We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rachel Lenz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Rachel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

If you had told me back in 2019 (back when I shared my first static Instagram post) that I’d be referring to myself as the word “influencer” in 5 years, I would have called you crazy.

I started my food account, Detroit Eats ‘n Treats, solely because I loved taking photos of my food while out at restaurants. I figured my followers on my personal account didn’t care to see what I was eating every day and I followed a few of the now “OG food influencers” and figured ‘why not?’ and thus, Detroit Eats ‘n Treats was born!

When I started sharing content, reels and TikTok weren’t a thing. Today, 99% of the content I post is in video form. My goal with this has never been to “go viral” or get rich – I truly enjoy the entire process of doing what I do – from first exploring the idea of collaborating with a restaurant, to curating the shots, meeting the owners, and editing the videos. I call this hobby/job my creative outlet.

There’s no roadmap in place for how to become a successful restaurant content creator (none that I know of at least) and I think that is what makes this space such a fun, unique, and opportunity-filled industry for content creators. We all do our own thing and have different styles and approaches for filming and sharing our work.

I tell inspiring foodie content creators this all the time – if you want to do it, just give it a shot! We all have the capability to become the next big thing literally at our fingertips. Even if your goal isn’t to become an influencer full time, you can get so much personal gratification from sharing what you love with people who appreciate and enjoy the food/restaurant space like you do!

I shoot content with a “professional camera” as well as my iPhone and that’s a topic I discuss a lot with people. I switch back and forth between the two and truly don’t believe you need the latest and greatest equipment to create beautiful content. That’s something I think people see as an obstacle when starting off. Comparing my content today to what I posted even 6 months ago – I see a drastic difference, an improvement solely because of trial and error.

Networking and working with other content creators is also a super fun and beneficial way to learn more about this space and improve your skill set. Like most things, practice and perseverance will set you apart in the crowded content creation space and allow you to figure out your personal style and passion!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Rachel, a Metro Detroit-based influencer and content creator for the social media account Detroit Eats ‘n Treats. I’m passionate about supporting restaurants and local businesses by helping them grow through engaging, high-quality social media content. My main platform is Instagram but I also post to TikTok and Facebook.

Detroit Eats ‘n Treats is my creative outlet and one of my proudest achievements. It has unexpectedly grown into what it is today and has given me something to look forward to putting my time and energy into developing.

In a nutshell, I collaborate with restaurants and local businesses in Metro Detroit and create ~30-second reels to share to mine and their social media pages that highlight their food/beverages/offerings, ambiance, and my personal experience visiting their establishment. I incorporate “voiceovers” that bring the experience to life for the viewers which allows me to share my personal experience in an engaging, personalized way.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I love every step of the content creation process – from arranging the food on the table at the restaurant to ensuring a clip lines up with the audio I’ve chosen for the reel.

Being a restaurant content creator also provides me with a unique experience that most diners don’t receive – actually getting to know the people behind the business. Hearing people’s stories, motivations, and aspirations is something that makes content creation feel more rewarding for me.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

There are so many content creators out there with similar interests that I wish I had been more confident to reach out to them earlier. I’ve made so many great connections and friends through Detroit Eats ‘n Treats and I’m prioritizing building those relationships and making even more in the upcoming year. It’s honestly a great way to grow your social network (not just online)!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/detroiteatsntreats/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DetroitEatsnTreats
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachellenz/
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@detroiteatsntreats