We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Strickland Freeman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?

Yes! Vacations are super important for my family and me. It’s a time to recharge and get those creative juices flowing again. I also find a lot of my inspiration for recipes and food styling from where we are on vacation. Whether it’s a new landscape, a farmers’ market, a restaurant, or food truck, I’m always inspired by the places we go.

My husband is a college professor and my son is in elementary school so summers are when we travel since that’s the longest time off we have. We try and go somewhere for more than 2 weeks if possible to really immerse ourselves in that place. Because I work remotely, I’m able to work wherever we are. If we are gone for a long time, I usually sneak a couple of days of work into our schedule. The way I’m able to be away from my studio for so long is careful planning. I use online planning tools and get things lined up so that I can spend as much time on vacation as possible.

My advice would be to unplug at least a couple of times a year. Maybe that’s a weekend away or even a staycation. As someone who has suffered from burnout before, it’s so important to take that time to recharge. You and your business will be better for it.

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.

Like many freelancers, I wear so many hats. What makes me different, though, is that I’m a one-stop shop since I’ve done it all. I’m a cookbook author and food editor, and I’ve worked on over 45 cookbooks. I’m a commercial and editorial food stylist. I’m a recipe developer and tester and have created thousands of recipes. I’m a food photographer (thanks to Covid) and work out of my home studio. I’m a culinary producer so I have experience in TV. And, I’m a food blogger.

I landed my first “real” job at Oxmoor House, the cookbook division for the brands Southern Living, Cooking Light, Coastal Living, etc. Getting a job there was a dream come true. I started off in the test kitchen, developing and testing recipes and also styling food for photo shoots. After about 4 years, I moved over to the editorial division and tried my hand at being a cookbook editor (and using that undergraduate journalism degree). I helped create books from beginning to end, coming up with concepts, book outlines, organizing recipe development and testing, and ghostwriting. It was a blast.

While I was a cookbook editor, I met Chris (who is now my husband). He was in Birmingham getting his PhD and about a year and a half after we started dating we got engaged (in Germany, no less–I’ll have to tell you that story later). Since Birmingham is landlocked, a move was inevitable. His postdoc took us to the Smithsonian Marine Station in Fort Pierce, Florida, coincidentally where my grandfather grew up, and launched me into a freelancing career.

What I love most about my job is that every day is different and I get to share yummy recipes with my audience. For me, every day is different, and I absolutely love all the different culinary “hats” I get to wear. Besides working with some of my favorite brands–developing recipes, food styling, and photographing delicious recipes–in June 2020 my cookbook, The Duke’s Mayonnaise Cookbook was published. I’m also the culinary producer for Seasons 4-9 of Delicious Miss Brown on Food Network. I also craved a platform to connect with my community so in 2023 I began a food blog. Little Black Skillet is a food and travel blog with tons of recipe and food content often inspired by my travels.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I love it when a recipe I’ve created or a tip I’ve shared helps someone or is a huge hit with a follower. When I get a message from someone saying one of my recipes is on their weekly rotation or that one of my recipes made their holiday celebration that much more special, it makes me so happy. I want to empower people to get back into the kitchen and to find the joy in cooking that I have.

I also love making food that’s pretty. We eat with our eyes first, so styling a recipe that makes you want to dive in or say wow that looks amazing–that’s what brings me joy.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Authenticity and professionalism are super important to me. I have also found that building relationships and giving 150% to any project I work on is crucial for success. I am consistently networking and learning. There’s always something to learn and to get better at.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ashleystricklandfreeman.com
• Instagram: @ashleystricklandfreeman
• Facebook: @ashleystricklandfreeman
• Linkedin: Ashley Strickland Freeman
• Other: Blog: www.littleblackskillet.com

Image Credits
Photography by Mary Britton Senseney, Chia Chong, Suzanne Clements, and Ashley Strickland Freeman