We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marley Goldin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marley below.

Hi Marley, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

As a food blogger with a background in Environmental Health Science, I knew that incorporating my passion and knowledge for sustainability needed to be an integral part of my business in order for me to feel fulfilled and stay motivated.

What people may not realize is that when it comes to sustainability, our food choices matter a whole lot! In our modern lifestyles where everything is readily available to us at any given time regardless of their seasonality, where there is a huge disconnect between what’s on our plates and how it came to be there, and where more economical choices aren’t always the most eco-friendly, gentle education is critical.

So, I set out to create a non-guilt-inducing, educational platform for people of all dietary preferences and palettes, where cooking and baking with sustainability front of mind is still fun!

Each of my recipes includes “green tips” that educate the home cook on how to source ingredients, where more eco-friendly substitutions can be made, which foods we should consider eating in moderation, and why all of these decisions matter for our changing planet. I stand firm in my belief that small changes over time can make a large impact.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As a new, first-time mom when the pandemic hit, I was furloughed from my job within weeks upon returning from maternity leave. I knew I needed a creative outlet to keep me occupied during my baby’s nap time, and something to fill my cup during the monotony and isolation of lockdown. With a long line of caterers and restaurateurs on both sides of my family, cooking, baking, and experimenting in the kitchen has always been a source of great joy in my life. I started sharing my food creations on social media, and quickly fell in love with recipe development and food photography.

As my social media following grew, I started to research potential income streams and business plans around my new passion, and Marley’s Menu was born. Soon thereafter, I started weaving in sustainability tips and articles as they pertain to food and cooking, knowing that grounding my business in my true passion, the environment, would make for a lasting business that I can continue to pour my whole heart into.

Since its creation in 2020, Marley’s Menu has grown exponentially, reaching more home cooks and sustainability-curious readers than I could ever have imagined. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some incredible like-minded brands to help tell their stories through imagery and recipes, and to connect with people in their kitchens and beyond. The outpouring of support from friends, family, and community has gotten me through the struggles of starting a new business from scratch.

It’s my goal to continue to educate and prove that living a more sustainable lifestyle is not only do-able but can be fun! Sustainability does not have to be all or nothing, and armed with the right information, everyone has the ability to make small changes that over time, can collectively make a bigger difference.

We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.

Three months into creating Marley’s Menu and at the height of the pandemic, the company that employed my husband for over 10 years went out of business. With a mortgage to pay, new business expenses from running a brand-new one-woman business from our kitchen, and a new baby at home, this news came as quite a shock.

Here we were, with a solid plan to live as a one-income household until my business got off the ground, feeling confident that we could do so comfortably while still providing a thriving life for our child, when the security of his job was ripped away from us.

We had a choice to make. Get back on the job market and seek new positions in an economy that saw the highest unemployment rate it has seen in 50+ years or go all in on our new dream. We chose the latter. My husband dove right into the business, taking on the technical aspect of web development and design, as well as taking the lead on outreach and financial planning and analysis.

We quickly learned to work together in harmony, elevating the business and strengthening our bond. While cultivating our relationship as co-parents, business partners, and husband and wife was (and still is) challenging at times, our love and trust for one another, drive to succeed, and shared passion for our work has led to a successful partnership in all aspects.

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

While over time our energy and focus has shifted primarily to search engine optimization, social media has been a driving force behind the success of our business. It’s a great way to connect with our target audience, get feedback, float new ideas, and gauge what is working.

As creatives, social media has also been a great way to supplement our income by working with like-minded brands to help with their marketing goals.

My best advice for growing your audience and building a presence on social media is to simply be yourself. While this sounds cliche, at the end of the day, no one else is you, and THAT is your superpower.

We each have our own unique point of view, and when it comes down to it, people follow because they are invested in you.

For brands looking to grow their social media platforms, work with creators that share your ethos and align with your mission. Seek out creators that fit your aesthetic and work closely with them to curate a feed that will resonate with your target audience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://marleysmenu.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marleysmenu/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marleysmenuofficial
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marleygoldin
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/marleysmenu
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MarleysMenu
• Pinterest: Www.marleysmenu.com/marleysmenuofficial

Image Credits
Marley Goldin