We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Paige Bennett. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Paige below.

Paige, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

Throughout high school, psychiatry was always an interest of mine. I knew many people in my life who struggled, including family members, classmates, and friends, with mental illness. Many of them had not received the care from health care providers that they needed to live the life that they deserved. I knew I wanted to be a health care provider to bridge this gap and provide quality care. My first step towards this goal was to become a psychiatric nurse. I applied to The Ohio State University’s nursing program and was so happy when I was accepted. In nursing school, my favorite rotation was the psychiatric one. I continued my love for psychiatry as I became a nurse at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital. While working as nurse, I worked on a dual diagnosis unit where I assessed patients, administered psychiatric medications, and educated family members. I took my passion a step forward by attending Vanderbilt University’s Nurse Practitioner program and became a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I currently work as a nurse practitioner at a private practice in Dallas, Texas.

During graduate school, I would decompress by trying new restaurants and coffee shops in the Nashville area. To document these places, I would take pictures and post them on my instagram page. At work or on social media, multiple people would ask me to suggest places for different special occasions. I finally decided to delve more into my foodie passion by creating a food instagram called @paigefoodfinds. I continued this page even when I moved to Dallas. I used this page as a way to further explore my new city. I just started the page for fun and did not ever think that this page would lead to so many amazing opportunities. I have met numerous other foodies throughout the world and have bonded with them over the same hobby. Through my page, I never expected to be on the same zoom call as Kendall Jenner, do a collaboration with Halo Top, be invited to different Dallas restaurants, and create my own fragrance.

Paige, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I originally got into professional food blogging in July 2021. This was the month before my graduation from nurse practitioner school and marked almost three years in Nashville. I had always wanted to make a food blog, but always worried about what other people would think. I finally gained the courage to create a food account. To separate my account from different types of food accounts, I focus more on the interior/ambience of the restaurant than just the quality of the food. I think what also sets my food account apart from others is that I also focus on fashion and travel. A lot of my posts detail restaurants/coffee shops that I have discovered in other cities, such as Charlotte, San Diego, New York City, Austin, Cincinnati, and others. I always say that coffee shops are the pulses of the city. I am most proud of my collaboration with Halo Top. I am so happy to work with such an amazing company.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy to grow followers for me has been to follow other foodie accounts and to tag different restaurants that I go to. A lot of the time the restaurants will re-post my picture, which will bring more traction to my blog.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Throughout my work as health care provider and blogging as a foodie, I had to unlearn the thought that it matters what others think. When I started to post more on my food blog, I had heard that other people would say that I posted too much or that I posted “random thing.” At first these comments hurt me, until I realized that people will always have an opinion of you and that you should live life on your own terms.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @paigefoodfinds