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

Megan chats with Liz Pollio about how to stay motivated when progress feels slow, growth stalls, or the work starts to feel repetitive.

Liz Pollio founded Flour de Liz in 2016 as a way to share easy, approachable dessert recipes. She truly believes that anyone who wants to bake can bake, and she strives to create a fun, welcoming, and judgment-free space for home bakers of all skill levels.

Are you showing up consistently but not seeing the results you hoped for? Liz shares honest mindset shifts that help her stay motivated during plateaus, boredom, and seasons of uncertainty. This is a grounded conversation about playing the long game, finding small wins, and remembering why you started in the first place.

Key Topics Discussed:

Future wins matter more than current frustration: The work you are doing now sets you up for growth later even when you cannot see it yet.

Small data wins are still real progress: Looking at year over year data can reveal growth you might miss in the day to day.

Quarterly check ins beat constant monitoring: Checking metrics too often can kill motivation before results have time to compound.

Shift focus toward what is already growing: When one part of your business shows momentum, lean into it instead of forcing what feels stuck.

Reconnect with why you started blogging: Creating just for fun can reignite creativity and make everything else feel lighter.

Singles lead to home runs: Not every task is a breakthrough but every small action moves you forward.

Track accomplishments not just unfinished tasks: Breaking big projects into subtasks helps you see progress instead of failure.

Connect with Liz Pollio

Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Zhen Zhou about surviving a massive traffic hit, rebuilding income through diversification, and rethinking what it really means to build a sustainable food blog.

Zhen Zhou downshifted from a corporate track post-MBA to full-time content creation and is loving it. She currently runs three blogs: greedygirlgourmet.com, alovelettertoasia.com, and tjtakesthetrain.com.

If your blog has felt like a roller coaster since the HCU, this episode will feel grounding. Zhen shares what happened when her traffic dropped by 70 percent, why she stopped obsessing over Google, and how systems, funnels, and brand clarity helped her move forward without burning out. This is not a silver bullet episode. It is an honest look at adapting in a landscape that keeps changing.

Key Topics Discussed:

Stop waiting for Google to save you: Relying on one traffic source is no longer realistic and waiting it out keeps you stuck.

Diversification works but it is not simple: Running multiple sites helped offset losses but also revealed how much energy different niches require.

Pinterest needs a system not hope: Random pinning creates noise while structured testing creates clarity and consistency.

Your sub niche matters more than you think: Seasonality and trends behave differently depending on what type of food you actually publish.

Traffic without a funnel is fragile: Fewer clicks can outperform big traffic when those clicks lead somewhere intentional.

Email challenges outperform free downloads: Inviting people into an experience builds stronger engagement and fewer unsubscribes.

Branding starts before colors and logos: A blog needs a reason to exist beyond recipes if you want people to seek you out.

Hope is a better strategy than fear: Letting fear dictate decisions leads to paralysis while hope keeps you moving forward.

Connect with Zhen Zhou

Website | Instagram

Traci DeForge teaches us why podcasting can be one of the most sustainable ways to grow a food blog, create multiple revenue streams and build valuable relationships.

Traci, founder of Produce Your Podcast, an award-winning full-service production and audience growth marketing agency, is recognized as an international podcast expert, sought-after speaker, and media contributor. The creator of the Podcast Management Academy, the industry's only certified podcast manager training program, PodHive, and Co-Founder of the Podcast Professionals Association. Traci hosts the Growth Accelerator Podcast, and co-hosts the popular Ask Brien Radio Show in Los Angeles. She's been featured on all three major networks, including CNN, CTV, American Express Open, and RadioINK. She is also a member of the Rolling Stone Culture Council.

Podcasting is often dismissed as too much work or not visual enough for food creators. In this episode, that assumption gets challenged. Traci breaks down why audio builds deeper trust, how podcasting supports SEO and AI discovery, and why consistency matters more than perfection. If you have ever thought "this sounds great but I don't have the capacity," this conversation will help you rethink what podcasting can actually look like.

Key Topics Discussed:

Clarity before creation: If you do not know why you are launching a podcast, it will never feel sustainable.

Consistency beats frequency: One high quality episode you can maintain is more powerful than weekly content you resent producing.

Guesting counts as a strategy: You can build authority and reach new audiences without running your own show.

Audio builds deeper trust: People invite podcasts into their kitchens, cars, and daily routines and that matters.

Podcasting supports SEO and AI discovery: Audio and video content increase repetition and visibility across search and AI platforms.

Food content works without visuals: Storytelling, sensory language, and real life examples make recipes come alive in audio.

You do not need fancy gear: A simple microphone and a phone are enough to get started.

Connect with Traci DeForge

Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Christine Pittman, Meredith Kruse, and Melissa Erdelac about what makes Flavor Media Summit unlike any other blogging conference.

This is an exclusive event for experienced food bloggers who have successful and income-generating businesses. Our goal is to unite accomplished food bloggers for strategic networking, empowering them to thrive, collaborate and ignite long-term growth in an exclusive and transformative gathering.

Not all conferences are created equal. This episode pulls back the curtain on Flavor Media Summit and explains why experienced food bloggers keep returning year after year. From deep dive sessions and intentional speakers to real connection, real food, and real conversations, this is a look at what happens when an event is designed for growth instead of noise.

What makes Flavor Media different:

Smaller rooms create bigger breakthroughs: Real conversations happen when you are not lost in a crowd of thousands.

Advanced topics deserve advanced spaces: Flavor Media is built for bloggers ready to move beyond the basics and level up.

Speakers show up not just present: Attendees get real access to experts not just stage time sound bites.

The third day changes everything: Hands on working sessions turn ideas into action fast.

Luxury is about intention not flash: Every detail is designed to make attendees feel valued and supported.

Food matters more than people admit: Breakfast, lunch, cocktail hour and the snack bar - inclusive, unique catering shape the entire experience.

Community outlasts the conference: Relationships built here continue long after the event ends.

Connect with Flavor Media Summit

Website | Instagram

Megan chats with Chanda Coston about building real success without burnout and why hustle culture is not worth the price.

Chanda Coston is a U.S. Navy Veteran, Business Strategist, and Founder of Chanda Co., where she helps entrepreneurs build profitable, purpose-driven businesses without sacrificing peace or passion. With over 20 years of leadership experience and a background in project management, she teaches systems, mindset, and strategy that enable creative professionals, like food bloggers, to grow sustainably, delegate effectively, and avoid burnout. Her coaching blends structure and soul, because clarity and calm are the ultimate success tools.

Burnout is not a badge of honor. In this episode, Chanda breaks down what sustainable success actually looks like and why systems, boundaries, and self trust matter more than working harder. This conversation is a reset for anyone who feels overwhelmed, reactive, or constantly behind.

Key Topics Discussed:

Burnout is a warning, not a requirement: If your business only works when you are exhausted, something is broken and it is not you.

Mindset comes before strategy: No system will stick if you believe rest equals failure or productivity defines your worth.

Self awareness changes everything: Learning your personal burnout cues helps you intervene before things spiral.

CEO themed days create clarity: Structuring your week around focus areas removes daily decision fatigue.

Boundaries protect your energy: Time blocks only work when you are willing to turn things off and say no.

Delegation is not optional for growth: If you are the single point of failure, your business cannot scale.

Guilt is not a good decision maker: Especially for moms, choosing yourself now creates a better future for everyone.

You'll love Episode 642: Strategies for Sustainable Content Creation – How to Avoid Burnout as a Creator and Business Owner

Connect with Chanda Coston

Website | Instagram

Ready to crush your biggest goals? Get Chanda's free ebook!

Vinny DelGuidice teaches us how to build a sustainable food blogging workflow using batching, planning ahead, and reusing what already works.

Vinny DelGiudice is the creator of Always From Scratch, an Italian-American family food blog he started six years ago. He is a professional photographer, dad, and husband who focuses on developing nostalgic family recipes from his and his wife's childhood, meals that make it easier for families to sit down at the table and enjoy time together.

Burnout is not a requirement for success. Vincent shares how he stopped forcing creativity, built a repeatable workflow, and learned to do less while growing more. This episode is a reality check for food bloggers who feel overwhelmed, scattered, or stuck in constant decision mode.

Key points discussed include:

Choose your creative time: You will make better content faster when you stop forcing creative work into the wrong hours.

Batching saves your sanity: Planning shoots and tasks in advance removes decision fatigue and keeps momentum going.

Plan tomorrow before today ends: Knowing exactly what you will work on next eliminates wasted mental energy.

Reuse what already works: Series content and proven formats outperform constant reinvention.

One shoot multiple assets: Shooting photo and video together cuts production time in half.

Not every platform deserves you: Focus on where your audience actually is and outsource or skip the rest.

Comparison kills momentum: Staying in your own lane protects creativity and consistency.

Connect with Vinny DelGuidice

Website | Instagram

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