Making Instagram work smarter for your business, repurposing old content, and making the most out of DM automation tools with Lindsay Ostrom from Pinch of Yum.

-----

Welcome to episode 522 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week, Bjork interviews Lindsay Ostrom from Pinch of Yum.

Welcome to the kickoff episode of our new mini-series, sponsored by Grocers List! In this conversation, Bjork and Lindsay are diving into how Pinch of Yum is rethinking its Instagram strategy, especially when it comes to using Reels, DM automation tools, and driving email list growth. They chat about how to balance creativity with conversion, and Lindsay shares why her opinion of DM automation tools has completely changed over time.

Lindsay also gets into the nitty-gritty of repurposing blog content and using Grocers List as a strategic bridge to get Instagram followers into the email ecosystem. If you’re looking to work smarter with your content and make Instagram actually work for your business, this episode is for you!

• How to repurpose old content — Lindsay discusses how she has been breathing new life into older recipes by organizing and packaging her existing content into resources and opt-ins that can a) provide value to readers and b) drive followers to sign up for the Pinch of Yum email list.
• Pinch of Yums’ current Instagram process and strategy — Lindsay shares her current content strategy for Instagram and how she’s been rethinking the value of Instagram in her business. Historically, she viewed Instagram primarily as a means to build awareness around the brand and new recipes, but she is now being more strategic about the Instagram to email pipeline. She explains her practical tips for getting started with this mindset shift in this discussion!
• How to make the most out of DM for automation tools — Lindsay first tried out a DM for automation tool to drive site traffic a few years ago, but didn’t like how it cluttered her Instagram inbox and made engaging with readers more difficult. So she abandoned it! Recently, however, she tried again (this time with Grocers List) and has had great success building her email list. In this interview, she explains what changed her opinion on these tools (and shares the Instagram inbox organization tip you need)!

Resources:

• Pinch of Yum
• Skinnytaste
• Grocers List
• Grace and Vine Studios
• 22 Healthy Freezer Meals (That You’ll Actually Love)
• Freezer Meals Instagram Post
• Follow Lindsay on Instagram and Pinterest
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Grocers List.

Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.

Scaling a Brand, Navigating Burnout, and Finding Your Why with Joanie Simon of The Bite Shot.

-----

Welcome to episode 521 of The Food Blogger Pro Podcast! This week on the podcast, Bjork interviews Joanie Simon from The Bite Shot.

In this week’s episode, Joanie gets real about the not-so-glamorous side of turning a creative passion into a full-on business. She shares how her love for food photography grew into something much bigger (and messier!) than she expected, from hiring a team to navigating the financial and emotional rollercoaster that comes with scaling. Spoiler: it wasn’t always smooth sailing, but it was 100% worth the ride!

We also explore the tricky balance between staying creative and keeping up with the structure a business demands. Joanie opens up about burnout, the pressure to please everyone, and how she lost touch with her audience along the way. Through mentoring, self-care, and redefining what success actually looks like, she’s found her way back to her “why” — and she’s sharing what that process really looked like.

• Growth can be messy, but so worth the effort!: Joanie shares how her food photography side hustle grew into a full-blown business, including the ups and downs of hiring a team, dealing with new responsibilities, and learning from the messy parts of scaling.
• The tug of war between creativity and structure: From chasing inspiration to juggling deadlines, Joanie talks about how building a business can sometimes smother the creative spark and how she’s working to find a balance that actually fuels both.
• How Joanie reconnected with her why: Joanie opens up about people-pleasing, burnout, and losing touch with her audience — and how mentoring, self-care, and redefining success helped her get back to what really matters.

Resources:

• The Bite Shot
• Joanie’s food blog, The Dinner Bell
• Company of One by Paul Jarvis
• The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
• “The Story of the Chinese Farmer” by Alan Watts
• Follow The Bite Shot on Instagram and YouTube
• Join the Food Blogger Pro Podcast Facebook Group

This episode is sponsored by Member Kitchens and Raptive. Learn more about our sponsors at foodbloggerpro.com/sponsors.

Interested in working with us too? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities and how to get started here.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for interviews, be sure to email them to podcast@foodbloggerpro.com.

Learn more about joining the Food Blogger Pro community at foodbloggerpro.com/membership.