Episode 622: 5 Steps to Committing to Community (Mindset & Self-Care)

EBT622 – 5 Steps to Committing to Community

Intro  00:01

Hey food bloggers. Thank you so much for joining me in this mindset and self-care focused episode here on Eat Blog Talk. One of the reasons I started a blog talk was to hold a space to talk about the importance of mindset and self-care. Being an entrepreneur can be a lot. If we are not taking care of ourselves, then getting actionable information about SEO Pinterest or whatever else is all moot. I will meet you back here every Wednesday to discuss various mindset and self-care topics. So you have the energy and space to tackle the rest.

Sponsor (Ikram Ali) 00:37

We all know what it’s like to be completely swamped in our business from juggling a dozen or so hats. And sometimes you just need a little help. If you’re ready to elevate your blog with stunning imagery, but lack the time I got you covered. I’m Ikram Ali, the photographer behind Ikram Ali Photography. I use my background in Pastry Arts and cake decorating, blending my culinary expertise and my photography skills to create premium still images and engaging short form videos for food bloggers and brands alike. If you’re ready to start updating old content, or just needing to get food photography checked off your list, I’m here to help you can go to the services page on IkramAliPhotography.com That’s spelt, Ikram, I-K-R-A-M, Ali, A-L-I photography.com. I’m excited about the prospect of working together. Bye friends.

Megan Porta  01:30

Hi, food bloggers. How are you doing today? Welcome to this mindset and self care focused episode of Eat Blog Talk. Welcome. Today, we are going to talk about five steps to committing to community. It was almost a year ago when I recorded an episode talking about how important I knew it was going to be to prioritize community in 2024. Although it wasn’t super hard to predict this, given the amount of things we had looming over our heads at the time. Community has definitely been an essential component this year. As we gear up to head into 2025 I thought it would be a good idea to record an episode dedicated to this topic. I don’t know if you’re a new year’s goal type of person, but I always think a brand spanking new year is the perfect time to make a renewed commitment to community, because community is so important as an entrepreneur, and not just lowercase community, but real intentional, sometimes scary, all caps community, I am talking consistent, persistent networking and developing established relationships and partnerships that will last, sometimes a lifetime. Let’s define community for food bloggers, intentionally connecting with like minded peers, either virtually or in person, in places such as mastermind groups, retreats, summits, conferences, etc. I had an intro call with a blogger recently who joined the 2025 mastermind group, and I want to share what she said to me. It carried so much truth. I got goosebumps when she said this. She said, I think a lot of people will feel the uncertainty of 2025 and back away from investing in conferences, retreats and mastermind groups, not me. I feel the importance of these things now more than ever. I wholeheartedly agree with this statement and this sentiment. It is so easy to get caught up in the fear and back away from investing in community when counter intuitively, we should be forging ahead through and into community minded investments and ventures we need each other now more than ever before.

Megan Porta  03:55

The people who shrink back pulling away from community in this next year are going to be the ones who feel isolated, alone and stuck a year from now, most likely go all in on community and building relationships this year, as much as your budget allows. My intuition alarm is going off big time about this. It is really, really important in 2025 Let’s talk through five steps to committing to community. 

Megan Porta  04:25

Number one, understand the power of connection. It is so hard to convey the power of community and connection until you’ve experienced it yourself. Before I went to my first awesome conference in 2018, I truly did not understand this concept. Tastemaker conference in 2018 was the first powerful community focused event I experienced. This was followed by so many other gatherings and groups that provided tons of value for my business. Since 2018 I have prioritized community and connection and creating those relationships. Big time. It has a category in my banking account. No joke, it is hugely important, more important than most other investments, I’d be willing to say relationships can make a business successful, and sometimes this doesn’t happen until down the road, it requires a little bit of faith, fruitful partnerships have popped up for me years after connections were initially made, in some cases, not investing in community results in isolation, which can hinder progress and create a host of other problems that you really don’t want in your business, if you have not yet experienced the power of connecting through retreats or conferences or mastermind groups, you’re in for a treat. I’m actually really excited for you to experience this, because after your first one, as long as you keep an open mind, your eyes will be opened to the magic. If these investments seem scary, start with Facebook groups and social media, there’s always the Eat Blog Talk Facebook group. I know there are other Facebook groups out there for food bloggers and entrepreneurs. Start there. Low commitment spaces like these provide value, yes, and they can also get those meaningful connections going. 

Megan Porta  06:14

Number two, interact intentionally. If you listen to one of my most recent mindset episodes where I talked about my first conference experience ever around I think it was 2014 or so, where I did not navigate the event with maturity or an open mind. You will know that things can go south once you invest in and commit to immersing yourself in some sort of community, make the decision to interact intentionally while you’re at the event or in the group. Really try to put yourself out there. Be open to forming friendships and partnerships. Be vulnerable. Share your wins and your struggles and your thoughts, add value to people’s lives and businesses. Approach people with positivity, be an active member and or attendee, to get the absolute most out of your time, money and your energy investment, and just serve others at the highest level, which always feels good. Do not make the same mistake I made, and go into an event closed off, make the most of your investment. This will serve you and it will serve others. At Eat Blog Talk, we have a low investment offering called the Accountability Group. This group is a great way to achieve consistency, accountability and genuine connections through our weekly check ins and monthly zoom calls and so much more. 

Megan Porta  07:42

Number three, go deep. There are some investments in communities that are deserving of more of your energy and vulnerability than others. To give an example, I wouldn’t go into a public Facebook group and share super personal things or offer extensive value to people that I hardly know. On the other hand, if I attend a small retreat with, say, 10 people or so, and I connect with the other attendees, it might be appropriate for me to offer to create a logo for someone since I’m a graphic designer, or maybe offer a free coaching session. If you invest in a year long mastermind group such as the Eat Blog Talk mini minds or mastermind you are committing to a full year of intimately getting to know your fellow members. These are environments that are meant for vulnerability and going deep. These higher investment opportunities are ripe for going deep, going deep in safe settings and groups like these allow for so much opportunity and growth. The connections you make in these settings are long-lasting and fruitful now and later. 

Megan Porta  08:53

Number four, create your own thing if you absolutely do not have a budget for attending a retreat or going to a conference or signing up for a mastermind this year. Create something yourself, host a quarterly virtual mastermind group with peers. Or you can rent an Airbnb in your city and invite a handful of your entrepreneur friends. Leading a group will not only accelerate your business and personal growth, it’ll also help you to build competence and help you make lasting friendships and connections. I have formed really deep connections with people who have attended Eat Blog Talk retreats that I know will last a lifetime. This could happen to you as well. Doing your own thing might feel scary. I get it, but I encourage you to give it a try. You might get hooked. It’s super rewarding and so much fun. 

Megan Porta  09:45

And number five, show up consistently. Wherever it is that you show up, whether it’s someone else’s event or community or your own, do so consistently. This isn’t a one and done thing where you attend a retreat and then go back home and never talk to your new friends again. Foster the relationships and connections that you make. If you join a mastermind group, you will serve your fellow members best by showing up consistently, and other members will serve you best by showing up consistently. Consistency is very important, even if it’s a Facebook group that you contribute to be a consistent contributor. Community works best when everyone shows up in an engaged way. Prioritizing consistency leads to personal growth, business growth and boosted confidence in all of the E blog talk groups that we host. Regular interaction and a commitment to consistency are what make the experiences so powerful for everyone involved. And by the way, Eat Blog Talk is here for you on the realm of community. This is a really important piece of this business. We’re here to serve you in many different capacities, whether you have a small or big budget. And whether you want to get involved in person or virtually, you can find everything through eatblogtalk.com but here are some specific URLs for you. 

Megan Porta  11:11

If you’re interested in a mini minds or mastermind experience in 2025 we still do have a few openings, head to eatblogtalk.com/mastermind. If you want to be a part of that lower investment accountability group that I referenced earlier, go to eatblogtalk.com/focus, and there’s a march retreat coming up that I’m super excited about. Get all the details for that at eatblogtalk.com/retreat. Those in person retreats are so much fun, I cannot even convey this to you. We eat delicious food. There’s tons of value. And like I mentioned earlier, you will very likely create long-lasting relationships. All right, let’s sum up the episode. I talked about five steps for committing to community. Remember all caps. As an awesome food blogger and entrepreneur, I highlighted the power of connection and the importance of intentional interactions, and discussed how going deep in the right communities can lead to lasting, fruitful relationships and partnerships, and I talked about creating your own event, even if it’s scary, if your budget does not allow for other things. Remember that showing up consistently in any community fosters growth confidence and valuable partnerships and relationships. Invest in community and it will return the investment tenfold. I promise, put a focus on community in 2025 and you will not be sorry. Thank you for joining me in this episode. I hope you enjoyed it and got something out of it. Have a wonderful rest of your week, and I will see you next time. 

Outro 12:52

Thank you so much for listening to this mindset and self-care episode here on Eat Blog Talk. If you are a food blogger providing a service for other food bloggers, and you want to spread the word about the value that you offer. I would love to offer you a free way to do just this. Send me a 60 second audio clip to be featured in a mindset and self-care episode here on Eat Blog Talk in 2024. Go to eatblogtalk.com/audioclip to learn more.