The Food Blogger Pro Podcast

How to Keep Creating Without Burning Out with Ashlea Carver from All the Healthy Things

Prioritizing joy-led content creation, leaning into email, and building a sustainable business as a food creator with Ashlea Carver from All the Healthy Things. ----- Welcome to episode 565 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ashlea Carver from All the Healthy Things. How to Keep Creating Without Burning Out Ashlea Carver has been creating food content for ten years, and in that time she's built a well-rounded and financially diversified businesses. But longevity in this industry isn't just about strategy — it's about learning how to navigate the harder parts of being a creator online. In this episode, Ashlea and Bjork dig into the mindset shifts that have kept her going — how she handles comparison and how she's made a deliberate choice to lead with joy in her business decisions to avoid burnout. They also get into the practical side of her business — why her blog is still her most valuable platform and biggest revenue driver, why she's prioritizing email, and how she thinks about Instagram in an era where personality-forward content is so important. It's an honest conversation about building a business that lasts — one that doesn't burn you out, doesn't make you dependent on any single platform, and actually feels good to run. Three episode takeaways: Why slowing down is one of the most important things you can do for your business — Ashlea shares why she carves out intentional time a few times a year for an "owner's retreat" — a dedicated window to step back, assess what's working and what isn't, and make decisions from a place of clarity rather than reaction. She and Bjork talk about the difference between being driven by purpose versus being driven by numbers, and why leaning into joy is a legitimate business strategy. Why your blog and email list are still your most valuable assets — Ashlea shares why her blog remains her biggest revenue driver and why owning your platform matters now more than ever. She also explains how she's built an email strategy around three weekly broadcasts, what she's experimenting with on the paid subscriber side, and why email is the best buffer she has against algorithm changes. How Ashlea is thinking about AI, Instagram, and the future of her brand — From her decision to bring more personality into her content as a direct response to the rise of AI, to her thoughtful reluctance to lean too heavily into AI tools in her own workflow, Ashlea shares a refreshingly intentional approach to showing up online. She also breaks down what her monetization mix actually looks like — ad revenue, sponsored content, affiliate — and why she hired an agency to help manage brand partnerships. Resources: All the Healthy Things Fit Foodie Finds Grow Your Email List and Connect with Your Audience with Allea Grummert Duett 398: The Importance of Surveying Your Audience with Email with Allea Grummert 288: Email for Bloggers – Maximizing the Value of Your Email List with Allea Grummert 229: Email Marketing – Strategies for Bloggers with Allea Grummert Kit Grocers List Mediavine Raptive Turning Followers into Revenue with Ben Jabbawy from Grocers List How Molly Thompson Grew Her Email List from 15K to 100K Using AI to Eliminate Busywork and Unlock Creative Time with Jason Glaspey CookIt Media Sally McKenney from Sally's Baking Addiction on Creating Success Follow Ashlea on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Yoast. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Reinventing a Food Blog After an 80% Traffic Drop with Carrie Forrest from Clean Eating Kitchen

What happens when SEO stops working, rebuilding after a major traffic drop, and navigating AI and the future of blogging with Carrie Forrest from Clean Eating Kitchen. ----- Welcome to episode 564 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Carrie Forrest from Clean Eating Kitchen. Reinventing a Food Blog After an 80% Traffic Drop Carrie Forrest has been blogging since 2009 and has experienced the full range of highs and lows that come with building an online business. When Bjork first interviewed her in 2018, she was already growing Clean Eating Kitchen with simple, healthy recipes and a strong foundation in SEO and keyword research. Between 2022 and 2024, that strategy paid off in a big way — Carrie grew her site from a few hundred thousand monthly pageviews to nearly one million. But with the rollout of AI Overviews, many of the keyword-driven and how-to posts she relied on were hit hard, leading to an 80% traffic drop almost overnight. In this episode, Carrie shares how she's navigating this rebuild season — from leaning into her email list and YouTube to focusing on what AI can't replicate: human connection, empathy, and transformation. It's an honest conversation about the shifting landscape for online creators and what reinvention can look like after years of success. Three episode takeaways: Why it can be difficult to diversify when one strategy is working extremely well — We talk all the time about the importance of diversifying your revenue and traffic streams, but that can be hard to do in reality! Carrie talks about why she struggled to listen to that advice and how hard it is to focus energy on diversifying when your current strategy is doing so well. How Carrie is approaching a rebuild season after an 80% drop in traffic — Bjork and Carrie discuss the ebbs and flows of running an online business, how Carrie recovers from big traffic dips, and how a beginner mindset is helping her feel more creative than ever before. Why focusing on human connection, creativity, and audience relationships matters more than ever — Carrie shares her current outlook for her blog and explains why she is leaning into her humanity and connection with her audience instead of information and transaction. Resources: Clean Eating Kitchen 152: 6 Blogging Mistakes Made By a Veteran Food Blogger with Carrie Forrest 278: Lessons from a Veteran Food Blogger – How to Overcome a 60% Dip in Traffic with Carrie Forrest Media Wyse TopHatRank The Money Café with Alan Kohler NerdPress February Blogging Newsletter — debunking the myth that search is dying, AI Frankenstein recipes, Pinterest, and more! The Gap and The Gain Follow Carrie on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Yoast and Clariti. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Using AI to Eliminate Busywork and Unlock Creative Time with Jason Glaspey

How to use AI to manage information overload, simple ways to start using AI tools in your business, and what OpenClaw is and how it works with Jason Glaspey. ----- Welcome to episode 563 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jason Glaspey. Using AI to Eliminate Busywork and Unlock Creative Time AI is everywhere right now — and for creators, it can feel equal parts exciting and overwhelming. Between shifting algorithms, constant platform changes, and an increasingly noisy internet, many creators feel like they're stuck in "defense mode" just trying to keep up. In this episode, Jason Glaspey shares his journey from internet entrepreneur to AI builder and explains how creators can start using AI tools in practical ways to simplify their workflows. Bjork and Jason talk about the current state of the internet, why creators often feel stuck reacting instead of exploring new opportunities, and how AI can help shift that mindset. Jason also introduces OpenClaw, an AI-powered tool designed to proactively help with tasks and projects. They discuss how it works, how they're using it in their own workflows, and how tools like OpenClaw can automate repetitive tasks — like grammar checks, link audits, and SEO reviews — so creators can focus on what really matters: making compelling, human-centered content. If you've been curious about how to use AI in your business without losing the human element, this episode will give you a helpful starting point. Three episode takeaways: How AI can help you manage information overload and stay in discover mode — The internet has never been more engaging — or more overwhelming. With constant updates, endless content streams, and shifting algorithms, creators often feel like they're reacting instead of exploring new ideas. Jason explains why the internet today can feel addictive but less satisfying, and how tools like AI can help filter out the noise so you get out of defense mode can focus on meaningful creative work. Simple ways to start using AI tools in your business — A huge portion of running an online business involves repetitive, administrative tasks — things like proofreading posts, checking links, auditing content for SEO best practices, and cleaning up older posts. Jason shares how AI tools can take over this "grunt work," freeing up your time and energy. What OpenClaw is and how it works — Unlike many AI tools that simply respond to prompts, OpenClaw is designed to be proactive. Jason and Bjork discuss how they're using it to manage projects, monitor tasks, and automate parts of their workflow. Resources: JasonGlaspey.com Fleet of Geniuses Non-Traditional Success – Optimizing for Happiness with Jason Glaspey OpenClaw Telegram Slack Discord Github Claude Notion CopyClub.ai Email Jason Follow Jason on Twitter Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Member Kitchens. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

The Road to 1 Million Pageviews with Rachel Kirk from Laughing Spatula

Growing a 20-year food blog in today's search landscape and building engagement through authenticity with Rachel Kirk from Laughing Spatula. ----- Welcome to episode 562 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Rachel Kirk from Laughing Spatula. The Road to 1 Million Pageviews with Rachel Kirk from Laughing Spatula Rachel's mom, Kathi, started Laughing Spatula 20 years ago, and it has now grown into a full-time business for both women. In this interview, Bjork and Rachel talk through the changing search landscape, the challenges of the last few years as food creators, and what is keeping them going. Rachel is working towards a goal of 1 million monthly pageviews (they're currently around 300,000 - 500,000 pageviews a month) and Bjork provides his advice on what changes he would recommend to move the needle. If you're looking to increase your pageviews or revenue this year (hello, who isn't?) and want to join Rachel in her challenge, don't miss this episode! Three episode takeaways: Solve problems for your audience — Leaning into your humanity and authenticity is more important than ever, and one easy way to do that is to document your life, solve your own problems, and share that with your audience. Rachel shares her goal to share more behind-the-scenes content and problem-solving series on social media to boost engagement and highlight her humanity. The importance of updating old content — Laughing Spatula has almost 1,000 recipes, and Rachel has been focusing on updating old recipes, improving internal linking, and compiling how-to posts to refresh existing content. How to respond to algorithm updates — The increase of AI and constant algorithm updates can without a doubt be demoralizing. Bjork and Rachel discuss how to stay positive and what changes you can make to your business to create more stability and predictability. Resources: Laughing Spatula Giggling Fork Mediavine Clariti NerdPress Raptive Grocers List Kit Applesauce and ADHD Follow Rachel and Kathi on Instagram Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Yoast and Grocers List. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

How Food Dolls Turned Facebook Into Their Top Traffic Source

Growing to 5 million followers on Facebook and turning social video into traffic and revenue with Alia and Radwa Elkaffas from Food Dolls. ----- Welcome to episode 561 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Alia and Radwa Elkaffas from Food Dolls. How Food Dolls Turned Facebook Into Their Top Traffic Source Alia and Radwa, the sisters behind Food Dolls, join Bjork on the podcast to discuss how they built a thriving food business with a Facebook-first strategy. With over 5 million followers on Facebook, Food Dolls has become a case study in adapting to platforms, navigating algorithm changes, and continuously evolving content formats. In this episode, Alia and Radwa share how they got started, how they divide responsibilities today, and how they think about analytics, monetization, recipe development, and platform-specific strategies in 2026. Whether you're just beginning on Facebook or looking to rethink your traffic mix, this episode is filled with actionable insights and tips to get you started on the right foot. Three episode takeaways: Facebook can still be a primary growth and traffic platform — Food Dolls proves that Facebook is far from "dead" when creators lean into native uploads, frequent posting, and engaging Reels. Strategically scaling content is essential to success (without burnout) on Facebook — By batching content, scheduling posts every two hours, and repurposing one shoot into many Reels, Alia and Radwa focus on scalability without sacrificing consistency or quality. Flexibility is the best defense against algorithm changes — Alia and Radwa continuously test new formats, switch up their content, and adapt their strategies based on analytics — allowing them to weather platform shifts long-term. Resources: Food Dolls Crowded Kitchen Inside Crowded Kitchen's Strategy for Growing to 2.4 Million Followers on Facebook Manychat Facebook for Creators Monarch InShot Dropbox Pretty Delicious Cookbook Follow Alia and Radwa on Instagram and Facebook Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group Thank you to our sponsors! This episode is sponsored by Allspice and Clariti. Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com. Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.