We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marley Braunlich. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marley below.
Marley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?
When I started my food blog, I did not have experience with SEO, food photography, recipe development, or growing a successful online business that gets consistent website traffic. I ended up researching and learning these skills “on the job” and I now know much more than when I started.
There are a few things I would do differently if I could go back and start all over again. Here are five things I would focus on if I were starting a new business:
– Get advice from experts in the industry and invest in coaching or courses to learn faster
– Prioritize SEO, keyword research, and website performance from the start
– Outsource to speed up growth and free up my time as a business owner
– Create reliable systems and organization
– Hone in on my zone of genius
Get advice from experts
Connecting with other food bloggers, photographers and coaches in the industry has provided me with useful tips and resources that I would never have discovered on my own.
I suggest making a few online friends or connections who you can toss ideas around with or investing in 1:1 or group coaching for your niche to quickly level up your skills and business as a whole.
Learning from others and seeking advice from experts early on will accelerate your personal development and business growth.
Prioritize SEO, keyword research, & website performance
With increased competition and saturated niches in blogging and social media, it is important to find ways to stand out and niche down to reach your desired audience. Another big part of finding success with a new website is honing in on SEO and keyword research.
These two strategies will help you set up your website properly so you can rank in Google and search engine results pages (SERPs) and discover content gaps and opportunities. With recent Google algorithm updates, it is more important than ever to have a website with good on-page and technical SEO, site speed, accessibility and more.
Outsource earlier
Managing a full time job and starting a new business is a lot for one person to take on. I am just starting to outsource some tasks for my website and I wish I did this sooner! I like to remember the saying “You have to spend money to make money.” when I feel uncertain about investing in my business before it is bringing in substantial income.
Outsourcing different tasks in your business will allow you to have more time for the
Create systems & get organized
If you are launching a new brand and want to have a successful online presence, creating reliable and streamlined systems is the key to success! Whether this looks like creating a work schedule, batching content, or scheduling out social media posts, it is helpful to get organized and have a clear game plan early on.
Find your “zone of genius”
I have been listening to more podcasts lately and often hear the words “zone of genius” mentioned when talking about entrepreneurship. Essentially, you want to focus more on the things that light you up or come naturally to you and outsource the tasks that drain your energy or are not things you are very good at.
My zone of genius is ideation, marketing and content strategy, photography and videography and sales. I love brainstorming new business ideas and strategies for growth as well as styling gorgeous food photos and creating content for brands.
Marley, 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?
Of course! Well, when I’m not working from home at my 9-5 job or working on my food blog, you can find me outside enjoying some fresh air on a walk, going to hot yoga classes, reading a book, talking to friends and family, or cooking new recipes for dinner.
5 Fun Facts About Marley:
Here are five fun facts to help you get to know me a bit better:
1. I worked part-time in a bakery during college and loved it! Plus, I was able to apply some of these skills to my baking blog.
2. I have a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Marketing. I’ve been drawn towards entrepreneurship since high school and would love to pursue my own business full-time someday!
3. I am naturally a creative person and I’ve tried several hobbies including crochet, jewelry making, digital art, blogging, product photography and more.
4. Reading and listening to music are my favorite ways to wind down. My goal this past year was to read 18 books and I’m almost there!
5. I’m a Taurus and consider myself to be a visionary. I am always dreaming up new ideas and doodling thoughts down in notebooks. Want to brainstorm ideas for your next business idea? I’m your gal!
About Baked Abundance:
Baked Abundance is my baking blog where I share a mix of traditional and allergen-friendly recipes that you can easily make at home. I started this site in August 2021 with the desire to share my recipes with others and continue to push myself in the kitchen.
I find that there is always a need for allergen-friendly recipes like gluten-free desserts to share with family members or eggless cookies when you run out of eggs! That’s why in addition to classic and nostalgic recipes, I also share some gluten-free, dairy-free and eggless recipes so everyone can find something they can enjoy.
If you were to make one recipe from my website, I would have to recommend my eggless chocolate chip cookies. This is one of the most popular recipes on my site and has dozens of 5 star reviews. They are super chewy, soft and delicious and if needed, they can easily be made gluten-free or vegan with a few simple swaps.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Podcasts have been a huge source of learning and inspiration for me over the last couple of years. After launching my food blog and photography business, I started listening to Eat Blog Talk, The Food Blogger Pro Podcast, and other business, marketing, and SEO podcasts to quickly learn from others and absorb as much information as I could.
I plan to dive into more finance and business books in the New Year to continue my learnings. Finding various educational resources is a game changer for entrepreneurs. I’m currently listening to the audiobook version of “Buy Back Your Time” by Dan Martell.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I love hearing from my fans after they’ve made one of my recipes. It is so touching to know that someone is taking the time out of their schedule to buy ingredients for a recipe you created and make it for their friends and family members. Reading through comments and 5-star reviews on my recipes truly makes my day!
I also feel very proud when hearing kind words and thank yous from my clients after we’ve completed a recipe or photography project. I get excited when they are excited! It is very rewarding to apply my skills to content creation that serves brands I use and love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bakedabundance.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bakedabundance/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bakedabundance
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marleybraunlich/
- Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bakedabundance/
- Email List: https://bakedabundance.com/subscribe/
- Portfolio: https://bakedabundance.mypixieset.com/