MAD LOVE MONDAY | Stephanie Truong

Have you ever wondered where all the great spots are when it comes to food in Edmonton? Or have you ever been amazed by all the food spots that actually exists here and you didn’t realize it until you saw a post on well, Instagram?

The social media is a wonderful thing. Overtime the world of marketing has evolved and eventually we were all introduced to Influencer Marketing. Influencers range from different niches to help raise brand awareness locally, nationally or globally. Today, we have Stephanie Truong, an Edmonton based foodie influencer who shares her love for food has given us a glimpse of her story.

Stephanie Truong runs an Edmonton-based food blog where she reviews different restaurants and eateries throughout the city. Her blog name was originally The YEG Foodie but she wanted a name that defined her more which is why she rebranded a few years ago. 

Photography by: Galeevant Social

Why Did You Start Food Blogging

I’ve been asked quite a few times about why I started blogging. My love of food stems from my childhood. As a child, I grew up in an Asian household where I mainly ate Asian food, particularly Vietnamese food. When I grew older, I yearned for non-Asian food. During high school, I finally had the freedom to go out to eat and try new foods. This freedom took me to different restaurants in Edmonton where I tasted food that was never cooked at home.

Although I still ate home-cooked food, I started to explore restaurants beyond the chains and franchises. My friends would see my food photos on social media then ask me for my opinion. This is when I was inspired to create a food blog - to share my tastes and thoughts to those who didn’t know me personally. Today, I still love to try out new cuisines but I will always appreciate the home-cooked Vietnamese dishes that my mom makes for me. 

What Exactly Do You Blog About?

I mainly blog about places in Edmonton but I have written about other countries I’ve traveled to. My blog is more of a side hobby or a side hustle, as I like to call it. I would love to become a full-time blogger one day but it is not a priority for myself at the moment. I spend most of my work time doing social media marketing, particularly at North America’s largest mall.

Many have asked me - how do you balance working and blogging? For me, I believe that you should leave work at work. Once I leave my workplace, I focus on other priorities which would be gathering content (eating) and creating content (on my blog & social media). Time management and prioritization is a big part of maintaining a blog.

I like to think that what started out as a blog has turned into a personal brand for me. 

What Advice Do You Have For Anyone Interested In Wanting To Start a Food Blog or Become A Food Influencer?

If you want to become a food blogger or a food influencer, you need to genuinely LOVE food. For me, that’s the most important thing as that will be reflected in your work and be your motivation. My love of food drove me to eat at different restaurants, not the same place over and over again. My love of food was the reason why people started asking me for my opinion on a restaurant instead of looking up a Google Review.

My love of food is why I still write about it to this day. 

Starting a food blog is not hard and doesn’t require any money but takes time and effort. There are many free blogging platforms nowadays: Blogger, Wordpress, Squarespace, Wix. Once you’ve chosen a platform, you will need content to write about. Obviously, this means that you’ll have to go to restaurants to take photos of the food/interior and share your opinion about it. Don’t worry about having any following at the beginning, everyone starts off at the same place.

Photography by: Galeevant Social

As you start blogging more and more & posting food photos on social media, you’ll begin to build a brand or name for yourself. Make sure that you’re consistent and that your personality is showcased. Lastly, never feel embarrassed or ashamed for taking photos of the food before you eat it. It also helps if you eat with people that don’t mind having cold food! 

You can easily catch Stephanie hopping from one food spot to the next on her Instagram or Facebook. She’s always open to DMs for anyone who has further questions about food blogging or suggestions on where to eat!

Stephanie Truong ! MS. HANGRY FOODIE
instagram.com/mshangryfoodie
facebook.com/mshangryfoodie

MAD LOVE MONDAY | Sharon Mellott

My name is Sharon and I’m the proud owner of a photo booth company called fotobüth. My journey to becoming the owner of a photo booth business is different than most. To be honest, it wasn’t something I set out to do or even considered looking into.

A friend of mine originally owned fotobüth and was running it as a side hustle. Her primary business was growing and she simply didn’t have the time to continue to invest in fotobüth and give it the love it needed to grow. I initially looked into it out of pure curiosity, but the more questions I asked the more interested I became.

Photography by Nicole Constante

In June of 2018 I purchased fotobüth and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made!

When I first took over fotobüth I was pretty nervous. I knew very little about the industry, but knew enough to know I was entering a competitive market. I wouldn’t consider myself to be computer savvy either, so to say I was overwhelmed by all of the cords and technology to make this baby run smoothly was an understatement! I have to be able to set this up how fast… and in the dark? What if something goes wrong? I spent hours in the basement practicing how to quickly set-up the booth and how to take it down so I’d be able to do it at an event without being stressed.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned in the past year is you need to believe in yourself and in your product.

Otherwise, how can you expect other people to? I’m also the owner of an Interior Design company called Weaver Design Inc.. I may not of had any experience in the photo booth industry when I first purchased it, but I already had the skills to run a business. Although fotobüth is currently a side business for me, it has grown to be so much more than JUST a side hustle. My passion for this industry has evolved over the past year and I’m always anxiously waiting for the next event. I enjoy meeting new people and I’m excited for the potential this company has to grow. My favorite part has been customizing the photo booth to make it my own. I’m always trying to think of new things I can add-on to make fotobüth stand-out against my competitors in this ever-evolving industry.

Running a business certainly comes with its challenges and is not for the faint of heart – the hustle is real folks! I’ve contemplated giving up more often than not, which is why I feel it’s so important to surround yourself with people that will continue to uplift you. Sometimes the only way to push through the difficult times is to have a little faith and to keep putting one foot in front of the other. If it was easy, everyone would do it! At the end of the day, it all comes down to the fact that I love what I do. Watching people come together and get outside of their comfort zone, share some laughs makes all of those struggles worth it. There is no greater gift.

One thing I love about being a business owner is that you are in control and there really is no limit as to how far you can take it.

There is something so empowering in knowing that you’ve created something that is 100% your own and watching a business grow is the most rewarding thing I can think of. There are no words. Being an entrepreneur has really pushed me to live outside of my own comfort zone and to embrace the discomfort in the unknown.

I’m so glad I found the YEGBOSSBABES community. It can be challenging to find a mentor in your industry or even someone to talk to that can relate to the struggles that come with being a business owner. I cannot say enough about how fantastic it is to have a community of strong, like-minded entrepreneurs to share experiences with. There is so much we can learn from each other!

Sharon Mellott | fotobüth
instagram.com/fotobuthyeg
facebook.com/fotobuthyeg/

MAD LOVE MONDAY | Tanya Nafe

I am the owner of Sweet Bouquets Cupcakes in Edmonton. I specialize in floral cupcakes and cakes. There are a lot of bakers in the Edmonton area but I am proud to say that I am the only baker who specializes in floral cupcakes to this extent. I created the company because I love gifting baked goods to friends and family and what is better than receiving a beautifully designed flower arrangement that you can eat?

Photography by: Claudine Lavoie Photography

As a child my mother would bake us the coolest cakes. I grew up counting down the days until I could choose a cake from her cookbook for my birthday. And as I grew older, I started sharing her love for baking by treating my friends to cakes and puff pastries on a regular basis. It became my way of showing people I care for them. It grew into a business where customers know when they purchase cupcakes from me, it’s been made with love and they can gift it with love to someone else.

I believe in coming from a place of yes and kindness.

And that is how I run my business.

I want each and every customer to feel they are not only valued but appreciated for supporting my dream. When they knock on my door and leave with cupcakes or cakes, I want them to leave feeling happy. I have been blessed to have customers become friends and I hope to continue not only growing my business but my amazing group of friends as well that have blossomed out of this business venture.

As my company continues to grow, I’d like to focus more on teaching. I would love to see more people create stunning floral creations to continue spreading joy with cupcakes. Now that I have built a solid business, I’d like to place more focus on turning my business digital with online tutorials and videos. I am in the process of creating a paid Facebook group that will be a community for bakers of all backgrounds and skill levels to come together, learn from each other and encourage each other to build strong, solid businesses.

I absolutely love being an entrepreneur. I am solely in control of where I take my company. I can grow it as fast or as slow as I need, in the direction I feel is best for myself, my family and my company. Being able to work for yourself is such a freeing feeling and Having my kids look up to me Can’t even be put into words. For them to see what you can create with hard work and your hands is a life lesson they can’t learn anywhere else.

There were times when I started where I wondered if I’ll ever sell a bouquet or cupcakes. Whether people would even pay what I charge. I had a constant battle of feeling like I’m charging too much but also worrying that I’m selling myself short. But my husband constantly reassured me I have to believe in my product and it would speak for itself. And that has absolutely been the case. It’s one thing to be able to create a beautiful cupcake but I needed people to love the taste as well. And I have been fortunate that my tried and true recipes not only look good but tastes just as amazing as it looks.

I have been fortunate to be able to grow a consistent Instagram following that has not only given me international recognition but also brings in local orders. Instagram and Facebook has been a huge part in me not only receiving orders from the States but also student who fly in for one on one lessons. As my company continues to grow I will now be turning to YouTube and Pinterest to continue growing a wider audience.

Balancing work and life is a bit of a challenge. I have 3 children ages 11,9 and 8 with a husband who works in Texas, USA. So finding the time to juggle mom, wife and business owner can get a bit tricky and I would be Lying if I said that some days I don’t lose my mind. It’s a fine line that I walk but I enjoy every minute of it, even the late nights, early mornings and late school pick ups (sorry kids). Gym time for me is must, it’s where I shut off my phone, blast some music and just focus on strengthening my body and mind.

I base my work around the gym as it’s an important part of helping me stay sane.

I am looking forward to connecting with like minded women who have a drive to push themselves and other people around them to higher grounds. Being able to have a tribe of women who not only wants to see you succeed but also what’s to be a part of helping you reach your goals is what society needs. Women lifting up other women so we can all be successful.

Tanya Nafe | Sweet Bouquet Cupcakes
instagram.com/sweetbouquetscupcakes
facebook.com/sweetbouquetscupcakes