We recently connected with Katie Kick and have shared our conversation below.

Katie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I’ve had a passion for cooking and experimenting in the kitchen my entire life!

In 2008, I started writing at Good Life Eats as a means to document my culinary adventures and curate a virtual family cookbook. At the time, I had no idea that a recipe website could evolve into a business.

My motivation for starting the blog was deeply personal. I was a stay-at-home mom, juggling the demands of a 3 1/2-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter. It was a joyful, but very busy time in my life, and I found myself needing a part of my life that was “just for me.”

Good Life Eats became my creative outlet, while allowing me to stay connected with extended family members who often called me for recipes requests while I was in the middle of preparing dinner for my little ones. Having my favorite recipes accessible online became a source of convenience for me and my family.

Within the first year, I began connecting with other food bloggers on Twitter and discovered a very active online food community. After that, my passion project seamlessly evolved into a business endeavor that I never initially envisioned.

Good Life Eats became more than just a platform for sharing recipes; it became a means of connecting with a community of fellow food enthusiasts. The prospect of creating a platform that offered more than just recipes, but also a place for others to learn and share their own culinary experiences, filled me with excitement and purpose.

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.

My journey into the culinary world hasn’t involved any formal training aside from home ec in middle school and an intro to culinary sciences in college. It has been a lifelong pursuit fueled by genuine enthusiasm and hands-on experience; my cooking knowledge is constantly expanding, and I love learning new skills!

The kitchen has been my creative playground for as long as I can remember. My parents love to share this funny story from when I was 3 years old. They had some friends over, and they were all chatting in the other room. It got really quiet, so they decided to check on me. What they found was me sitting on the kitchen floor with a bunch of flour, sugar, and some cracked eggs, apparently getting ready to bake my very first cake.

Beyond that, I distinctly remember making recipes like a simple chili recipe and skillet hamburgers when I was just around 8 years old. By middle school, I was coming home after class to bake cookies or make milkshakes – of course always making a mess of the kitchen! During high school, my passion for cooking continued to grow, so I started taking on the responsibility of preparing family meals after school, driven by a desire to experiment with new-to-me ingredients.

With over 15 years of experience in the kitchen, Good Life Eats has amassed a treasure trove of tried-and-true favorite recipes. Whether you’re a kitchen novice looking to get started, don’t know what to cook for dinner, or a seasoned home cook looking for fresh inspiration, you’ll find a range of delicious recipes to spark your kitchen creativity. My cooking tutorials will help you master new skills and boost your kitchen confidence so you can enjoy the good life through food!

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

Maintaining strong client relationships and nurturing brand loyalty has always been at the heart of what I do.

Connection is one of the cornerstones of success, and I take pride in my commitment to this principle. One of the key ways I keep in touch with my readers is through my responsiveness. I make it a point never to be too busy to respond to any reader who reaches out with questions or needs help troubleshooting a recipe. Whether it’s a comment on our website or an email with inquiries or feedback, I genuinely love to connect with my audience.

I make it a daily routine to check website comments. And I’m especially diligent during the big food holidays, like Thanksgiving, when I proactively monitor for comments or inquiries. This allows me to lend a helping hand and provide timely assistance whenever needed.

Good Life Eats was founded on connection, so I work really hard to continue to keep that part of my origin story alive. I think connection makes a big difference to my audience. If they take the time to leave a comment or question, I want to make sure I’m taking the time to respond to them.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Adaptability is one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in the last 15 years! The landscape of this business is continually evolving. It is so different than it was when I began in 2008, with plenty of ups and downs over the years. The willingness and ability to adapt have always been proven ways through those challenges.

Staying committed to continued growth and learning in response to your readers’ evolving needs is also crucial! It keeps your audience loyal and brings in new users. Whether it’s improving food photography for a better look, adding educational resources to our content, or giving our website a facelift, putting your audience first is a must for success in this industry!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.goodlifeeats.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodlifeeats/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodlifeeatsfans
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/goodlifeeats/

Image Credits
Good Life Eats