Today I'm talking with Viola Minerva, a multi-hyphenated creative entrepreneur located in Helsinki, Finland. Art director, photographer, graphic designer and videographer are just a few of the many titles she wears (and wears WELL, might I add.) She's also a published author with multiple books out in the world, including her latest The Nordic Winter Cookbook. Viola is the epitome of an artist and I'm excited for us to get a glimpse behind the curtain into her creative process.

ACCESS the full show notes for this episode and download some business-building freebies here: https://moriahbrooke.com/podcast/

Today is a listener Q+A! If you liked this format let me know and we will do some more Q+As on a regular basis :)

ACCESS the full show notes for this episode and download some business-building freebies here:https://moriahbrooke.com/podcast/

In this episode you’ll learn:

- How I break down a client estimate

- How I manage health as an entrepreneur

- A little more on my cookbook deal

..And more!

Today I'm talking with Renee Li, a Long Island Based food photographer and videographer. Renee has some of the most immaculate food videos I've seen, and I'm excited for you to get a peek into her process!

In this episode you'll learn:

For more on Renee, follow her on Instagram @foodie_renee

Today we're talking all things portfolio websites: why they matter, how to make them effective, and how to check yours to make sure you're setting yourself up to get the jobs that you truly want.

**ACCESS the full show notes for this episode and download some business-building freebies here:https://moriahbrooke.com/podcast/**

In this episode you’ll learn:

Today I'm talking with Ashley Cuoco, a Roanoke Virginia-based based food photographer, stylist, recipe developer, home cook, and mom! Ashley has amassed an impressive list of clientele over the past few years including ALDI, Spice Islands, DeLallo Foods, Sur La Table, Nature's Greens. It all seems perfectly kismet, given that her last name means "cook." Ashley lives to love and serve through food and hospitality, and her love of food and gathering extends to nonprofit work as well. I'm excited to learn more about her career and the current ways in which she's giving back to her community, and I'm sure we'll all walk away inspired after listening to her.

For more on Ashley:

Blog and Portfolio: http://ashcuoco.com 

Today I'm talking with Lorena Masso, a San Francisco-based food and drink photographer. Lorena has a background in Culinary Arts, which she studied in Buenos Aries, which eventually lead her to her career in food styling and photography. Lorena's story starts in Mexico, where she was born and raised, and you could almost guess it based on the vibrant, earthy tones that fill her portfolio. She's a true artist, and I'm excited to learn more about her process and vision today.

In this episode you’ll learn:

And more!

You can find Lorena here or follow her on Instagram @lorena_masso

Today I'm talking with Rachel Simons, a Aussie mom of two running a Tahini Empire here in New York City. After 15 years as a media lawyer, Rachel turned her life long passion for food into Seed and Mill, the tahini brand you've probably heard me rave about because it's just that good. Rachel is a positive ray of sunshine, and I can't wait to hear her wonderful accent talk us through the story of starting and running a thriving food brand.

In this episode you’ll learn:

And more!

You can find Seed and Mill here or follow them on Instagram @seedandmill

One of the key truths I've learned over the past few years is that most business success is simply the result of consistent actions repeated throughout time. It's about small, ordinary actions, repeated even when it gets tough or you're facing rejection, that eventually leads to extraordinary results and success.

As creatives, it can be tempting to let "feelings" dictate the course of your day, but what happens is we end up context switching throughout the day, which takes away mental energy and focus from the most important tasks in our zone of genius. It's important to protect our creativity and set ourselves up to do our best work, especially when we want to work at a higher level. I especially find batch working helpful for getting into a flow state, where I'm essentially limiting the cognitive load on myself so I can be my most creative and work efficiently. Flow state is that feeling where you lose track of time—our brains actually turn off the areas that focus on time passing so you're completely pouring yourself into the task at hand. You've probably experienced this and know just how satisfying it is to be in a state of flow, so you understand the appeal in maximizes energy output so we can achieve this state.

One way we can maximize our energy is by batch working, which eliminates context switching and helps us to work more efficiently. For me, this means I have days where I only do my podcast work and days where I only work on content creation, which means I'm not having to mentally switch as often. Within those days I'll also batch different tasks such as email or invoicing, so I'm not scattered throughout the day.

ACCESS the full show notes for this episode and download some business-building freebies here:https://moriahbrooke.com/podcast/

In this episode you’ll learn:

Today I'm talking with Roberta Dall’Alba, a food photographer, blogger, and photography educator based in Palma, Italy.  Roberta is a maven in the kitchen (you can tell based on her stunning images) and has a self-proclaimed obsession with baking. Oh, and she's also really into cats. Roberta has an impressive list of clientele, including, but not limited to: Nikon, Adobe, Samsung, and Barilla. Her eye for detail is impeccable and lucky for us, she generously shares her wealth of knowledge through her social channels and her food photographer education program. I can't wait to learn more of her story today!

ACCESS the full show notes for this episode and download some business-building freebies here:https://moriahbrooke.com/podcast/In this episode you’ll learn:

Roberta's story of starting a food blog and becoming a food photographer.

The power of investing in yourself and how it leads to others investing in you.

Her top tips for staying inspired. 

And more!

Today I'm talking with Allie Beau, a Chicago based food and drink photographer, studio owner, and new mom. Allie is Queen of the elaborately styled flat lay, and has some of the most stunning motion shots my eyes have seen. Shes also a prop styling fiend, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jealous of her masterful collection. Aside from the creative end, Allie is a rockstar business women, and I'm excited to learn more about how she left her corporate job and has maintained such a good client roster throughout her pregnancy journey. Oh, and shes also a murderino, If you know, you know.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's Allie Beau

ACCESS the full show notes for this episode and download some business-building freebies here:https://moriahbrooke.com/podcast/**

In this episode you’ll learn: