Tastemaker Talk

And listen—no shade to anyone who does love a good bandwagon jump! Time and place, you know?

In this episode, Michelle and Chandice are getting into Michelle's journey through the creator economy as the founder of Nom Nom Paleo. They're also teasing Michelle's upcoming appearance as the highly-anticipated closing keynote speaker for Tastemaker Conference 2027—and that's where the bandwagon comes in.

Michelle argues that it's necessary to take a step back sometimes and think about what this is all for. It can't just be to get more followers, garner more views, and collect more accolades. You have to strategically decide what's important to you—and Michelle's got thoughts on how you might set about doing so!

Show Notes

• Find Michelle at NomNomPaleo.com
• Follow along with Michelle on Instagram
• GET YOUR TICKET TO HEAR MICHELLE'S CLOSING KEYNOTE AT TC 2027 IN SAN ANTONIO
• The Atlas of AI by Kate Crawford is the book Chandice mentions--bonus points if you read it and let us know what you think!

At some point, growing your business stops being just about getting more done and starts being about becoming the kind of leader who can support others as they build with you.

In this episode, Barrett and Chandice are getting into the psychology of entrepreneurship, especially what happens when creators make the leap from working solo to managing a growing team. They talk delegation, risk, resilience, and the very real challenge of letting go of the idea that you have to do everything yourself.

Barrett is a very well-loved speaker, mentor, and member of our Tastemaker community, and we think you'll understand why as you listen to this episode. Enjoy!

Show Notes

• Find more from Barrett at barrettbrooks.com
• Follow along with Barrett on Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
• Listen to "Where Do You Go From the Top of the Class?" our episode with Allea Grummert where we discuss food bloggers being the honors' students of the creator economy!
• Get your ticket to TC 2027 for more convos like these

We're sitting down with Nicole Langdon (The Candid Cooks) to hear all about her experience attending Tastemaker Conference for the first time in Los Angeles! Nicole is sharing what surprised her most about the event, including how she managed the nerves, excitement, and emotions that aren't always talked about (but are definitely very normal and very real!)

We're diving into the immediate sense of community and inclusion that made the conference feel so welcoming, especially for a first-time attendee. Nicole also shares her advice for food creators who are curious about attending but aren’t quite sure what actually goes on behind conference doors. 🤪 If you’ve ever wondered whether Tastemaker is the right fit for you, this convo will give you what you need to take the leap and join us in San Antonio!

Show Links

• Find Nicole on their website, or on socials!
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candidcooksblog/
  • FB: https://www.facebook.com/candidcooksblog
  • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thecandidcooks
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecandidcooks
  • Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thecandidcooks/_created/
• Listen to Shaunda Necole's episode of Tastemaker Talk: Why Creators Who Treat Their Blogs Like Media Companies Win Long-Term
• Join us at TC 2027! Special discount if you're reading this far 🤫 DL50 for $50 off (on the down-low)

Speaking very candidly, content creators have to navigate a lot of tension as an inherent part of their career. You're constantly being told that "authentic" content is what performs the best, but then you have to mindfully curate your brand (which is to say...yourself). There is an urge to document your life in order to share what feels real in your day-to-day, but the very act of capturing these moments makes them lose some of their spark. So what's the solution?

Well - we don't know exactly. But if you've ever felt like you're walking the balance-beam between your real life and your social media career—including the joys, fears, and pressures that come along with it—this conversation might resonate with you.

Show Links

• Come to TC 2027 if you want to gather with folks who care about these types of topics and love to have conversations about them--even when the answer isn't straightforward. We'd love to see you in San Antonio!

Kathryn Doherty is the creator behind Family Food on the Table, and she's been in the food blogging game for over 10 years now. Kinda chic, right?

So why would a food blogger in her shoes—with her audience reach and with so much industry know-how—make the decision to publish fewer recipes? It boils down to listening to your instincts and letting what you "should" be doing become less relevant than what you actually enjoy doing. More details in today's episode!

Show Links

• Find Kathryn at FamilyFoodOnTheTable.com
• Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest
• Join us at TC 2027 in San Antonioooooo!

Sometimes food creators think that if they want to see growth, they need to pick a lane and never change it. But guess what? That's actually not how humans work. We evolve, grow, and develop new tastes—and Jessica Hylton Leckie is here to explore how doing so in public can actually make your brand stronger.

From launching Jessica in the Kitchen after an 11pm cupcake experiment to building an award-winning food blog with 1,000+ approachable vegan recipes, Jessica is sharing her POV that has fueled 15 years of growth, reinvention, and navigating new seasons of life and content as a food creator.

Show Links:

• Find more from Jessica on her website, on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube
• Get your TC 2027 ticket nowwww - Jessica's session is going to be just as informative and inspiring as today's episode!

In this episode, Jordan Gill (Senior Affiliate Marketing Manager at Kit) shares the importance of building an owned audience through email for food creators navigating platform shifts. We're talking about strategies to increase engagement, maintain audience ownership through a smart email approach, and leverage email for community building and revenue. Email doesn't have to be boring or scary, and Jordan is here to make sure you're set up for success!

Show Notes

• Sign up for your Kit account - free until you surpass 10,000 subscribers!
• Follow Jordan on Instagram
• Join us in San Antonio for Tastemaker #10. Jordan will be speaking on our email panel and we couldn't be more excited!

Tara Bench (Tara Teaspoon) is here! Live from Kit Studios NYC, we're asking alllll the questions about what she learned working for Martha Stewart in the early 2000's. We also cover how creators can diversify their revenue (and why it's so important), where Tara sees the industry heading in the next 5 years, and her approach to hiring a team that can help you thrive. Lots of gems in this one--enjoy!

Show Notes

• Find Tara on Instagram and on her blog
• Check out Accio (the tech tool Tara mentions at the end of the ep)
• Join us for TC 2027!

In this episode, branding expert Katie Trant (Foodie Brand Lab) shares insights on building a strong brand strategy for creators. Katie and Chandice are exploring the importance of understanding your brand's core, and providing practical steps to future-proof your revenue—even amidst platform changes and AI updates. Katie argues that moving beyond simply knowing your personal "why" is a key step, and that all creators should be able to to strongly answer "Why you?" Tune in for advice to help you anchor your brand to your core values and weather the next round of shifts in the creator economy.

Show Notes

• RSVP for Katie's upcoming webinar
• Find Katie online at Foodie Brand Lab and Hey Nutrition Lady
• Follow Katie on Instagram at foodiebrandlab and heynutritionlady
• Join us at TC 2027 - Foodie Brand Lab will be a sponsor for the first time ever, and we're SO excited!

Abbey and Daphne are LIVE from Kit Studios NYC to chat about what creators need to know from the Social Commerce Summit 2026 in New York. We're sharing hot takes all across the board—we get into the Taylor Swift wedding, the unsung horrors of Disney movie tropes, and also why we think AI is actually the best thing that's happened for creators in a while. 🙊 We also unpack our takeaways from the conference and share why it's important for creators to be in the room where industry conversations with impact are happening!

Show Notes

1. Get your ticket to Social Commerce Summit SLC (September 2026, apply for the industry pass!)
2. Join us in San Antonio for more IRL connection and continued education about AI, social commerce, and how to elevate your food content creator business