrom Clean Eating for Women podcast Follow Carrie on Instagram If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Thanks to our Reviewer of the Week, Karen from Seasonal Cravings! If you’d like to be featured, leave a review for us on iTunes and include your name and blog name in the review.