Great infographic provided by Brazzlebox, a free, online community built by and for small business owners.
When it comes to buying and shopping locally, you can bet, I’m a supporter–and not just where food is concerned. That’s why when Brazzlebox reached out to me about helping spread the word on National Small Business Week coming up May 1 – 7, I jumped at the chance. Based in Syracuse, New York, Brazzlebox is a 32,000-member online community network built by and for small and home-based business owners. The national recognition week is set aside each year in the spirit of helping small businesses connect and succeed. A bunch of entrepreneurs helping each other out is definitely a cause I can get behind!
Regarding Some Kinda Good, Brazzlebox inquired about two things: 1) What made you want to start blogging? and 2) What are some of your successes? I’m happy to share my story!
Q: What made you want to start blogging? A: It’s no secret that I love food. My friend, Bill, explains this best in his hilarious observation of my obsession: Becky Sue Hits the Big Time. I grew up in a family who loves to eat and entertain, and like in many families, especially Southern ones, food has always been a central part of that. But Some Kinda Good was born out of necessity–I started the blog at a time in my life when I needed something to pour myself into, something that was completely mine to shape and mold. It was November of 2011 and my first marriage was coming to an inevitable end. Some Kinda Good provided a place where I was free to be me, a place where I could share the things that made me happy like Wild Georgia Shrimp and Grits or the stories that made me who I am, i.e., Table Talk and Family Ties. While I was writing and sharing, getting back to my roots and my true identity, I had no idea the opportunities blogging would bring about. One of my favorite quotes is, “When you do what you love, success comes.” Has a more true statement ever been spoken?
Q: What are some of your successes? A: Some Kinda Good has been the foundation for a great deal of my success. TV and radio appearances, events, freelance writing — It certainly has helped that my professional background is in marketing and public relations. On a local level and probably among my most enjoyable accomplishments has been hosting “Statesboro Cooks,” a 30-minute cooking show broadcast on local cable. I’ve appeared on national television twice – once as a contestant on ABC Television’s “The Taste,” a cooking competition reality program, and again as part of “Dr. Oz’s Nationwide Healthy Recipe Challenge.” When they discovered Some Kinda Good, producers contacted me to represent my home state of Georgia in a video appearance on The Dr. Oz Show with a lighter take on Peach Cobbler: Grilled Georgia Peaches with Toasted Granola and Local Honey.
The blog also launched my freelance writing career in a major way. For more than four years, I’ve served as the Statesboro Herald Food Columnist where I highlight local restaurants, farmers’ market happenings and seasonal recipes. I’ve been a guest blogger for numerous Southern, coastal entities including The Local Palate, Visit Savannah and Savannah Taste Experience. Along the way, I even got to meet (face-to-face!) one of my most influential and beloved Southern cooks, Paula Deen. Partnering with the following organizations, I’ve performed live cooking demonstrations, served as a celebrity judge and been invited to blog live at food events throughout Georgia and Alabama:
Paula Deen Ventures
Hunter Cattle Company
Statesboro Mainstreet Farmers’ Market
Georgia Grown
The Garden of the Coastal Plain at Georgia Southern University
Gadsden State Community College
Children’s Advocacy Center of Lowndes County
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Through it all, blogging has taught me a lot about myself and I’m continually seeking ways to advance and improve. It’s turned out to be harder than I could have ever imagined. Having a small business of your own takes some serious dedication and time commitment. But, hard work pays off and I wouldn’t have it any other way. ❤
Thanks, Brazzlebox, for reaching out and for all you do to make small town America go ’round.
Do you have a small business story? Share it using #DreamSmallBiz.
Email me at SKGFoodBlog@gmail.com.
Georgia native Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a freelance writer, entertainer and food enthusiast who writes and speaks about her love of good food and the Coastal South. A Season 2 Contestant on ABC’s “The Taste,” she is the former Statesboro Herald food columnist and past host of the television program “Statesboro Cooks.” To learn more, visit RebekahFaulk.wix.com/RebekahFaulk.
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