Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stacy Lee. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Stacy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

A lot of people are interested in content creation now. Unfortunately, there isn’t a playbook on how to get started and there is also a lot of misinformation online. No matter what type of content you’re creating, there are a few rules I’m happy to share with others. The first? Create a clear brand and know that brand. Don’t stray from it, even when people tell you they don’t like the concept. Be confident in that brand before you begin. Second? Consistency. You must post every single day, on some platforms multiple times a day, in order to get any type of growth. It will be slow going at times and it will always be frustrating, but just keep posting the best, most interesting content you can create. Third? Be prepared to work for free for at least two years. If full time content creation is your goal, You’re not going to get paid immediately. You might make a little here and there, but you won’t be generating the same income you could make at a full time office job for a while. Fourth? Invest in good equipment, study the blogs, watch YouTube videos, and learn from others’ mistakes. It’s just as important to know what you don’t want to do, as it is to know what you do want to do. Fifth? Set your mind on the long goal, not the short term. Yes, daily goals are great, but with content creation, you’re in it for the long haul. Don’t get discouraged when things don’t happen quickly. The creators who stick with it and post consistently have the most success.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have been a professional musician and singer for about 25 years now. I have albums, I have toured and played with some of the greatest artists in the world like Sarah MacLachlan, No Doubt, Shawn Colvin and many more. As my family grew, and I couldn’t continue to travel as much, I went through culinary training and became a chef. My husband and I opened our restaurant, Haven, Great American Cuisine right before the crash of 2010. We had great success and very loyal diners for three years and it’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. During the pandemic, the entertainment industry shut down completely and I could not continue performing as a singer. I tried a few different things and then one day, it just kind of hit me…I love true crime and I love cooking, so I put the two together and Dining With Death was born. There are so many things that divide us, so many things to argue and disagree over. Food is the one thing that brings us all together. Food is the human language, no matter your race, background, religious or political beliefs and that’s what I love about it. I definitely have a dark and morose side to me. I’m a horror movie fanatic and I love all things spooky. As this concept came together, I focused in even more on the things we have in common, rather than the things that divide us. We all eat and we all die. No matter how different we are, those are two things we all have in common and that is what we explore on Dining With Death. We travel to places where terrible things have happened, we talk about the crime, we explore the area, and then we eat there. Is it a weird concept? Yes, it is. And that’s just how I like it. We talk about hauntings and disappearances and executions and I eat the last meals of those condemned to die. On my Tuesday playlist, my viewers get a weekly mini documentary about a true crime story only, no food that day. I’m very proud of the episodes. They are produced in a format that has resonated with tens of thousands of people and their support means the world to me. The greatest compliments I get are that I am a great storyteller and that people feel the compassion I have for the victims when I talk about what happened to them. Their stories are what matter and we need to remember them, even if that means we also remember and discuss the bad people who commit terrible acts. We have to learn from history.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I cannot even tell you the times I’ve been told my concept is too weird, that it’s “disrespectful” (that bothers me a lot because I’m the opposite) and that it’s too dark. The people that love it, love it and that’s why I do what I do. If someone doesn’t get my concept, or doesn’t connect with why I do what I do, that’s ok! They don’t have to watch. For me, I would rather stick with what I enjoy and what resonates with my community, than try to please everyone. Ignore the mean comments, block the haters, remove the nastiness and focus on those you connect with.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Our ultimate goal at Dining With Death is a big one. We want to raise money to donate to police departments that have cold case DNA in storage that cannot be tested because there are no funds to test it. People would be shocked if they knew how many cases of sexual assault have DNA evidence that has never been tested. All DNA should be tested. Not only does it help to close the case the DNA was collected for, but it puts that perpetrator’s DNA in the system forever. If that perpetrator has committed or commits other crimes, their DNA is there, waiting for a hit. So at Dining With Death, our ultimate goal is to raise money to get these cold cases tested and get that DNA logged into the database. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.diningwithdeath.com
• Instagram: @diningwithdeathnew
• Facebook: Dining With Death
• Twitter: Dining With Death
• Youtube: Dining With Death