We were lucky to catch up with Gabriela Martinez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gabriela, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Before we talk about all of your success, let’s start with a story of failure. Can you open up about a time when you’ve failed?

There will always be struggles, but if you don’t try for your dreams then you don’t grow as a person.

2020 was the start of my foodie account. Because of Covid-19, I was put on furlough with the company I was working for at the time. During that time I felt stressed constantly because I was trying to find a new job and wanted something that would bring me happiness. So started I yummy_gabs.

But for me, the biggest struggle was my relationship with social media and food. Social Media has its positives and negatives. It can be addicting but it also can give you many opportunities. I really do take breaks from social media and post what really makes me happy and try not to care as much about negative comments. This is always a work in progress.

My relationship with food is also a work in progress. In the past, I have had obsessions with staying fit, counting calories, stressing about my weight. It was not healthy and when I started my food blog, it was hard for me to maintain my perfectionist lifestyle while also eating out. I was very stressed because I wanted to be seen as perfect, someone who doesn’t gain weight. But this isn’t reality, I had to learn how to maintain a healthy relationship with food. Mental Health is so important, and that is why I have learned to eat when I am full and to really prioritize my own well-being before any blog.

Gabriela, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Gaby Martinez, I am a foodie, and traveler, and believe in feeling good. Sharing foodie finds all over Orlando and am constantly on the move to explore new places and eat fantastic food. I work with brands to help them reach a larger audience. I am very flexible and try to accommodate any brand. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or insights.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

DO YOU WANT TO BE A FOODIE? HERE IS HOW!

Start Using Yelp:
Yelp is a great app that will help foodies that are just getting started. This is a great way to start foodie reviews, post pictures, and gain insights to what food is around your area. If you do continue using Yelp, try to gain Yelp Elite Status. Being Yelp Elite lets you into exclusive foodie events around your area.

Share your Food Pictures on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or Tik_Tok:
Start a page on either platform, create a username that is memorable. Make sure your page really stands out either by having colorful pictures, different edits, or creative captions. Also make sure to use multiple hashtags, for example I use #OrlandoEats #yummygabs. This will attract more viewers to your post, increasing engagement on your profiles.

Get the Equipment you need to take awesome food photos:
Make sure to know the right angle. Get your self a portable light, I got mine from amazon. By getting yourself a light, pictures do come out looking clearer and more delicious. Also if you can splurge on a nice camera. Currently, I have a Canon EOS 200D.

Create a Social Media Kit:
I will go into more details on a perfect Social Media Kit in a separate blog. But a Social Media Kit is an electronic portfolio of what you have to offer a company. On the Social Media Kit you will have pricing for the services that you offer. When you gain a large following you can send this out to companies or restaurants to start making an income from your social media pages.

Reach out to Businesses and Restaurants:
This is an important step and you can start doing this with less than 100 followers. Reach out to them, stating your intent and that you are wanting to promote this said business or restaurant. Most businesses and restaurants are wanting the promotion, so most accept offers. A great app to get more gigs is ApexDrop.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Keep Growing and Stay Productive: You cannot be successful overnight, keep editing and posting. Make sure you are checking insights on Instagram, this will help you grow your social media page faster.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yummy_gabs/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabyimartinez/

Image Credits
@yummy_gabs