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Diversifying Income Series: Monetizing Your Email List with Matt Molen

Welcome to episode 516 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Matt Molen, the CEO of Email Crush. 

In this episode, Matt shares email marketing principles and why it’s one of the most powerful tools bloggers often overlook. He breaks down how to grow your list, why your subscribers are more valuable than you think, and how email can become a key revenue stream if you do it right!

Matt also offers practical tips on creating convert lead magnets, writing emails people want to read, and building trust through simple, effective sequences. Whether you’re starting from scratch or ready to level up, this interview is packed with email strategies you can start using today!

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Diversifying Income Series: Cooking Classes with Jess Smith from Inquiring Chef

Welcome to episode 514 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! For part two of our Diversifying Income Series, Bjork interviews Jess Smith from Inquiring Chef.

Jess Smith launched her blog, Inquiring Chefs, in 2010 and has slowly but steadily transformed it into a thriving multi-six-figure business. In recent years, she’s expanded her income streams by publishing her debut cookbook, Start with a Vegetable, and launching Inquiring Chef Academy, which offers popular in-person cooking summer camps for kids in Kansas City.

In this episode, Bjork and Jess dive into the origins of Inquiring Chef Academy, exploring why and how Jess decided to add an in-person experience to her brand. Jess’s summer camps are a massive hit (with the 2025 sessions selling out in just a few hours), and they’ve reignited her passion for food blogging. Even if in-person cooking classes aren’t your thing, this episode will provide fresh insights on diversifying your income and your creative outlets — you won’t want to miss it!

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Diversifying Income Series: Membership Sites with Adam Sobel

Welcome to episode 513 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Adam Sobel.

In this week’s episode, Adam Sobel of Cinnamon Snail shares his journey from owning a restaurant to launching successful online cooking classes after the pandemic. He reveals how building a loyal community was key to his growth, along with using content marketing, lead magnets, and split testing to attract and convert customers. Adam also dives into how paid ads and staying adaptable in the digital world have been essential to his success.

It doesn’t stop there! Adam will also talk about scaling his business with multiple income streams, including membership programs and free offers, while automating key processes to generate steady revenue. Tune in for actionable insights on growing your business in today’s digital age!

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The Cost of Content and Why Carla Lalli Music left YouTube

Welcome to episode 511 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Carla Lalli Music.

Carla Lalli Music has been a fixture of food media for the last 15 years, including six years as the Food Director of Bon Appetit. You might also know Carla from her incredibly popular YouTube series, Carla’s Cooking Show, her two cookbooks (with a third one in the works!), or her Substack newsletter, Food Processing.

In this interview, Carla dives into her recent viral Substack post about her decision to leave YouTube, including her transparent breakdown of the costs of creating content on YouTube (spoiler alert: she was losing money). Carla also explains more about why she doesn’t create recipes for SEO and how she uses connection with her audience as her north star when making business decisions.

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Maximizing Affiliate Revenue with Deep Linking

Welcome to episode 505 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Scott Allan from URLgenius. 

Ever wondered how to squeeze every last drop of revenue from your affiliate links? In this week’s episode, Scott Allan from URLgenius reveals how deep linking can boost affiliate sales by preventing commission losses, especially on mobile and social platforms like TikTok. It’s a game-changer for driving conversions and preventing missed opportunities.

Scott also discusses the importance of understanding your audience’s app behavior to tailor your affiliate strategy, plus the power of testing and tracking links to optimize revenue. Tools like URLgenius make it easy to track, test, and tweak your links for better results — small adjustments can lead to big boosts in income! Don’t miss this episode packed with actionable tips!

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Finance Mini-Series: Smart Money Habits for Bloggers with Ansley Beutler

Welcome to episode 503 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Ansley Beutler from Peach Perfect Financials — this is the fourth and final episode of our finance mini-series!

In this episode, Ansley spills the tea on all things finances – from the nitty-gritty of bookkeeping and taxes to smart ways to grow your income. She’ll talk about why it’s crucial to treat your blog like a real business, how to keep track of all your expenses, and some common money mistakes bloggers make.

She’ll also chat through some awesome tax deductions you might not know about (ahem, business meals), the pros and cons of different business structures, and how to invest your hard-earned cash. This episode is packed with financial wisdom that every blogger needs to hear, so you won’t want to miss this one!

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Finance Mini-Series: How to Become a Sponsor Magnet with Justin Moore

Welcome to episode 502 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Justin Moore from Creator Wizard. 

In this episode, Justin dives deep into the world of brand partnerships and shares his proven approach to securing long-term sponsorships. He walks us through his Sponsorship Wheel framework, which helps creators craft customized proposals that align with brand goals and foster genuine, lasting relationships. It’s not just about pitching for a quick deal — the name of the game here is creating a foundation for ongoing collaboration that benefits both parties.

Justin also stresses that negotiation should feel like a conversation, not a one-sided transaction. Understanding what both you and the brand are looking for and being flexible with pricing can pave the way for new opportunities! He highlights the importance of knowing your worth, crafting a standout media kit, and getting creative with your pitch to secure better deals. By mastering these skills, creators can turn sponsorships into a steady revenue stream while building strong, meaningful brand connections.

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Finance Mini-Series: The Smart Creator’s Guide to Taxes with Nate Coughran

Welcome to episode 500 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This is the second episode of our finance mini-series, and we’re excited for Bjork to interview Nate Coughran from Cookie Finance. 

In our latest episode, Nate Coughran from Cookie Finance shares key tips for getting your finances on track as a creator. First off, setting up an LLC can protect your personal assets and reduce audit risk. Nate also recommends keeping separate bank accounts for your business—this makes tracking your money way easier and less stressful.

When it comes to taxes, creators can claim unique deductions, but it’s important to find the right balance. Nate emphasizes staying on top of your bookkeeping throughout the year to avoid end-of-year stress. And if you’re making over $75K, it’s worth hiring a pro to ensure your tax strategy is solid and you’re setting aside enough for taxes. It’s all about staying ahead and keeping things simple!

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Finance Mini-Series: Investing in Your Business with Megan Porta

Welcome to episode 498 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Megan Porta from Eat Blog Talk and Pip and Ebby as the first part of our Finance Mini-Series. In this series, we’ll be chatting all about the finance side of food blogging — investing in your business, taxes, negotiating brand partnerships, bookkeeping, and more!

You might recognize Megan Porta from her podcast, Eat Blog Talk (chances are, if you listen to this podcast, you also listen to hers)! Megan has also been a food blogger herself for over 14 years at Pip and Ebby and knows a lot about balancing her time between her many areas of focus.

In this podcast interview, Bjork and Megan chat about all things investing as an entrepreneur. Megan shares her strategies for making decisions about investments, how to invest in yourself, how to invest in your business in the early stages, and how investing in yourself and your business can help you overcome plateaus and avoid burnout.

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Evolving Your Brand: When and How to Sell Products as a Food Creator

Welcome to episode 489 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Jillian Leslie from The Blogger Genius Podcast and MiloTree.

In this week’s podcast episode, Jillian Leslie explains everything you need to know about selling a product as a food creator. Bjork and Jillian discuss the strategy behind developing a product and the importance of leaning into problem-solving for your audience.

Jillian also walks listeners through how to get started selling products, how to scale products and generate recurring revenue, and how to overcome perfectionism within your business.

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